Latest news with #Minden

Yahoo

22-07-2025

Business
Yahoo

I've built an empire buying abandoned homes in a city blighted by crime and turning them into Instagram dreams

A Louisiana woman is breathing new life into the heart of a small Southern community that has been blighted by crime by buying up abandoned properties and renovating them. Sara McDaniel, a 47-year-old former teacher turned real estate investor and content creator, returned to her roots in 2016, eager to start a new chapter following a devastating divorce. Guided by her deep faith and fueling passion for something greater, she left Texas behind and found a new beginning in Minden, a tight-knit community of nearly 12,000 residents that has a rate of crime that is much higher than that of the average US city. The crime rate in Minden is 50.84 per 1,000 residents in the typical year, according to Crime Grade. The chance of being a victim of crime in Minden varies by neighborhood – ranging from 1 in 13 in the south neighborhoods to 1 in 28 in the north. McDaniel now owns what she describes as a total of '27 doors' - including 11 short-term rentals with the rest consisting of either long-term rentals, buys and holds or vacant land investments. But she says her investments have done more than just fulfill a personal vision - they've sparked the transformation of a neighborhood - with many of the properties being on the same street - that was once plagued by crime and drugs. Her most successful project to date earned her $220,000 last year, after she bought the property for just $50,000, but McDaniel says her mission has always been about more than profit or recognition. 'It's just a whole street centered around a theme of redemption - redemption of both properties and lives,' she told 'For me, it's about leaving a legacy long after I'm gone.' 'It's a metaphor, taking these blighted and historic properties on this street. You know, it's a metaphor for the things that can happen in our lives,' she added. Originally from Springhill, Louisiana, McDaniel spent her early career in education, working as a third and fourth grade teacher, an assistant principal and an educational sales representative. However when she found herself in the midst of a gut-wrenching divorce in 2009, she discovered the Financial Independence Early Retirement movement (FIRE) - a strategy focused on aggressively saving, often up to 50 percent of one's income, to build long-term financial freedom. She decided to commit to the FIRE movement, prompting her to leave her teaching job and, as she put it, 'put all my eggs in real estate '. 'I also did it to prove to myself that I could,' she said, detailing the sacrifice of living on slashed income. 'It almost became like a game. Like, can I do this and could I take a pay cut and live comfortably?' When she moved to Minden in 2016 she had already dipped her toes in real estate with four properties under her belt. She felt an immediate connection to the town upon arrival, seeing its potential for transformation and decided to pursue her lifelong dream of restoring an old home. After nearly a year of searching, she stumbled upon a broken-down cottage located just on the edge of the Historic Residential District. 'I knew that this house was supposed to be mine,' she said, despite the vacant-look to the property, covered head to toe in Red Tip Photinia's, oak trees, azaleas, daffodils and other southern vegetation. She launched her website, documenting each wall torn down and every fixture lovingly restored. The finished product, 'Sara's Cottage', was what 'set the course' for the work she would take on in the years that followed. After Sara's Cottage, McDaniel purchased a second cottage just a few blocks away, planning to flip it. It was during this project that she gave herself the freedom to experiment, resulting in an explosion of vibrant colors and designs. The property became known as Cottage on Fort, and is now a sought-after Airbnb rental. When another property then became available - an aging set of Spanish-style apartments well past their prime - McDaniel seized the opportunity, marking the start of her journey to restore them. After that, she bought a three-story, 6,000-square-foot Queen Anne-style property called the Fuller-White House. Built in 1905, it now serves as a community gathering venue. The property's upstairs space - the Fuller House Upper Room - was then transformed into a