....the RVers travel newspaper.

News, Views, and Trip Reviews

The Gypsy Journal is a first hand record of the travels of full-time RVers Nick and Terry Russell. Through their tabloid style newspaper, they share with you the places they go, the people they meet, and the things they see. They report on their discoveries of learning more about the full-timers' lifestyle. They report RV news, too. 

The Gypsy Journal is filled with the Russells' views, both in the sites they see and in how they see the sites. They'll tell you about tourist attractions and what they thought of them. They'll tell you about campgrounds, RVs, and businesses they deal with -- both the good and the bad. They don't write cookie-cutter fluff to satisfy advertisers -- instead they tell it as they see it, producing a very informative and lively paper for arm-chair and on-the-road travelers. 

We receive numerous RVing publications -- many of them I just quickly skim, but this is one that I actually take the time to read.

Join Nick and Terry in their travels of Americas highways and back roads by subscribing to the Gypsy Journal. Published six times per year. 
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       Here's a story reprinted from the Gypsy Journal:

Journey Back In Time at Acadian Village

 By Nick Russell

Visitors to Cajun country can experience a unique view of the Acadian lifestyle of years past with a visit to Acadian Village, a collection of authentic homes and shops dating back to the late 1800s. A project of the Lafayette Association for Retarded Citizens, Acadian Village is a wonderful collection of artifacts and antiques that offer an opportunity to learn more about the culture of the Acadian people.

You begin your tour of Acadian Village at the General Store, a replica of the general stores that were the focal point of many small communities across the country from 1860 to 1900. Built on site in 1976, the General Store was constructed of old red cypress and Louisiana long leaf pine, and is a fine example of briquette entre poteaux (bricks between posts) construction. The exposed electrical wiring in the store is typical of the first wiring when electricity came to Acadiana. The General Store serves as a gift shop and the headquarters of Acadian Village, offering a very interesting assortment of souvenirs and memorabilia. 

The village is constructed around a small pond, and footpaths and bridges lead you to the various homes and buildings. What seem to be dozens of frogs inhabit the pond and splash into the water at your approach. At various times, craftsmen and artisans are on hand at Acadian Village to demonstrate early day skills, including weaving, candle making, and blacksmithing.

The oldest structure in Acadian Village is the Aurelie Bernard House, originally constructed in St. Martinville. The left section of the house was built around 1800, and the right section was added on sometime around 1840. When entering the addition, you are greeted with a large painting of the exile of the Acadians from Nova Scotia in 1755. A second painting, in the rear room, depicts their arrival and settling along the bayous of Louisiana from 1763 to 1785. The older section of the Aurelie Bernard House contains an exhibit on Cajun music, which plays such an important role in Acadian culture. The house contains the best example of the type of insulation used in Acadian homes, bousillage entre poteaux (mud between posts).

Dating back to circa 1820, the Thibodeaux House is constructed of cyprus, the "wood eternal," both rot and insect resistant. The house came to Acadian Village from the Breaux Bridge area. Each pre-cut beam and post was marked with Roman numerals for ease of assembly when the house was originally constructed. A small rear "cabinet room" served as the daughters' bedroom and was accessible through the parents' bedroom. The family's boys slept in the garconniere, a loft or attic reached by an outside staircase.

The LeBlanc House, built between 1821 and 1856 near Youngsville, was the birthplace of Acadian Senator Dudley J. LeBlanc. The colorful "Cousin Dud" LeBlanc was much loved in Cajun country as a statesman, politician, and spokesman for his people, as well as an entrepreneur. LeBlanc invented a famous vitamin tonic by the name of Hadacol, a 12 percent alcohol solution that was guaranteed to cure all ills. The LeBlanc House has exhibits and memorabilia from the Senator's life and career.

The St. John House, donated to Acadian Village by a local dentist, was located on St. John Street in Lafayette and was built around 1840 from salvaged cypress timbers from an earlier building. A collection of old books, inkwells, lunch pails, and a wood stove are on display in the house.

