Los Isleños Heritage & Cultural Society Museum
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Originally opened in 1980, the Los Isleños Heritage & Cultural Society Museum celebrates the rich cultural history of St. Bernard Parish. This heritage includes French, Spanish, Creole, Native American, and English influences. Given the strength of the Spanish influence, particularly from the Canary Islands (a Spanish territory off the coast of Morocco), St. Bernard Parish is also referred to as Los Isleños (Spanish for "the islanders"). The museum consists of a complex of historical structures, some of which have been brought to the site to avoid demolition. One of these structures is the Dr. Louis A. Ducros House, which was built around 1900. Dr. Ducros was a significant figure in the parish for the first half of the 20th century, as he spearheaded policies to prevent disease and promote better health practices. For this association with Dr. Ducros, the house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Images
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Dr. Ducros implemented these same policies in St. Bernard Parish. He was also a pioneer in family practice. He would see patients in his home or would travel to theirs. Dr. Ducros also worked as a coroner and jail physician. Interestingly, he was fluent in several languages: Spanish, French, English, Portuguese, Canarian (from the Canary Islands), Italian, and Sicilian.
Sources
*Note: This document was either written for or taken from the National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, which has not been digitized as of 2017.
"History." Los Isleños Heritage & Cultural Society Museum. Accessed January 24, 2017. http://www.losislenos.org/history.html.