The general public is invited to a talk about the history of Opelousas later this month.
The event is planned for Tuesday, July 25, 2023 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Opelousas Museum & Interpretive Center, 315 N Main St., Opelousas.
Historian Carola Lillie Hartley will present, “A Visual Historic Tour through Opelousas.” The evening will include images, stories and historical facts about the area.
Hartley will begin with discussion of the earliest inhabitants of the region, including the Opelousas tribe that the town is named after. Highlights will include arrival of the eighteenth-century settlers, who established Opelousas as a military post in 1764.
She will discuss governmental leadership of the French, Spanish and finally the United States. Hartley will also cover the economic growth that came with the railroad, new businesses and newcomers. The presentation will also include struggles regarding segregation and the decline of downtown Opelousas.
According to a press release from the museum, Hartley is a Louisiana native, preservationist, local historian, and the author of many published works. With a career spanning over 50 years in Community and Tourism Development and Downtown Revitalization, she has discovered and celebrated the histories of interesting and diverse cities from Louisiana to Kentucky to New Jersey; yet Opelousas still holds her heart.
For more information, call the museum at 337-948-2589 or send an email to museum@cityofopelousas.com
