[StBernard] Tours, tales of St. Bernard Parish's Islenos culture available

[Westley Annis]

Tours, tales of St. Bernard Parish's Islenos culture available

Published: Thursday, June 14, 2012, 7:00 AM

 By Rhonda Lee Richoux 

St. Bernard Parish Historian Bill Hyland becomes very animated when talking
history, especially Islenos history. As director of Los Islenos Heritage
Museum and Multi-Cultural Park, he is quick to share his knowledge of the
people who arrived in St. Bernard Parish from the Canary Islands from 1778
to 1783. Hyland is proud of the progress made in the recovery process
post-Katrina, but said there is still much to be done.

The museum complex, located at 1345-1357 Bayou Road in St. Bernard
community, is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., except for
federal holidays. Hyland or a member of his staff, such as Cecile "Celie"
Robin, will bring history alive to you as they give you a tour of the
museum's Islenos exhibit and the surrounding grounds and buildings. Robin,
wife of the late Charles Robin Jr., adds stories of her introduction to life
as a St. Bernard fisherman's wife back in the 1940's, which make the tour
personal and relevant.

Although the Islenos were sent to several parishes in Louisiana, the
relative isolation of St. Bernard Parish was more conducive to the
preservation of Islenos culture. The Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural
Society was established in 1976 to assure that the history and culture would
not be lost in modern times. From their efforts, the Islenos museum and park
became a reality.

Historic buildings that have been moved to the park include the Estopinal
House with its free-standing kitchen, built in the 1780s, and the Coconut
Island Barroom, a 1920 cypress board and batten structure. The original
museum house was built about 1840 and was donated by the Molero family.
Though the building was completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005,
it has been faithfully restored. The trapper's cabin, also destroyed by
Katrina, has been rebuilt and refurnished. The Cresap-Caserta and Esteves
houses complete the historic house collection.

Hyland said the restoration continues in other areas as well.

"We plan to put period furniture and dcor in the Estopinal house," he said,
creating a house museum to give visitors a sense of life in the late 18th
and early 19th centuries. Hyland said one goal of the Islenos Heritage
Society is to include exhibits that represent people from other cultures,
such as Cajun and Filipino, who hunted, fished and farmed alongside the
Islenos.

The complex also includes the Ducros Library, a research library that holds
such valuable resources as passenger lists of the ships that brought the
Islenos to Louisiana, and publications by the St. Bernard Genealogical
Society to help Islenos descendants trace their ancestry. Although the
library with its exhibit of art and photography is part of the museum tour,
access to its archives for research is available by appointment only. Call
504.277.4681 to make an appointment to use the library, or to schedule a
private tour of the museum complex during off hours.

Available for rental, the multipurpose building is perfect for such events
as a wedding or reunion. Rental fees begin at $350 for events without
alcohol for 10 to 100 people. The addition of alcohol, the Coconut Island
Barroom, the picnic pavilion, or more guests increase the rental fee. Follow
the link on the website at www.losislenos.org/ to access the Lease Agreement
for more information. The rental includes use of a fully equipped kitchen
and custodial services. Call Blaine Moncrief at 504.523.2245 to rent the
facility.

I encourage all San Bernardinos to visit the peaceful surroundings of Los
Isle-os Heritage Museum and Multi-Cultural Park on Bayou Terre Aux Boeufs.
Many of you will find that their history is your history.

Rhonda Richoux lives in Reggio and writes about people, places and events in
east St. Bernard Parish and the east bank of Plaquemines Parish. She can be
reached at 504.256.9064 or bayoubreeze52 at gmail.com.

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