Sterling Grove Historic District Tour

Lafayette Louisiana Historic District

Sterling Grove Historic District Tour

Lafayette, Louisiana 70501, United States

Created By: Duchess Downtown Tours

Tour Information

Come discover the best hidden jem in the city of lafayette. The Sterling Grove Historic District. Comprised of over 29 homes, this is the very first development of major home building here in Lafayette Louisiana.

Sterling Grove Historic District is a historic district in downtown Lafayette, Louisiana roughly bounded by Evangeline Throughway, East Simcoe Street, North Sterling Street and Chopin Street.

The 25-acre (10 ha) area comprises a total of 59 buildings, of which 43 are considered contributing properties, and one is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places as individual property. Building dates vary from 1848 to 1934 and are mostly residences. The district comprises the area of Lieutenant Governor Charles Mouton's plantation.[2][3]

The historic district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 26, 1984.[1]

Sterling Grove National Historic District encompasses properties that were subdivided from the plantation of Charles Alexandre Homere Mouton (1823-1912). He was known as Charles Homere and was the grandson of Lafayette’s founder, Jean Mouton. Just before 1850, Charles Homere inherited the property from his father, Charles Mouton (1797-1847). The plantation home was built around 1820 by widower, Charles Mouton, at the time of his second marriage to Marie Julie Latiolais in 1821.

The village of Vermilionville became Lafayette in 1884. It was unique at that time, because its population included a relatively large middle class. Small plantations were not self-sufficient like large plantations. On small plantations it was more economical to use independent artisans such as leather craftsmen, wheel rights and blacksmiths, rather than provide all needs using plantation labor. Therefore, artisans and merchants selling services and goods to local plantations were in ever-increasing demand in Vermilionville throughout the late 1700s and early 1800s. These artisans formed Vermilionville’s emerging middle class.

With the Industrial Revolution came the automobile, the steam locomotive, machinery to mass produce things and other components of building materials. There was a surge of economic growth throughout Europe and the US, and Lafayette was no exception. The seventeen (17) new subdivisions were created along the edges of Lafayette during the first decade of the 20th century.

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What You'll See on the Tour

Play Video Duchess Downtown History of home The Sebastian Home is a Historical Victorian Mansion built in 1910 during a time of growth and prosperity in Cajun country after the train arrived in 1880. "The Duchess" Anna Sebastian was a house... Read more
JOHN NICKERSON HOUSE 310 North Sterling Street Local Historic Property #93 This beautiful Victorian style home was built circa 1891 on property that was originally part of the Charles Mouton Plantation. It was built by John Nickerson, an ar... Read more
The structure was built by Sallie Torian Givens for her daughter, Louise Slye Givens, when she married Baxter Clegg in 1897. They moved to Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and then to Montreal, Canada for work purposes.  In 1910, Louise moved back... Read more
HISTORIC HOUSE 319 North Sterling Street Circa 1907: Felix and Louise Martin Latiolais The style of this house is called the Cajun Prairie Queen Ann style. It was widely popular at the turn of the 20th century in South Louisiana. It was the... Read more
GIVENS TOWNHOUSE 324 North Sterling Street Local Historic Property #85 Givens Townhouse was built by “Sallie”, Sarah Lyle Torian Givens. Sallie grew up on the Pinckney sugar plantation near Patterson, Louisiana during the 1800’s. She ... Read more
HISTORIC HOUSE 333 North Sterling Street Circa 1904: Don A. Greig Don Greig was the nephew of Martha T. Greig, the owner of a large portion of the property in Sterling Grove National Historic District. Martha’s parents, John and Angelica ... Read more
HISTORIC HOUSE 339 North Sterling Street Circa 1904: Walter Scott Torian and Hariette Weeks This was the summer home of Walter Scott Torian and Hariette Weeks. Walter was the brother of Sallie Torian Givens who built the house at 324 N Ster... Read more
CHARLES MOUTON PLANTATION HOUSE Bois de Chênes 338 North Sterling Street NATIONAL REGISTER PROPERTY Historic Property #6 This structure was built by Charles Mouton (1797-1848). Charles Mouton was a son of Lafayette’s founder, Jean Mouton... Read more
HANLEY-GUENO HOUSE CHATEAU DU PARC 406 North Sterling Street Local Historic Property #41 A shoe salesman built this stately American Foursquare house after buying the property from Martha T. Greig, wife of Dr. Francis S. Mudd. However, the ... Read more
BARROIS HOUSE (formerly SNODGRASS HOUSE) 411 North Sterling Street Local Historic Property #44 Barrois House was built by Mr. G. M. Snodgrass, the developer of this part of Sterling Grove. The house is a fine example of Victorian architectu... Read more
HISTORIC HOUSE 435 North Sterling Street circa 1905: Dr. Babcock The property on which this house stands was purchased from Martha T. Greig, wife of Francis Sterling Mudd. The house was built by Dr. Babcock around 1905. Dr. Babcock may have... Read more
HISTORIC HOUSE 443 North Sterling Street Circa 1903: James McNaspy Anna M. Blanchet, wife of James McNaspy, purchased this property from George M. Snodgrass in 1903. The home was built by McNaspy shortly thereafter. McNaspy was a Civil War ... Read more
HISTORIC HOUSE 449 North Sterling Street Circa 1898: Mrs. H. T. McMillan Shortly before 1900, James McNaspy built this house for his daughter, Mrs. H. T. McMillan. It was the last house on the north edge of Lafayette’s suburbs. Until the ... Read more
McFADDIN HOUSE 351 Elizabeth Avenue Local Historic Property #92 The property where this house is located was originally part of Charles Homer Mouton’s Plantation. The house on this property is believed to have been built shortly after the... Read more
HISTORIC HOUSE 603 Mudd Avenue Circa 1904: Donelson L. Caffery This house was built by Donelson L. Caffery who was a former U. S. Senator, a distinguished soldier in the American Civil War and a sugar plantation owner. His great-grandfather... Read more
HISTORIC HOUSE 124 Elizabeth Avenue Circa 1900: Frank S. Domengeaux This house was built by Rudolph Domengeaux and his wife, Marie Marthe Mouton. They were the parents of Attorney James Domengeaux, and former Judge Jerome E. Domengeaux. Jer... Read more
HISTORIC HOUSE 110 Elizabeth Avenue Circa 1900: Rudolph Domengeaux This house was built by Frank Domengeaux, a former longterm employee of the U. S. Post Office in Lafayette. For many years, young people in the neighborhood gathered at this... Read more
Saint Genevieve Catholic Church 417 E Simcoe Street Saint Genevieve Catholic Church was built to address the need for a place of worship on the north side of Lafayette. Railroad underpasses were not built until the 1940s, and after the rail... Read more

 

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