New Iberia traces its history all the way back to 1779, when it was settled by a group of Malaguenian colonists. As I think we've touched on before in this blog, South Louisiana Cajun/Creole culture is largely a mix of French and Spanish influence. Malaguenian refers to the town of Malaga in Spain. New “Iberia” of course refers to the Iberian penninsula. My wife and I primarily just explored the downtown area. Let's take a look.
![schwing insurance agency building](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5254/5477294663_78819dc0a4_b.jpg)
![main street, new iberia](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5134/5477894074_c1bcf99816_b.jpg)
The home pictured below is Shadows on the Teche. The Malaguenians arrived in the area via Bayou Teche, which runs alongside Main Street. Shadows on the Teche was built in the 1830s for sugarcane planter David Weeks. It is a National Historic Landmark.
![shadows on the teche](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5291/5477295087_4316301d8f_b.jpg)
Shadows on the Teche has a number of very handsome homes as neighbors.
![main street home, new iberia](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5132/5477295349_5d6349559c_b.jpg)
![main street home, new iberia](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5477894846_d534d82ac7_b.jpg)
Some were decorated for Mardi Gras.
![main street mardi gras decorations](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5212/5477895126_94d80cae2e_b.jpg)
![main street home, new iberia](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5177/5477296103_bb2a7ec62b_b.jpg)
![main street law firm office](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5299/5477296253_62f572bc91_b.jpg)
The St. Peter's College Grotto is a replica of the Our Lady of Lourdes grotto in France.
![st. peters college groto](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5295/5477895834_85436f8d73_b.jpg)
![posts and porches apartments](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5093/5477296731_cb0147a1e5_b.jpg)
![main street building](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5260/5477896344_6e563bd5cf_b.jpg)
![ford, jewelry, ford](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5255/5477896468_9ebb6cbd49_b.jpg)
![main street building](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5094/5477896780_a1cdee2cf3_b.jpg)
The Evangeline Theater was originally a wholesale grocery, but converted to a movie house in 1929. It is listed in the National Register of Historical Places.
![sliman theater for the performing arts](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5019/5477297579_37b0f3841d_b.jpg)
![main street view](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5477297879_5bee753920_b.jpg)
![pair of main street buildings](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5099/5477298013_fcab8e5ae2_b.jpg)
![main street opulence](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5256/5477897372_505e84696b_b.jpg)
![new iberia side street](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5171/5477897718_ccdb69c13b_b.jpg)
The Essanee Theater dates to 1937.
![essanee theater](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5212/5477298545_84bb73c570_b.jpg)
I wouldn't recommend stepping out to the balcony.
![don't step on the balcony](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5178/5477897968_6b60296f64_b.jpg)
![new iberia side street](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5477298933_6011015fde_b.jpg)
Best I can tell, they really do race alligators.
![the great gator race](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5477898624_71a34320b2_b.jpg)
![main street view](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5477299389_da633e332b_b.jpg)
![new iberia graffiti](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5133/5477899048_4ec7318bd6_b.jpg)
![la petite mall](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5137/5477899164_56d07523f6_b.jpg)
This monument highlights the Spanish heritage of the area.
![bouligny monument](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5091/5477300001_32a0302279_b.jpg)
![tuxedo rentals](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5477300091_b283cd6449_b.jpg)
The Gouguenheim dates to 1894. This is apparently one of only a few buildings that survived a large fire that destroyed much of downtown New Iberia in 1899.
![gouguenheim](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5252/5477300219_8475c915d3_b.jpg)
I bet this is the only sushi bar in the world named “Bojangles.”
![bojangles sushi](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5174/5477899826_ef16445224_b.jpg)
![wormser's/susan's](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5219/5477900148_8f854fb936_b.jpg)
![ticket taker](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5138/5477300895_4ceffdc575_b.jpg)
![st. peters catholic church](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5477900510_561480ae46_b.jpg)
Finally, we were hoping to find some good home cookin' while we were in New Iberia, but it didn't work out. Instead, we stopped at the famous Mulate's in Breaux Bridge (a.k.a. “the Crawfish Capitol of the World”). Suffice it to say we experienced it but probably won't go back.
![mulates entrance](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5059/5477294599_80d120e0c5_b.jpg)
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