Support for LA 64 is provided by office of the Lieutenant Governor, Billy Nungesser.

Keep Louisiana Beautiful and the Louisiana Office of Tourism.

I'm Karen LeBlanc, a travel journalist and Louisiana native.

Join me on LA 64, a journey through all 64 parishes exploring Louisiana's less travel paths.

Hit the road with me to explore Bogarde parish.

We'll jam to bluegrass music.

Brave a haunted jail tour shop main streets.

Learn the secret to Louisiana's most famous watermelons.

Experience farm life and dry Creek and end in Maryville, where the spirit of no man's land still lingers.

Bogart parish sits in southwestern Louisiana, tucked into the state's Piney Woods region near the Texas border.

We begin in De Ridder, the parish seat, then travel to Sugar Town on to Dry Creek and end our road trip in Maryville.

Let's go.

Bogart parish was once part of No Man's Land, the Neutral strip from 1806 to 1821.

It was a lawless stretch of land between Spanish Texas and the United States, where settlers carved out lives without formal rule.

Today, the Bubble Guard Museum traces that untamed beginning and the people who called it home.

The no man's land mentality is still very much ingrained in the people here, and it's part of our heritage, you know, it's part of our spirit, and I think it always will be.

I met up with the mayor of DeRidder for a stroll along a newly paved walking trail, passing a restored shotgun house once home to sawmill workers, now reimagined as a gathering space for the community.

A modern amenity nearby invites electric car drivers to plug in and stay a while.

What can we do to get people to come to the river?

One thing that we did do is put two electric car charging stations right downtown in the Ritter between City Hall and our library, which allows people to charge their vehicles, shop at our restaurants, have this experience, and so they can see the community while their vehicle is being charged.

Next, I visit the War Memorial Civic Center, America's first off base USO that opened in 1941 as a social center for the soldiers stationed at Fort Polk and the airmen stationed at what is now Bogart Regional Airport.

Today, it's a community gathering space and a World War II museum, free and open to the public.

The building was constructed in 30, just 39 days back in 1941, specifically for use for an off base USO.

We are designated on the Register of Historic Places as the first off base USO in the United States of America, so Miss Filmer Smith generously donated most of what you see because this building was built specifically for World War Two.

And so most of the items that you see in the building are World War II related.

And who was she?

She was a local historian who loved, I think she was a great World War II history buff.

From there, USO, I followed the legacy of World War II airmen to their former training base at the Bubble Guard Regional Airport, a working airport that is open for public tours of its original hangar, and it has exhibits.

When 1941, the Department of Defense, or Department of War had a lease agreement with Beauregard Parish Police Jury to lease 4200 acres and that would become DeRidder Army Air Base.

Construction started in early 1942, and they activated DeRidder Army Air Base in February.

I ventured deeper into the Piney Woods to Dry Creek Baptist Camp, a place that feels like a frontier village from another era, which stands to reason considering the camp has welcomed generations for more than a century.

In 1924, over a hundred years ago, there was a group of folks that just got together to say, you know, we think the best thing for our kids is that they have a chance to be able to get away from the busyness of life.

It was the primarily the churches of Bogart Parish that started it.

So probably about 25 to 30 churches came together and started it, and it just kind of grew.

Dry Creek Baptist Camp stretches across 107 acres with log cabins, a tabernacle, country store, and all the classic memory making experiences from campfires to swimming to archery and canoeing.

It's open to the general public year round, in addition to hosting summer fellowship camps.

I wrap up my road trip through Bogart Parish in Maryville, right along the Texas line, with a stop at the Maryville History Museum, home to the annual Pioneer and Heritage Festival in 1883.

Log Cabin welcomes visitors inside.

Built by settler Andrew Jackson Burke, a US marshal whose life ended tragically on a bear hunt.

The cabin was later moved and carefully restored in 1983, preserving the region's frontier story.

Maryville was here in the 1880s, but the original settlers started coming in as early as 1836.

I would say the turning point for this area would have been after 1865, after the war, is whenever, you know, we started seeing churches founding the foundations of Maryville School systems started kind of you know, we started seeing that and by I would say 1890 is when they discovered the lone leaf pine trees that completely covered this area.

My guide is historian and author Joe Williamson.

He's a 10th generation resident of Maryville, and he shares stories of the community's famous residents, from Governor Sam Houston Jones to famous athletes and folk artists.

We actually had some old paintings right over here.

We had a, you know, we call her the grandma Moses of Maryville, and she did a primitive artwork.

Her name was Gussie Loftin Townsley.

Here's my takeaway from my time in Bogarde parish.

I jammed to bluegrass music where pickers and fiddlers keep the tradition alive.

I discovered a lesser known Louisiana culture in the Mennonite community.

I follow the sweetness of sugar town to the watermelon fields.

Then I found Stillness and Dry Creek with cartels, where stories are passed down like heirlooms.

From there, I trace the frontier spirit all the way to Maryville, and along the way discovered a side of western Louisiana that feels rooted, resilient, and well worth exploring.

I hit the backroads of Franklin Parish in northeast Louisiana, where small towns have big claims to fame in Winnsboro.

Flags lined the streets of the Stars and Stripes capital, while nearby roads lead to the hometown of country music superstar Lainey Wilson.

We'll follow the Northeast Louisiana music trail.

Shop at one of the last general stores and experience farm life.

From dairy cows and pecan orchards to catfish ponds in the catfish capital.

Along the way, I meet people growing a new kind of agritourism rooted in tradition and full of heart.

Franklin Parish is located in northeastern Louisiana, in a region known as the Mississippi Delta.

The parish was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin.

Our road trip begins in Winnsboro, the parish seat.

Then we head north to swapper and on to Baskin, Gilbert Wisner, and we end in Crossville.

Well, let's get going down Prairie Avenue, which locals simply call Main Street.

The former Winnsboro Post Office Museum welcomes visitors free of charge at the entrance.

An original New Deal era mural sets the tone.

The building itself, it was built in 1936, and it was also part of the New Deal era, where a lot of the municipal buildings were built during that time.

It was a working post office up until 1998.

This is great.

The tunes that were in the original post office.

You know, that was a different time when you had the tunes in the post office as an amenity.

Original post office boxes, sorting slots and an old vault provide the backdrop for changing exhibits.

On the day I visited, there was one honoring military service with uniforms and memorabilia spanning every branch from the Revolutionary War to today.

The other tells the story of local churches revealing the deep roots of faith that continue to shape this community.

Franklin Parish, for being a rural parish has a surprising number of churches.

Absolutely.

We have over 150 churches in Franklin Parish alone.

Oh, and it's just such an important part of this, of this community that we've had.

So we've had so many people eager to share their information, their artifacts, their history with us.

I had to Greers and Crowe ville for dinner, a local favorite where the catfish is lightly breaded just enough to let its natural flavor come through.

The family recipes are made from scratch, including its popular slaw, potter sauce, and pies.

It's originally opened as Greer's in 1988 by my aunt Betty Greer.

She was here 32 years and decided she was ready to go home for a while, so she sold it to me and my husband.

Just keep it in the family.

I worked here in high school, so I was already kind of for with it.

And, you know, just to be a part of something in the community.

And it's a great source for me, me to be able to give back to my community, too.

Jennifer buys her fresh catfish down the road from herring catfish processing plant in Wisner.

It's where I'm headed next, straight to the source of the company that gives Franklin Parrish its claim to fame as the Catfish Capital.

How many catfish are cultivated here in Paris?

Oh, each farmer can do about close to 1 million pounds.

850,000 to 1 million pounds on their farm.

So we have about.

6 to 8 million pounds right here in our parents.

Herring.

Catfish is the town's largest employer.

The family owned operation has been in business since 1982.

Founded by Hannah's grandfather, Pete Herring, they processed 16 million pounds a year, averaging 80 to 100,000 pounds of catfish a day.

Hannah watched me through the process.

It's a kind of choreography, all working in sync to carry this fish from the pond to the plate.

At the final stage, the filets are frozen, packaged and prepared for shipping in boxes that proudly proclaim.

Born and raised in the USA, herring catfish certified Louisiana.

The legacy of catfish here in Franklin Parish is not necessarily because the climate of the topography was conducive.

It's because one man came here and just said, hey, I saw cultivate catfish, right?

You know, my dream always was for it to continue and go.

And then maybe my three kids would like to be in this industry.

But, I mean, you know, they we have 5000 acres of row crop.

We've got 1100 acres of catfish farms.

We got this big processing plant.

So, you know, we do a lot of different things to keep going.

It's feeding time at hearing catfish as a truck rolls along the water's edge, sending pellets flying across the surface, triggering a catfish feeding frenzy.

Herring stalks its ponds with fingerlings year round, giving the community reason to celebrate.

At the annual South Franklin Catfish Festival, held the first weekend in May.

Why celebrate catfish?

Well, just campus been a real big part of this community because a lot of employees, a lot of workforce is in the catfish industry.

So you have catfish farmers.

And then we got the plant and also the ponds and the and then the meal also for catfish feed and everything.

While exploring Franklin Parish, I stayed at the Jackson Street Guest House, a place that pulls you straight into the region's past.

Built in the early 1900s, the home still carries that sense of old Louisiana prosperity.

Today, it's been thoughtfully restored by Paul Price and his wife Linda, who reopened it as a guest house.

Here's my takeaway from my time in Franklin Parish.

You don't visit for this spectacle.

You come for something rooted and real, from famous names who don't forget where they came from, to the fields and orchards connecting us to the food we eat and the murals that spark joy and civic pride.

This rural parish, with its claims to fame as the Stars and Stripes Capital and the Catfish Capital, reminds you that identity comes from community and the main attraction is the people who live it every day.

On this episode of LA 64, hit the Road with me as we explore Saint Landry Parish from Washington steamboat era streets to Arnold Mills, revival of Acadian brown cotton to Grande Cotto, home to a Vatican recognized miracle, and on to Eunice, where the prairie shaped the people and the music.

If you've ever wondered what makes Louisiana uniquely Louisiana, you'll find the answers here.

