If you are heading out for a road trip and are looking for a destination that has a lot of personality, consider heading south to Louisiana. Known to be full of fun and interesting tourist hot spots you can be sure that you will find some interesting and sometimes odd roadside stops. Here are a few of our favorites.
The Chauvin Sculpture Garden: Chauvin
Created by a reclusive bricklayer by the name of Kenny Hill, this beautiful sculpture garden is home to more than 100 concrete pieces. Located on a bayou property that was owned by the sculptor, the pieces are both profound and awe-inspiring. Painted in colors that are often associated with Cajun lifestyle with many depicting religious themes, this garden is both unique and something spectacular to behold. It is well worth a side trip to experience Hill’s creations.
The Shrine of Mother Mary: Golden Meadow
Known as the Golden Meadow Shrine, this public display was built by Joffrey Cochennic as a tribute to a moment in his life that he labeled a miracle. In 1974 Cochennic was an insurance salesman who reported that the Holy Mary appeared to him in a local Roman Catholic Church. He often stopped by the Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church in Golden Meadow and would say prayers. He stated that one day he was praying near the Blessed Sacrament and asked the Mother Mary to reveal herself to him. Shortly after, he turned to see her standing in the church. The experienced fill him with such peace and love that he built a shrine in her honor.
Our Lady of Blind River Chapel: St. James Parish
Nearly thirty years ago a retired couple from St. James Parish, Louisiana, decided that they needed to build a place of worship for people in their small rural area. Located on the Blind River, an area that is home to heavy weekend travelers and a handful of local families, a chapel was constructed with the help of community members over the course of six months. The volunteers used old logs from the river and hand-cut the wooden shingles that were used to cover the exterior of the building. Known to be something a local miracle, the structure has survived hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters that have wiped out entire communities that surround it.
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