St. Martinville, US
Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site (French: Site historique d'État Longfellow-Evangeline), located in St. Martinville, Louisiana, showcases the cultural significance of the Bayou Teche region. It is the oldest state park site in Louisiana, founded in 1934 as the Longfellow-Evangeline State Co
mmemorative Area. Evangeline was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's enormously popular 1847 epic poem about Acadian lovers, who are now figures in local history. In the town center, the Evangeline Oak is the legendary meeting place of the two lovers, Evangeline and Gabriel. A statue of Evangeline marks her supposed grave next to St. Martin of Tours Church. The state historic site commemorates the broader historical setting of the poem in the Acadian and Creole culture of this region of Louisiana. Several historic buildings are showcased at Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site, which cover 157 acres (0.64 km2): Maison Olivier, designated a National Historic Landmark (as Acadian House) in 1974, is a plantation home built c. 1815 by Pierre Olivier Duclozel de Vezin, a wealthy Creole at the time. The structure is an excellent example of a Raised Creole Cottage, a simple and distinctive architectural...
Listen to the audio guide for Maison Olivier Free on WIP — starts by itself when you arrive, even with the screen off