Transcript Abbeville, Louisiana Have you ever heard of Abbeville, Louisiana? If you have, did you know that a priest named Father Antoine Desire Megret was.

Abbeville, Louisiana
Have you ever heard of
Abbeville, Louisiana? If you
have, did you know that a
priest named Father Antoine
Desire Megret was the
founder of Abbeville. When
it began though, Father
Megret spelled Abbeville
("Abbville") without the "e".
The "e" was added later on.
Statue of Father Antoine Desire Megret
In 1842, Father Antoine Megret arrived
in Louisiana. He lived in the Perry area a
while then moved along the Vermilion
Bayou.
On July 25, 1843, Father Megret bought
land from Mr. Joseph Leblanc. He paid
$900.00 for the land. Some say that he built
a little church named "La Chapelle". At that
time, a few buildings were also built. That is
how this city began.
Father Antoine Desire Megret (Photo from
the Vermilion Historical Society)
Exactly how the community was named
is not really known. Some say it Some say it
was a combination of "Abbe" for Abbé
Mégret and "ville" for town or the Abbé's
town, while others say Father Mégret named
it after his hometown Abbeville, France.
Abbeville kept growing. In 1847,
the Abbeville Post Office was
established. Abbeville was
incorporated a town in 1850. The first
mayor at that time was Theophil
Veazey.
Abbeville became the new Parish
Seat in 1850. It was in Perry before
this time. Abbeville was incorporated
in 1850.
In 1851, St. Mary Magdalen
Catholic Church Parish was
established. Father Megret died of
yellow fever in December 5,1853.
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church today.
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church
completed in 1911. (Photo from the
Vermilion Historical Society)
At
that
time,
fires
caused
tragedies. In 1854, the church burnt. St.
Mary Magdalen Church was rebuilt.
There was another fire later on as well.
Abbeville is the largest city in Vermilion Parish
and has over 11,000 people. As the Parish Seat, it
has the Vermilion Parish Court House.
The Court House in Abbeville
has an interesting history. In 1847
a wooden structure was erected
on property donated by Father
Megret.
On April 6, 1885, the Abbeville
Court House burnt down and
destroyed all documents. A
replacement began in 1890 and
lasted until 1951.
The structure that stands now
was dedicated in 1952.
Old Vermilion Parish courthouse, completed 1891 and
was torn down in 1951. (Photo from the Vermilion
Historical Society)
Group photograph of 22 uniformed firemen and two
little girls. Abbeville Volunteer Fire Dept. 1880 [sic, the
photograph was taken on July 4, 1889. Photo courtesy
of the Vermilion Historical Society.
On the evening of
February 19, 1903, a
huge fire on Concorde
Street caused the
National Bank of Abbeville
and many businesses
around the area to burn
down. Several buildings
on Jefferson and State
Streets.
Many tragedies happened in
Abbeville through the
years. World War I began in
1917. In 1940, Abbeville had a
flood. In 1941 World War II
began. The Korean War began
in 1950 and men served in the
Vietnam War too. The Gulf War
was in 1991. Some have served
since the 9-11-01 terrorists
incidents. Many area men
fought in these wars. Some
lived to share stories and some
died during the war.
Dr. Easton Chauvin (Photo from
the Vermilion Historical Society)
Sickness, hurricanes, and
hard life brought tragedy to
Abbeville also. Hurricanes Rita
and Ike brought flood waters
to Vermilion Parish and some
Abbeville areas.
Abbeville has had
many schools in the
past. The first
Abbeville High School
was built in 1902.
The old Abbeville
High School building
is now the Vermilion
Parish School Board
Office.
Abbeville High in 1902. Photo from the Vermilion
Historical Society.
Old Abbeville High Building is now the Vermilion Parish
School Board Office.
Abbeville, Louisiana had six public schools. Those are Abbeville
High, Eaton Park Elementary, James A. Herod, J.H. Williams Middle
School. Both Eaton Park and Herod Elementary are feeder schools for
JH Williams and Abbeville High.
J.H. Williams Middle School
Eaton Park Elementary
Abbeville High School
Herod Elementary
Mount Carmel Elementary
Vermilion Catholic High School
Abbeville has grown through the years and now has government
buildings, many stores, businesses and places to visit.

The resources are cattle, certain animals,
crops, oil, hunting and fishing.
If you are interested in
learning about Abbeville’s
history, You may want to
look at the Vermilion
Historical Society Website!
Click here to see
“Giant Omelette
Video”
Cattle Festival Parade
Abbeville has the Cattle
Festival, Giant Omelette
Festival, Day Lily Festival and
other celebrations each year.
The oldest is the Cattle
Festival which started on
September 24, 1949 by Roy R.
Theriot, Sr. It was originally
known as the Dairy Festival,
the name was changed in
1979.
The Annual Les Lumieres de
Village festivités is another city
event!
Les Lumieres de Village
Sometime you can see people
go to Magdalen Square to rest or
visit. When they are there they
see the statue of Father Antoine
Desire Megret and remember
that he started it all!
Statue of Father Antoine Desire Megret
The End
Internet References:
Photo Credits:
•City of Abbeville
•Abbeville Walking Tour
•Vermilion Historical Society
•ABBEVILLE
•Abbeville, Louisiana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
•Giant Omelette Video
•Vermillion Parish Louisiana Abbeville Link
•Vermilion Parish Information
•Vermilion Parish Kids Page
•Vermilion Historical
Society
•Stacy Bodin
•Jude Dubois
•Kimberly C. Etie
•Theresa Hardy
•Vermilion Parish Schools
•Cattle Festival (Formerly the Dairy Festival)
•Giant Omelette Festival
Story Written by
•Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court Website
•St. Mary Magdalen Church
•Early Pictures form Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana
(Rootsweb Site)
•Historical Images (Vermilion Historical Society)
•Joseph Otto Segura of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana
•Lafayette Genealogical Pictures
Miranda Hebert,
Joseph Oliva.
Revised by Stacy
Bodin to update
information.