My daughter and I drove around this weekend searching for cemeteries and cool places to photograph. Yesterday, we went down to Bancker, Louisiana, to what used to be a thriving plantation community south of Abbeville. This is where we found the Grotto and a memorial park still in progress.
Bancker was founded in the late 1800s by families of Acadian, Spanish, German, and Danish descent. The Grotto was built in 1935 by Father DeVos to honor our Lady of Lourdes. It stand a few yards away from the cemetery.
The cemetery is for the most part in good to great condition. We saw people bringing flowers while we were there. These are probably some of the oldest graves there and a sign on the site dates the oldest one to 1897.
This walkway through the woods is under construction and certainly mosquito paradise! It goes from the Grotto to the cemetery following the river. There are a couple of places where you can actually see the river.
Bancker is on the banks of the Vermilion river. There used to be four plantations there, two on each side of the river and a ferry was in operation to take people back and forth. Today, aside from the Grotto and the cemetery, there isn’t much around. It is a very peaceful site worth the trip if you ever find yourself in Vermilion parish with time on your hands. Just don’t forget your mosquito repellent!
Originally Posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News
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