La Maison Duchamp

Address 201 S Main St., St. Martinville, LA 70582

Year Built 1876

Building History

In 1876, David Sandoz built this mansion on Main Street in Classic Revival style for his daughter, Ameiie, and her husband, Eugene Auguste Duchamp. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, it represents the early French setllers who created a rich mercantile economy around the church square that became the center of St. Martinville. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 5, 1972, it was built in Classic Revival style in 1876 by David Sandoz for his son-in-law Eugene August Duchamp and his wife, Ameilie Sandoz, a family which, according to conveyance records, is intimately entwined with this property has a l. From 1938 to 1976 it was a U.S. Post Office, and it is significant as the only private residence ever purchased for use as a United States Post Office. Today, the property is owned by the City of St. Martinville it is open for tours. There is a a reception room is on the first floor and rental space is on the second.

In the spring, an office in Maison Duchamp will be leased to the World Studies Institute of Louisiana, an organization dedicated to “developing an international language academy in Acadiana that serves Lousisana secondary students and creates a network of international virtual classrooms in primary schools across Louisiana to feed this academy.” With plans for an international French center for culture and development, the city is looking to convert the second floor of La Maison Duchamp for these purposes. Representatives from Haiti will be the first tenants, and La Francophonie, an internal organization of French-speaking countries, is another potential client.

Building Description

The appearance of the structure is typical of the French and Spanish Colonial Period in Louisiana. The building measures fifty-two feet in width by sixty-three feet in length. It has a five foot basement and a very large attic. A well designed cupola tops the building. Large galleries supported by cypress columns on concrete piers face the Bayou Teche to the east and the street to the west. Cast iron railings decorate the galleries. The structure has thirty-six openings. On the lower floor there were ten large windows. The upper floor has twelve window and there are several exterior doors. This was in keeping with the necessity for cross ventilation in the hot, humid area. The interior of the building, excluding the corridors consist of nine immense rooms. The lower floor was divided into two bedrooms, parlor and dining room. The upper floor has four large rooms and a bath. The entire interior is plastered since all exterior walls were of brick. There are four large chimneys built from the ground in the building. The decorative front portion of the fireplaces, rising from the mantelpieces are made of decorative cast iron. A few feet to the rear of the old home was a large two-room structure. It was used as the kitchen and servants quarters. Several features of the house make it significant among the early residences built in this area. The galleries are handled with the lacy iron grillwork characteristic of the homes built in New Orleans during that period. The problem of transportation was so difficult, being partly through the bayous and partly by portage through dangerous swamps, that such costly touches were usually not included. The bricks used in building this mansion were hand made of Louisiana red clay taken from the banks of the Bayou Teche. Red cypress was used throughout the house. Fully matured trees from one to two thousand years old were selected in the swamp and cut and used for the house. About 1938 the building was converted to use as a Post Office and several modifications were made to the building. The original kitchen outside the main house was converted to a boiler room. A vault was added in the main house and several partitions were removed to make a lobby and work room. The original structure, however, is very well documented in the blueprints for the Post Office conversion. The exterior of the structure was renovated on a brick by brick basis and no substantial change was made. By and large the change to Post Office usage was done without significant alteration of the basic building.

Representative Men

E.A. Duchamp: Born as Eugene Auguste Duchamp on 5 Jul 1837 in Morris County, New Jersey, to his parents Jean Baptisite Eugene Duchamp de Chastaigne and Marie Euphemie Merope Martin de la Martinere.

Married at age 23 on 20 Sep 1860 in St. Martinville, LA to Marie Amelie Sandoz, daughter of David Francois Sandoz and Christine Claire Labbe.

E.A. assisted his father in the drug store during the Civil War and was the original occupant of the H.P. Fournet Residence, now known as La Maison Duchamp, in memory of its first residents, the E. A. Duchamp family.

Eugene Auguste Duchamp De Chastaignier was an early mayor of St. Martinville. He took an active part in all the affairs of the city and parish. For thirty years he served as president of the St. Martin Parish Police Jury. He was also noted as a business leader and civic worker. It is said that the Duchamp family lost an estimated fortune of $75,000 between 1880 and 1884. In 1885 the premises was sold to Husville P. Fournet, a wealthy merchant. The Fournet heirs held the property until 1938 when it was acquired by the U. S. Post Office Department to be restored and used at the local Post Office. Died at the age 61 on 6 Sep 1898. Buried at St. Martin of Tours Cemetery, according to the Louisiana Society Daughters of the American Revolution’s Louisiana Tombstone Inscriptions, volume 7, pages 1-40, compiled between 1954 and 1957. However, the tombstone cannot be found in the current cemetary.