Along the Cajun Prairie Byway.

Saint Landry Parish sits in south central Louisiana, right in the heart of Acadiana, with Opelousas as the parish seat.

We'll get to know it mile by mile as we criss cross the parish, starting in Washington, then on to Arnold Ville, Grand Coteau, Eunice and Opelousas.

Locals say Washington is Louisiana's third oldest settlement, backed by nearly three centuries of history visible in its streets and buildings.

I met up with Harley Carroll, who's helping promote Washington's historic charm, with guidance from the Louisiana main Street program.

Let's start in 1720s, Washington was founded as a French trading post.

We had French trappers who came here.

They followed the bayous here, and they would trade with the Native Americans.

That was the attack.

A pause here.

This is where they start their settlement in the 1720s.

So a few years later, we get our Spanish land grant, and that goes to Jacques Catawba.

Jacques Catawba essentially settled Washington in the early 17, early to mid 1700s.

Each one of these historic properties has a marker.

Come check this out.

It tells you the date that the home or building was constructed, and a little bit about the family who lived here.

I stopped to chat with historic homeowner Stephanie Tompkins.

Her street is lined with houses once owned by steamboat captains.

The home was built circa 1840 by a man named Nathaniel Outfit.

He and his brother owned much acreage in this parish and also in two other parishes.

We have these homes and their original homes.

It's not like Williamsburg that most of them are reproductions.

These are original homes, so it's important to preserve them.

Saturday mornings at Savoie Music Center in Eunice bring together Cajun musicians carrying fiddles, accordions, guitars and tea first, who come for boudin conversation and an impromptu concert.

Marc Savoie founded the music store in 1966, and has been hosting the Saturday morning jams for 60 years and counting.

It's all a bunch of very old songs, and I don't like a big professional show, just people playing music from the heart for that reason.

You know, there's no admission.

There's, you know, it's just down home, down home.

And I think people are searching for that today.

But there's so much fake music out there.

The fun part about it too.

It's like Adam says, it's very inclusive.

Marks entire family shows up to play his wife Anne, and for children are all talented musicians.

For years they performed as a Savoie family band touring worldwide.

It has been a community gathering place for all the greatest Cajun musicians and zydeco musicians.

Every kind of musician has been coming here in the past.

The oldest ones that formed Cajun music come here and we got to experience that and play it.

I mean, listen to them and learn to play from them.

Mark invites me to his workshop in the back of the store where he handcrafts Cajun accordions.

Each one is proudly stamped Louisiana made and played around the world.

As I travel across the state, I'm always on the lookout for lodging that feels like Louisiana.

A stay with a sense of place and plenty of personality.

So when I spotted a collection of train cars across the street from the Academy of the Sacred Heart campus in Grand Coteau, I did a double take.

At first glance, I thought I'd found a little train depot museum.

Then I got closer and realized I'd found my room for the night at the train wreck in.

He call it a train wreck, but it's anything but a train wreck.

I mean, it's so well designed.

Where did these railcars come from?

So they were acquired.

They were actually a bed and breakfast just down the road in sunset.

They were not used for at least 20 years before that.

And so we totally gutted them, revamped them.

Carly and her husband, Kelly Korbel deliver a different kind of room service.

If you ask, they'll prepare a home cooked dinner using local ingredients right there in your railcar kitchen.

So tonight we're going to be having venison Wellington.

Something we like to really focus on here is doing things that are in season.

From the moment I rang the check in Belle at Hotel Klaus, I felt like I'd stepped straight into Washington's golden age.

The pastel green and yellow building on Carrier Street once served as a general store in home.

Owner Stephen Ortego, an architect and developer, restored the 1870s Klaus Mercantile and reimagined it as a nine room boutique hotel.

So we did a lot of extensive, extensive research on the building and found out that it was built.

Not long after the Civil War by some Jewish merchants who moved here from Prussia, the Plonsk family, and then Max Claus came over, probably arrived here on a steamboat.

And then he had he and his wife had nine children, and three of their daughters ran the store all the way up until the mid 60s, 1960s.

There definitely is a movement here in Washington, a reinvestment sort of standing up tall and moving forward and making sure we preserve history here.

Exploring Saint Landry Parish takes me straight back to my childhood weekends at my mama's house in Melville.

This journey was a homecoming, a reminder that Louisiana's richness is in its everyday people, carrying traditions forward.

Stitched by stitch.

Song by song.

A place where you can still hear the steamboat whistle each evening.

Because history deserves to be heard.

Welcome into LPB Studios for this special look at LA 64 The Road So Far, which includes highlights from each of the 12 parishes featured in LPB debut season of this series.

I'm James Fox Smith, publisher of Country Roads magazine and host of LPB Art rocks, alongside producer, writer and host of LA 64 award winning travel journalist Karen LeBlanc.

Karen, this is such a fantastic, really an unparalleled celebration of our state.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for that.

And this series has been, as you know, a lifelong dream of mine because it's an opportunity to share my home state of Louisiana with the world.

And it is amazing.

The people, the culture, the traditions that first inspired my love of storytelling.

And now I get to take this series and give it as a gift to Louisiana.

And I'm also super thrilled to partner with LPB, who has made LA 60 for possible.

This series continues a long tradition of LPB as Louisiana's storyteller.

Absolutely.

Yeah.

I mean, it's just a travel journalist dream come true, isn't it, Karen?

Covering all 64 parishes of over five years, it's really quite a task.

But with visits to 12 parishes already part of season one, right.

And 13 parishes in the lineup coming up in season two already in production.

The series is really well underway, so we have set a very fast pace with everyone that we've met, and along the way they've been cheering us on.

And I want to also give a special thanks to Lieutenant Governor Billy Guesser, our tourism partners across the state.

And of course, with support from viewers like you, we are well on our way to visiting every corner of the state.

Yeah that's amazing.

Karen LA 64.

It's a gift to everybody watching.

And we know it's storytelling like this that only LPB can share.

That's what inspires such generosity from you.

So with that in mind, help us travel to your parish and show your applause for the stories from parishes that you are watching in this broadcast.

You can do that when you call us right now or text give to 888769 5000.

Make your pledge online at npr.org or scan the QR code on your screen.

Not only will you be rewarded with the next season of LA 64, but this is the only place where you can receive exclusive LPB and LA 64 gifts in.

Thanks for your generous membership during this broadcast, so let's take a look at those gifts right now.

Viewers like you make the difference.

Become a member to support the Louisiana stories you love on LPB.

For a sustaining membership of $24 a month, receive the LA 64 travel combo that includes the LP Weekender Tote, the LA 64 luggage tag, and an LPB thermos for $15 a month.

Choose the LP Weekender Tote made of durable cotton canvas perfect for any Louisiana road trip, and the LA 64 luggage tag for $10 a month.

Receive the LBB Travel thermos made of insulated stainless steel.

Wow.

So take advantage of those thank you gifts now while you have the opportunity.

Now, Karen, let's talk a little bit about how this season came together.

Right.

This is anything but surface journalist.

So you are going so deep into this.

You're really getting to know the people.

You're getting to know the people around these stories.

You're getting not only beneath the surface but also above the surface as well.

So tell us a little bit about how those relationships developed and how they really led you to where this journalism was.

I really think of myself as like a cultural anthropologist, and I go in and immerse myself in a community, in a culture and in the experiences, and I really reach out to the local community for ideas.

And inside I have coffee and local coffee shops.

People invite me to dinner, I put calls out on social media, and so a lot of the great stories as magical moments really come from viewers like you that are watching LA 64 and say, hey, I hear you're coming into my community.

You should talk to Mister Bob, who leads me to miss Sue, who leads me to Mr.

Jones and Marion lies the magic.

And I will say something about LA 64.

When I come into these communities, there is such a sense of civic pride that that the show really instills, because a lot of these smaller communities are being seen.

They may be small, but they have big stories to tell.

And throughout our travels as we film, we're always invited back.

The town of Washington had a la 64 premiere, the Parish.

The town of Abbeville had a la 64 premiere.

I get invited to speak at Rotary Clubs at civic events.

I mean, it's just been so gratifying to connect with these communities and come away from each week because we spend a week in each parish, each week with new friends and great experiences, and literally also new stories to tell.

Absolutely.

And know that to be the case.

Well, look, I mean, let's talk a little bit again about the thank you gifts that are available to those who choose to support LPB during this broadcast.

For a sustaining membership of $24 a month, receive the LA 64 travel combo that includes the LPB Weekender Tote, the LA 64 luggage tag, and an LPB thermos for $15 a month.

Choose the LP Weekender Tote made of durable cotton canvas perfect for any Louisiana road trip, and the LA 64 luggage tag for $10 a month.

Receive the LBB Travel thermos made of insulated stainless steel.

Now, let's talk a little bit again about the visuals in this series.

It's not only beneath the surface, it's not surface.

You're above it as well.

It's really a fascinating series because it shows Louisiana from a whole new perspective.

Karen, talk a little bit about how that came together.

64 really is our love letter to Louisiana.

And a lot of that credit goes to the director of photography, Ryan Hamilton.

He and I worked together for years on another travel show.

He is a very talented filmmaker and a very talented drone cinematographer is what I would call him.

And what we are doing is showing you Louisiana landscape from a different perspective.

When you look at our state from above, you have this new appreciation of the unique beauty.

All parts, whether it's the rolling hills of the Piney Uplands and the Sabine uplift of North Louisiana, or the patchwork quilt of the farmlands as you drive through sugar cane fields and corn fields, or the beautiful coastal shots and the cypress swamps as the sun sets.

All of that seen from above really allows you to encounter Louisiana's landscapes and new and intimate ways that really touches you and makes you very proud.

The beauty of our state that sometimes you just can't appreciate passing by ground level.

I level at a cog in a car.

No, that's right, it shows you the state from a whole new level of detail and appreciation.

Now let's take one more look at those thank you gifts.

And then we'll be back to LA 64.

The road so far for a sustaining membership of $24 a month, receive the LA 64 travel combo that includes the LPB Weekender Tote, the LA 64 luggage tag, and an LPB thermos for $15 a month.

