Vintage Lafayette photos

All right, finally a site with historic Lafayette photos. Check out Lafayette LINC's photo section. I could look at this kind of stuff for hours. I had been wondering why none of the Clerk of Court's stuff was scanned on their site, and I guess it was because they're letting these guys do it. Anyway, it's interesting to see all of the buildings and places that are no longer around. They have cool photos of the transit system and of the city in 1981, but the ones from the Clerk of Court collection are the best. Here are a few:


Broussard Feed and Seed building in 1981. That's the old Pussycat Lounge, from before it was used in a movie set (Southern Comfort). Supposedly, that building started out as a warehouse for Sears and Roebuck. The lowered area where Poster Children played was originally the loading dock.


Cool photo of the Jefferson Theater. I'm not totally sure, but I think this was where the parking lot is next to the Gordon Hotel.


I think this is all Teche Drugs and gifts now, but I think it used to have On Time Fashions on the corner.


The area behind the Jefferson Hotel (now elderly apartments) looks completely different.


Buckhorn Bar in the old Gordon Hotel. Last I remember, it was a beauty salon I think.


The website also has various urban development plans. According to the site, there are two approved alignments for I49 through downtown. One is down the existing Evangeline Thrwy alignment, the other will use the old railroad yard property by the old train station. If they use the railroad alignment, the old Pussycat is doomed. Of course if they use the other path, everything between the two sides of the thruway is doomed. A lose-lose situation.