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Archive Center brings genealogical tourism to St. Landry Parish
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ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) -- The recently opened Election and Archives Center in Opelousas is set to boost genealogical tourism in St. Landry Parish, thanks to an initiative by Clerk of Court Charles Jagneaux.
The 9,000 square foot facility on W. Landry St. houses over 300 years of historical records, including court documents and marriage licenses dating back to the early 1800s. Jagneaux shared how the the archive aims to attract visitors interested in tracing their ancestry and exploring the rich history of the area.
"When it comes to someone's history, you can't look that up in a newspaper." Jagneaux said. "You have to go back to the records to get the accurate picture of how your grandfathers and great, great grandfathers lived."
The center also features a gallery area where visitors can log their findings and discover famous names tied to St. Landry Parish.
"We have marriage licenses that back to the early, early 1800s, and there's these famous people whose ancestors or whose families are from here, primarily the Pope." Jagneaux said.
Jagneaux believes that this new form of tourism not only provides a potential source of income for the parish but also offers a unique connection for descendants of those who lived there.
"This gives a connection to descendants of people who lived here." Jagneaux said. "They can actually go out on the old homestead and look out over the fields where their ancestors worked or in buildings where their ancestors lived."
Visitors interested in exploring their genealogy at the center are encouraged to make an appointment with the Clerk of Court's office. The Election and Archives Center is poised to become a significant attraction for genealogical tourists, offering both economic benefits and a deeper connection to the area's history for visitors.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KLFY. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KLFY staff before being published.