Choose the LP Weekender Tote made of durable cotton canvas, perfect for any Louisiana road trip, and the LA 64 luggage tag for $10 a month.

Receive the LBB Travel Thermos made of insulated stainless steel.

Just outside New Orleans, a different Louisiana comes into view.

I'm traveling through Jefferson Parish from Kenya's riverfront to Westwego.

Shrimp boats, greatness, German roots, pirate law and Jean Lafitte, and all the way to Grand Isle where the road ends and the gulf begins.

This is Louisiana, just beyond the obvious.

Jefferson Parish is in southeastern Louisiana.

Our road trip starts in Kenner on the east bank, crosses the Mississippi to the West Bank through Westwego, Gretna, and Jean Lafitte, and ends where the land gives way to the sea in Grand Isle.

Westwego proudly calls itself Gator Town, and you'll see it on murals and signs all around town.

This place grew out of fishing and farming, and today it's where locals come when they want seafood as fresh as it gets.

Right here at the West, we go shrimp lot.

Hey, everyone.

West Westwego.

In the west we go shrimp lot.

This must be the family business.

That's the family.

We got to take you on a tour around about here.

And before you do, you just want to be part of the crowd with a pair of Trump boots.

Cut.

I'll be back.

Okay.

I have my shrimp boots on.

I'm ready to take a tour.

You ready to go?

Okay, let's do it.

Ronnie Demento started the Westwego shrimp lot back in 1979 with his father.

Today, it's a true family operation run by Ronnie, alongside his daughter Anne and his grandson Andrew.

And many of these stands have been in the same families for generations.

These are hard working people, and you almost have to be born in this business to succeed.

The consumer benefits a lot of ways because they can save money.

Most of the time the shrimp were two three days old.

You got a regular place.

You're going to find Trump in there for months.

Seafood shopping.

Here is a conversation.

Vendors pop up in their ice chest and say, hey, come take a look while you get to choose shrimp straight off the boat.

Live crabs wasters by the sack.

Even gator meat on the surface.

This seafood Super Bowl looks basic.

A gravel parking lot surrounded by tin roof stalls and hand-painted signs.

But behind the scenes, there is a lot of smart infrastructure keeping everything clean, safe and environmentally responsible.

They actually created small ecosystems behind the stalls to retain the shrimp water dump site.

Basically, whenever there have seafood or things like that.

So it's not just throwing it back onto Mother Earth, it's more of recycling into the ecosystem.

When shopping for fresh crabs.

Mr.

Ronnie gave me a tip if I want a male crab, they have the blue claws.

If I want a female crab, they have.

Oh, I got two painted fingernails from the shrimp lot.

I head down historic Saleh Avenue, which runs straight to the levee where colorful murals cover the remains of the old West Wego Canal locks.

Folk artist Joshua Wingard is behind the work, and his artistic imprint shows up all over town.

Locals call him the creative catalyst of Westwego art scene, and you'll usually find him right here in his gallery on Saleh Avenue.

I'm with a pop art scientist.

It's pretty edgy stuff.

Yeah, it's pretty cool.

It was.

We go.

Yeah, I mean, I would say so, but that's the response that I usually look for when people come out and check out what we have going on.

There's a bunch of emerging young people that have different small businesses, whether it be art or coffee shops or whatever the case may be.

And I get to just be like another flavor in the neighborhood.

Joshua's gallery is pure eye candy, packed with pop art, painted objects, and layers of stenciled and spray painted imagery.

He'll paint on just about anything, from car parts to stormtroopers.

I asked Joshua to paint his vision of LA 64.

Then I stood back and I watched as he brought it to life.

Stenciling the logo in bold purples and pinks and adding a paper airplane that captures the shows.

Eat.

Shop, stay, play and explore.

Ethos.

Looks like we have a new LA 64 logo and original by Josh winger.

Well done.

Brilliant.

The creative genius.

While exploring Jefferson Parish, I stated by using Yet State Park one of those rare places that feels worlds away, yet just sits 15 minutes across the Mississippi River from New Orleans.

I've studied a lot of state parks.

This one is super unique because the cabins float.

My cabin literally juts out onto the bayou and it floats.

In fact, when boats go by, you can kind of feel it rocking.

Now, I will say that this state park really caters to fishing.

There are a lot of amenities, a great boat launch.

You can fish for saltwater or brackish fish, and every cabin has its own fish cleaning station in Canas.

Historic Rivertown I stayed at the Clancy House, named after a long time sheriff, Frank James Clancy, who built the home in the 1920s.

Hi, Karen.

Welcome to the Clancy house.

Come in and mix up at home.

This is so charming.

Thank you so much.

Andrea de Pepe is the great granddaughter of Sheriff Frank James Clancy.

She restored the home as an overnight events venue.

The property includes the main house, a carriage house and it outbuilding.

This mural behind us shows the the immigrants which Kenner was mostly Italian and Irish immigrants, and they were the lifeline to all of the produce that would go to the city of New Orleans.

The two bedroom, two bathroom home is part gathering place and part getaway.

It claims to be River town's only venue with an overnight option.

Here's my takeaway from exploring Jefferson Parish.

In many ways, it's a microcosm of Louisiana itself.

Less obvious at first glance, but essential to understanding the state.

Each stop reminds me that sometimes the most meaningful journeys happen just beyond the places that we think we already know.

Hit the road with me to explore Saint Mary Parish.

I follow the Akerfeldt River from the lamppost lined Main street of Franklin to the ancestral home of the Chinamasa tribe.

Head deep into the basin where swamp legends live.

Then cross into Morgan City to climb aboard a towering rig and end along a sandy shoreline.

One of the best spots in Louisiana to watch sunsets.

Saint Mary Parish sits along Louisiana's Gulf Coast, where water shapes the land.

Livelihood and culture.

The chapel River flows through the parish, emptying into a chapel bay near Morgan City.

I begin in Franklin, the parish seat, and then on to Carrington, where the Chinamasa tribe of Louisiana keeps tradition alive.

Next I had to Patterson and into the basin, then on to Berwick, where a lighthouse watches the river.

I cross into Morgan City, a working waterfront, before ending at the sandy shoreline of Mort Point State Park.

Let's go.

As I arrived to the city of Franklin, a line of lamppost greets me, leading into the historic heart, flanked by antebellum mansions.

And as I stand underneath, I begin to understand why locals like to say it's all under the lamppost.

We're going to explore why this is not just a slogan.

It's a way of living.

Preserving the past while reimagining the future.

Franklin helped lead Louisiana's preservation movement as one of the original four cities in the state's Main Street program.

As I've always said, as Main Street goes, so goes the rest of the community, because in order for us to do different projects throughout Franklin with our Mets dollars that we need, we need that tax base.

We stroll through Pocket Park in downtown Franklin, a community space anchored by a mural from Robert Gafford that brings the story of biotech to life.

The.

Over the next day, downtown Franklin is alive with music and vendors lining the street, selling everything from homemade lemonade to crackling and Cajun jerky.

The Franklin Merchant Association hosts the events and invites locals to set up outside their storefronts.

I step in for a coffee break at a local favorite named for those iconic lamppost, and it starts to click around here.

It really is all under the lamppost.

Good morning.

So I'm told to order the specialty, which is the lamp and the beignets, because locals say they're like the best around.

Oh, yeah.

I got to come up with a plan of attack.

Look at this.

And.

Owners Diane and Gary Wilkes aren't just running a coffee shop there, restoring pieces of Franklin, one building at a time.

My vision, then, is let's make it as touristy as we possibly can so that when people come to want to see what small town America looks like, Franklin is going to be on their list.

Next, we're in Morgan City, home of the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival, and for good reason.

Both industries are closely tied to the city's history and economy.

Now I'm standing here on top of the Mister Charlie rig, and in just a moment I am going to take you on a tour.

But first, I'm going to send you out for a bird's eye view of one of the nation's busiest river intersections, where a lot of traffic passes through the Mississippi River valley system.

You go.

Mister Charlie is a National Historic Landmark, and the only place in the world where the public can walk aboard an authentic offshore drilling rig.

The actual offshore oil and gas industry started in 1947, and that's when a crew went from Morgan City out into the Gulf.

Built a platform.

Erected a land drilling rig on the platform.

Drilled a well.

Then in the early 1950s, a man working here in Morgan City named Alden Dock Board came up with the idea of a portable, self-contained drilling rig.

And this is a rig that he built, so it floats.

Mr.

Charlie was in operation from 1954 to 1986, until offshore drilling pushed into deeper waters that this rig couldn't reach.

My guide, Virgil Allen, is a civil engineer who helped rescue it from the scrapheap, transforming it into both a museum and a live aboard training facility.

We walked through the lower level with sleeping quarters, a rec room and a kitchen and then on up to the working decks.

I didn't care, and this is our personnel basket.

So if we're working up here and we want to get down to the deck of a boat, the crane can pick us up in this basket and drop us down to the boat.

That's bouncing into three foot seas.

I think about how you can't be scared of heights or claustrophobic to work on an offshore oil rig.

It takes stamina to live and work here for weeks at a time.

Way out at sea.

We're looking at all this hand-operated equipment, and it is all hand-operated.

Today, this is all robotics.

So now the men and women are sitting in an air conditioned cabin with joysticks, working robotic arms, doing almost all this work.

This is one of the top ten most dangerous jobs in America.

I believe it today is one of the safest jobs in America.

After a day of filming the culture and characters of Saint Mary Parish, I returned to Civil War Point State Park for a stroll along the nature boardwalk leading into the marshland and reflect on the day and also think about the way this land was formed by a meandering arm of the Mississippi River.

We're going to wrap up our travels throughout Saint Mary Parish with a sendoff serenade by country musician, Louisiana native and American Idol winner Lane Hardy.

My Lord.

Locomotive and road tractors rolling over them.

I'm praying that we get a little racing and curls and heading down wheels, knocking them out.

Enough fears that my train tracks to thinking that I'd been in this this place when I got home.

That's a crowd I grew up on.

Yeah, that's the ground I grew upon.