The blacksmith was an important craftsman in early day villages, relied on to repair and manufacture everything from farm equipment to nails and building supplies, along with shoeing horses and mules. Acadian Village has a replica blacksmith shop, erected on site from weathered cypress boards. The anvil, forge, and bellows are typical of those used in blacksmith shops throughout Cajun country and the rest of the nation 150 years ago. Other tools of the blacksmith's trade, including tongs, pincers, and hammers are displayed, along with early day wagons, buggies, and farm implements. 

The Billeaud House was built before the Civil War on the Billeaud Sugar Plantation in Broussard. Today it is used as a spinning and weaving cottage. The cottage contains two magnificent looms, one an original 150-year-old piece. The second loom is a working replica built locally by 72-year-old Whitney Breaux for the Bicentennial. Homespun blankets and clothes were woven from white cotton native to Louisiana, and brown cotton introduced to Acadiana from Mexico by the Spaniards.

Religion played an import role in Acadian culture, and the New Hope Chapel is a replica of a typical 1850s era chapel. It was built through the efforts of the local Knights of Columbus and opened for the Bicentennial. The chapel's ceiling was built of cypress and is held up entirely by wooden pegs. The floor is Louisiana long leaf pine, well over 200 years old. One of the chapel's pews was built over 150 years ago, the others are replicas made by Whitney Breaux, the same talented local craftsman who created the loom mentioned above. The chapel's Stations of the Cross were hand-carved with chisel, knife, and hammer by local sculptor Lester Duhon. The main altar originally served St. Anne's Church in Youngsville, and later St. Joseph's in Milton. 

The historic landmark Castille Home was built for Dorsene Castille around 1860 in Breaux Bridge by a European craftsman. Little is known about the man who built the home, except that he did the entire job himself without help, and the project took him over a year to complete. During the Civil War, the home was pillaged by Yankee soldiers, but somehow survived the ravages of time and war. The house's two carved cypress mantels are of particular interest - one carving looks like a Christian fish symbol and symbolizes a long and happy life. The other looks like a rosette and is called a progression, signifying a large and prosperous family. 

Every December Acadian Village comes alive with lights celebrating "A Cajun Christmas at the Village." Noel Acadian opens on Friday, the week after Thanksgiving and runs through December 23rd. Visitors enjoy the Village's many animated displays and the multitude of lights on every home. Families have made strolling through the Village sipping on hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music a spirit-lifting tradition.

The Acadian Village Art Gallery is home to seventeen original paintings by famed local artist George Rodrigue that tell the incredible story of the "Acadian Saga." The story opens with a painting of the sailing of the Jonah from France in 1604, through "Le Grand Derangement" in Canada, and the Acadian's final arrival in Louisiana. 

The Mississippi Valley Museum, also part of Acadian Village, displays Native American artifacts, as well as a life size diorama of LaSalle claiming Louisiana for France in 1862. The Doctor's Museum contains interesting exhibits from local early day medical offices.

Acadian Village is open daily, except for major holidays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is an admission fee, payable at the General Store. The Village is located at 200 Greenleaf Drive, Lafayette, Louisiana. Acadian Village has over fifty RV hookups available, with special group rates. For more information, call 800-962-9133 or visit their website at www.acadianvillage.org.

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Join Nick and Terry in their travels of Americas highways and back roads by subscribing to the Gypsy Journal. Published six times per year.

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Work Your Way Across The USA by Nick Russell Hardcopy book packed with practical and do-able ideas for earning a living while traveling. Jobs you probably never thought about, but work you could actually do for a wage or profit. Highly recommended. Price includes shipping and handling fees. $17.95
 

RVers 4-in1 CD by Nick Russell -- CD Includes:
                ~~ Guide to Free Campgrounds and Overnight Parking Spots
                ~~ Guide to Public RV Dump Stations
                ~~ RVers Guide to Fairgrounds Camping
                ~~ RVers Guide to Modem Friendly Truck Stops
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An alternative to volunteer work camping. Working RVers earn money while RVing.