My search for a home town

I was born and lived in Golden Meadow, Louisiana AND the town was incorporated in 1950.

The Golden Meadow Woman’s club under the leadership of Mrs. Edna Leonard after four attempts managed to convince then Governor Earl Lang to sign it and my neighborhood was supposed to be included.

Great! The area included about four AND one half miles along Bayou Lafourche on the West or highway – one side only.

Trouble! Some homeowners on the north end (my area) opposed the corporation because of a minor property tax which cams with it and they fo Tight it hard, meetings and law suits and signs. My family, because we believed that the asset of being a Town would be wrath the tax was in favor hut because the opponents were also our relatives and neighbors my family remained neutral. Not yet being a property owner I was warned to keep quite in prevent hard feelings hut it all became moot when the founding board decided to delete the area where most of the opponents lived, about four city blocks, (my whole neighborhood). I was just coming out of my teens and there were other things on my mind like girls and parties and girls and dancing and girls, so I moved on although I was about to lose my home town.

Let me explain. Although my birth certificate, school and church records all declare me a citizen of Golden Meadow, the area I lived in had always had the address of RFD Cut 0ff Louisiana and now it became Galliano, Louisiana 70354, I had lived in three towns without moving a foot Now most of my family, friends and fellows Cajuns lived in the entire area of Cut Off, Galliano and Golden Meadow and we shared customs, religion language and traditions. Bragging about living in three home towns helped me later politically so it did not bother me at all and nothing had changed. It did, however give me, many years later a reason in write this column, which I enjoy doing.

Now Governor Earl Long, who did not leave a legacy of great accomplishment did score a home run in picking a mayor and board of alderman for the newly incorporated Town, Mayor: Alexie Plaisance. Board: Freddie Collins. Ena Leonard, Victor Theriot and Hubert Lafont, Sr. , All good and respected citizens. Bob Mayet was named Chief of Police. (Long also thought he had hit a home run with Stripper Blaze Stan; but his wife Blanch called it a foul and had him committed to the insane asylum. Being Governor he used his authority and pardoned himself. He then went back to Baton Rouge and fired a bunch of burocrats.

Louisiana was living up to its long acquired reputation.

Ten miles North along Bayou Lafourche is the Town of Golden Meadow which I considered my home town from birth to 1950 when it was incorporated. Between those communities was a settlement of Native Americana Billiots, Dardars and others, good hard working, religious people who were segregated due to the stupid and now unlawful laws of today. Because of those laws a special school was built for them and they built their own church. They were always my friends and my band played music many years at the night clubs (know as Hanky Tonka) located there. The community was aim-ply known as the “Settlement”.

So I was no longer in Golden Meadow and my mailing address was changed from Cut Off to Galliano. 70354. I can Claim three home towns, all with the greatest people in the world, my Cajun land. How lucky can one guy be? BYE NOW!

My search for a home townMy search for a home town