Last Friday was “Talk Like A Pirate Day” and what better day to celebrate a new historical marker in town. The Legends & Lore marker was placed on the grounds of one of the oldest homes in town. This property originally belonged to the Duperier family, a founding family of New Iberia. The building was a school for many years, Mt. Carmel Catholic Academy for girls.
At the ceremony, people spoke about the different stories that have been passed down for generations about the tunnel. The tunnel is no longer safe to access, but it is there.
Some say that Jean LaFitte, a famous pirate of the 19th century visited the Duperier family and used the tunnel as an escape route. There are still tales of buried treasure in the area.
Paul Schexnayder, an artist, educator, and picture book author, created a whimsical painting about the legends.
Paul explained his imaginings about the tunnel: a place where the sisters gambled, where they hid the pregnant girls, where slaves escaped, where prisoners were jailed and Jean LaFitte escaped, and even a story from the 80’s where a Satanic group worshipped.
Whether or not any of these stories are true is beside the point. The point is history gives us stories and stories connect and entertain people. The marker adds one more spot on the map of our little quirky town of New Iberia.
Reflections on the Teche 