EVANGELINE OAK PARK

Located in the heart of St. Martinville, this oak tree may not be the oldest in Louisiana, but it is the most photographed. It symbolizes the tragedy of the deportation of thousands of Acadians during the Great Upheaval, many of them separated from their families. This two-hundred-year-old oak is very close to the place where men and merchandise disembarked. Legend has it that Evangeline, who was to have married Gabriel when they were separated and deported, came every day to weep at the foot of this young oak. One fine day, after many years, when she had become an old woman, her prayers were finally answered. Gabriel, to whom she had always remained faithful, arrived. She recognized him immediately, but her immense happiness was short-lived. Gabriel had married. Poor Evangeline, who had withstood all the hardships of being an Acadian in the hope of seeing him again one day, couldn't bear it. A few weeks later, she died of grief... This sad story has come down to us thanks to Henry Longfellow's famous poem, which bears the name of our unfortunate heroine. A historical plaque marks the exact spot where Emmeline Labiche and Louis Arceneaux, commonly known as Evangeline and Gabriel, met. For a more in-depth experience of the Great Deportation, drop in next door at the Acadian Memorial & Cultural Center Museums (open Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).