Below is a list of associations, organizations and resources in Abbeville, Louisiana.
community associations
- Abbeville Cultural & Historical Alliance
- Abbeville Rotary Club
- Abbeville-Vermilion Chamber of Commerce
- Abbey Players Theatre
- Association of Louisiana Arts & Artist
- Friends of Godchaux Park
- Girl Scouts Bayou Council
- LSU Alumni Fund for Vermilion Parish
- Performing Arts Society of Acadiana (PASA)
- Public Affairs Research Council
- Rotary International/District 6200
- Vermilion Arts Council
- Vermilion Boy Scouts Committee
- Vermilion Cancer Society
- Vermilion Historical Society
- Vermilion Special Olympics Fund
- Vermilion/Carmel May Festival
community links
Abbeville Cultural and Historical Alliance
"The Abbeville Cultural and Historical Alliance (L'Alliance Culturelle et Historique d'Abbeville) is a joint effort of four community service organizations in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, namely, the Vermilion Arts Council, the Acadian Center, the Vermilion Historical Society, and the Giant Omelette Celebration (Confrérie d'Abbeville de l'Omelette Géante). These organizations have banded together to share expenses to maintain a Museum and Art Gallery for displaying works of art, genealogy of the Acadians, historical documents, photographs, and artifacts, and exhibits from international omelette celebrations."
historic abbeville
Formerly called La Chapelle, the land that was to become Abbeville was purchased by founding father Père Antoine Désiré Mégret (Père is French for 'Father'), Capuchin missionary, on July 25, 1843 for $900. Megret named the town after his home in France. There were two people living on the land at that time, Joseph LeBlanc and his wife Isabelle Broussard, whose former home Father Megret converted into a chapel. The chapel burned in 1854, and St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church now stands at the same location.
At the center of downtown is Magdalen Square, which is accented by large oak trees, a fountain, and gazebo. A statue in memory of Father Megret stands in the square.
In 1890, 637 people lived in Abbeville; in 1900, 1,536; in 1910, 2,907; in 1940, 6,672; in 1950 9,338. In 1990, 11,187 people lived in Abbeville. In 2010 30,000 people lived in Abbeville.