ST. MARTIN PARISH — After a tornado struck in May, the Acadian cabin at Longfellow State Historic Site was left completely unrecognizable. One park visitor is fighting to preserve not only the cabin but also its history.
Cheri Armentor, a regular visitor to the site, shared her reaction when she saw the damage. “I was visiting the site and I saw the tarp, and it was just flying in the wind, and I cried because that was a very special place for my family,” she recalled.
Since that visit, Armentor has taken it upon herself to advocate for the protection and restoration of what she believes is far more than just a cabin. "Years ago, my daughter and I participated in programs to learn the French language. We had been going for years, participating and using that very cabin for many of the programs," she said.
After discovering the extent of the damage, Armentor waited for repairs to begin. When several months passed with no action taken, she decided to take matters into her own hands. “That’s when I started making calls and writing emails to the state park and Jeff Landry’s office, and now trying to get the Lieutenant Governor involved as well,” she explained.
Laura Lindsay, Public Information Director for Louisiana State Parks provided the following statement:
“A tree fell during a storm in the spring of this year and heavily damaged the Acadian cabin. For reference, the building is a reconstructed Acadian cabin used for interpretive purposes. Since then, we’ve been working through the claims process with our insurer, which is nearly complete. We are eager to begin repairs and look forward to welcoming visitors once again.”
While Lindsay acknowledges that repairs are in the works, Armentor believes the cabin needs more immediate attention. “Everyone is saying that it’s in the process of going through the insurance, and that’s fine, however, the structure needs to be protected in the meantime, and that’s not being done,” she said.
Raymond Berthelot, Chief of Interpretive Services for Louisiana State Parks, explained that rather than preserving the cabin, plans to rebuild it are underway.
The cabin is not designated as a historic structure, which influences the decision to rebuild rather than restore. “It has an interpretive significance, it has an educational significance, but it’s not a remnant worthy of preservation as a historic structure would be,” Berthelot stated.
Despite these plans, Armentor remains passionate about the need for restoration. “I want it to be preserved and protected, and I want to see programs continue in the future there,” she said.
