Opelousas, Louisiana
The following information pertains to property owners and businesses located at the corner of Landry and Market Streets in Opelousas, Louisiana. The address was 201 West Landry Street, then changed to 207, and later to 205 in the 1990s during the 911 address reassignments, after which it was officially changed to 205. Dates may be approximate.
City and Sanborn Maps of the Landry and Market Streets area:
2025 to Present: CASA of St. Landry-Evangeline, Inc.
Organization: CASA of St. Landry-Evangeline, Inc. (March 26, 2025)
March 11, 2005 – March 26, 2025: K Gens Inc
2023 to 2025
Business: Century 21 Aguillard Realty
Business owner: Raymond Aguillard
2004 to 2023
Business: Century 21 DCG Realty / Aguillard Realty
Business owner: Raymond Aguillard
1993 to 2004
Business: Century 21/DCG Realty, Inc.
Business owner: unknown
1988 to 1993: unknown
Business: Hilton’s Finance and Mortgage
Business owner: Unknown
1975 to 1988: Opelousas Loan Co, Inc.
Business: Opelousas Loan Co., Inc.
Business owner: unknown
1924 to 1973: Standard Oil Company / Esso / Exxon
1973
The gas station was closed and subsequently demolished; Esso removed the gas tanks, signs, and other equipment.
1973
Business: S & W Exxon Service
Business owner: unknown
1971
Business: Downtown Esso
Business owner: Paul Chautin – Downtown Esso.
It is unknown when Chautin purchased the business. In the latter part of 1971, Chautin was with Chautin’s Mobil Service at the intersection of Union and Jefferson Street.
1966
Business: Downtown Esso Service Station
Business owner: Warren Cain
1945
Business: Bertrand’s Esso Service Center
Business owner: A. “Black” Bertrand
1925
Business: Guynn’s Service Station
Business owner: Fred S. Guynn.
1924
The Desmarais building was demolished in January 1924. The Standard Oil Filling station was built.
End of 1923 / January 1924
Standard Oil Company purchased the property from Alice Evelyn Desmarais, Heir of Louis Desmarais, Jr.
1908 to 1923: Alice Evelyn Desmarais, heir of Louis Desmarais, Jr.
Alice Evelyn Desmarais, a minor and the only surviving child of her father, Louis Desmarais, Jr. Her mother, Alice Trainor, died about seven months after her father passed away. Alice became her parents’ sole heir.
1923 / January 1924
Property sold to Standard Oil Company
for Promise of Sale (St. Landry Parish Court House)
1923
Reassigned Lease of CV Lastrapes
Reassignment of Lease. (St. Landry Parish Court House)
1922
Business: Didee’s Restaurant
Business owner: Leased to CV Lastrapes
1916 to 1918
Business: unknown
Business owner: Leased or rented to Jonas Roos
1913 to 1915
Business: Red Top Saloon
Business owner: Leased or rented to Joseph DeVargas
1909 to 1911
Business: unknown
Business owners: Leased or rented to Remi Wallior and Fontenot
1894 to 1908: Louis Desmarais, Jr.
1899 to 1908
Business: Lassalle & Desmarais Liquor
Business owners: Louis Desmarais, Jr., and Joseph Lasalle
1894 to 1899
Business: Louis Desmarais, Jr., Grocery
Business owner: Louis Desmarais, Jr.
Unknown to 1894: Judge John E. King
Business: John E. King and Edward P. Veazie – Attorneys at Law (note: King had several partners)
Business owners: John E. King and Edward P. Veazie
John E King passed away in December 1881. His last law partner was E.P. Veazie. Since King’s office was located at the SW corner of Landry and Market Streets, it is presumed this newspaper clipping is referring to that location.
Information was not researched regarding when King purchased the property, nor whether anyone owned it between his passing and Desmarais’s purchase in 1894.
From St Landry Parish Assessor
Legal
1 LOT (30X72) BLK 35 ORIGINAL TOWN OF OPELOUSAS N LANDRY ST S MORESI E MORESI &
OPELOUSAS PROPERTIES W LASALLE (VACANT) FRONTING 30′ ON LANDRY ST
1 LOT (75X60) BLK 35 ORIGINAL TOWN OF OPELOUSAS N LANDRY ST S MORESI E MARKET ST
W DEMARIS FRONTING 75′ ON LANDRY ST 1266530
Notes
S998
ITEM 1 96133 (H-5-490) RENUNCIATION BY NATHAN COURTNEY SURBER A-695719 (T-25-48)
PELLERIN JUDG OF POSS 695731-C (T-25-58) CLARK 720865 (Y-29-8) WILSON 738666
(E-32-739) OPELOUSAS LOAN CO 769240 (Z-33-532)
ITEM 2 EXXON CORP 588198
(U-19-185) LEDOUX 588199 (U-19-198) LEGER 588200 (U-19-200) OPELOUSAS LOAN CO
769240 (Z-33-532)
Karen Lagrange Cox and Lee Gardner compiled information from Newspapers.com, the St. Landry Parish Courthouse, Sanborn maps, Opelousas city maps, and Facebook. Cox organized and compiled the research throughout the project. While every effort was made to ensure accuracy, the information may contain errors or omissions resulting from the original sources or from mistakes made during the research and compilation process.
