Archives & History in the Acadiana District

Archives & History

A Concise History of the Acadiana District

     The first Methodist circuit rider to enter the district was Elisha Bowman, back in 1805. He made his way through New Orleans, Berwick Bay, and up the Teche to Opelousas. He started a Methodist society there, which boasted a membership of 17 after one year. It is believed that Lorenzo Dow may have ventured into the Attakapas area shortly before that
     Over the next 40 years, a few Methodist societies and churches began to show up in the area. The fact that this area was dominated by French descendents (who were staunch Roman Catholics) ... many of whom spoke no English ... made the going even tougher. In the mid 1840's, several new churches were built. Some grew, while others remained small for decades. When the Methodist Episcopal Church divided in 1844, Louisiana fell in with the southern branch.
     After the Civil War, the northern branch of the church ventured into the area and started a number of churches. Although not an African-American branch of the church, most of the congregations that resulted were made up of African-Americans.
     Through the latter half of the 19th century, the church had mixed results. The strong Cajun culture of the area still spoke French and was still attached to the Catholic Church. Most new members were non-Cajuns. After a few minor attempts at reaching the Cajuns, the job took a turn for the better when Rev. Martin Hebert was appointed to the French Mission at the turn of the century. He traveled throughout Acadiana, preaching in French and English. He a number of churches.
     In the 20th century, the Cajun children were required to learn English. The oil industry arrived in Acadiana and brought in many people who joined the Methodist churches. The Cajun people were not as isolated and more became involved in Methodism. The Methodist presence continued to grow in Acadiana.

I'll be adding more to this history as time goes by ...

The area now known as the Acadiana District has changed names & boundaries many times over the past 150 years. Parts of the area now covered by the Acadiana District have been in over a dozen different districts over the years. The district's current boundries are as follows:
	Start at the SW corner of the district at Pecan Island; N to Rayne; NE to Lafayette, N to Opelousas; NE to Lettsworth; SSE to Rosedale; SE to Napoleonville; E to Vacherie; SE to Mathews.

For a glimpse into the history of Methodism in this area of Louisiana, I have put a "copy" of Methodism Along the Bayou at this website. This is a history of Methodism in the Houma-Terrebonne area written in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of Methodism in Houma. The book was published by McDowell Publications in 1994 and is available in print from the First United Methodist Church of Houma.

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