thanks Kiker:)
ERATH~Sweet Louisiana
now I gotta check out August Eraths' genealogy:)
Erath, Louisiana is a small town with a very unique line of history. It
was founded by August Erath. He purchased land from the Primeaux family
to begin a community in 1892. He helped Erath by bringing the railroad
through Erath in1893. The railroad ran from New Iberia to Abbeville.
Then in 1899, Erath became a village. A sugarcane refinery was built in
1909. Sugar Cane became one of Erath=B4s biggest resources. Other
resources were seafood and hunting. =A0 Dr. Joseph Kibbe was the first
Doctor and is called "The Father of Erath" because he helped establish
Erath in the beginning. Erath=B4s first Mayor was Frank Williams. The
Williams family helped education in Vermilion Parish long ago. He became
the Mayor in 1899 when Erath became a village. By 1923 the town had
grown and Erath became a town. Many people helped build Erath during
those early days. Now Erath has 2,187 people. Erath has been through
many schools in the past. In Erath the first school was in 1893. It was
a one story little school. Then the second school was in 1903. Both of
those schools were on Kibbe Street. The second school was a two story
school. Then the third school was built in 1923 on Broadway. That story
was a three story building. In 1950, Erath had had 12 grades. The Erath
Elementary part was built in 1957. This later became Erath Middle
School. In 1942 Dozier was a tiny wooden building and in1954, Dozier=B4s
brick building was built. Erath Elementary was built in 1957. From 1911
until 1941, the African American children went to school in the home of
Robert and Frances Dozier. Integration of Erath schools happened in
1968. Dozier closed then. Dozier Elementary reopened in 1972 for all
Erath children in grades 1, 2 and 3. 1974 was the year Kindergarten
opened. On March 7, 2000, Erath Middle School burnt and the fourth grade
students were moved to Dozier Elementary. Pre-K children began coming to
Dozier in January of 2001. Dozier is now a Pre K-4th Grade School. Erath
Middle has 5th, 6th and 7th Grade. Erath High School has 9th, 10th, 11th
and 12th. Erath had many horrible tragedies. In 1917 World War 1 was the
first war. Some Erath men died. In 1940, a really bad flood hit in
Erath. 1941 brought World War II. The Korean War began in 1950. In 1964
Hurricane Hilda killed eight Erath men. In 1965 the Vietnam War started.
In 1991 American men served in Gulf Storm War. Many men from Erath
fought in the wars.=A0There was another flood in 1984 and in 2001. Many
hurricanes have hit Erath. Hurricane Hilda hit on October 3, 1964 and
Hurricane Lili hit on October 3, 2002. Hurricane Lili left many homes
damaged, but no one died. Erath has grown a lot through the years. In
1976, Erath celebrated America's Bicentennial. Erath has celebrated the
4th of July for more than a half of a century now. In 1991, the Acadian
Museum in Erath opened with many old and wonderful artifacts. Erath
celebrated it's Centennial in 1999. On May 16th, 2005, Erath became 106
years old. Erath founding history has an interesting line of life.