Venture out and explore the roots of Louisiana’s Zydeco culture. Dive into the old but wonderful experiences that lie in the Zydeco Capital of the World
In the Zydeco Capital of the World, along the city’s Main Street, there’s an unassuming green building filled with old and wonderful artefacts. These preserved objects tell the stories of times gone by, ranging from prehistory to items that speak of daily life during wartime to relics of the great achievers that called this area home. When a city has centuries of history like Opelousas, even the buildings that house the artefacts have a story to tell. The one that houses The Opelousas Museum & Interpretive Center is no different.
The little green building was constructed by the Sandoz family in the early 1930s to house their coffin-selling business, J.B. Sandoz Undertaker. This period marked a large time of expansion for the Sandoz family. From there, the name changed to Sandoz Funeral Parlors and then LaFond Funeral Home, when its success was enough to stand on its own. The funeral business is still around today.
In 1965, the building was part of a community effort to bring libraries to the city. At the time, there was no public library available to those living in Opelousas and the surrounding areas.
After the library moved into its permanent home on Grolee Street, the building was once more taken up by a local funeral home. This time, it was Sibille Funeral Home for 16 years, from 1972 to 1988. When the business moved out, the building was purchased by the city and chosen as the location for the Opelousas Museum & Interpretive Center.
John Joseph, who died in 2017 at the age of 84, was elected mayor of Opelousas in 1986 and served two terms until retiring in 1994. During his first City Council meeting in January 1987, he appointed 12 individuals to the Opelousas Tourism and Activities Committee. This committee would be the foundation that brought the Opelousas Museum & Interpretive Center to life. In addition to his lasting impact on the economy and tourism, Mayor Joseph was the first black mayor of the city. The retired teacher, principal, and school administrator were poignantly aware of that fact.
In a 1987 interview by Sonya Masingale, Mayor Joseph said, “When I announced, I knew full well that a black has never served as mayor of Opelousas before. I knew full well that in the 266-year history of our city that we did have blacks in the latter years who qualified for citywide positions. And even in the black community, there was a difficult problem in getting blacks to support a black citywide.”
Mayor Joseph went on to emphasize, however, that he was not elected simply because of the color of his skin. He was elected because the citizens of Opelousas recognized his credentials. “The fact that I am black had very little to do with the campaign…I appealed my candidacy to all of the voters of Opelousas.”
While Mayor Joseph had a landmark achievement, his impact on the community certainly extended beyond that. His efforts and support changed the landscape of the city forever. From his obituary, “The primary focus during the life of John W. Joseph was to function as a catalyst in transitioning from a legacy of slavery to inclusion and serve in positions designed to make a difference in the elevation and advancement of all mankind.” One of the ways he promoted this cooperation and inclusion was with the Opelousas Tourism and Activities Committee.
Linda Langley, one of the original committee members, said in an article in 64 Parishes, “With the leadership provided by Mayor Joseph, that committee was able to do so much — many things that we have in Opelousas today, and may even take for granted, were the results of that work. Like the Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center, Le Vieux Village du Poste des Opelousas, Opelousas Main Street program, Opelousas Historic District, Opelousas Tourism as part of the city, just to name a few.”
“It took all of those years,” committee member Carola Hartley said on the acquisition of the Main Street building in 1988 and its grand opening in 1992, “to make the museum what it is today.” During that 5-year interval, she described the hard work of the committee members to make a museum that told stories that were, up untill this point, overlooked.
One of the stories told in the museum includes that of Rodney Milburn, an Olympic gold medalist from Opelousas. The story of Milburn’s life, legendary achievements, and untimely death are illustrated through his medals, historic photos, and books dedicated to him, all of which can be found on display at the museum.
The museum also holds the archive of historic recordings of the Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival. This festival, which began in 1982, was the first of its kind dedicated to zydeco, the internationally-recognized music genre deeply rooted in St. Landry Parish. While the festival still takes place on the Saturday before Labor Day in Opelousas, at the museum, visitors can view recordings from the old festivals and relive the magic from past zydeco greats as they performed to crowds of hundreds, sometimes thousands.
Stewardship of the Opelousas Museum & Interpretive Center has changed hands a few times over the course of its life. At the end of 2021, just in time for the museum’s 30th anniversary in 2022, a new caretaker dedicated her time to its management, Patrice Melnick. Melnick has long been a champion of education and creative expression as the mastermind behind the Festival of Words in Grand Coteau. She is a published author and was recognized in 2019 as a Louisianian of the Year by Louisiana Life Magazine. She has already made her mark as museum director by spearheading new and meaningful exhibits, educational talks, and other regular events at the museum.
Melnick’s efforts, as well as all those who contributed to its founding, add to the tapestry of the building’s history. The story of the Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center can be summed up as a collaborative effort by a community that saw the importance of remembering the past and worked together to bring it to life. The building itself, the exhibits that live there, and the people who worked to make it what it is have created something that continues to educate and conceptualize the people who came before, bringing light to their stories.