St. Martin Parish

"Where Cajun Began"

St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, boasts one of the richest and most distinctive histories in the state — deeply rooted in Cajun culture, the Acadian exile, and the unique geography of the Atchafalaya Basin.

Before European colonization, the land that is now St. Martin Parish was home to Indigenous peoples, including the Chitimacha and Attakapas tribes. These groups lived along the Bayou Teche and in the surrounding swamplands, relying on hunting, fishing, and agriculture for their livelihood.

French Colonial Era

In the late 1700s, after France had colonized Louisiana, settlers began arriving along the Bayou Teche, drawn to its fertile soils. The first permanent European settlers were mostly French-speaking people from Canada (Acadians) who had been expelled from Nova Scotia during Le Grand Dérangement (the Great Upheaval) of 1755.

These Acadians established farming and fishing communities, and their descendants became known as Cajuns. This made St. Martin Parish one of the earliest and strongest centers of Cajun culture in Louisiana — hence its nickname, "Where Cajun Began™."

Creation of the Parish

St. Martin Parish was officially established in 1807 as one of the original parishes created when Louisiana transitioned from a French/Spanish colony into a U.S. territory.

St. Martinville became the parish seat and quickly developed into a hub of commerce, culture, and religion.
The parish was named after Saint Martin of Tours, a popular Catholic saint.

St. Martinville & Cultural Significance

St. Martinville earned the nickname “Petit Paris” (Little Paris) in the 1800s because of its refined Creole society, French language, and cultural sophistication.

Important Landmarks:

St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church – Built in the late 1700s, this church is one of the oldest in Louisiana.
Evangeline Oak – A legendary live oak tree connected to the heroine of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem Evangeline, which tells the romanticized story of the Acadian exile.

The Atchafalaya Basin

Much of St. Martin Parish lies within the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest river swamp in North America. This has shaped the parish’s economy and culture, making it a center for:

Crawfishing
Trapping
Cypress logging (historically)
Swamp tours and eco-tourism today

Civil War & Reconstruction

During the Civil War, the Bayou Teche region — including St. Martin Parish — saw several skirmishes as Union forces tried to control access to the Gulf of Mexico and disrupt Confederate supply lines. After the war, the parish continued to rely on agriculture (sugarcane, cotton, rice) and small-scale industries.

Cajun & Creole Culture

St. Martin Parish is one of the cradles of Cajun and Creole music and cuisine.

Zydeco and Cajun music thrived here.
Gumbo, jambalaya, and étouffée became staples.
The parish hosts major cultural events like the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival and weekly live music jams.