A state historical marker honoring Houston’s Frenchtown community was unveiled during a ceremony Saturday.
Never heard of Frenchtown? Don’t know where it is? Well, Frenchtown is basically part of the Fifth Ward. Its general boundaries are Collingsworth Street to the north, Russell Street to the east, Liberty Road to the south and Jensen Drive to the west.
According to the Handbook of Texas, “it comprised 500 blacks of French and Spanish descent from Louisiana, who came to northeastern Houston” in the 1920s. Economic hardships led many “creoles of color” here to take jobs in the oil, construction and railroad industries.
They also brought traditional creole music with them, often played at “la-las,” a gathering that would help raise funds for the community. A few decades after they settled in Houston (and other areas of Southeast Texas) that traditional creole music had blended with jazz and blues to create zydeco.
“It was a really nice place to live,” said Inez Prejean-Calegon, 90, who came to Houston in 1929. “Everybody loved each other and we all treated each other as family. We really were a happy family.”
Frenchtown landmarks included Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church and zydeco hotspots like the Silver Slipper and the Continental Lounge and Zydeco Ballroom.
Houston City Councilman Jarvis Johnson, who grew up in the area, hoped the marker dedication would help lead to a preservation and revitalization of the Frenchtown community.
“I hope that this will bring us back together as a community so that we can embrace our history,” he said.
The marker on Frenchtown is located at Liberty Road and U.S. 59. Another marker about Frenchtown’s role in the development of zydeco is located at Collingsworth and U.S. 59.
An earlier article about Frenchtown was published in the Chronicle recently.
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Personal photo
Frenchtown historical marker |
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Personal photo
Frenchtown and zydeco historical marker |