I thought you were all hit the road with me.

To explore Saint Martin Parish, where the past dances.

The two stepped aside and waltzes in Cajun dance halls, where paddle trails are scenic roads through the A basin and Cajun roots live on in modern day makers, culture, keepers and cuisine.

Join me in the heart of Acadiana, where locals say Cajun began.

Saint Martin Parish sits in south central Louisiana, right in the heart of Acadiana.

Louisiana's Cajun country, it stretches along the edge of the HR basin, the nation's largest river swamp.

Our road trip starts in Saint Martinville and heads north to Bro Bridge, crossing into Saint Martin Parish.

The sign greets me plain and proud, home of Louisiana's 57th governor, Jeff Landry.

Saint Martinville is known as the Petite Paris of Louisiana.

It's home to a concentration of Acadian settlers who arrived in the 1700s after their exile from Nova Scotia.

Present day ancestors, myself included, can connect with their roots at the Acadian Memorial and Museum.

A talking mural greets me, telling the story of the Acadian Expulsion by the British in the mid 1700s from Nova Scotia.

Joseph Broussard, also known as Beausoleil, led a group of Acadian families to Louisiana in 1765, where they settled in what is now present day Saint Martin Parish.

The opposite wall lists the names of Acadian exiles who lived in the region, etched in bronze.

So I'm a love law and my ancestors are on this wall.

Many.

LeBlanc came in the beginning with Bocelli.

Broussard.

There were more than 3000 Acadians that found homes here in Louisiana.

The majority of those settled in the Saint Martin Ville area.

In honor of my ancestors, I am going to do a rubbing of the very first level, all listed on the wall.

Andre LeBlanc.

We head next door to the Saint Martinville Cultural Heritage Center, which houses the Museum of the Acadian Memorial and the African American Museum.

Right at the entrance, we thought that it was very important to have the same text panels that showed the diaspora of the Acadians and the diaspora of the Africans, so that we can show our similarities of being moved or forth from our homeland to a new place here in Louisiana.

Well, let's go take a walk.

Before I leave, we head out to the courtyard where an eternal flame burns, honoring the Acadians and a replica of the deportation cross at Grand Prix in Nova Scotia stands, marking the location where Acadian families were gathered and deported by the British in 1755.

And I noticed that the LeBlanc family field, then one of the other main features out in the courtyard, is that families were able to put their shields here for people to remember their family and the things about their particular family.

Before I say goodbye to Saint Martinville, I met up with Mayor Jason Willis.

His family has called this place home for six generations.

I wanted to know, what is it about this city that keeps people rooted here for generations?

We have one of the most beautiful bayous.

You know, we have beautiful trees, you know, most beautiful oak trees.

And now south of the you know, we have the best foods.

I'll put our food up against anybody, you know.

You know, we have different culture here.

You know, it's just quiet.

It's like we want our place to be, like a bedroom community where people come to reside, you know, and then commute to work other places.

Just because it's family owned, it is safe.

Eric Cullen owns Live Edge Woodworks and salvages Sinker Cypress straight from his hunting land deep in the Italian basin.

Out back, stacks of water soaked cypress pulled from the swamp bottom, air dry and wait their turn at the mill.

That's the beauty of Sinclair, Cyprus.

And that's what makes it beautiful is the the cypress sign that's in it.

The minerals are seeped in mostly to the outside edges.

And when you when you cut it, you can see it.

I mean, you can see the greens, the blues, the blacks.

Eric builds tables from his own designs, carrying on a legacy with every cut and curve.

Each one is a piece of history, a bit of heritage crafted for future generations to hold on to and gather around.

If I don't get them out, no one's going to get them out.

They'll be lost forever.

Ask just about anyone living in Saint Martin Parish for the best place to eat, and they'll point you to posts and brokerage for their plate lunches.

The pig pen at the base of the sign hints at its origins as a slaughterhouse along Bayou Test in the 1960s.

Today, posh operates as a meat company, grocery store, and restaurant.

Locals say when you come to push, you got to order the crawfish.

A tough, served over rice dressing and topped with fried shrimp.

It's the those in the know way to eat it.

So that is what I will order.

Perfect.

What locals didn't tell me is ya gotta come hungry.

On any given day, you'll find owner Floyd Posey behind the counter and in the kitchen.

For 50 years and counting.

He took over the store from his dad in 1976.

I'm here every day checking on him.

You know, I had some people that helped me cook now that I got old.

But, you know, make sure everything's done right.

Any plans to retire, Floyd?

I'm not.

Here's my takeaway from my time in Saint Martin Parish.

I came looking for stories, and I found my own family roots.

Etched in bronze.

I danced to the rhythms of zydeco and Cajun and learned how brown cotton becomes a thread of heritage.

And it met makers who shaped Louisiana's past into everyday beauty.

Saint Martin Parish isn't just where Cajun began, it's for culture continues in every song, every spoonful and every step.

Hello, I'm James Fox Smith, host of LP's Art rocks and publisher of Country Roads magazine, and I'm delighted to welcome you to LA 64 The Road so Far.

I'm joined in studio today by producer, writer and host of LA 64, not to mention star of LA 64, Karen LeBlanc.

For this special look at the first season of this new LPB travel series that will, as the name suggests, visit all 64 parishes 64 parishes in season one.

We started with 12.

Well, it is great to be here and thank you for joining me.

I am so thrilled to be able to work with LPB to introduce all of you to the people, places and the amazing stories around the state, starting with the first 12 parishes that you are seeing from our travels on the road so far with season one, each of these places have shaped the history of our state in such unique and profound ways.

Absolutely right.

It's a season all of us watching can be proud of because it represents the best of Louisiana, and also what LPB does best as Louisiana's storyteller of record.

You are no doubt discovering destinations in your own backyard that you'll want to visit for yourself.

That's precisely the point.

That is one of the reasons for this series, James, is to go out and discover parishes that you may not have visited that are just a short road trip away, and it's also a way to show off Louisiana to the rest of America and the world.

And that's why we are so fortunate to have the support of viewers like you and the lieutenant governor, who's been such a champion for this series, who goes all over the state and talks it up in all his presentations.

So we're very grateful.

The man is a tireless supporter of the power and value of just appreciating Louisiana for all that it has to offer.

And we know you value this series because you're watching right now.

With your help, we'll be arriving in your parish soon.

And if you live in a parish we've already traveled to show your pride with your call or click of support right now.

Viewers like you are how all of this happens.

This is your chance.

So call us or text give to seven, six, nine, 5000 pledge online at LPB or scan the QR code on your screen.

And so this is LPB.

We have a little Annie app, of course.

LPB and LA 64 commemorative gifts curated especially for you that you won't find anywhere else.

Let's take a look.

Viewers like you make the difference.

Become a member to support the Louisiana stories you love on LPB.

For a sustaining membership of $24 a month, receive the LA 64 travel combo that includes the LPB Weekender Tote, the LA 64 luggage tag, and an LPB thermos for $15 a month.

Choose the LP Weekender Tote made of durable cotton canvas, perfect for any Louisiana road trip, and the LA 64 luggage tag for $10 a month.

Receive the LBB Travel thermos.

Made of insulated stainless steel.

That's some really cool thank you gifts, so do take advantage of that opportunity while it lasts.

Now, Karen, let's reflect a little bit on that first season.

You've visited 12 parishes already.

You've already told some exquisite stories.

Tell us a little bit.

These stories always get bigger when you're on the ground, don't they?

I know there's always unexpected experiences and new twists and turns that you get to weave into the program.

So talk a little bit about those unexpected things and how they improved and gave more life to their project as a whole.

Well, I think the magic of the show is that we come in with a basic script, basic architecture of what we're going to film, but then we let the show breathe by the people that we encounter.

And so that's where all of those unexpected moments come, is just getting in a community and rolling with it.

And sometimes we literally roll on things that I can't show you on camera.

Like, for example, is that Delta Dairy Farms milking a cow and I got pooped on.

Okay.

I was kayaking in Port Flushing, the water table was low, and I got all the way out there and I got stuck.

So I'm literally paddling through the sand to get myself back covered in mud.

You didn't see that one?

I got out like a wet rat, you know?

But you just got to be up for stuff.

And when you're open and you push yourself outside of the comfort zone, there's the magic.

And then all the characters, the quirky people that you meet.

In Franklin Parish, I met a farmer who has transformed his farm into a sculpture garden.

He collects old farm equipment, and then he he welds them into these beautiful works of art people.

Only the locals know about it, right?

And there's no advertisement.

You just got to ask for directions and wind your way down a dirt road to the farm.

And you're.

It's so surreal.

What?

It's moments like that, you know?

Yeah.

I can't wait for the blooper reel.

I really, really count some bloopers.

Yeah.

That's true.

This is no blooper, though.

We've got a corporate challenge to make your contribution this evening bigger and better than it already is.

And that's from Beau Harris Wealth Management of Baton Rouge and Shreveport Bossier City.

And Beau is honored to support LA 64 and is challenging viewers to become members.

So Boa match dollar for dollar.

The first $1,500 donated during this program, effectively doubling the impact of your contribution to LPB.

Become a member to support the Louisiana stories You love on LPB.

For a sustaining membership of $24 a month, receive the LA 64 travel combo that includes the LPB Weekender Tote, the LA 64 luggage tag, and an LPB thermos for $15 a month.

Choose the LP Weekender Tote and the LA 64 luggage tag for $10 a month.

Receive the LBB Travel thermos.

Now.

Karen, one of the things that really makes Louisiana Louisiana is the music, right?

Of course.

Tell us about that.

Well, we we we think about Cajun and zydeco music.

But I got to tell you, traveling around the state, there's so much music diversity up in North Louisiana.

Bogart Parish bluegrass is really strong.

And did you know that zydeco is not isolated to southwest Louisiana?

So I just was in Natchitoches Parish, where there is a cane River Krio version of zydeco.

Curtis LaCour is the biggest champion of that version of zydeco.

So they they do do they do play zydeco up north as well.

And it's amazing.

I mean, literally, music can have a dialect from one parish to another.

