Historical And Archaeological Investigations at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center, Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish, Louisiana

Hahn, Thurston

A cultural resources survey of a portion of the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center. Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, was conducted by Coastal Environments, Inc. (CEI). Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is developing the site of the circa 1905 Percy-Lobdell Building and surrounding area in Thibodaux for use as an interpretive center focusing on the Cajun culture as it exists in a wetlands setting. A Phase II-Level II survey of the site was conducted by CEI in April and May 1989. These investigations uncovered the foundations of several nineteenth and twentieth century structures and led to the recovery of numerous nineteenth and early-twentieth century artifacts. This study also indicated that past soil disturbances had affected much of the area to the extent that no intact cultural featUres or midden were extant in much of the project area. CEI revisited the site on several occasions in June and July 1989 while the National Park Service was preparing the site for new construction. Supplementary information was gathered on several previously recorded architectural features at that time. CEI again revisited the site in November 1989 during pre-construction activities related to the construction of a new structure to the west of the Percy-Lobdell Building. Numerous artifacts were recovered during the course of this work and several previously unknown architectural features discovered and recorded. All of the approximately 1.28 ha (3.17 ac) of the project area has been designated as Louisiana site 16 LF 164.