Abbeville, LA

Interviewee Collection Sort descending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Marshall Borel Louisiana Sea Grant Coastal Changes Oral History Project

Marshall Borel discusses his early life and his father who was a fisherman in the 1930's.  He described crabbing in the Atchafalaya Basin with a roller line.  He talks about the different kinds of fish he caught as well as frogs.  He talks about the net he made specifically to catch frogs.  He boasts working forty hours a week and never missing it.

Paula Ouder, Thomas Hymel Abbeville, LA Louisiana Sea Grant
Pierre Lee Louisiana Sea Grant Coastal Changes Oral History Project

Lee tells the tale of his escape from Vietnam with his family after the war ended. He discusses being the first Vietnamese to transition to Abbeville, Louisiana for the warm climate and the strong Catholic influence. Although trained as a pilot and engineer, Lee began his life in the U.S. as a car washer, worked his way up to mechanic, and then became a top engineer for an oil company.

Don Davis Abbeville, LA Louisiana Sea Grant
Jodie Avail Louisiana Sea Grant Coastal Changes Oral History Project

Jodie Avail and Jay Thornhill discusses the origin and history of Dupuy’s Oyster Shop. They talk about the diversification of the menu and the oyster dealers.

Carl Brasseaux Abbeville, LA Louisiana Sea Grant
Jay Thornhill Louisiana Sea Grant Coastal Changes Oral History Project

Jodie Avail and Jay Thornhill discusses the origin and history of Dupuy’s Oyster Shop. They talk about the diversification of the menu and the oyster dealers.

Carl Brasseaux Abbeville, LA Louisiana Sea Grant
Sherrill Sagrera CWPPRA Personal Reflections: Environmental Portraits and Oral Histories of Louisiana’s Coastal Wetlands Stakeholders

Sherrill Sagrera is an advocate for the preservation and restoration of Louisiana's coastal wetlands. Born on November 12, 1941, in Abbeville, Louisiana, Sherrill grew up in Cheniere au Tigre, an island in South Vermillion Parish. His family's connection to this ecosystem goes back generations, as they owned and managed land that was once a thriving resort community. Sherrill witnessed the island's evolution from a bustling community with a hotel, dance hall, and school to a region grappling with wetland loss and environmental challenges.

Susan Testroet-Bergeron Abbeville, LA Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act
Victoria Sagrera Bourque I Hope: Visions for a Sustainable Future in Coastal Louisiana

Victoria Sagrera Bourque, born on December 31, 1990, in Lafayette, Louisiana, is a passionate advocate for coastal restoration in Louisiana. She grew up in Mouton Cove, a small area just south of Abbeville, Louisiana, and north of Intracoastal City, in a family with strong agricultural roots. Her childhood memories are filled with experiences on the farm, from following her grandfather around to testing the soil for salinity after storms. These experiences, coupled with her coastal upbringing, fueled her passion for coastal restoration.

Lauren Leonpacher Abbeville, LA Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act