And that's really something that you illustrate with the series.

We have a treat for viewers right now before we go.

A musical postcard from season one.

And then we'll remind you about those thank you gifts before we go back to the show.

We might look like nothing but barrels and charges, rolling over them bills and praying that we get a little nation and.

All right, little Luther Vandross, do you want to sing us out of this interview?

If only for one up?

Wow.

Okay, I see a second calling after you retire from mayor.

Viewers like you make the difference.

Become a member to support the Louisiana stories you love on LPB.

For a sustaining membership of $24 a month, receive the LA 64 travel combo that includes the LPB Weekender Tote, the LA 64 luggage tag, and an LPB thermos for $15 a month.

Choose the LP Weekender Tote made of durable cotton canvas perfect for any Louisiana road trip, and the LA 64 luggage tag for $10 a month.

Receive the LBB Travel Thermos made of insulated stainless steel at any level.

You will also receive visions LP's monthly program guide and LPB passport for the Very Best of PBS and LPB.

Hit the road with me to explore DeSoto parish, where Civil War history, frontier legends and homegrown Louisiana flavor come together.

We train for the Battle of Pleasant Hill reenactment, explore the African-American legacy of Rosenwald schools, discover why Logansport is the sand bass capital, and explore wine country and kitschy.

From battlefields to bass fishing, this is DeSoto parish like you've never seen it before.

DeSoto parish sits in northwest Louisiana along the Texas border just south of Shreveport.

I start in Pelican, where I join a Civil War reenactment before crisscrossing the parish to Mansfield, the parish seat, then on to charming grand cane and historic kitchen and then Longstreet's cherished Rosenwald School before ending in Stonewall to check out its new social scene.

Let's go.

One of the joys I have of filming LA 64 hour The Unexpected Encounters, like this impromptu reunion of former students and teachers at the Long Street Rosenwald School.

After word spread that we wanted to learn about the schools legacy, Louisiana Rosenwald Schools educated African-American students in mostly rural areas.

They were constructed between 1912 and 1932 for educational equity.

Gisella Mohan taught at the school.

So here, at age 94, I'm glad to sit here and look at you and share this with you, because it's phenomenal and it's not to be forgotten.

The Long Street Rosenwald School grew from a partnership between Booker T Washington and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears and Roebuck, whose vision helped build nearly 5000 schools across the South during the Jim Crow era.

We had a lady by the name of Miss Kayla Green played that piano, that one, that one, and had one of the best players over here.

And I would like for you to hear them saying now some on Sundays with Joseph Pipkin back there.

One of my students, as the pastor, I interviewed your teacher and she said you were one of her favorite students.

That's high praise.

I became one of them after she put that down, man.

She she was married to doing right.

She with me.

He she with me.

And just doing like she must have whipped you pretty good.

Because now you're a man of God preaching the word.

Why is this school so important to the community?

They felt important to community.

It did two things.

First, educated us, our mind.

But it helped us morally.

The Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation says.

Of the nearly 400 Louisiana Rosenwald schools constructed, only 20 remain.

Today, this school serves as a community center and an extension of the Traveler's Rest Baptist Church.

Established in 1878 and led by Pastor Joseph Pipkin.

DeSoto parish was established in 1843.

Carved out of Natchitoches Parish and Caddo Parish, Mansfield became the parish seat, and it's where the original DeSoto Parish Courthouse still stands.

A log cabin dating back to 1843.

That rugged individualism and attachment to the land still resonates.

It's like a melting pot.

It's almost its own folk culture in that area, and they still celebrate it today.

We still celebrate it in our food and in our festivals.

The set up became a big fish in the and gas industry in the early 2000, with the discovery of the Haynesville Shale, it was one of the largest natural gas formations in the United States.

And with advances in drilling technology, they were able to access the gas underneath my feet, deep within rock formations.

And this brought new wealth to DeSoto parish, and it launched a modern energy boom.

So how would we describe the economic drivers today in the parish?

What are they in the parish?

Primarily natural gas.

The main driver.

We send the most severance tax to the state of all the parishes in the state, out of 64 parishes, millions of dollars.

And that's mostly natural gas.

Severance tax.

Welcome to the Cook Hill House.

It is my home base.

While exploring this Soto parish.

It's a mid 1800s home, restored as a bed and breakfast here in Grand Cane.

It's about just two blocks from the Grand Cane Charming Historic District.

Come on inside.

I'm going to give you a tour, and I'm going to share a story about the home's roots for cook.

Siblings grow up in this home, including Lloyd Elmer, Lord cook.

He was a successful executive and an active philanthropist for Louisiana State University.

He served as chairman of the Board of Supervisors, and the Cook Hotel and Conference Center.

On campus is named after Lord cook, honoring all of his contributions.

The railroad gave birth to many Louisiana settlements, including Grand Cane, that once prospered as a train stop.

At its peak, the village population numbered more than 500.

Then the highways came over.

As the mayor of Grand Cane says, the big slab was laid and the people moved out and others just passed through town.

More than 125 years later, Grand Cane stands as one of Louisiana's greatest small town comeback stories.

Here's my takeaway from my time in DeSoto parish.

I followed stories across battlefields, back roads, fishing spots, historic main streets, and even a vineyard.

I marched into the chaos of a Civil War reenactment and listened to former Rosenwald students reflect on a school that shaped generations during segregation, I found Greek Revival churches, cemetery legends, an inspiration and the moxie of an 88 year old mayor leading one of Louisiana's greatest small town comebacks.

DeSoto parish is a rare place where the pioneer spirit perseveres, reimagined through charming communities and homegrown pride.

But don't just take my word for it.

Go experience it for yourself.

We hit the road in Sabine Parish, once an outlaw borderland, now a heritage rich landscape shaped by indigenous roots, frontier law and sawmill towns will trace the legacy of no man's land and explore the South's largest man made lake.

Plus sample Louisiana's road trip staple gas station eats the US Sabine parish sits on the western edge bordering Texas.

Our road trip starts in fluorine, will travel north to Fisher and then on to Manny and Zewail.

The parish gets its name from the Sabine River, which runs 600 miles through Texas and Louisiana before reaching the Gulf of Mexico.

Sabine Parish was Louisiana's version of the Wild West, where explorers, settlers, tribes, and outlaws shaped Louisiana's western frontier.

I timed my visit during the Sabine Free State Festival, an annual event in fluorine that celebrates the region's origins as no man's land.

From 1806 to 1821, Spain in the United States could not agree on a border between Texas, then Spanish territory, and Louisiana, so they created a buffer zone with no formal government, no law enforcement, and no taxes.

This boundary dispute created a 17 year frontier free for all.

Known as no man's land, it was a 34 mile wide strip of land east of the Sabine River that attracted outlaws and settlers.

Without oral storytelling, those would be lost for generations.

So I'm really glad that our past ancestors decided in 1980 that this was something that really needed to be promoted and taught, because it's something that, you know, we wouldn't know about.

It's left out of the history books.

North Toledo Bend State Park sits near the town of Zoli, and it's a prime spot for bass fishing.

The state park spans 900 acres, offering camping, hiking, swimming, boating, fishing and water sports.

It is a cool, crisp morning here at North Toledo Bend State Park, so I made a fire in my fire pit, which is right outside my cabin.

And these cabins are adorable.

They're log cabins.

They have so much character because it's cool outside.

I think today I'm not going out of the water.

So no kayaking, no canoeing for me.

But I am going to take a hike, get some exercise.

Along my hike on the Dogwood Nature Trail, I spotted Bigfoot.

Actually, it's a replica.

But seriously, Bigfoot folklore is big in these parts.

Every year, Bigfoot believers gather nearby at Wildwood Resort Insulae for an annual Bigfoot Symposium to swap sightings and share theories about the hairy Being.

After my hike, I set down with my new friend Chuck LaRue, whom I first met at the Choctaw Apache Powwow and Barb to talk about what Toledo Ben really cost this community.

His ancestors lived for generations in the river bottom along the Sabine River, only to lose their homes, their land, and pieces of their identity when the bottomlands were flooded to create the reservoir.

My name is Kenneth LaRue.

That's my real name.

Everybody down here calls me to Saroo.

I'm an actor.

I'm an elder with the Choctaw Apache tribe of Ibar.

We.

We've been living here forever.

I was born here.

Right behind us.

The lake that is my home.

My original home is underwater today.

And some of you guys might have finished there before.

Toots lived on the river bottom with generations of his extended family who survived off the land as trappers and raised hogs and cattle.

His family was one of hundreds forced to sell their land to the state at $50 an acre.

There was no negotiations with the government at that time.

They came in and they said, your land is worth this much, and they paid you.

That was the end of the negotiation.

So me and till we okay.

But I still hate that it disrupted people all up and down the side river because it was a very, very great place to be.

Today, the village of Barbe, an unincorporated area near Zoli, is home to a concentration of Choctaw Apache tribe members and their tribal headquarters.

Hi.

Hi.

Hello.

Welcome to this museum on the bend.

Martha Henderson, my tour guide, is a lifelong resident of the wall.

We start at the original ticket office of the 1898 depot.

Okay.

This room.

This area is dedicated to the timber and the lagoon.

That was the first thing going on back in those days.

It was virgin timber.

And these are some samples of the brands on the love when they got to their destination.

That's how they knew who they belonged to and who to paint.

But we're very proud of the logging industry here.

The museum also documents the hundreds of homes displaced by the creation of Toledo Bend Lake.

These are all the homes that were lost and went under the water.

And in a lot of cases, it tells you the history.

It'll tell you that who owned it, how much they got for it.

Here's my takeaway from my time in Sabine Parish.

This place devise every cliché about Louisiana.

Its landscape looks unlike any other part of the state.

Its world class bass fishing unfolds on one of the nation's largest recreational lakes and its cultural mix.

Indigenous, Spanish, Anglo and French reveals a different Louisiana altogether one worth experiencing, exploring and remembering.

Hit the road with me to explore Caddo Parish.

We glide across the cinematic waters of Caddo Lake.