stylish, loft-style apartment. More recently, just across the street from the stunning Fuller-White House, McDaniel purchased another home, which is set to become her first nonprofit venture in honor of her late father. McDaniel's biggest project to date is the renovation at 'The Villas at Spanish Court', which she purchased in 2021 and officially opened as a stunning, short-term rental business in 2023. The property in question was a block of eight villa-style apartments that had sat abandoned for the last 40 years. Inside, the property's condition was nothing short of disastrous - torn-up floors, caved-in ceilings and even bullet holes through the windows - but McDaniel still saw its potential. Those who learned of McDaniel's interest cautioned her against the purchase, suggesting that the only solution to save it would be to bulldoze the entire structure. Despite the warnings, McDaniel fell in love with the property and, in 2021, purchased The Villas at Spanish Court apartments for $51,306 - funded entirely by the savings she had diligently built throughout her journey. 'I just have this uncanny ability when I look at something that is blighted and nobody else wants to touch, like bullet holes in windows,' she said. 'I can just see what the after looks like in my head.' 'Honestly, I just wanted to bring it back, because everybody said it couldn't be done right. Everybody said I needed to bulldoze and start over,' McDaniel explained. Her ultimate goal for the property was to preserve as many of the original details as possible during the renovation. However, McDaniel realized she made a rookie mistake after closing the deal - she forgot to secure an environmental hazard assessment on the structure. The assessment tests for the presence of both asbestos and lead paint - hazards McDaniel soon discovered were prevalent throughout the property. 'I just got caught up in the moment and the excitement,' McDaniel explained. 'Definitely the biggest oh no moment of the project.' 'I mean real talk, I was on medication for awhile because I had so much anxiety about it, especially being $80,000 over budget thinking, is anybody going to stay after I do all of this? Is it going to be worth it?' she added. 'It was really bad, but it was real life.' Amid a time of overwhelming doubt, McDaniel received an unexpected email from a distant cousin who had lived in the property back in the 70s. In it, she referred to McDaniel as a 'kinsman redeemer', bringing the once-forgotten property back to life and, in doing so, redeeming her own story. 'When I got that email, it just washed me with a peace,' McDaniel said. 'So I just plugged forward.' She was able to secure a $46,731 loan with a 0 percent interest rate with the Brownfield Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, solving the asbestos and lead paint problem. In another attempt at getting the villas up and running, McDaniel sold her Texas home for $175,354 and contributed an additional $8,000 from her various income streams to help cover renovation costs. She also secured an interim construction loan of $202,725 from a local bank, followed by a permanent mortgage of $290,710, which she used to pay off the interim loan and complete the renovation. Finally, in February 2023, The Villas at Spanish Court officially 'reopened' for business. Each villa showcases its own unique charm, featuring vibrant colors, vintage archways and other subtle yet stunning architectural details that harken back to their 1930s origins. As an extra loving touch - and a nod to the original design - McDaniel added patio chairs, string lights and solo stoves outside each villa, inviting guests to enjoy the outdoors and connect with the community during their stay. 'No two villas are the same,' McDaniel explained. 'They're all designed differently and, for the most part, seven of them are feminine and one is masculine. But that has not deterred any business for many men.' In 2024 the villas brought in $224,133 revenue from Airbnb bookings. With McDaniel's impressive collection of properties, one might assume she's reached the end of her journey - but she isn't slowing down anytime soon. 'I actually bought a building downtown, and this will be my first commercial property outside housing, if you will,' McDaniel told To follow McDaniel's real estate journey, visit her personal blog at or find her on social media under @simplysoutherncottage across all platforms.

