Louisiana’s Most Famous Oak Tree Comes With A Bit Of Cajun Lore

Oak trees and Louisiana go together like red beans and rice. These majestic trees have peppered the Pelican State for hundreds of years and have become an important pillar of our landscape, attracting countless visitors from all over the globe. There’s one particular oak tree that’s so enchanting, it may have inspired a popular poem, and if you’re a Longfellow fan, then you’ll want to make your way over to St. Martinville, home to the Evangeline Oak - one of the most popular oak trees in Louisiana.

St. Martinville is a charming little Cajun Country town that’s widely considered to be the birthplace of Cajun culture.

Nestled along the beautiful Bayou Teche, the area was inhabited by the Attakapas Indians and used the area for hunting camps before the exile of Acadians from Nova Scotia brought Acadians to the area beginning in 1755.

When you visit this sleepy little town, make sure to visit Evangeline Oak Park.

This lovely pocket park may be tiny, but it's chock-full of beautiful scenery and home to a very special oak tree: the Evangeline Oak.

The tree gets its name from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1847 poem by the same name.

"Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie," tells the story of two lovers torn apart by the British invasion of Nova Scotia during the French and Indian War in 1755.

While Evangeline is a purely fictitious character and not based on anyone real, there’s some mystery about how the tree earned its moniker.

There are actually a few different origin stories, but one of the most popular stories begins one evening in 1844 when Longfellow hosted a dinner party where a guest suggested the story and it piqued his interest.

Longfellow’s poem may have been where the story began, but it doesn’t end there.

Shortly after Longfellow’s poem was published, local writer Sidonie de la Houssaye wrote "Poiponne et Balthazar," a novel based in St. Martinville centered around Evangeline. While mostly well-received, there was one particular gentleman who was not thrilled with de la Houssaye’s portrayal of Acadians. In 1907, local judge Felix Voorhies wrote "Acadian Reminiscences: The True Story of Evangeline," and claimed that his was the true story of the Acadian lovers.

Whether you believe all of the stories or none of them, one thing is certain: the area is gorgeous.

It's easy to see why it has been the inspiration for multiple written works.

When you visit the Evangeline Oak, be sure to bring some reading material.

Looks like the perfect spot to curl up with a good book or poem...

But what should you read?

The Evangeline Oak story isn't the only oak with a fascinating history to it. The Houmas House Plantation is home to the Legend of the Gentlemen, and many believe these oak trees to be haunted.

Have you ever visited the Evangeline Oak? Let us know in the comments below.