Franklin (Louisiana)
Franklin is a town in Coastal Acadiana that is named after yours truly, Benjamin Franklin. It was actually settled by a preponderance of British immigrants, who established themselves with elaborate plantations along the Bayou Teche as a new sort of aristocratic society, up until the antebellum era ended, anyway. You can visit some of these restored places for a taste of that lifestyle today.
Get in
You'll find Franklin sandwiched between New Iberia and Morgan City along that busy stretch of Hwy 90, Louisiana's sort of Coastal Acadiana corridor.
Get around
See
Representative antebellum plantations or estates include:
- 1 Grevemberg House Museum, 1529 Sterling Rd, ☏ +1 337 828-2092. Very fussy, probably a no-touch philosophy.
- 2 Arlington Historic Home & Gardens, 11532 LA-182, ☏ +1 337 471-1025. Daily 9AM-5PM. Not to be outdone by Grevemberg
- 3 Shadowlawn, 101-199 Adams St. This one is a little more chaste/down-to-earth.
- 4 Church of the Assumption, 211 Iberia St, ☏ +1 337 828-3869. Even though the English settlers brought their Presbyterianism with them that was unusual in these parts, it didn't seem to stick, whereas there is nonetheless this rather exemplary Catholic edifice on display today.
Further Out
Further west along Hwy 90 is Charenton, where the federally recognized Chitimacha tribe largely resides. They operate both the 5 Chitimacha Museum at 3289 Chitimacha Trail and the 6 Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel at 832 Martin Luther King Rd.
Do
- 1 Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge - Garden City Unit, 1725 Willow St, ☏ +1 985 853-1078. This site offers some boardwalks and trails in a swampy marshland environment. A Louisiana black bear sighting may be possible, while a Louisiana mosquito is all but guaranteed.
Buy
Eat
Drink
Sleep
- 1 Fairfax House, 99 Main St, ☏ +1 337 828-1195. If you are really taken with the antebellum home experience, this place offers you a chance to stay in one.
- 2 Best Western Forest Inn, 1909 Main St, ☏ +1 337 828-1810. A more contemporary place to stay, with an outdoor pool and pretty satisfactory eatery called Forest Restaurant to boot.