DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / October 14, 2000

CONVENT – For around 160 years the Rassat house sat on it’s original bricks beside the Mississippi River in St. James Parish. As many other 1800’shomes, it slowly began to wither and fade until it became just another weathered and abandoned home along the River Road.

When Grace Delaneuville moved out a few years ago, the house was slated for demolition. Three times it was supposed to be knocked down, but itmanaged to slip by.

Finally, Ethel Johnson grasp an opportunity to save the house that all who lived near remember as being the home to a very special and well remembered family, the Rassats. Johnson, who was born next door to thehouse, purchased the home from her old friend Grace Delaneuville, who’s family lived in the house for three generations.

“My family didn’t want to get rid of the property, but they didn’t care what I did with the house,” said Delaneuville. The house was in all kinds of vines, likerope. There was only one door you could get into, said Johnson.Johnson found a buyer who was interested in restoring the house, rather than tearing it down or shipping it out of the parish.

Hoping to help preserve St. James Parish’s architectural history, Jud andPam Reynaud bought the home to move onto their property as a guesthouse.

“We want to save these homes one at a time. There is a lot of support fromthe local citizens to keep this house (and others) from being pulled out of St.

James Parish,” said Jud Reynaud. The Reynauds have already worked topreserve St. James history by restoring the exterior of the St. JamesWelcome Center in Gramercy for the parish.

The house is in excellent condition, having been boarded up for about 30 years. “It has the original glass in the windows; the floors are in mintcondition,” said Reynaud.

Already the state has been contacted and has shown interest in placing the home on the national registry, after restoration. The architecture isdifferent than the earlier Creole or Acadian homes in the area.

“It’s a federal style of architecture, more delicate and not as massive,” said Reynaud.

Another Rassat house, owned by Delaneuville’s grandfather, was pulled from the old property some years ago. It is now restored in Gonzales. “You can see it all the time in Gonzales, remade like it was,” said Lillian Scott, a long time neighbor of the Rassats.

“It’s good this house is staying in the parish,” she added. Her sister, IsabelleHayes, agreed saying, “I’m glad to see it in the parish instead of being torn down or in Gonzales.”The sisters have close ties to the house since they worked for Delaneuville’s parents when they were younger. They lived close enough that they “only hadto holler out the back door,” and we’d come to help, said Hayes. They werenice people. Always people you could get along with, she added.Hayes used to help Delaneuville’s mother, who had gone blind earlier in her life. “She used to walk right through that house like she could see; knewwhere everything was,” said Hayes. Some days Hayes would escort her downthe road to visit friends, who would in turn bring her back after the visit. “Itwasn’t as hot back then. We couldn’t have walked that far all buttoned up ifit was,” said Hayes.

Cooks were trained for fine cooking out of working in that house. Thegrandfather was very particular, didn’t like his food dry, remembered Hayes.

Many of the cooks went on to be employed around the parish, some at the Manresa house.

The house, moved recently, will be restored to it’s original condition almost a stones throw away from where it was built. The Reynauds are looking topromote saving the historical buildings around the parish. “Our objective isto save as many as can be. So many of these vacancies along the River Roadwere old family houses that were destroyed or pulled out of the parish,” said Reynaud.

“It will take a while to get used the house being gone, but when that man’s done with the house it’s going to be beautiful, said Hayes.

“I’m glad this one’s going to stay here,” agreed Johnson, “It’s going to be good to see it all restored, yes indeed.”

Return To News Stories