Author interview: America's ‘high-brow' Cold War propaganda operation

Irish Examiner

20-06-2025

Entertainment
Irish Examiner

Author interview: America's ‘high-brow' Cold War propaganda operation

In early April 2006, George C Minden died at his Manhattan home, aged 85. 'For 37 years, [Minden] ran a secret American programme that put 10m Western books and magazines in the hands of intellectuals and professionals in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union,' explained an obituary The New York Times published two weeks after Minden's death. Minden was born in Bucharest in 1921. His family owned some of Europe's largest oil reserves and on the eve of the Second World War, the Romanian teenager was on course to become the country's richest individual. By 1945 though, Romania lay in Stalin's territory. After communists seized Minden's family assets, he fled to Britain, then Spain, and eventually settled in New York, where he started working for the Free Europe Committee (FEC). Established at the start of the Cold War, the FEC was an anti-communist CIA front organisation, made up of East European political dissidents that sought to liberate their countries from communist oppression. One of the FEC's early projects was Radio Free Europe. Launched in 1950, it provided news and cultural programming across the Eastern Bloc — such as Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Poland — then politically and militarily aligned to Moscow. The FEC also fronted numerous other cultural organisations, including Free Europe Press. In the spring of 1955, it printed 260,000 copies of George Orwell's political fable, Animal Farm (1945). These were sent by balloon into East-Central Europe, but many were shot down. Many writers banned on eastern side of Iron Curtain The British novelist was banned on the eastern side of the Iron Curtain. As were many western writers like Hannah Arendt, Albert Camus, and Virginia Woolf. That strict censorship also applied to dissident writers from the East, such as the Polish poet, Czesław Miłosz, and the Russian novelist and historian, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The CIA eventually devised more inventive ways to smuggle their books in from the West. Some were sent by direct mail. Others were hidden in trains, trucks, yachts, in food tins, and in Tampax boxes. In Washington, it became known as the 'CIA book program'. Its main purpose was to build up moving libraries of illicit books into Soviet spheres of influence, where censorship and the Sovietisation of culture and history went hand in glove. Minden became the brains behind the decades-long covert operation. By the late 1950s, he had become an influential figure in the Free Europe Press Book Center, in New York, which handled the CIA's mailing project to East-Central Europe. Two decades later, Minden was president of the International Literary Center, a cosmopolitan network with offices in many countries, which controlled covert CIA literary influencing programmes across the Eastern Bloc and the Soviet Union. 'I like to think of the CIA Book Program as a network of planes, trains, and automobiles; where small quantities of literature were being sent, via a vast number of routes,' Charlie English explains from his home in Hackney, London. Earlier this year, the former journalist and editor at The Guardian published The CIA Book Club. The narrative is based on hundreds of hours of interviews that English conducted in Poland, Sweden, the US, France, Austria, and the UK, from 2020 to 2024. Today, most files linked to the CIA Book Program remain classified. But Minden's notes are not. They detail meetings the Romanian exile held with network contacts across Europe over nearly four decades. After Minden died, his family found his notes in a closet and later donated them to the Hoover institution library and archives at Stanford University, California. 