Florence

A few miles south of Gueydan on LA 91, you'll find a quiet, beautiful location with an interesting history. At the turn of the twentieth century, after Jean-Pierre Gueydan was successful in marketing lands farther north, there was another, more southerly settlement proposal. Named Florence, after the deceased child of the owner of the White Lake Land Company, this settlement was a thriving port community since the Florence Canal connected to White Lake and the Mermentau River. The lands in Florence were marshy and unsuitable for farming. To solve the problem of selling brackish water marshlands as farms, several huge pumps were installed and the marsh was de-watered. A European-styled town plan with a center square was drawn up but the town never became a reality. After the land was sold and the pumps were shut off, the marsh returned to its natural environment that you see today. The White Lake Land Company office became the Florence Club, host to local hunters and famous celebrities. It is now a beautifully restored private home worth seeing at the end of the drive. The top balcony was said to be where the land proprietor would look out and point to the lands that were sold much to the amazement of the locals.