Henry Historical Society

The Acadian Museum of Erath, a part of the non-profit Acadian Heritage and Cultural Foundation, Inc., was founded in 1990 to promote awareness and appreciation of the mixed Prairie/Bayou Acadian culture particular to Vermilion Parish. Vermilion Parish has the largest percentage of French speakers of any parish or county in the United States.

In November, 2018, in view of common goals, the members and supporters of the museum formed a steering committee in order to create the Henry Historical Society (HHS), consisting of Chairman Ted Campbell and members Joey Hebert, Brenda Moss Prejean, Margaret Menard Denais, Sid Lange, Natial Perrin d’Augereau and Warren Perrin. The Henry Historical Society (HHS) adopted the following mission statement:

• Fund research, publicity, and the preservation of the community of Henry’s culture and history.
• Memorialize the history of the community of Henry by collecting archival photographs, recording oral histories, sponsoring periodic reunions, and erecting historical markers.
• Support and promote Acadian/Cajun cultural programming.
• Work toward achieving a bi-lateral agreement between the Acadian Museum and the Henry Historical Society for the long-term oversight and management of the Acadian Museum. This would involve local school faculties and students who would have the museum available as an educational model for teaching students about the historical gathering and preservation of artifacts, garnering the involvement of the community, marketing the venue, and general museum management.
• Organize Henry High School reunions.

After a successful fundraising effort, the HHS worked on documenting the history of Henry in order to obtain the state’s permission for a Louisiana highway historical marker explaining the history of Henry in general and the present-day Henry Catholic Church and the former Henry High School in particular.

On April 25, 2019, an application, with supporting documentation, was submitted for a highway marker with the following inscriptions:

HAMLET AND SCHOOL MARKER

The hamlet of Henry in Vermilion Parish, located in an area called Prairie Greig, was first settled by George Greig in the late 1700s. In 1807, Greig built the first house on Turkey Island about one mile NW of here. Acadians arrived in Louisiana in 1765, and migrated to this area in the late 18th century. Today, their descendants make up a majority of the citizens. Henry was named after the Henry School that was located on the SE corner of Hwy. 330 and Hwy. 689. The school was named for its benefactor, William Henry, born Ludwig Kattentit, who originally immigrated from Denmark in 1840. He married Elizabeth Lee, the daughter of Mark Lee, then dropped the surname of Kattentit and used his father’s middle name Heinrich for his surname of Henry. Henry High School, the first accredited high school in the parish, celebrated its centennial in 1996. Severe damage from successive hurricanes forced its demolition in 2009. One mile NE is the Henry Hub where the price of natural gas is set for North America. For more information, visit acadianmuseum.com.

CHURCH MARKER

In 1895, a Roman Catholic Church named Our Lady of Prompt Succor was established on lands donated by William Cade to the west in nearby Bancker, which was the center of four plantations on the Vermilion River. Its first pastor was Fr. F.C. Elast, who performed the first baptism in 1897 of Anna Henry, daughter of Isaac Henry and Marie Toups, after the church was consecrated. Today, the site is a four-acre memorial park with a restored grotto, picnic area, and an elevated boardwalk leading to Bancker Cemetery. In 1939, the church and rectory were dismantled board by board and then rebuilt in Henry on land acquired from Thomas B. Delino and renamed St. John the Evangelist. In 2005, Hurricane Rita’s tidal surge caused extensive damage to the church. In a testament to the generosity of Christians worldwide, over $1,000,000 was donated to restore and lift the church, office and rectory nine feet, three inches in order to protect it from future flooding. It is believed to be one of the highest elevated churches and is accessible by stairs, a walkway and an elevator. For more information, visit acadianmuseum.com.

SPONSORED BY ACADIAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, INC.

In a letter dated September 3, 2019, Lynn M. Coxwell, director of research for the State of Louisiana, Office of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, advised that the application of the HHS had been approved for the installation of a the historical marker at 6305 Louisiana Highway 330 Erath, Louisiana. Installation of the marker was slated for December 29, 2019, in a public ceremony at the site of the former high school. As part of the commemoration, special recognition was given to the Delino and Henry families for their contributions the Henry church and community.