'When I read those reports, I started matching the names on them with real people, who I later interviewed,' English explains. That list of interviewees includes figures like Adam Michnik, who was imprisoned for much of the 1980s for speaking out against Polish censorship. The Polish journalist, editor, writer, and intellectual was also a leading advisor to Poland's Solidarity trade union. One of the most influential workers' movements in postwar Europe, Solidarity evolved into a broader political social movement that used civil resistance to advance workers' rights. In December 1981, the Polish government, then led by general Wojciech Jaruzelski, declared martial law across the country, in a kneejerk reaction to the growing influence of the Solidarity movement. Led by the electrician and trade-union activist, Lech Wałęsa (who won Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 and later served as the president of post-communist Poland) Solidarity gained substantial support and became a symbol of resistance against communist oppression. Not just in Poland itself, but also across the Eastern Bloc. Underground newspaper in Poland Helena Łuczywo is another important character in English's book. Between 1982 and 1989, the Polish journalist and opposition leader edited Mazovia Weekly. The underground paper was launched under conditions of extreme censorship. Still, until the end of the Cold War, it remained Poland's most widely read underground paper. Most of the funds to keep Mazovia Weekly afloat came from the CIA, at least indirectly. The cash passed through a vast chain of people, before reaching the underground movement. Most intellectuals and journalists in Poland at this time had no qualms about having their palms greased with dollars from Langley and Washington. English claims they were caught 'in a Manichaean battle between two superpowers where they had to pick a side'. From the outset, the intended target of the CIA Book Program was the Soviet Union. But it was easier to get books, radio scanners, and even TV satellites, into Poland, the most populus country in East-Central Europe. The KGB (the main security agency of the Soviet Union) was much more ruthless and efficient than the Polish secret police, the SB. Arduous path to intellectual freedom and democracy English believes that Poland's arduous path to intellectual freedom, and to democracy, are closely linked. Michnik was at the heart of that struggle. In May 1989, along with Helena Łuczywo, Michnik co-founded Poland's first independent daily newspaper, Election Gazette. That November, the Berlin Wall fell. This pivotal historical moment marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War. But a political tsunami was already happening in Poland. A major turning point came on June 5, 1989, when the opposition movement achieved a huge victory in Poland, in what turned out to be the most significant election there since before the Second World War. CIA funding played more than a small role in that result. In August 1989, Tadeusz Mazowiecki was elected prime minister of Poland. The Polish journalist and Solidarity official became the first non-communist leader to be elected head of state in the Eastern Bloc since the late 1940s. Poland's transition from a one-party communist state to a Western European democracy took many years. The country joined Nato in 1999 and became an EU member state in 2004. Those decades of underground literary activity during the Cold War gave the new Polish leaders a head start. 'Unlike other states emerging from Soviet rule, Poland had a ready-made administrative elite class that understood the changes that would be required to emerge from the ruins of communism,' says English. But is English going a little too easy on the CIA? In 2018's Covert Regime Change: America's Secret Cold War the American political scientist Lindsey O'Rourke, noted that between 1947 and 1989, US regime-change operations around the world included 64 covert cases where the CIA supported armed dissident groups, backed bloody coup d'etats, engaged in election interference, and played a central role in both successful and failed attempts to covertly assassinate foreign leaders. English claims he was careful not to give the 'the CIA a blank cheque'. 'I followed the facts of the story,' he says. 'The CIA Book Program was undoubtedly a propaganda operation, but a high-brow propaganda operation. 'I don't think many of us would criticise giving people the opportunity to read George Orwell or Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. I can only applaud that.' Read More Book review: The sordid and confused spy world of an unfaithful vassal in sixties Britain

