Authors aim to chronicle history of Evangeline Parish

Two authors are finding photographs of Evangeline Parish they will include in a book chronicling the parish’s history, as part of a national series by Arcadia Publishing.

The publisher has produced more than 8,500 “Images of America” books, mostly covering the eastern part of the United States. About 75 books in the series have been published that focus on Louisiana communities.

Author Jane Vidrine, a lifelong resident of Belaire Cove, has teamed with co-author Jean Kiesel of Lafayette, who authored an Images of America photographic history of Lafayette, published in 2007.

Vidrine said although novels have been published that are set in or around Evangeline Parish, the book she and Kiesel are working on is the first pictorial history she is aware of. The 128-page book will include images of people, churches, schools, businesses and other features of the parish from about 1911 to the present. Among the more current photos to be featured in the book are past festivals that continue to be held today.

They are still looking for photographs, especially of Turkey Creek, Chataignier and Bayou Chicot, with some description of the subjects photographed. They’re also having trouble finding photographs of the old Jungle Dinner Club and parish founder Paulin Fontenot.

The book is expected to be published in the summer of 2014. Vidrine and Kiesel had set their deadline for compiling the photographs by the middle of this month, but they have decided to push back that deadline until mid-September. They began working on the book project in May.

Kiesel said “The people here are very generous with their time,” when they are contacted. “We’re so pleased with the community’s willingness to help.” She said that reflects how much people here care for their communities and the history they have preserved, and they want to share their knowledge, and photographs. When they find someone who is reluctant to part with a treasured photograph to be scanned, even for a day, Kiesel has a hand scanner that she can take to the person’s home.

Some of the parish offices and officials who have been helpful to Vidrine and Kiesel are Ville Platte Mayor Jennifer Vidrine, the Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce, and they found about 100 photographs at The Gazette photo archives that could be used for the book project.

Both women working on the book project are no strangers to historical research. Vidrine is vice president of the Evangeline Genealogical & Historical Society. Kiesel is a member and past president of the Lafayette Genealogical Society, and runs the genealogical section of the UL Lafayette Dupre’ Library’s Louisiana Room.

Vidrine and Kiesel have collaborated on various projects for the past 28 years that Kiesel has lived in Lafayette.