Lafayette Parish is celebrating its Bicentennial this year with ongoing celebrations commemorating the time the Louisiana State Legislature carved off the western half of St. Martin Parish in 1823 to form a new parish named after the Marquis de Lafayette.     

Two years earlier, in 1821, Jean Mouton donated a parcel of land to the community then known as Vermilionville for a Courthouse and a Cathedral. Mouton became known as the founder of Vermilionville that in 1884 became the City of Lafayette in honor of the French marquis who fought in the American revolution.

Our guest is Sami Parbhoo who is heading up the series of events throughout 2023 that will honor the history of our parish and look to what the future holds.

Lafayette Parish enjoys a proud history of various cultures coming together, starting with the indigenous Atakapa-Ishak, Choctaw, Chitimacha, and Opelousas, who were the first to inhabit the area. Acadian refugees settled in the area after Le Grand Dérangement from Canada in 1755 when Great Britain captured the land from France. The Acadians married other native, French, Spanish, and African settlers, forming the rich culture and history of Lafayette Parish.

For more information and a list of events taking place, please visit www.lafayette1823.org.