Calling Roadtrippers – Destination: Vernon Parish

“There’s nowhere to go but everywhere,” wrote American novelist Jack Kerouac in his aptly titled classic On The Road. Consider this your cue to do exactly that this spring in nearby Vernon Parish. Tap into a favorite playlist, throw on a sunhat, and get out on the road to explore and experience all that Vernon Parish has to offer.

History and antiquities abound throughout Vernon Parish. Little wonder, as this richly wooded terrain was once part of the region known as “the Neutral Strip” or “No Man’s Land”—disputed territory claimed by both Spain and the United States following France’s sale of the Louisiana territory to America in 1803. In the years that followed, escaped convicts, deserters from the Spanish and American armies, and people fleeing enslavement arrived were drawn to this ungoverned territory in large numbers as a refuge from the law. Vernon Parish itself was founded in 1871, during the period following the Civil War known as Reconstruction, and amongst the storied routes to drive here is the Myths & Legends Byway, part of a network of rural back roads that feature well-documented accounts of the region’s checkered past, when outlaws and highwaymen made travel dangerous and ruled the day.

Reopening in April following an extensive renovation, the Museum of West Louisiana occupies the historic Leesville KCS (the Kansas City Southern railroad) Depot building. Mementos of times gone by are preserved here––stone tools and clay artifacts left by the Native American people who once called the area home, railroad relics; and particularly remarkable: a collection of artwork created by German prisoners of war captured during World War II, who were housed at military bases around the country including Vernon’s Fort Polk. Other exhibits document the development of the region’s distinctive architectural styles, which include barns, churches, and old shotguns.

Downtown Leesville encompasses a series of historic buildings and structures with their own quaint charm. They include the Wingate House, a Queen Anne Colonial Revival residence built in the early 1900s (remarkably with no fireplaces, as it was equipped with central heat); and Ferguson House, which is listed on the National Historic Registry. Stop by 3rd Market Street to support local purveyors, and Gallery One Ellleven, a co-op where work by artists from both past and the present-day provides a creative introduction to western Louisiana culture (the gallery also co-produces the weekend festival Art Walk, held biannually in March and October).

Lest all that wandering leave you hungry, there’s plenty to tickle taste buds in Vernon Parish. The menu at gourmet coffee shop Cuore, amongst the newest additions to downtown Leesville, features dishes with Korean and Filipino influences, like rice bowls with pineapple kimchi, slaw, and gochujang aioli and banh mi, alongside bratwurst plates of housemade links, and pastries like bread pudding and sweet potato pie. Bubble teas, lattes, and frappes round out the beverage menu. Locally owned and operated since 1977, Hickory Smoke House serves its namesake barbecue and golden mounds of Louisiana seafood. Adventurous palates will want to explore the Puerto Rican flavors at Brenda’s Kitchen, where the scratch-made empañadas, tostones, and three varieties of flan are among the enticing menu items enlivening the downtown dining scene in Leesville. For those whose palates skew towards the international, fare with Mexican and Thai influences is easy to come by, too. https://vernonparish.org/dining