Hunter RMV's Isuzu Predator XLE 4x4 Is the Ultimate, $500,000 Mobile Base Camp

Motor Trend

16-06-2025

Automotive
Motor Trend

Hunter RMV's Isuzu Predator XLE 4x4 Is the Ultimate, $500,000 Mobile Base Camp

There are a number of reasons you might want an overlanding rig. You might want to head into the wilderness for long stints without stopping in town for supplies. Or you might be fed up with life in the suburbs, and you want to live on the open road or off it—permanently. In either of those cases, if you're being totally honest, it's also because overlanding rigs look really cool. The Hunter RMV Isuzu Predator XLE 4x4 is a $500,000 overlanding rig, built on an Isuzu FTR MT3 truck that has been converted to 4WD. It features a 22-foot living space with luxury amenities, powered by a 6.7-liter engine. It's ideal for remote travel or living, if you have the means. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next Regardless of what you want or need in an off-road expeditionary truck, there's a good chance Hunter RMV can build it. Based just outside of Reno, Nevada, in the small town of Minden, Hunter RMV is a low-volume manufacturer that specializes in custom overlanding rigs. After hearing about the brand's latest line of bugout-ready overlanding vehicles, we paid Hunter RMV a visit to drive its Predator XLE 4x4. Outfitting an RMV Predator XLE 4x4 Based on an Isuzu FTR MT3 medium-duty cab-forward commercial truck, the Hunter RMV Isuzu Predator XLE 4x4 is powered by a 6.7-liter Cummins straight-six turbodiesel developing 260 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque. The Isuzu FTR MT3 isn't offered with 4WD in the United States, so Hunter RMV takes the donor trucks to Tulsa Truck Works in Oklahoma to do the conversion from RWD. With the addition of a 17,000-pound Meritor MX17-140 front drive axle, a two-speed transfer case, and an Allison 2550 RDS six-speed automatic transmission, the Predator XLE is equipped to tackle the most adverse terrain imaginable. As for its living space, Hunter RMV outfits the rig with a 22-foot composite habitat. Built using 2.25-inch-thick panels, the box mounts to the Isuzu FTR's frame via a four-point articulating subframe that allows it to move independently while traveling off-road. Hunter RMV also slings several steel storage boxes underneath the Predator XLE. The model featured in this review is equipped with a Traeger and a Blackstone grill, both of which are concealed within two of the containers beneath the cabin and mounted on sliding rails so you can pull them out when it's time to cook dinner. Yet another module hides the stairs used to climb up into the Isuzu's box. A remote control is used to extend another steel pod from the side of the Predator. Once fully deployed, you flip down a side door and extend the stairs, which run parallel to the Isuzu's length. Hunter RMV reps told us that it's safer to have the stairs close to the box of the vehicle so you can brace against it when ascending or descending, which is especially handy if you've been enjoying a few adult beverages around the bonfire. Enjoying the Amenities Speaking of open flames and adult beverages, we joined the Hunter RMV crew for a night of camping, which included a steak dinner prepared using the built-in grills. When it got cold, we huddled under a pull-out awning to catch some of the heat from a portable propane campfire. Any electricity we use is supplied by the Predator XLE's onboard 800-ah battery pack, which is rechargeable thanks to a 1,000-watt solar panel array mounted to the roof of the cabin. Once we wrapped up our stargazing, we clambered inside the cabin to get some sleep. Inside, a queen-size bed suspended over the dining area drops down from the ceiling via a motorized system. Roof-mounted fans provide ventilation, though Hunter also equips the Predator XLE with a Truma diesel heat and hot water system and a Dometic air-conditioning unit to control the temperature. The cabin stayed at a perfect temperature all night. Moving screens offer privacy, though we left the shades up so we could wake up to the morning light. The surprisingly roomy bathroom felt larger than what you'd find in a Boeing 737 Max 8, with a full-size sink, Nature's Head composting toilet, and a separate compartment for the shower. Oh, and plenty of hot water drawn from its 110-gallon freshwater tank. As for the living area, it featured a dual induction cooktop, microwave, kitchen sink, refrigerator, and freezers, in addition to a small smart TV, speakers, and a panel of displays that showed a security feed of the surroundings. Hunter RMV took this particular build well beyond the basics, using impressive materials and attractive ambient lighting accents. After a good night's sleep, we felt well-rested for a day on the trail. Driving the Isuzu Predator XLE 4X4 is undoubtedly an unfamiliar experience for most drivers who don't have a commercial driver's license. Because it's registered as an RV, you don't technically need a CDL to operate one, but this is a commercial truck at