"Queen Jubilee" at 2701 St. Charles Avenue
As we wrap up the 38th volume of Country Roads, we look back on twelve months of highs and lows, resilience and renewal in our region. It's a true privilege, this story collecting that we get to do—and the stories gathered during 2021 document a particularly mutli-faceted and evolving era in this remarkable place we call home.
But what stories did you, reader, engage with the most? According to good old Google Analytics, our readers this year loved mysteries: you contemplated the Strange Case of Bobby Dunbar, imagined the possibility of alien abductions, indulged in the haunting stories of a pauper's cemetery on the prairie, and (in the only 30 days since it's been on our website) rejoiced in the resolution of a decades-old mystery in Hattiesburg. Foodways took the cake, this year, too: from Shreveport's iconic Black Forest Cake to the small town intricacies of the Smoked Meat Capitol of the World. Together, we celebrated revitalization and new ideas in our cities, who are impressing the world with their cultural preservation efforts, their new industries, and their commitment to bon temps even in the hardest of times. But most of all, our readers sought adventure this year: traipsing through historic gardens, glamping in our state parks, exploring farther afield, and even mountain biking on the Northshore.
2021 was a year holding multitudes, and we are grateful to have been able to capture some of it in our pages. Thank you for reading, and we look forward to another year of looking even closer, discovering even more, with all of you.
If your favorite story didn't make this list, or you otherwise want to revisit our other stories from 2021 you can find our content all the way back to 2016 in our Issue Archive. If you'd like to continue to read these kinds of stories in 2022 (and beyond!), be sure to subscribe here. As always, thanks for reading!
21. The Secret Life of Beekeepers
Daring and a little dangerous, a profession in pursuit of gold
By Jason Vowell
Jason Vowell
20. Chef Shorty's Black Forest Cake
For over thirty years, Chef Shorty Lenard's nontraditional dessert reigned in North Louisiana
By Chris Jay
Federico Villaseñor
Chef Shorty Lenard's Black Forest Cake is a creation of luxurious layers of whipped cream and velvety German chocolate, punctuated by the satisfying crunch of crisp meringue laced with finely chopped almonds and hazelnuts.
19. A New Era at Dunleith
Natchez’s signature mansion reopens, Castle and all.
G Douglas Adams
18. The Krewe of House Floats
In true fashion, local creatives have come together to present the first ever Krewe of House Floats, an initiative that sets out to drape the Crescent City in whimsy, joy, and celebration despite all odds.
By Alexandra Kennon and Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
Alexandra Kennon
"Acadiana Hayride" at 948 Euterpe Street
17. Saint Luc Immersion and Cultural Center
Mavis Frugé leads the charge for cultural revitalization in Acadiana
Jonathan Olivier
Arnaudville narive Mavis Frugé grew up speaking Louisiana French, and today is considered a leader in the efforts to revitalize the language for the next generation. Over the years, she has organized French Tables, shared the region’s culture with visitors, and is currently the force behind the Saint-Luc French Immersion Center nonprofit.
16. A Saintly Stay
The Hotel Saint Vincent melds Garden District history with vintage flair and contemporary opulence
Photo by Matt Harrington, courtesy of M18 Public Relations.
15. Fear and Loathing on the Boudin Trail
Bridging the gap between the past and future of Louisiana’s favorite fast food
By Jason Vowell
Illustration by Alexander Cardosi
14. My, Oh, My Monroe
The local’s travel guide to Northeast Louisiana’s best
13. A Hiker's Guide to Louisiana
Rugged hills and stunning vistas await
C.C. Lockwood
12. Around the World with Café du Monde
The New Orleans staple flavors Vietnamese iced coffee around the globe
Alexandra Kennon
11.Stories from the Hidden Cemetery
In Point Blue's pauper's graveyard, little legends live on.
Olivia Perillo
10. The Mystery of Hattiesburg's Footprints, Solved
The untold history of the Mississippi freedman John Wesley Fairley
Image of feet courtesy of Visit Hattiesburg
9. Biking the Bogue Chitto
The Northshore Off-Road Bicycling Association completes fourteen miles of mountain bike trails in Bogue Chitto State Park
Sean Gasser
8. The Pascagoula Alien Abduction
Nearly 50 years after becoming one of the most credible alien abductees in history, Calvin Parker shares his story
Illustration by Burton Durand
7. Old Mandeville, New Lens
From bikes to boats, two Southshore residents spend their first weekend in Old Mandeville.
Alexandra Kennon
St. Tammany's Manager of Marketing and Public Relations Anna Strider aboard Captain Rick Delaune's boat, the Windward Passage.
6. 24 Hours in Jefferson
East Texas’s BnB Capital is one of its best kept secrets
Lauren Heffker
The House of the Seasons in the Bed & Breakfast Capital of Texas, Jefferson.
5. Happy Glampers
Tentrr elevates the camping experience in Louisiana
Alexandra Kennon
Lexi Simpson looks out over Lake Pontchartrain from a Tentrr campsite at Fountainebleau State Park.
4. The Kitchen Culture of Evangeline
Understanding the complicated culinary landscape of the Smoked Meat Capital
Parish Road Media
3. Five Historic Gardens to Visit This Spring
Gardens of the past and present bloom across Louisiana
Courtesy of LSU AgCenter
Windrush Gardens
2. The Strange Case of Bobby Dunbar
A missing child, replaced by another
By Terry Jones
WikiMedia Commons
The discovered child, originally believed to be Bobby Dunbar, but proven in 2004, through DNA testing, not to be related to the Dunbar family, beside a car with unidentified people. April 1913.
1. Natchez is the South's New Hollywood
Tate Taylor on developing Natchez as a premiere film destination
Photo by Tim Marsella, courtesy of Film Natchez.
Award-winning producer and director Tate Taylor has made Natchez his home, and now he is trying to bring the movie business there with him.
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