GRAMERCY TOWN HISTORY

Gramercy took its name from New York' Gramercy Park, so named by Mark Spellman of colonial Sugar, which still dominates the city.� Colonial Sugar began in 1896 as a raw sugar factory until 1914, when it converted to a sugar refinery.� Located on the former Golden Grove Plantation, it remains the oldest established industry in St. James Parish.

Golden Grove Plantation's site had been a Colapissa Indian village until Pierre Delille Dupard purchased the site in 1793.� After his death in 1776, the plantation was divided and regrouped by brothers Rezin Davis Shepaherd and James Harvey Shepherd, beginning in 1817.

Golden Grove finally went on the auction block in January 1880 and bought by August Servel.� In 1886, Felecian Waguespack bought Sport Plantation on the site of the present Laroche industries.� In 1895, Waguespack bought the Golden Grove plantation house itself.� In 1902, the U.S. Army corps of Engineers predicted Golden Grove's destruction by Waguespack's weak levee.� This, indeed, soon happened that same year but not before Waguespack had already removed most of its furnishings and placed them in storage.� In 1906, he built Mt. Airy Plantation House with the furnishings of Golden Grove.� Mt. Airy endured until its destruction in a 1944 fire.� Sport Plantation House likewise burned in January 1946.

The upriver side of Golden Grove was bought in 1895 by the developers of colonial Sugar, including Stuyvesant Fish (president of the Illinois Central Railroad) and Mark Spellman.� Fish's residence in New York City was 20 Gramercy Park, and this street name lent itself to the new company town developed by colonial.� New Orleanian John McDonough left a large portion of neighboring swampland to the City of Baltimore.� The Lutcher and Moore Lumber Company later bought that swamp in 1890 and to this day, the area is known as "Baltimore Swamp."

In the 1890s, the village of Gramercy was tiny, indeed, with about 100 persons.� Early inhabitants called the area "Faubourg Lapin," or "Rabbi town."� Some of those early residents included Ellphege Alexander, Alcest Bacas, George Bourgeois, Jean Ferrero, Cleophes Faucheaux, E. Gauthreaux, Frank Millet, Ovide Millet, Alcest Montz, August Servel of Golden Grove Plantation and his agent Pierre Schepp.

Bourgeois ran one of the two general stores in town, and housed the post office.� Gauthreaux had the other store.� Faucheux was a barrel maker and furnished barrels for the string of sugarhouses along this section of the river.� Ferrero was a skilled baker, who delivered his fresh baked bread on a daily route, which took him from home all the way to Uncle Sam Plantation.� By 1898, with new employment provided by Colonial, population of Gramercy increased to 300 persons.� Local Catholics attended mass at St. Joseph's Church in Paulina.� Finally Sacred Heart Chapel was blessed on June 13, 1920, in the former Woodmen of the World building, bought with the help of colonial Sugar and the Knights of Columbus council 1817.� The chapel was located on the ground floor, and seated 400 persons.� Sacred Heart moved into its present church in 1959.� The town was incorporated as a city with mayor and board of aldermen in 1947.� Kaiser Aluminum came in 1958, adding new industry to Gramercy.� A 1998 strike, which began I September, continues as of this writing.� A July 5, 1999 explosion at the plant, however, has left Kaiser's future in limbo.

Joseph Samrow Sr., who came to Gramercy from Slidell in 1958, remembered, "You could hardly find a place to rent to stay in, " When he and his wife, Theka, arrived.� The old Colonial Sugar company homes were still in use, small shotguns that ran along several streets adjoining the plant. In time, though, most of those old houses were bought up and moved away.� He and his wife had traveled across the country and he saw a need in the Gramercy/Lutcher area - a local museum.

Samrow kept making that observation again and again until his wife finally told him, "If you want it, start it yourself."� With the cooperation of local and parish officials, mayors and school board members, and a partnership with Jerry Haas (who sought to protect St. James Parish's ancient Indian mounds), an incorporated board was created.�

The first major project was the restoration of the Olive Jeannette in 1989.� The old crew boat had been abandoned on Blind River 25 years earlier and now, thanks to the Museum's efforts, it's one of only two boats on the National Register (the other being the Delta Queen), The Museum acquired the old College Point Pharmacy building, built in 1934 in Convent and moved it onto a site leased by the city of Lutcher in 1989.� The Museum began filling up fast with donated photographs and memorabilia.� The photos are being copied and the museum continues to grow and develop.� In recent years, it's added the 100-year old Paulina Post Office building, the 1991 Lutcher centennial depot, a blacksmith shop, a perique tobacco display and an Acadian cottage.

New members are always welcome, at $10 for adults and $5 for youths.� Museum hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.� Call 1-225-869-9752