Leatherwood Museum

Sponsored by the Allen Parish Tourist Commission

On its face, it may look like a pleasant but fairly typical representation of a 19^th century Arts and Crafts-style residence. But the Leatherwood Museum is more than just a house, it's a home—and a hospital, and a boarding school, and a railroad company way station ... the list goes on. The building has served in a whole host of capacities since it was built in 1888, and its current incarnation as parish museum puts these past lives as well as many other local fascinations on display.

Located in Oakdale, Louisiana, just off LA Hwy. 165, the Leatherwood Museum is a compelling introduction to Allen Parish, nestled in a homey slice of Southwest Louisiana between Lake Charles and Alexandria. The area is a delight for all sorts of folks, from outdoor adventurers and sportsmen to casino-goers to antique treasure hunters. Like the region itself, the museum weaves together different strands of life in a series of exhibits that are at once eclectic, colorful, and engaging.

So come on in and make yourself at home! The invitation here is surprisingly literal: Visitors enter through the front door into a lovingly restored living area, outfitted as closely as possible to resemble its days as the Leatherwood family home, down to the original dining room furniture set with blue Carnival glass. The effect is immersive; as you wander across the burnished plank floors from room to room, all the period details of a family's home life are laid out at your fingertips as if someone were coming back to use them any moment. You can even sit down at a fully functioning 1925 Gulbransen piano in the parlor and tickle the ivories a bit yourself!

But though it looks well-preserved now, this two-story house was not waiting intact all this time for today's guests to discover its charms. The Allen Parish Tourist Commission, after accepting stewardship of the site and its artifacts from the Leatherwood Foundation in 2005, undertook painstaking renovation designed to restore the house to its original format.

“The plan was to bring the building back to its former beauty, keeping as much as possible to the original design of the building,” says Adagria Haddock, director of the Commission. The renovation included modifications to restore the original format, replacing the kitchen (added in the '50s) with a sleep porch, but also updates such as adding an ADA-compliant elevator to make the second floor more accessible to all patrons.

And the second floor holds even more wonders than the first. Here, the rooms are dedicated to a dazzling array of exhibits, each highlighting its own theme. Everywhere you turn, there's another piece of Allen Parish life. The displays touch on everything from work to play, war to wildlife. Whether your interest lies in the area's Native American tribes, World War II practice maneuvers, local sports heroes, courir de Mardi Gras, or even the intricacies of a 1930s dentist office, the Leatherwood Museum has a corner to satisfy just about any curious viewer.

With help from curator Hunter Armstrong, Adagria Haddock transformed these inherited artifacts and other donations into the actual museum of her dreams for the reopening in 2007. She claims that, falling asleep one anxious night after confronting the overwhelming trove of information and memorabilia, she dreamt in detail the layout of each display. Translated into the waking world, the results have been delighting and educating the public for the past decade.

“I was told that you could have a museum or have something pretty on the eyes, but you could not have both,” says Haddock. “I disagreed.” (After viewing her efforts, the veteran museum curator who originally made the remark admitted to her he had been proven wrong.)

Under Haddock's direction and the care of the Tourist Commission, the Leatherwood Museum has gone from a small town relic to a museum that incorporates the entirety of Allen Parish. It preserves small, tangible pieces of the lives that have kept the heart of Southwest Louisiana beating for centuries, allowing visitors a first-hand glimpse into the past and the present of this unique area. Fun for all ages, the museum is a perfect stop for families, class trips, or anyone who wants to pass a charming afternoon in its little corner of the world.

Hungry for more authentic Louisiana culture (and possibly a bite of some Cajun cuisine that just can't be beat)? The Leatherwood Museum is also a part of the Myths and Legends Byway, a driving trail that winds through three parishes exploring local festivals, folklore, and so much more. Visit the Allen Parish Tourist Commission for more information on the museum and to find out what other adventures Cajun Country has in store.