The Attakapas Country

This comprehensive volume traces the history of Lafayette Parish,from its earliest beginnings and the struggle between the Attakapas Indians andthe first white settlers, French Canadians, English traders, and Frenchtrappers to the conditions in 1959, when this historical work was firstpublished.Over the course of this history, Griffin analyses everything fromthe territorial and political evolution of the parish to the development oftransportation and travel, and from the founding of the schools to the earlyfinancial and industrial conditions. Griffin also provides accounts of theflood of 1927, the greatest challenge Lafayette Parish had to overcome in itsearly history and a sign of the persevering spirit that would help the parishto overcome such destructive forces.ABOUT THE AUTHORHarry Lewis Griffin, dean emeritus of the College of Liberal Artsat Southwestern Louisiana Institute, was born near Clarksburg, West Virginia,of distinguished Virginia ancestry. After graduating from the University ofWest Virginia, he studied at the University of Chicago where, in due time, hereceived the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence. While he was in Chicago, hemade the acquaintance of Messers. H. C. Bond and A. W. Bittle, who, as membersof the Southwestern Faculty, spoke so highly of him to the University that hisappointment as Professor of History and Political Science followed immediately.