Scott, Louisiana

Where the West Begins

 

The Prairie Land that became the City of Scott began as a settlement in 1837.  Aurelien Breaux and his son Louis A. Breaux applied and received land grants from the U.S. Government in 1837 and 1853 totaling approximately 800 acres. The western boundary of the Breaux’s land was known as the “Great Prairie”.  When Scott was incorporated in 1907 the entire village lay within the boundaries of the original Breaux lands.

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Alcide Judice and Dominic Cayret began to learn about the new method of travel in Europe.  They began their search for land where the railroad would be.  The perfect location was chosen, and undeveloped land was swapped with G.W. Scranton situated east of the Breaux property.

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On May 10,1879 the Louisiana Western Railroad purchased a right of way through Dominic Cayret’s newly acquired land for $1.00. In 1880 the LWRR established a full-service railroad station with a section house for workers, a home for the station master, and a depot.  The Scott Depot was the name chosen by the residents after the construction superintendent, J.B. Scott.  The Scott Depot offered full passenger and freight service and would be the first stop for westbound traffic, thereafter charging “western” rates. Thus, the logo “Where the West Begins” was founded.

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Meanwhile, the son-in-law of Cayret, Alcide Judice, opened a mercantile establishment providing a large variety of goods for residents.  Warehouses were built for storage of large quantities of goods to be shipped from Scott to New Orleans and Houston.  The store had the local post office and in 1883 Mr. Judice was the postmaster.

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Cotton was the largest cash crop in the area and by the mid 1890’s Scott Station had 5 cotton gins.  Rice, sweet potatoes, eggs, and meat were commodities shipped from Scott to the larger cities both east and west.

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In 1889 the opening of the Hotel St. Paul, built by Jules Guidry, brought a sense of community to the village, as well as a stopping point for travelers traveling east or west.  Located across the tracks from the depot travelers would spend the night. The second story was used as a dance hall, reception venue, gathering place for celebrations, concerts, plays and political meetings.  The cupola served as a look-out tower for enemy warplanes.  Several community residents volunteered to stand in the cupola and watch over the area.

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Education was very important to the citizens of Scott Station.  In 1889 a civic activity was to build a one room schoolhouse ½ mile northwest of the depot on land donated by Alexander Delhomme.  This school was open to black students.  In 1895 Louis G. Breaux gave land for a public school on Old Spanish Trail near Cayret Street.  It remained a school until 1905 when Mr. Alcide Judice donated land for a larger school, now L. Leo Judice Elementary.  Mr. Judice was known as the Father of Education in the entire area. By 1929 a 10-acre tract of land was donated by Emelia Breaux, the daughter of Louis G. Breaux, and a larger school was built with a high school known as Scott High School.  This is the site of the current Scott Middle School. 

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By 1904 Scott was incorporated and granted a charter becoming a village, providing for a government led by a Mayor and Board of Alderman.  The first mayor was Dr. L.A. Prejean.

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In 1910 the Bank of Scott was established.  The building was located at the corner of St. Mary Street and Delhomme Avenue.  It also served as the meeting room for the Mayor & Alderman.  In later years the building became the Scott Post Office. 

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Scott continued to prosper and in 1957 the first City Hall along with a Fire Station was constructed on Delhomme Avenue.

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The population of Scott grew and became a town in 1960.  A second city hall was built in 1978. It is currently being used as administrative offices for public works.  In 1990 Scott was officially designated as a City. The current City Hall was built in 1995 under the leadership of Hazel D. Myers, the first woman mayor in Lafayette parish.

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In 2011 a state-of-the-art Emergency Services Facility was erected on the grounds of Scott City Hall.  The new building is the home of the Scott Police Department and the Scott Fire Department.

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Due to the growing popularity and sales of boudin, a cultural delicacy, the City of Scott seized an opportunity.  In 2012, under the leadership of Mayor Purvis Morrison, the City of Scott was designated as the “Boudin Capital of the World”.  With this designation came the birth of the Scott Boudin Festival. In 2013 the City hosted its inaugural Boudin Festival which continues to bring thousands of tourists to Scott.

Scott’s location is favorable for commercial growth with its proximity to Interstate 10 and Highway 90.

 

 Currently, in 2023 Scott is experiencing exponential growth in residential development and retail

expansion.  Scott remains a growing City keeping a small-town atmosphere showcasing big city ideas.