Area Info
Donaldsonville History
Donaldsonville's history is filled with stories of
Indians, explorers, pirates, Acadians, plantations, Civil War
Battles and much more. The town's rich heritage melds the cultures
of the French, Italian, African, German, Canary Islanders and other
ethnic ancestors who found haven on the shores of the west bank of
the Mississippi River.
In 1683, Sieur de La Salle explored the
Mississippi River valley and claimed it for France and King Louis
XIV. At the junction of the river and a bayou, he found the
Chetimatches Indians. La Fourche des Chetimatches became hs name
for the stream. La Fourche means "the fork". Later, the name was
changed to Bayou Lafourche. France established the Louisiana
Territory and brought the first settlers, but it was truly
colonized under Spanish rule.
In 1755 the British deported French settlers from the maritime
provinces of Canada - Acadia. They were hereded onto ships with
only the possessions they could carry in their arms. Louisiana,
where they could live under French rule, speak their native
language and practice their Catholic faith, became their promised
land. La Fourche des Chetimatches became the second Acadian
settlement.
On October 4, 1804, William Donaldson, a young merchant from New
Orleans, was appointed a member of the Louisiana Legislative
Council. This service led him to dream of building a town to be the
parish seat and the state capital. Pierre Landry received a Spanish
land grant for the property bordered by the Mississippi River and
La Fourche des Chetimatches in 1775. William Donaldson selected the
Landry farm as the site for his town. On February 10, 1806,
Donaldson commissioned Bartholemew Lafon to draw a plan for La
Ville de Donaldson. The plan included a crescent-shaped park to
welcome river traffic. All of the streets were named for the
counties in old Louisiana. In 1808, the American government
established Donaldson Town which changed to La Fourche in 1809 and
in 1822, to Donaldsonville.
For more information and history, please visit the City of Donaldsonville.
