Plaquemine and Back p4

La.77 continues to be a fine road from Bayou Grosse Tete to Plaquemine . The road on the opposite side of the bayou is also very "interesting". I pulled into Plaquemine. Plaquemine is a very old town. There are hints of French Quarter New Orleans everywhere as in Thibadeau and the other Bayou LaFourche towns. I've covered Plaquemine to a degree on other rides so I won't here. I was at the point where tunnel vision was coming on strong. I fantasized about meeting that Trio coming from Grosse Tete. Did that sound stange? It did to me and I find it troubling.

I looked at the GPS and saw Depot Street on the south side of town. I rode right to the building. I'm sorry, but it had no personality. It appears not to be that old and is now a store of some kind. Where "Plaquemine" was on the end of the depot is now a "Depot Market" sign. Tacky. I looked in the window and I could see no depot-like stuff. I'll show you a few shots to cover the requirements.

The rail side:



The station master's bay windows:



The street side:



The luggage wagon. I'm sure there is another name for it. I'm not sure about the originality of the roof structure.



There was another one out on the street. Roofless.



I turned my attention to following the rails through town. The set up was exactly like New Iberia.

I'll post the pictures as they were taken.

Corner of Depot and Main.



The street and railroad were separated by a curve, just like in New Iberia. This is no industrial zone. This is downtown, at least the historic downtown.






Mercy me, that sure is a fine building.



It's the City Hall.



With the appropriate Confederate Memorial. I'm betting the City Hall was built around 1915.



Plaquemine saw Hell in the Civil War. The Union's worst inhabited its streets.

Past City Hall, I saw this branch coming off the main line. My old software doesn't show it.
It could have been for anything.



Exiting town I went into Turnerville. I saw a sign from the road mentioning "Historic Homes". I think I missed them or these were the attractions. I did see a bed and breakfast offered, but it was on a street whose inhabitants were walking around aimlessly and I didn't want to become a target.





Now we are going to do the Bayou Plaquemine Bridge which is very near the old locks. Both are massive and must sees.

Before I had stopped at the depot I pulled over and started the series.





The counterweights are huge.
Here are the locks before I forget.



Massive. Bayou Plaquemine did connect to the Mississippi. The Port Allen Canal at Baton Rouge now links the Mississippi with points west. We'll see that, too. Why massive? It was a plug in the levee that, if broken, could wipe out south La. during a flood and alter the route of the Mississippi, so it was built not to move. It is now levied off as a further insurance policy.

Back to the RR bridge. I took this one while sitting at the light.



These three were taken from a visitor's parking lot. I wanted to get a full picture of the little rectangular traffic bridge that serves the south bound lane of La.1. It seems like a tiny relic. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that it's still there. I'm wondering if there wasn't more to it at one time when there was river traffic? Of course, there is none now. Bayou Plaquemine shrinks just west of town and then regathers itself as it approaches Bayou Grosse Tete/Port Allen Canal.







And, you couldn't miss the huge old brick warehouse.



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There could probably be 4 more pages. If you are enjoying these rides, let me know. I write them as a gift. If it's too much for you to write "thanks" once in a while, then it's too much for me to continue. Steve