Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, January 27, 1998

Some memorable dates in Lafayette Parish History

by Jim Bradshaw

1770
André Martin settles in Lafayette Parish.

1776
May 4 - René Trahan, Michel Meaux, and Joseph Trahan receive Spanish grants to lands that will one day be the heart of modern Lafayette.

1805
The Territory of Orleans is divided into 12 counties. What would become Lafayette Parish is included in the Attakapas County.

1817
Feb. 6 - A post office is opened at Pin Hook with Abel Terril as postmaster.

1822
The town that would become Lafayette is laid out around the courthouse and church squares donated by Jean Mouton.

1823
Jan. 17 - Lafayette Parish is split from St. Martin and named for the Marquis de La Fayette, who was then touring the United States.

1825
Jan. 27 - The post office is moved from Pin Hook to Vermilionville.

1831
J.J. Roy moves to the area that will become Royville, then Youngsville.

1836
Lafayette is incorporated as Vermilionville.

1839
The Roy family designs the town of Royville.

1844
Vermilion Parish is split from Lafayette Parish.

1845
March - Rev. Lucius M. Purdy organizes St. Luke's Episcopal Church at Vermilionville.

1858
Lafayette's first Methodist church is built at the corner of Washington and Congress streets.

1859
Désiré Roy donates nine arpent of land for a church at Youngsville.

1865
Sept. 22 - William Bailey publishes the first edition of' The Advertiser.

1869
Alexander Mouton donates land to the Jewish Temple and Cemetery Association of Lafayette.

1872
A post office is established at Carencro.
A post office is established at Youngsville.

1874
St. Peter Parish is established at Carencro.

1875
The first Presbyterian church in Lafayette is organized. The first church stood on Buchanan Street until 1948.

1879
Valsin Broussard commissions a survey to lay out the town that is named for him.

1880
The railroad reaches Lafayette.

1883
Youngsville is incorporated under the name Royville.
Sacred Heart Church is established at Broussard.

1884
May 5 - The Act of Incorporation is amended to change the name of Vermilionville to Lafayette.
The town of Broussard is incorporated.
Duson is named for its founders, C.C. and W.W. Duson.

1887
A post office is established at Broussard

1889
A post office is established at Duson.

1898
Act 162 of the Louisiana Legislature authorizes establishment of a vocational educational institution that will be called the Southwest Louisiana Industrial Institute.

1901
Sept. 18 - The Southwest Louisiana Industrial Institute holds its first classes.

1902
The First Baptist Church is organized at Lafayette.

1904
Scott is granted a village charter.

1908
Jan. 22 -The former Royville is re-incorporated as the Village of Youngsville.

1910
Surveyors establish a formal plan for the town of Milton.

1916
The present Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist is completed.

1918
The Diocese of Lafayette is created.

1921
SLII becomes a four-year college and is renamed the Southwestern Louisiana Institute of' Liberal and Technical Learning.

1928
Lafayette citizens vote for a $25,000 bond issue for a municipal airport.