- Joined
- Nov 26, 2016
- Location
- central NC
In 1837, eight Jesuit priests arrived in New Orleans. They were brought here at the request of Reverend Anthony Blanc, Bishop of New Orleans, for the sake of educating the young men of Louisiana. Thus, the Jesuits started a college at Grand Coteau, which is in southwest Louisiana between Opelousas and Lafayette. Nine years later, the Jesuits from Lyons, France, purchased the plot of land on which the church stands and erected two buildings, which were to serve as a chapel, a residence and a college. The lot on which the church was built was once a water-covered cypress swamp. A natural habitat for alligators, it had to be drained inch-by-inch.
The legal foundation of The College of the Immaculate Conception was in 1847, a church of the same name was established in 1851, and the first mass was offered in that church on August 15, 1857.
The remnants of the 1884 World Cotton Centennial or Louisiana Cotton Exposition Organ are housed within the church. The pipe organ was originally built by Pilcher, and was the biggest pipe organ manufactured by the company. When it was being played inside the fair building, it caused the collapse of the main tent.
@Southern Unionist made more great pictures of this church. Hopefully he'll come along later and share a few.