Laine Hardy on Louisiana Roots, Guitar at Seven, and Why Music Is Meant for Good
The historic Teche Theater in Franklin hummed with anticipation on the evening Laine Hardy arrived to perform. Outside, St. Mary Parish was celebrating the wrap of filming for LA64, the documentary series that has taken me deep into the soul of Louisiana. Inside, the air felt thick with history, the kind of old theater stillness that […]
DeRidder Gothic Jail: Where Elegant Architecture Meets a Grim and Ghostly History
I stepped inside the DeRidder Gothic Jail, and the contrast hit me right away. From the sidewalk, the building could pass for a small collegiate hall. Pointed Tudor arches, dormers, and bay windows face the street with a quiet, scholarly grace. Built in 1914, the three-story structure is a rare example of the Collegiate Gothic […]
Shreveport Municipal Auditorium: The Stage Where Country Legends Were Born
There are places that hold history in their walls, and then there are places that hum with it long after the amplifiers have gone silent. The Shreveport Municipal Auditorium belongs to that second category. I felt it the moment I stepped into the lobby: something deeply electric and reverent, as if the building itself was […]
Inside Chimp Haven: A Rare Look at the Louisiana Sanctuary Where Retired Research Chimpanzees Live the “Chimp Life”
My road trip through Louisiana ended in Keithville, on 200 acres of piney woods where nearly 300 chimpanzees spend their days climbing, foraging, and doing exactly what they want. This is Chimp Haven, one of the largest sanctuaries in the world for chimpanzees retired from biomedical research. I arrived expecting a refuge, but what I […]
Caddo Lake: Why You Need to Cross Into Texas to Truly Experience It
To stand inside the real Caddo Lake, the one that lives in photographs and folklore, you first have to leave Louisiana. I learned this on a cool morning when I drove past Shreveport’s city limits, crossed the state line, and followed a thin road into a town called Uncertain, Texas. Its name, I later discovered, […]
Stepping Into History at Hotel Bentley: Eisenhower, Patton, and the Louisiana Maneuvers
Alexandria’s military roots have shaped the city’s commerce, character, and culture in ways that ripple far beyond the banks of the Red River. Incorporated in 1819, this Central Louisiana crossroads serves as the parish seat of Rapides Parish and a gateway to a region steeped in lore. During World War II, Alexandria became the epicenter […]
God’s Country RV Park: Frontier-Style Camping Beyond the City Lights of Shreveport, Louisiana
There is a particular rhythm to life on the road while filming a series like LA64. Days are spent chasing stories across Caddo Parish, meeting people whose roots run deep in this corner of northwest Louisiana and capturing the energy that defines Shreveport and its surrounding communities. The work is invigorating, but it demands a place […]
Bayou Cabins in Breaux Bridge: A Village of 14 Historic Cajun Homes Restored by Hand
In Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, a village of historic cabins sits on the property of Rocky and Lisa Sonnier. What started as a simple solution during the World’s Fair has grown into something remarkable. Busloads of visitors came to town with nowhere to stay, so the Sonnier’s decided to move a little building onto their land […]
Inside Saint Martin de Tours: The Mother Church of the Acadians in St. Martinville
Saint Martin de Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville is one of the oldest Catholic churches in America. The sign out front says Mother Church of the Acadians, founded in 1765. I am a LeBlanc, a Cajun by birth. I thought I really understood my family tree and my family’s story until I walked inside […]
Pack and Paddle on Lake Martin: A Winter Kayak Trip Through the Cypress Tupelo Swamp in Cajun Country
Just outside Breaux Bridge, in St. Martin Parish, there is a place where Louisiana slows down enough for you to notice the details. Lake Martin does not announce itself. It reveals itself, one ripple, one birdsong, one breath at a time. Out here, the cypress trees rise straight from the water, their roots anchored in […]