Follow the oil trail that turned quiet land into boom towns, and step onto the legendary Louisiana Hayride stage, where Elvis Presley became a star.

Along the way, we'll explore small towns, taste bold North Louisiana flavors, and find an unexpected connection at one of the nation's largest chimp sanctuaries, from backyards to bayous.

Howto parish is full of stories waiting to be told.

Caddo parish sits in the northwest corner of Louisiana, right along the Texas line, where all boom ambition shaped the region.

I began on Caddo Lake, site of the nation's first offshore oil well, and I followed that legacy into a city once a thriving frontier of the industry, then on to Shreveport, which set the stage for music legends and continues south to keep built home of a chimp rescue haven along the Boom and Bust Byway, we visit small towns like mooring, Sport, Gilliam and Belcher and shape the soul of Caddo Parish.

I cross Shreveport Neon Bridge.

It's known as the Long Allen Bridge, spanning the Red River, and it is a glowing piece of sky sculpture connecting Caddo and Bossier Parish on the other side.

Downtown Shreveport unfolds where oil, wealth, and country music came together to create a cultural alchemy that defines the city.

Just a few weeks ago, young men from Memphis, Tennessee recorded the song on the sun label, and in just a matter of a few weeks, that record has skyrocketed right up the charts.

Long before Nashville was known as Music City.

The Shreveport Municipal Auditorium was the country music star maker.

This legendary venue was home of the Louisiana Hayride, a live radio show broadcasted on every Saturday night from 1948 to 1960.

It became known as the cradle of the stars, and I you know, I like to compare it kind of to the American Idol of the time.

This is where people would come to test their chops and get on stage, and if they made it, they would go on worldwide tour.

So they get taken up to the Grand Ole Opry, which happened.

And that was why we got the moniker cradle of the stars.

Johnny Wessler, a historian, takes me inside the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium, recreating some of the greatest moments from the Louisiana Hayride.

Standing center stage.

I find the golden screw.

It's the exact spot where country music legends launched their careers, including Elvis Presley, who made his debut here on October 16th, 1954.

We're going to do a song for you got on the sign recorded goes something like this.

Well, that's all right.

Mama, that's all right with you.

That's all I know, man.

Just a handy way to do.

That's all right.

The building was proposed in 1926 with funding led by the American Legion.

Today, this 3000 seat venue stands as a National Historic Landmark.

Backstage, I pass a wall of performers signatures and I step into Elvis's dressing room.

Last used on December 15th, 1956, during his final appearance on the Louisiana Hayride.

The Municipal Auditorium houses a museum of costumes, records, and photographs chronicling the artist who once took the stage upstairs.

Johnny shows me the projection Room, a rarely seen space where walls are scribbled with show notes from performers once in the spotlight.

Karen has left the building.

The food scene in north Louisiana tends to fly under the radar in foodie culture, often eclipsed by Cajun and Creole cuisine.

Chef Harnett Harris is on a mission to create culinary respect for the food ways of North Louisiana.

When you come to to to Louisiana, just stop at the top of the boot and see what we have here, because we have really good food and it's authentically done and we're proud of it.

Chef Harris is a James Beard semifinalist and owner of US up north.

She's championed the flavors and ingredients of North Louisiana cuisine.

She created the region's official meal recognized by the state legislature.

It's like a shout out to my ancestors to say, somebody is looking at this food that you cooked and served because you loved us.

And I always want people to feel the love in the plate after tasting this.

Already forgot about South Louisiana.

Now we're not trying to push them at the finish.

But want to be us up north.

Celebrity chef Neema Degrassi is shining a spotlight on Shreveport culinary scene, bringing West African flavors to the forefront.

She beat Bobby Flay on the Food Network show with her signature cooking style on the menu at Abbey Singers Bistro in downtown Shreveport.

You know, when you make West African and a little bit of Louisiana, you get to bold flavors and not West Louisiana, where we cook like we're cooking for our grandmothers.

So Bobby didn't stand a chance at all.

Chef Neema is from Sierra Leone, where she first learned to cook alongside her mother.

She went on to open Shreveport First West African restaurant and is known for her signature oxtail.

Richly seasoned with the bold flavors of her heritage.

We cook like we're cooking for our family.

We're not just cooking for tourists.

We cook from our heart.

And this is who we are.

Not west Louisiana.

Shreveport-Bossier.

God's country RV Resort and Camp resides 15 minutes outside of Shreveport, inside the Soda Lake Wildlife Management Area.

You can trade four walls for an indigenous experience in a teepee.

It's an authentic version of glamping.

Here's my takeaway from my time in Caddo Parish.

I began on the cinematic waters of Caddo Lake, followed the region's legacy, stood on stage where music legends were born.

Tasted the soul of north Louisiana and connected with chimpanzees.

Given a second chance.

Caddo parish is a land rich in natural and cultural resources, one that invites you to slow down, look closer, and discover what's been here all along.

Hello everyone, and welcome back to your road trip because you are watching LA 64 The Road so far.

I'm James Fox Smith, host of leaves Art rocks and publisher of Country Roads magazine.

How are you liking this season?

One tour of parishes in Louisiana and so far I am loving it.

It's like meeting a whole bunch of new friends.

And how fortunate are we that it's produced, written and hosted by our friend, award winning travel journalist Karen LeBlanc?

Thank you James, that was really sweet of you to say and high praise coming from you.

Now, even though I've traveled the world reporting on destinations far away, I got to say this Louisiana girl still considers my home state the most special of all.

There's nothing like us.

And that's because of all of you who have welcomed me and my director of photography, Ryan Hamilton, in your towns across the state and into your communities this first season.

And I got to tell you, if I haven't been to your parish yet, we are on our way.

This is five seasons, all 64 parishes.

Season 112.

Season 213 parishes.

Right.

Exactly.

Karen and Ryan, they're coming to a town near you.

Season two is just around the corner.

And thanks to viewers just like you who called in during a segment just like this to become members, renew your membership or give an additional gift of support because you make the difference.

Support public television in Louisiana.

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I mean, seriously, what other state has an area that still referred to a century later as no man's land?

It really is a fascinating chapter in our history that helped shape that frontier spirit in northwest Louisiana.

And so much of my storytelling is tied to the land.

I always begin with the land as the lead, because it defines the culture and communities throughout Louisiana.

And with each season, we make sure that we travel all four corners of Louisiana all of the northwest, northeast, central, southeast, southwest, so that in each season you are traveling throughout the boot to these different parishes.

That's right.

I mean, you seriously covered a lot of ground in this series, and I know you're going to continue to do so in the series in the seasons to come.

Lots of more adventures in store.

That's right.

Okay, so during the the evening tonight we have another corporate challenge to tell you about.

This is an opportunity to really double the value of your contribution this evening.

So take advantage of it and really make those dollars count.

Beau Harris, Wealth Management of Baton Rouge and Shreveport-Bossier city, is honored to support LA 64 and challenges viewers tonight to become members.

Right now, Beau will match dollar for dollar, the first $1,500 donated during this program, only effectively doubling the impact of your contribution.

You know what else doubles the impact of any road trip in Louisiana?

Booed.

And if you think about it, Karen, as I watch this, I was like, you have possibly the most enviable job in this state for someone who loves Louisiana cuisine because it's like all you guys do is eat.

Oh, how how did that.

How did that broaden your experience and enrich your experience?

Here in each episode, we cover the local food ways.

And Louisiana, there's so much more to our culinary heritage than Cajun and Creole cuisine.

And when you talk about indigenous foods as Wally Tamale, the Indian fry bread, go up north and north Louisiana, a lot of their culinary heritage flies under the radar.

But Chef Lima Degrassi is up in Shreveport.

Beat Bobby Flay.

I don't know if you watch that show, but she beat Bobby Flay with her African and Fluids cuisine.

Chef Harris is a James Beard finalist up in Shreveport.

Also, she was one that created Louisiana's official meal.

And it's, you know, back to her heritage.

Black eyed peas and cabbage and boiled cornbread, delicious food that a lot of times kind of flies under the radar because we're so focused on.

And what we're most famous for is our Cajun and our Creole cuisine.

But there's so much more to discover.

All you got to do is get out on the road to find out.

Absolutely.

Yes, that's exactly right.

Now, you don't have to take our word for it.

We have a culinary postcard showcasing some of Karen's delicious dining experiences around the state.

Then we'll have another look at the thank you gifts available.

And then it's back to the show.

De la Chasse.

Look at that.

A thing of culinary beauty.

You're saving is really good.

Buried.

Well, shots.

I'm ready to eat.

What locals didn't tell me is you gotta come hungry for the portions after taking this.

Already forgot about south of the main.

Oh, no.

We're not trying to please them at the size of the US up north.

Viewers like you make the difference.

Become a member to support the Louisiana stories you love on LPB.

For a sustaining membership of $24 a month, receive the LA 64 travel combo that includes the LPB Weekender Tote, the LA 64 luggage tag, and an LPB thermos for $15 a month.

Choose the LPB Weekender Tote made of durable cotton canvas, perfect for any Louisiana road trip, and the LA 64 luggage tag for $10 a month.

Receive the LBB Travel Thermos made of insulated stainless steel.

Hit the road with me to explore Rapids Parish, the literal heart of Louisiana, where grand hotels whisper tales of generals and governors.

A sawmill town stands frozen in time.

Baby goats greet visitors on a country farm, and the piney woods still echo with the footsteps of soldiers who once trained for war.

Join me in central Louisiana, where every road leads somewhere in the state, and every stop reveals a little more of Louisiana.

Soul Rapids Parish sits in the geographic heart of Louisiana, where the Red River divides the twin cities of Alexandria and Pineville, and the landscapes shift from riverbanks to piney woods and farmland.

On this journey will crisscross repeats.

Parish.

Beginning in Alexandria, the parish seat, heading north across the Red River to Pineville.

Continuing northeast to Deville, then traveling south through the forest to Longleaf and Forest Hill, the nursery capital of the world.

Each stop reveals another layer of central Louisiana.

Story.

Alexandria's military roots have shaped the city's commerce, character, and culture.

The city was incorporated in 1819 and serves as the parish seat.

