Page 157 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New Orleans

C A JUN C OUNTR Y  155

the historic local architecture.
A tourist information center
is also located here, as well as
a small museum devoted to
native son Jim Bowie, who
was the hero of the Alamo and
the namesake of the well-
known frontier knife.
Evangeline Downs Racetrack
& Casino is a state-of-the-art
racing facility that opened in
2003. The track offers both
quarter horse and thoroughbred
racing (on separate dates). It
Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center is a “racino,” that is, a racetrack
with a full casino component,
E The Prairie Acadian The Opelousas Museum of Art which is a growing institution
Cultural Center stands in the oldest part of the among US racetracks. The
250 W Park Ave. Tel (337) 457-8499. city, in a historic Federal-style casino consists primarily of
Open 8am–5pm Tue–Fri, 8am–6pm brick building, built originally as slot machines.
Sat. Closed 25 Dec. 7 a one-story tavern. The second
story was added in 1828. Today, E Opelousas Museum
The Cajun Music Hall 315 N Main St. Tel (337) 948-2589.
of Fame & Museum the museum mounts several Open 8am–4:30pm Mon–Fri. Closed
240 South CC Duson Dr. Tel (337) 457- shows each year featuring art major hols. & 7
6534. Open summer: 9am–5pm Tue– on loan from major museums
Sat; winter: 8:30am–4:30pm Tue–Sat. and private collections. E Opelousas Museum of Art
Closed major hols. 7 Recent shows have focused 106 N Union St. Tel (337) 942-
on paintings by Louisiana’s 4991. Open 1–5pm Tue–Fri,
The Savoy Music Center
Hwy 190 East, Savoy. Tel (337) African American folk painter, 9am–5pm Sat. Closed major hols.
457-9563. Open 9am–5pm Tue–Fri, Clementine Hunter, jazz 7 &
9am–noon Sat. Closed major hols. 7 photographs taken by William P Le Vieux Village
P. Gottlieb, and the wood 28 E Landry St. Tel (337) 948-6263.
engravings made by Winslow Open 10am–2pm Tue–Fri.
5 Opelousas Homer for Harper’s Weekly. Closed major hols. 8 7
A slice of Opelousas life is
Cajun Country. * 11,000. on view at Le Vieux Village, a Evangeline Downs Racetrack
n 828 E Landry St, (800) 424- collection of buildings dating & Casino
5442. ∑ cityofopelousas.com from the 1700s, including a 2235 Creswell Lane Extension.
Tel (337) 407-2121. Open Feb–Sep
church, schoolhouse and (racetrack); 24 hrs daily (casino).
This city, the capital of doctor’s office, that offers 0 = 7 ∑ evangeline
Confederate Louisiana during visitors an opportunity to view downs.com
the Civil War (see pp20–21), was
named after the Native American
tribe that lived in this area
before the Europeans arrived. It
was founded as a French
trading post settlement during
the 1700s, and is now one of
the liveliest towns in this district,
thanks to its cuisine and music.
The major collections of the
Opelousas Museum focus on
the local culture and history. The
museum’s two main exhibit
areas are devoted to the
prehistory of the area, its
agricultural and commercial
development, and to the people
of different races and religions
who contributed to the region’s
culture. One room is devoted
to Civil War memorabilia, while
another houses a collection of
more than 400 dolls. Main facade of the Opelousas Museum of Art

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