St. Francisville Louisianna - On the Banks of The Mississippi River

So, let's see, where were we?  In my last post I had just crossed the Mississippi River by ferry and found myself in the beautiful town of St. Francisville, LA.  My first stop was at the welcome center run by West Feliciana Historic Society.  I spent a few minutes walking through the on-site museum and asking directions to the nearest place to find a good lunch.  I was directed to a little diner named 'Eight Sisters' where I enjoyed some delicious 'soul food' prepared and served by a couple of the 8 sisters who own and run it.  While eating I looked over the little phampelet I had picked up and decided that due to my time constraints I would have to settle for a walk through the grounds of Grace Episcopal Church and save the many mansions and plantation homes for another day.

St. Francisville is the second oldest incorporated town in Louisiana and began as a burial grounds for the Spanish Capuchin Monks who had established a church in the 1730's on the other side of the Mississippi River in Pointe Coupee Parish.  Because flooding in the area often made burial impossible they began carrying their dead across the river to the dry highland bluffs for burial.  Soon a settlement sprung up around their graveyard and was appropriately named for their order's gentle patron, St. Francis...and so the town of St. Francisville was established.  It was futher dignified by charter and 'plot plan' around 1807.

Grace Episcopal Church was organized on March 15, 1827 and is the 2nd oldest Episcopal Church in Louisiana.  The present Gothic stucture was built 1858 - 1860 with it's cornerstone laid by Leonidas Polk, the Fighting Bishop of the Confederacy.  I spent about an hour walking through the graveyard and church property...below are a few of the photographs from my time there. 

I hope to one day return to St. Francisville to tour some of the beautiful, historic and often haunted manions and plantations located in the town and surrounding countryside.