During World War Two, Alexandria was the center of a nine state area for the training of military personnel.

The Hotel Bentley stands as a witness to history, legend, and law.

The storied hotel known as the Biltmore of the Bayou is my home base for the week as I explore repeats parish.

Can I meet the famous Coco Chanel?

Is this the Bentley dog?

Yes, ma'am.

During World War Two, generals including George Patton, Omar Bradley and Dwight Eisenhower stayed here while training troops in central Louisiana.

From generals to movie stars to a rescue dog with her own fan club.

This hotel offers a front row seat to history.

Patton.

All of these great generals had homes in Alexandria, Louisiana, and lived right here for years.

There were some 500,000 troops stationed here.

They were running the maneuvers that led to the invasion on those beaches that really red to the liberty of the world in many ways.

Hotel Bentley carries the name of its visionary founder, Joseph a Bentley.

He was one of repeats most influential businessmen, and when he built this grand hotel in 1907, he wasn't thinking small.

He chose the bow arts neoclassical style.

It was a bold architectural statement for central Louisiana, complete with a sweeping marble staircase, an ornamental dome, a fountain, and mosaic tiles blanketing the lobby floor that hold a secret.

So we have gold, ivory, black, green and cranberry.

And there is one blue tile the size of a quarter.

Somewhere within the 10,000ft².

So we'll challenge you to find it.

Preservation exists within the property when you look at the grandiose lobby.

But we do have an accredited World War II mini exhibit that gives you a really detailed timeline of the hotel's history.

For plate lunches, locals point me to Pamela's Bayou in a bowl in Alexandria.

Pamela Petry owns the restaurant and cooks up soulful southern dishes from family recipes passed down through generations.

I think everyone enjoys comfort food.

Like, you know, every now and then you want to go to the fancy schmancy restaurants.

But for the most part, everybody likes a home cooked meal and they don't get it very often.

So, you know, like, I'm like, it's a price point that pretty much everybody can afford or, you know, just comfort more.

As far as the dinner brings me to Diamond Grill, where Alexandria's past and present share the same table.

The building opened in 1931 as a jewelry store.

Today, the restored Art Deco landmark serves steaks and seafood in the glamorous atmosphere of early 20th century downtown Alexandria.

It is a Louisiana base but also a French based restaurant, and we believe with the ambiance, just a very quiet, intimate restaurant for everybody to continue to join.

What's its claim to fame?

Absolutely.

The history.

How this not just did not used to be an actual restaurant.

People love the wine cellar.

To be able to come in and look and see where it used to be a vault.

People absolutely love it.

I leave Alexandria and head northeast to Deville, a quiet, rural community where Old Mel's farm invites visitors to slow down and spend time with its friendly farm animals.

We own a farm with Scottish Highland cows.

Wow, look at them sheep, horses, bunnies, goats and lots of other animals.

And I get to pet animals.

Yes, you get to pet and feed them and learn all about them.

With the mu mu here and a baba.

They're Mel's friendly farm animals greet visitors throughout the property, including goat, veal populated with celebrity named goats.

I meet its latest resident, a newborn goat named zydeco.

Hi.

Oh.

I want to take them home.

We raise and breed, and the babies go to new homes.

Meldon grow up on a farm.

But she fell in love with farm life.

After her husband started raising cattle and sheep.

She brought home a few Scottish Highland cows and quickly discovered how much she enjoyed brushing and caring for them.

Hi.

Do you like that?

I'm gonna make you pretty.

Now, why is it so important for you to share your farm and your animals with the public?

If we don't do this, it's going to be agriculture.

And farming is just going to kind of die out.

I have a lot of kids come in from Alexandria that have never been on a farm, never seen a farm animal.

A visit to Miller's Farm is more than a photo opportunity.

It's an experience and a reminder of a disappearing way of life.

From river towns and pine forests to family farms, lumber towns and fields of blooming nurseries.

Every stop revealed a different piece of Louisiana's cultural landscape, where Beats Parish truly sits at the crossroads of Louisiana, where influences in every direction meet, creating a cultural alchemy that feels like a little piece of the whole state in one place.

Hit the road with me as we explore the festivals, flavors and culture.

Keepers of Vermilion Parish, from the crawfish ponds of Kaplan to the docks of Delco and the historic streets of Abbeville, where a 5000 egg omelet honors ties to France.

Join me as we explore this self-proclaimed most Cajun place on Earth.

Vermilion parish lies in south central Louisiana.

Our road trip begins in Abbeville and continues through Erath, Henry, Gaydon, and Kaplan, exploring the people and places that define one of the most culturally rich corners of the state.

My stroll begins in Abbeville Historic District, laid out like a traditional French village as a Louisiana designated Main Street community.

Abbeville has reclaimed its heritage and restored storefronts, locally owned shops, and pedestrian friendly streets that invite you to shop, stroll and stay awhile.

The imprint of Sicilian families who settled here in the late 1800s is evident in places such as this 1913 blacksmith's shop owned by Sicilian immigrant Sam Guarino.

Today it's a museum opened by appointment and fully operational thanks to this guy, Brandon Briggs.

He learned the skill of blacksmithing at the shop, and today he maintains the museum and gives demonstrations.

Before we had this lecture, they started out with a model T engine power up.

They had rigged it up to power up this, this one thing and everything ran by that one piece of equipment.

So you want to follow it up and see how it works?

Let's see it in action.

Okay.

The gears and pulley belts power everything.

The drill sharpeners, the bandsaw.

Brandon shows me how he heats and shapes the metal, and how the blacksmiths made much in demand.

Nutria fur stretchers for local trappers.

Blacksmithing is a process of taking raw materials and heating, bending, feeding, stretching all the different processes of working metal.

I mean, that's the trade of a blacksmith.

Sam Guarino founded the blacksmith shop after he apprenticed in Sicily.

For decades, he repaired and forged the region's agricultural tools.

After Sam died in 1979, the blacksmith shop remained operational until closing in 2004.

The green family donated it to Abbeville to turn into a museum.

We moved it here, and the city workers shoveled up four inches of the dirt.

So this is the original dirt that was in the building for all those years from the early 1900s till now.

So this dirt holds a lot of history and probably a lot of soot.

It's got a lot of construction that went on in here.

A lot of work.

There was all field work.

There was agricultural work that came here.

And if you needed anything repaired, Mr.

Guarino would say, if I can't fix it, it can't be.

Can be made.

I love the accent.

Locals like to say the 337 area code is home to the best cooks in Louisiana, and they have the credentials and customers to back it up.

If you ask anyone where to find the best turtle sauce pecan, they'll point you straight to swears grocery Store and restaurant in Kaplan when the menu is spray painted on the facade.

You know you're somewhere totally authentic and unpretentious.

Welcome to swears.

It's a grocery and restaurant.

It's family owned, and it's legendary in these parts.

I'm in Kaplan in Vermilion Parish, and this place is a favorite with foodies and with hunters.

And you are about to discover why.

Swingers opens at 5:30 a.m.

and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from sunup to sundown.

Behind the counter on any given day, you'll find the swear sisters Joanne and Lisa took over swears from their parents, who bought the store in 1976.

Their mother quickly realized that serving family recipes was good business, and cleared out a few shelves to make room for tables, creating the restaurant that customers know today.

Joan handles the business side while Lisa, a talented cook, runs the kitchen with a small staff.

Something is baked every day.

Every single day.

All family recipes.

The grocery store is a place of culinary pride in Kaplan, drawing lifelong customers who come for the company as much as the food.

Family photos, newspaper clippings and famous faces line the walls, along with a payphone that still hangs in the corner, a reminder that this place is suspended in time and grounded in legacy.

And somebody will just come and just say, that was just like my grandmother's.

That is the best compliment to me that I ever can get.

That's our.

This place feels like home or my grandmother's home, or we just love that.

And they feel at home.

One chart or the window.

I wasn't leaving swears without their legendary turtle sauce.

Elisa cooks it every Friday, and it is a total labor of love.

She cooks the turtle meat for hours.

While exploring Abbeville.

I stayed at the Caldwell House Bed and Breakfast, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Vernon Caldwell, a state senator who served under Louisiana Governor Huey Long, built the six bedroom home in 1907.

Antique furnished bedrooms, pressed tin ceiling tiles, and a central staircase.

Exude hospitality rooted in heritage.

The highlight of my stay was the home cooked breakfast each morning.

I'm in the kitchen with Gretchen, the in-house caterer at the Caldwell house, and this is the most popular dish on the breakfast menu.

This is our pecan praline French toast.

It is our signature dish here at the Caldwell.

It is the most requested dish by people who come back more than once.

Here's my takeaway from visiting Vermilion Parish.

Its communities and small towns are detours worth taking.

Along the way, I discovered it's not where the road leads, but who you meet.

The storytellers, musicians, cooks and culture keepers who make Vermilion Parish the most Cajun place on Earth.

Lafourche parish calls itself Louisiana's Cajun Bayou.

Its name means the fork in French, and that definition fits.

This place is a branching point of history and heritage.

Land and water.

The Barish is part of the Italian Elia National Heritage Area.

Daily life, culture and the economy all trace back to buy a 106 mile ribbon of water that shapes everything in its path.

We'll begin in Thibodaux, the parish seat, then follow the bayou south through Raistlin, Lockport, and Larose, ending where the land meets the gulf at Port Fuchsia.

It's Wednesday night at Gina's at the Legion in Thibodaux, and musicians arrive with instruments in hand for the weekly live Cajun music jam.

Quentin Fontenot and Missy McElroy are founding members of the Cajun Music Preservation Society, which hosts the jams on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

They've been gathering for more than a decade.

If you look at most of the traditional, like the Cajun Triangle, right where they have where the Cajun country is left, parish is in there.

You know, we're probably the most southeastern portion of that triangle.

We are.

And we have a rich heritage of Cajun music out here.

In fact, there are some people that have told me that if you listen to Cajun traditional Cajun musicians along the bayou, down the bayou in Lafayette Parish, that they had their own dialectic Cajun music that that, like most people, can't pick it up.

