Lafourche Heritage Society Annual Seminar
Aug 08, 2026Each year the Lafourche Heritage Society presents a one-day seminar on topics relating to genealogy and history. Presenters include historians, genealogists, archivists, prominent community members, and researchers, who speak on a wide range of topics relating to the Bayou community. The event also features booksellers as well as exhibits created by Society members to highlight their history or genealogy. Participants and members are invited to bring their family history charts to share information.
48th Annual LHS Seminar will be held Saturday, August 8, 2026
Seminar will be held at the Thibodaux Regional Wellness Center at
726 N. Acadia Road (5th Floor), Thibodaux, LA 70301
Registration is required ($40 per person) and includes entrance and lunch:
Caesar Salad | Seared Chicken Breast with Alfredo Pasta | Lemon Butter Broccoli with Roll | Strawberry Shortcake | Tea, Water, Coffee
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
2026 Speakers Program
Elaine Bourque – L’Amour de Maman – A Mother’s Love: La tradition acadienne du tissage en Louisiana
Elaine will speak about a 250 year old tradition carried out by the Acadian Women of Southwest Louisiana, the tradition of weaving with coton jaune — brown cotton. These same techniques were passed down generation by generation from France to Canada to Louisiana. Upon arriving in Louisiana, the Acadian women had to learn coton jaune which was used in clothing, blankets and all household textiles.
Judy Riffel – The Louisiana Plantations of the GU272: The Batey & Thibodaux Plantation
Six Louisiana plantations scattered along the rivers and bayou of South Louisiana form the setting of the story of the GU272, a group of enslaved people sold by the Maryland Jesuits to two Louisiana plantation owners in 1838. The Batey & Thibodaux plantation, located along Bayou Terrebonne, was one of those plantations. This presentation will cover the history of the plantation, its owners, and the GU272 who were enslaved there.
Dr. Christopher Cenac – The Bowie Brothers and Bayou Buffalo (DuLarge)
Chris will speak the saga of one of the most rural and rustic regions of coastal Louisiana—Bayou DuLarge. In a story that has its origin centuries ago, Volume II, with its thousands of photos, maps, and images, traces a legacy of perseverance and faith by the notable people who carved out an existence along the winding path of a waterway shown on maps as early as 1804 as Bayou Buffalo. These pioneers, who tamed a wilderness of swamp and prairie, reaped a great bounty from the very environment they often had to battle. The book documents the Bowies’ entrepreneurial entrance into the State of Louisiana and the parishes of Terrebonne and Lafourche. These notorious brothers were farmers, politicians, and soldiers, as well as contemporaries of the infamous pirate, Jean Laffite. Amongst their numerous and controversial pursuits, they made a fortune in the illicit slave trade.
Dr. Renée Naquin & Katie Richard – Sweeten Your Day with Katie and Renée: The Louisiana Sugar Cane Industry
Sugarcane production is a vital component of agriculture in South Louisiana, supporting local economies and rural communities across the region. It is grown by hundreds of farmers managing large acreages in multiple parishes. As a perennial crop, sugarcane is planted once and harvested over several years through regrowth cycles known as plant cane and stubble crops. This presentation provides an overview of the industry, guiding you through the history, planting, harvesting, processing, and refining of sugarcane, while highlighting the many factors involved in transforming the crop from field to finished product. Overall, the industry relies on strong coordination among farmers, mills, and processors to efficiently move sugar from the field to the marketplace.
Books for Sale will benefit Nicholls State University Archives