its core. Take it from us—it's best to ease your way into operating this monster machine. Climbing up into the cab requires a decent bit of athleticism. There are two footsteps plus grab handles to hoist your body up to the height of the seat. Once you're belted in, operating the Isuzu is comparable in many ways to that of a large civilian truck. Turn on the ignition, and the Cummins diesel sputters to life. To get going, you release the vehicle's air parking brake and put the shifter into gear. All Hunter RMV vehicles are equipped with automatic transmissions, so manual shifting isn't something you have to take into consideration. Wheeling out of the camp, we reversed onto the trail with the help of a backup camera mounted over the center stack. The camera's small display, supplemented by large mirrors providing multiple angles of the truck's flanks, offers surprisingly good visibility. The steering rack's slow ratio allows for small, precise adjustments while crawling. The Hunter RMV rig's height and size took some getting used to. Every side-to-side pitch feels wildly magnified. The tallest thing I had driven before this was a portal-axle-equipped Mercedes-Benz G550 4x4(2), and this Isuzu-based behemoth felt titanic by comparison. Thankfully, the diesel engine doesn't strain in any real way as it motivates the Predator XLE 4X4 up to speed. The powertrain exhibits an easygoing nature in general, and it has more than enough power to crawl over rough terrain with ease. As we slowly got our head around the sheer size of the thing, we felt more comfortable rolling along at a faster clip. These vehicles aren't built for speed, but we navigated the smoother parts of the trail at a decent pace. We recommend airing down the tires, however, before heading off into more challenging terrain. Initially, we had planned on doing a mix of road and trail driving and kept the tires fully inflated as a result. Bad call. The 19,850-pound truck pogoed hard over the rougher stuff, causing the rumble seat's locked-out seat belt to squeeze me half to death. Take it from experience—it's best to let some air out of the tires, as we did when we subsequently reviewed the Hunter RMV Acela. In the interest of exercising caution in a truck worth well over a half million dollars as equipped, we ran a spotter ahead of us to scope out any hyper-aggressive undulations or potentially damaging obstacles. And although we were driving in the desert, we had to be mindful of the few trees that stretched over the trail; it would be easy to scratch up the Predator XLE's box if we weren't careful. One such steep and uneven obstacle required some precise wheeling. To avoid a tree off to the right side of the trail, we had to step the left tires up high on a small hill. Although it maintained its footing, the sensation of the cabin swaying to the right was unnerving to say the least. Damage avoided, we eased down the small hill and finished the rest of our route without incident. The only other points of difficulty we experienced were tight hairpins, around which we had to be mindful of not clipping fences or taller bushes as we rounded the sharp bends. On pavement, the Predator XLE 4X4 literally towers over regular traffic, making heavy-duty pickups look miniscule by comparison. It rolls with purpose, and the on-road ride is well-suited for long-distance stints that are extended by its 100-gallon fuel tank, though Hunter RMV recommends you stay below 70 mph to meet what the tire ratings recommend. The Cummins diesel has enough grunt to pull the overlander up to speed with the flow of traffic, and its brakes stop confidently and bring the truck down from speed as smoothly as you apply pressure on the pedal. We spent most of our time driving on surface streets between 35 to 45 mph, and although you need to mind your pace when approaching corners given this is essentially a rolling house on stilts, the Predator XLE behaves predictably enough through a turn. The cabin itself isn't fancy, but it's equipped with basic creature comforts including air conditioning, heating, and Bluetooth connectivity. How Much? Does the Hunter RMV Isuzu Predator XLE 4x4 sound like the solution to your overlanding needs? If so, bring your wallet, and every other wallet stuffed full of cash you can find. Pricing for Hunter RMV's trucks can vary drastically by build, but the Predator XLE 4x4 starts around $500,000. The example we've tested, meanwhile, stickers for $599,000. If you throw in all the extras, you're potentially talking in the high-$600,000 range. Hunter RMV has taken reservations for its expedition trucks through 2026, and seeing that each build takes anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 hours to be completed, long wait time shouldn't be a surprise. But if you have the cash and the patience, then a Predator XLE 4x4 could be your new home away from home, or just your home. Speaking of, for those seeking to ditch their permanent residence entirely, Hunter RMV's mobile command center seems like an awfully compelling bargain.