Open to Public? By appointment

Other Info Contact: 337-394-2229

Sources:

• “Lease on Duchamp House OK” by Robert R. Jones III, January 2011, techetoday.com
• “Evangeline Oak Park” (fact sheet from city of St. Martinville)
• 1896 in Le Petit Paris: Turning the Century in Southwest Louisiana by Lawrence F.M. Capuder, Sr.

Address 200 South Main Street, St. Martinville, LA 70582

Year Built ca. 1830-1840

Building History

Located on Main Street, it was built by David Sandoz ca. 1840s. The upper floor originally housed space for plays, dances, traveling shows and other entertainment. The Bienvenu Brothers kept a dry-goods store here throughout the twentieth century and donated the building to the city in 2001. Merchandise was on sale on the first floor, and on the second, a newly renovated performance space.

The arts thrived in Le Petit Paris as the town came to be known. The Duchamp Opera House was built in the 1830s. Until the fin de siecle, it was the town’s centerpiece, visited by traveling dance troupes, opera from New Orleans and local theatre productions. In the early 20th C, the Bienvenu family acquired the building and established Bienvenu Brothers, Leaders of Fashion. This department store served the community for many years. In 1998, the descendents of the Bienvenu family gifted the structure to the City of St. Martinville prompting an ambitious renaissance for this historic building and the arts.

The Duchamp Opera House showcases regional arts, antiques, gifts, and provides a venue for and supports the performing arts. The Opera House was built in the 1840s. At street level it was home to a feed and tack store and on the second floor was a community theatre, hosted Mardi Gras balls and traveling operas from New Orleans (for half a century). From 1928-1994, owned by the Bienvenu family, it was the house of an upscale department store selling name brand clothing, hats, and hand tailored suits made in New Orleans, etc. They served the community for about 80 years. In 1998, The Bienvenue family donated the structure to the city to be used as a historic site and an anchor for cultural and economic activities. The downstairs is being used by the local artist of our community while the upstairs is used by local theatre groups, and public and private events. The building was restored starting in 1998 and completed in late 2000 costing 800,000 of grand money and donations. The Upstairs Opera House seats 120.

The basic form of this building dates from ca. 1830-1840 when it was built by David Sandoz. The attic construction reveals a modified Norman truss roof. The brick front with parapet was added ca. 1915 when upper galleries which existed on the front and side were removed and present shopfront built. The upper floor housed the Duchamp Opera House where local plays, dances, traveling shows and other entertainment was held.

Building Description

Basic form dates from c.1830. Two-story building with Norman truss roof and opera house on second floor. Originally had galleries on front and side. Greek Revival details remain on interior. Brick front with parapet added c.1915, galleries removed, and present shop front built.

Open to Public? Yes

Other Info Open Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm. Building manager: Hillery Peltier. Tel: (337) 394-6604. Home of the Evangeline Players, see website for schedule www.evangelineplayers.com, Contact: 337-394-6604

Sources:

• “The Duchamp Opera House Histoire” flyer by The Duchamp Opera House & Mercantile
• “Duchamp Opera House” (from city records)
• “Evangeline Oak Park” (fact sheet from city of St. Martinville)

Address 215 & 219 S. Main St., St. Martinville, LA

Year Built 1897

Building History

Corner building was built in 1897 for T. J. Labbe as a drugstore.

Building Description

Vee’s 5¢ & 10¢ and Robert’s Lounge. Corner building housing Robert’s Lounge built in 1897. In early 1900’s adjacent building, now housing Vee’s, was added in a similar style. Two-story brick commercial building with shallow arch fenestration and brick paneled parapet and corbelled cornice. Lower shop fronts modified. Original ceramic mosaic style flooring still visible at front entrance of lounge.

