Plaquemine hails freedom, its defenders
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PLAQUEMINE — South Louisiana natives and transplants celebrated the Fourth of July in this Iberville Parish city by remembering their heritage and the people who fought for it.
Before the city’s main holiday event Friday — a boat parade on Bayou Plaquemine — some people toured the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site while others visited the Iberville Museum.
Suzi Fort said she brought her three children to the museum so they could see a new exhibit highlighting the journey of pioneers from the Canary Islands, a Spanish holding off the coast of Africa, to Louisiana in the late 1700s.
“We are descendants of the Spanish,” she said. “I was looking for something to do today and thought this would be a good idea.”
Mac and Sarah McEntire brought their two children to the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site, which was built in the early 1900s and provided a short-cut from the Mississippi River into Louisiana’s interior.
Sarah McEntire said her family moved to Plaquemine from central Texas two years ago and wants to learn more about their new home town.
“We know everything about Texas,” she said. “Now, we want to know more about Plaquemine.”
The sound of sirens and the sight of boats coming up Bayou Plaquemine attracted people to the nearby Bayou Plaquemine Water Front pier around 3 p.m.
After docking their boats, the parade’s seven grand marshals — all veterans of wars including World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq — took their places on a stage.
“We are here to celebrate our nation’s birthday, but just as important, we are here to honor the men and women of our community who have given their time to defend and protect what we are celebrating today — our freedom,” said Plaquemine City Councilman Ricky Rivet.
As their names were being called out, the grand marshals were presented an American flag by Brenda Babin, a member of Daughters of the American Revolution.
Charles Templet, a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars, said he was grateful for the honor and wants young people to know that “we need to defend our country and our way of life.”
Before the city’s main holiday event Friday — a boat parade on Bayou Plaquemine — some people toured the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site while others visited the Iberville Museum.
Suzi Fort said she brought her three children to the museum so they could see a new exhibit highlighting the journey of pioneers from the Canary Islands, a Spanish holding off the coast of Africa, to Louisiana in the late 1700s.
“We are descendants of the Spanish,” she said. “I was looking for something to do today and thought this would be a good idea.”
Mac and Sarah McEntire brought their two children to the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site, which was built in the early 1900s and provided a short-cut from the Mississippi River into Louisiana’s interior.
Sarah McEntire said her family moved to Plaquemine from central Texas two years ago and wants to learn more about their new home town.
“We know everything about Texas,” she said. “Now, we want to know more about Plaquemine.”
The sound of sirens and the sight of boats coming up Bayou Plaquemine attracted people to the nearby Bayou Plaquemine Water Front pier around 3 p.m.
After docking their boats, the parade’s seven grand marshals — all veterans of wars including World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq — took their places on a stage.
“We are here to celebrate our nation’s birthday, but just as important, we are here to honor the men and women of our community who have given their time to defend and protect what we are celebrating today — our freedom,” said Plaquemine City Councilman Ricky Rivet.
As their names were being called out, the grand marshals were presented an American flag by Brenda Babin, a member of Daughters of the American Revolution.
Charles Templet, a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars, said he was grateful for the honor and wants young people to know that “we need to defend our country and our way of life.”
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