Experience true "Southern hospitality" at one of Louisiana's 11 most hospitable towns

Yahoo

07-06-2025

Yahoo

Experience true "Southern hospitality" at one of Louisiana's 11 most hospitable towns

The South is well-known for its charm and good manners, hence the term "Southern hospitality." When visiting the South, guests are sure to be welcomed with open arms. Whether visitors stay in a big city or small town, guests will be able to easily find hospitable service. Like other states in the South, Louisiana fosters a sense of community and is full of "Southern charm." In order to help tourists and residents alike find these Louisiana communities with the utmost hospitality, WorldAtlas contrived a list of the 11 most hospitable towns in Louisiana. Minden, Louisiana was founded in the 1830s by a group of Utopian settlers from Germany. The town's well-preserved history can be explored in depth at the Germantown Colony Museum and the Dorcheat Historical Museum. Visitors can find welcoming accommodations at The Villas at Spanish Court or at Huffman House Bed and Breakfast. Leesville, once known to be a lawless land where outlaws clashed, now is a popular destination for its natural beauty. Plenty of outdoor adventures are to be had at South Toledo Bend State Park and Sabine National Forest. Leesville is home to the largest military base in the state, Fort Polk, and the surrounding area is a hub for shopping and dining. Breaux Bridge, also known as the "Crawfish Capital of the World," is a charming small town in South Louisiana. Breaux Bridge hosts an annual Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival in may, where visitors enjoy crawfish, Cajun music, crafts and a carnival. In this town, there is a landmark bridge with a crawfish painted on the top that leads to downtown. Historically, Abita Springs was home to a Choctaw Native American community who named the region's springs "fountain" because of their medicinal properties. In the 1800s, Abita Springs began attracting visitors as a health and recreational destination. Now, the town appeals to those seeking fresh water, natural beauty, culture and the 'quiet life.' Bastrop was once a settlement that began, in 1796, as a modest and struggling frontier community. Now, Bastrop is a thriving community, with plenty of events and festivals occurring around the courthouse square. Nearby attractions like the Georgia Pacific Wildlife Management Area and the Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge are perfect for visitors who enjoy outdoor activities. Natchitoches is the oldest town in Louisiana, and is considered the oldest permanent settlement within the borders of the Louisiana Purchase. Natchitoches' National Historic Landmark District features French Creole townhouses, the 19th-century Kaffie-Frederick General Mercantile and the Minor Basilica. There is also the Cane River Creole National Historical Park, which includes the 18th-century Oakland Plantation. Farmerville is a rural community that's best known for Lake D'Arbonne State Park, where visitors find great opportunities for fishing, kayaking and relaxing within nature. Throughout the year, various fishing tournaments are held at Lake D'Arbonne, where anglers of all levels have the chance to compete. Additionally, during the summer, Farmerville hosts its Louisiana Watermelon Festival, where attendees can sample Louisiana crops and produce. Opelousas, also known as the "Zydeco Music Capital of the World," is the third oldest town in Louisiana. Zydeco's Louisiana Creole roots and influence can be explored at Opelousas' Zydeco Music Exhibit at Le Vieux Village Heritage Park, or visitors can see Zydeco music live on Friday nights during the Music & Market series. Historic architectures can also be found throughout Opelousas, with structures from the antebellum and Victorian periods. St. Francisville is a picturesque destination in Louisiana, with its numerous historic sites and well-preserved architecture. Antebellum structures in the Greek Revival and Southern Gothic styles can be found throughout St. Francisville. Visitors can also indulge in shopping and dining opportunities within historic downtown. St. Martinville has a rich history, as the area was founded in the 1760s by Acadian exiles who were forced out Nova Scotia, Canada by the British Empire. Additionally, after the French Revolution, the town became a safe haven for Royalist immigrants who escapes the guillotines in France, which is how St. Martinville got the nickname "Le Petit Paris," or "Little Paris." St. Martinville's expansive history can be explored at the Longfellow-Evangeline State Commemorative Area. Grand Isle is a town in Louisiana located on a narrow barrier island on the Gulf Coast that's known for its beaches, especially those within the Grand Isle State Park. This park is full of trails, campsites, a fishing pier, the Grand Isle Birding Trail and the Butterfly Dome. Additionally, the Wake Side Cable Park attracts water sports enthusiasts with its jumps and obstacles. Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@ This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: What are the most hospitable places to visit in Louisiana?

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Experience true "Southern hospitality" at one of Louisiana's 11 most hospitable towns

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