Representative Men

Among the most prominent of young business men, T. J. Labbe, was well up in the front rank. A native of St. Martinville, born in November, 1867, he had always lived here. He received the larger part of his education at the State University at Baton Rouge, leaving that insititution at the age of 16, first clerked at C.L. Lacaze, then took charge of the drug business of A. Labbe & Son, while at the same time pursuing his studies in Pharmacy, subsequently standing a successful examination before the Board of Pharmacy, there being thn no pharmacy law in Lousiana. After having worked three years for his father, he bought him out. The same year he married Miss Corinne Fleming. It was just about this period that it can be said that his business career began. Being strictly attentive to business, of a studious disposition, with a natural bent towards science, he soon inspired the public with confidence in his professional ability; not only did this confidence extend locally but was also recognized by his nomination and election to the highest office within the gift of his professional brethren–President of the Board.

Being but 24 years age at the time, gave him the distinction of being the youngest President ever selected to preside over a State Board of Pharmacy in the United States. Mr. Labbe belonged to the new school of business men; the class that contributed so much to rebuild St. Martinville. In addition to the drug business Mr. Labbe conducted a large hardware and furniture department, which, however, was in charge of one of his popular and trusted clerks, Mr. H.P. Olivier. Mr Labbe was not only popular and progressive, but aggressive in every measure that could do good to the people and the town, and was always one of the first to put his shoulder to the wheel. Fraternally inclined he was a member of the Kinghts of Pythias, Knights of Honor, a member of Board of Trade, and a strong pillar in the Carnival Association, besides being an active member of the Volunteer Steam Fire Co. No. 1.

Mr. Labbe had by far one of the prettiest drug stores in Southwest Louisiana, having full lenght French Plate Glass Front and Tiled Flooring, handsomely arranged and ornamented.

T.J. Labbe was 29 years old in 1896. Born as Joseph Theobald Labbe on 6 Nov 1867 in St. Martinville, LA to Joseph Arthur Labbe and Marie Amandina Stephanie Duchamp.

Married first at age 22 on Apr 24 1889 in St. Martinville, LA to Marie Corinne Flemin (1870-1924), daughter of Jean Marie Auguste Van Ummelen “A.V.” Fleming and Julie Alice Clairville Broussard.

Married second on 26 Jul 1924 in St. Martinville, LA to Alice Marie Bienvenu, daughter of Alexander Wilham Bienvenu and Blanche Marie Marioneaux.

After his success in business, T.J. continued his high achieving career. He was St. Martinville’s mayor from 1896-1898, state senator from 1900-1904 and form 1908-1912, president of the St. Martin Parish school board from 1900-1908. He worked hard for education, as evidenced by his campioning the formation of Southwestern Louisiana State University and the growth of the public school system while he headed the school board. he also had a long parallel career as a bank officer, in addition to tending to his pharmacy and hardware store.

Died 12 Jul 1949. Buried in St. Martin of Tours Cemetery, Section 3, Row 9.

Open to Public? Yes

Other Info

Labbe Drug Store & Hardware, Furniture & Saddlery: located at the southeast corner of Old Market Street and South Main Street, one block south of the Public Square. The drug store site was Robert’s Bar and the hardware store became the St. Martin Bank & Trust operations center.

Source: 1896 in Le Petit Paris: Turning the Century in Southwest Louisiana by Lawrence F.M. Capuder, Sr.

c. 1894

Robert’s Lounge

St. Martin Bank Administration

Address 214-218 S. Main St., St. Martinville, LA

Year Built 1857-60

Building History

Built ca 1857-60 by Alhonse Tertrou as a “fire-proof brick building” to replace an older structure destroyed by the Great Fire of 1856. Tertrou was in business with his brother-in-law, C.E. Broussard. The property was acquired by the family of the present owner, the Fournet family, in 1884.

Building History

Three-bay brick commercial building. Shop windows and gallery replaced. Side carriageway with elliptical arched entrance. Louvered lunette in the central pedimented parapet. Tie bars with sunburst ornamentation on exterior of building.

Open to Public? Yes

Other Info Quality Furniture & Appliances (218 S. Main St.); two vacant rental spaces (214& 216 S. Main St.)

Source: 1896 in Le Petit Paris: Turning the Century in Southwest Louisiana by Lawrence F.M. Capuder, Sr.

Address107 E. Bridge St., St. Martinville, LA

Year Built 1899

Building History

Two-story wood frame building built in 1899 by Mrs. P. Pavia. She ran her mercantile business on lower floor and had her residence above.

Building Description

Two-story wood frame building. Eastlake upper gallery. Commercial/residential.

Other Info Demolished ca. 1990s. It once stood in what is now the front yard of the Beyt home.