The Grand Dérangement — Acadian Memorial

In 1755, the British expelled Acadians from Nova Scotia. Approximately 3,000 refugees eventually reached Louisiana. This memorial, dedicated in 1996 through a collaboration between Louisiana Cajun families and the Canadian province of New Brunswick, honors them by name. The Wall of Names lists every documented Acadian settler. Descendants still come to find and trace their family name. A 12-by-30-foot mural by Robert Dafford depicts the arrival, with figures based on actual documented refugees. Some were modeled by direct descendants of the refugees they portray. Acadiana — the 22 parishes and surrounding areas officially recognized by the Louisiana State Legislature for their strong French Acadian cultural aspects — exists because those refugees settled here and intermarried with other settlers, forming what became known as Cajun culture. The memorial stands adjacent to the church in St. Martinville, open daily, free. You're here to see if your name is on the wall, or to understand that someone else's is.