COLUMNS

Historical facts about Iberville Parish you may have never known

Staff Writer
Plaquemine Post South
Iberville Parish is full of history, that may very well not be known by many of its residents.

“Discovered” by Pierre LeMoyne, Sieur d’Iberville - Pierre LeMoyne, Sieur de Iberville, the Parish’s namesake, came to Bayou Goula in 1699 on five different voyages.  In December 1699, Father Du Ru with the Jesuits built the first church in the Louisiana Purchase near Bayou Goula amongst the Bayogoulas and the Mugulasha, two tribes domiciled in the same village.  The Indians helped Iberville to map out the Indian trade routes from here to Mobile, Boloxi, Natchez, Baton Rouge, but ancient Indian tribes were here much longer before his arrival.

“Sweet Iberville” - From the 1800s until the mid-1900s, Louisiana produced more sugar than any other state in the nation, and Iberville, as the state’s leading sugarcane producer, drew the name “Sweet Iberville”.  The Parish still produces a large portion of the state’s sugar.

Ancient Trade Routes – Long before Pierre LeMoyne set foot in Iberville Parish, ancient Indian tribes, the Bayogoulas and Mugulasha tribes, mapped out trade routes through the Parish’s many waterways, the most famous of which being Bayou Plaquemine, leading to the historic Lock site. 

White Castle Populated by Cypress Logging – Before White Castle had its hand in the sugar boom, but White Castle became a Town because of an increase in population due to the cypress logging trade.  Workers and families settled in White Castle near areas where cypress trees were harvested.  After the cypress was depleted, the Town reverted back to sugar production.

Efforts to Maintain Beauty – Iberville Parish has joined with the Atchafalaya Basin Program, under the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources; the Atchafalaya Trace, to develop cultural/heritage trails; Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program; Louisiana Scenin By-Ways, and the Great River Road Program.