But people who really know the music can hear the little things they do just a little bit different.

It's the lips.

Yeah.

Yeah, exactly.

It's like their own signatures.

That's right, that's right.

Mission is to raise awareness of the occasion, music, culture and to sort of revive it because people, they talk about how this is the Cajun area of Louisiana, but we want to feel like we're living it in music is part of that.

I continue south on highway 308 to Raceland, where the Laurel Valley General Store is open for business as part of the Laurel Valley Village.

It's the largest surviving 19th century sugar plantation complex in the United States.

This place looks to me like it is frozen in time.

How old is this place?

So this building was originally built in 1905 to replace a previous structure that was on the site.

So it was originally a general store for the plantation for Laurel Valley, where they would buy the stuff for the village in the back.

It was originally up along the highway, and they moved it back in the 70s and kind of refurbished it a little bit, set up the museum in the back, and then the front is the consignment store where you can find these locally made crafts and, and and delicacies and whatnot.

Today, Laurel Valley Village's claim to fame is its starring role in many notable movies.

My guide, Gary Hebert, takes me in a tour of the property, revealing weathered cabins, old farm equipment and cane fields.

So many structures remain intact, which is why the property sets the scene for many films and TV shows.

There's been over 29 major motion pictures shot back here, and one of the most famous ones was in this house right here.

This was the house used in the movie Ray for Ray Charles.

He would have been.

The childhood parts of that movie would have been shot back here on Laurel Valley.

And then the biggest one is sinners.

Sinners was shot here last summer.

It took them three months on the property to shoot the movie, and a lot of people have seen center, so when they come here, they're really interested to see the place where sinners was filmed.

I showed you what locals love about Lafourche Parish.

Now, if you're planning to visit the area, I suggest a stop here at Louisiana's Cajun Bayou Visitor Center in Graceland.

They'll give you more information about where to go and what to do.

This isn't your typical pickup.

A brochure, visitor center, multimedia and interactive exhibits, some created with 3-D printing like this larger than life snapping crab.

Immerse you in the culture of Lafourche Parish with plenty of photo ops for selfies and social media post.

You can grab a passport and a map for the Cajun Bayou Food Trail, which is exactly where I'm headed next.

I followed the Cajun Bayou Food Trail to Lockport for gumbo at Cajun Twist and Grill.

They serve a third generation recipe from the owner's grandmother types, originally without a roux.

So we got our gumbo rolling right now.

It's our chicken sausage gumbo.

It's one of our big sellers.

Because of our location, we had to start doing more of a ruin.

Our gumbo.

Because that's their their palate here.

They prefer the Rube gumbo.

So it's her bass with a little bit of root added into it, but not too much because we like to keep it light.

All right, well, I say serve me a bowl.

My gumbo is loaded with chicken and sausage and served up in a very light colored roux.

Anthony says, as I travel up and down the bayou, I'll discover different gumbo recipes based on local palates.

You can go ten minutes up the road and have a different type of dish, so if you get the same dish down the bayou that you get up to bayou, they might taste totally different.

And it's because of that family or that recipe that's just that's how it is in that area.

The Cajun Bayou Food Trail invites you to explore participating restaurants with a downloadable passport in hand.

Each stop earns you a stamp, and after five, you'll be rewarded with an official t shirt, plus bragging rights for tasting your way throughout the bayou.

I met up with Ridge Goslin, owner of Go Paddle, who outfits visitors with kayaks to paddle the wetlands trail so I can actually kayak around the port.

Yes, yes, there's access and trails that you can access around the port and around the local wetlands.

So it's a it's a beautiful scenery.

It took some extra effort to power paddle in these conditions, but up close encounters with nature make it all worthwhile.

I leave Lafourche Parish with my passport stamped and culinary traditions and new friends.

I consider the region's culture keepers, musicians, boat builders, butchers, historians and innkeepers.

People who choose to stay, build, sing, cook and preserve living history along the Cajun Bayou.

What an inspiring look at the Louisiana roads we've traveled so far in the first season of LA 64.

Hello, one last time from LPB Studios, I'm James Fox Smith alongside award winning travel journalist Karen LeBlanc, who is writer, producer and host of this wonderful series.

Thank you so much.

It is my absolute honor to work with LPB on a series so, so dear to my heart.

As someone who was born and raised in Louisiana, and I invite all of you to visit LPB for four to see the full episodes of season one and extra footage we captured along the way, which is stunning.

Our love letter and postcards.

So check it out!

Absolutely.

And thank you for mentioning that, Karen, because there are so many places to see and we hope that we are inspiring your next road trip.

We also hope we're inspiring you to support the programs you love on LPB, including but certainly not limited to LA 64.

The number is right there on your screen.

It's 888769 5000.

Or you can go online at LPB or scan the QR code you see on the screen.

Here's one of the last looks at the exclusive gifts available to you.

During this broadcast, for a sustaining membership of $24 a month, receive the LA 64 travel combo that includes the LPB Weekender Tote, the LA 64 luggage tag, and an LPB thermos for $15 a month.

Choose the LP Weekender Tote made of durable cotton canvas, perfect for any Louisiana road trip, and the LA 64 luggage tag for $10 a month.

Receive the LBB Travel Thermos made of insulated stainless steel.

Take advantage of those gift opportunities.

They won't last forever.

Okay, look Karen, this has been an amazing, really glimpse of the whole of the first season in one place like that.

So.

But think back on.

It reflects a little bit with us.

Are there any particular takeaways, any reflections from season one?

That's a really going to linger with you?

Yeah.

Here's a few takeaways.

Our main streets are treasures and all across the state I see these small communities trying to revitalize these main streets and attract mom and pop shops and restore their architecture and their such authentic encounters with our history and our heritage.

Grand cane, one of Louisiana's greatest small town comeback stories, led by an 80 plus year old mayor who's just tireless.

So.

Main streets, I highly encourage you to get out and explore.

And Louisiana has a very robust Main Street program to support efforts to revitalize Main Streets.

Another thing I have to do is I have to give a shout out to our state parks.

I feel like our state parks are so underrated rated.

They are such a jewel.

I mean, they are.

These cabins are as nice as an Airbnb.

You are staying immersed in the Louisiana landscape, whether it's on the water or deep within a forest.

North Toledo, Ben and South Toledo been stunning state parks by using yet state park another one.

Just great resources that are very affordable and very comfortable.

You have your bedding, you have a fully outfitted kitchen, even a fireplace and Wi-Fi.

I mean, sometimes you can fish right off the porch bias.

And yet you can you can fish right off that.

So definitely check out your state parks.

It's a great weekend getaway.

I highly, highly recommend the state parks.

And just I shout out to all the people that I've met that are quietly doing things with passion and purpose.

They don't get the spotlight.

They do these things out of love.

They are preserving and passing on generational knowledge, whether it's through art, craft, cuisine, storytelling or music.

And they deserve to be supported, the love of their communities and to make their communities stronger and better, and to preserve our history and heritage so that it's not lost to history, and that that's what keeps Louisiana unique.

That makes us the most fascinating state in the nation.

I'll say it.

I'll say it loud and I'll say it proud.

And it's because of our history and our heritage and our people preserving it.

We've seen 12 amazing episodes already in season one because season two is right over the horizon, isn't it?

So we are back on the road.

We just spent a week at Natchitoches Parish, the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase.

Lots of fascinating history there in such a cultural melting pot.

1714 I think.

Yes.

Cannot wait for that episode.

And as we pull back the layers, you'll meet the cane River Creoles and of course, the early Europeans.

It's just fascinating.

And as we said, we have 13 parishes.

So I will be traveling all over the state.

All corners of the state will be in a voice Acadia, Ascension, Lafayette Parish, Saint Tammany Parish.

I have a special treat.

Lieutenant governor building.

Nungesser is giving us a special tour of his favorite places in Saint Tammany Parish.

So make sure you watch that episode.

He's going to be my co-host on that one.

We're going to have a lot of fun.

Yeah, you really are.

Every day out with Mr.

Billy is a great day.

He's a character and a tireless ambassador for the state of Louisiana, Washington, Richland, Calcasieu.

So you're you're going to be all over the state again, experiencing fascinating people and places and communities worth exiting the Interstate four to explore.

16 you've got to get off the big roads.

You've got to get off the beaten track and really get out there where life is being lived.

Now, again, don't take our word for it.

We've got a little preview teed up for you so you can see what's coming in season two.

LA 64 is back on the roads and the waterways as we explore it.

13 parishes from all four corners of Louisiana.

And what better way to kick off season two than at the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase?

Natchitoches?

I'm gliding along the cane River lake on the cane River Queen, and it's just one of many adventures as we exit the interstate and explore on LA 64.

Well, that is so much to look forward to personally.

Karen, I can't wait.

I've got so many ideas, let alone anything else for stories in Country Roads magazine quite aside from anything else.

So thank you for all you've done to bring this amazing vision of Louisiana closer to those of us who call it home and love the story.

Thank you.

It's been very rewarding and soul gratifying.

Absolutely.

I can see that.

So thank you for joining us for LA 64 The Road so far.

We appreciate all of your support for Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

And we've got our ways of showing it.

So here is one last chance to take a look at the thank you gifts that are available to those who support us tonight.

Viewers like you make the difference.

Become a member to support the Louisiana stories you love on LPB.

For a sustaining membership of $24 a month, receive the LA 64 travel combo that includes the LP Weekender Tote, the LA 64 luggage tag, and an LPB thermos for $15 a month.

Choose the LPB Weekender Tote made of durable cotton canvas, perfect for any Louisiana road trip, and the LA 64 luggage tag for $10 a month.

Receive the Elbe Travel Thermos, made of insulated stainless steel at any level.

You will also receive visions LP's monthly program guide and LPB passport for the Very Best of PBS and LPB.

Support for LA 64 is provided by office of the Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.

Keep Louisiana Beautiful and the Louisiana Office of Tourism, and by the accolade National Heritage Area, the Saint Landry Parish Tourist Commission.

Northwestern State University, and by the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

And viewers like you.

Thank you.