Roberts Cove, Louisiana

Geobox Settlement
name = Roberts Cove
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category = Unincorporated community


image_size =
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flag_size =
symbol =
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country = United States
state = Louisiana
region = Acadia
region_type = Parish
area_imperial = 3.5
area_land_imperial = 3.5
area_water_imperial = 0.0
area_water_percentage = auto
area_percentage_round = 2
area_round = 1
location =
lat_d = 30
lat_m = 14
lat_s = 15
lat_NS = N
long_d = 92
long_m = 16
long_s = 05
long_EW = W
elevation_imperial = 36
elevation_round = 1
population_as_of = 2000
population =
population_density_imperial =
population_density_round = 1
established_type =
established =
mayor =
timezone = CST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
postal_code =
postal_code_type =
area_code = 337
area_code_type =
code2_type =
code2 =
free_type =
free =
free1_type =
free1 =


map_size =
map_caption = Location of Roberts Cove in Louisiana
map_locator = Louisiana
map1 = Map of USA LA.svg
map1_caption = Location of Louisiana in the United States
website =

Roberts Cove ( _fr. Anse-Robert) is an unincorporated community in Louisiana.

Roberts Cove is not a town, but rather a scattered rural community with the St. Leo's Catholic church complex as a community and cultural center which is located three miles northwest of Rayne in Acadia Parish. [ [http://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/stnick_robscove.html www.louisianafolklife.org "A Kinder, Gentler St. Nicholas: Transformation and Meaning in a "Louisiana German" Tradition"] ] It is part of the Crowley Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

In 1867, Rev. Peter Leonard Thevis, a native priest of Langbroich, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, was asked to come to New Orleans by Archbishop Jean-Marie Odin, maily because of the large number of German immigrants there.

It was on January 13, 1880 that Fr. Thevis, accompanied by his brother Peter Joseph Thevis, his nephew, John Gerhard Thevis and Herman Grein, came on this railway to Rayne, and to the prairie land three miles north of Rayne to look over the area. The site selected for the future colony was known as "Roberts Cove" named for Benjamin Roberts, the original owner of a Spanish land grant.

Thereafter, thirteen families joined them in 1881. These German Catholics were fleeing the Gangelt, Geilenkirchen district of Germany to avoid religious persecution and military impressments. Fr. Hennemann, OSB, of the Benedictine order, purchased land that included a house which served as both rectory and chapel and another building which served as a school house in the spring of 1883. The Benedictines helped to established the parish of St. Leo IV in 1885. [ [http://www.robertscovegermanfest.com/history.htm www.robertscovegermanfest.com "History of Roberts Cove"] ]

Roberts Cove was staunchly German until the World War One era when harsh anti-German wartime legislation initiated a decline of the German language and other cultural elements. Consequently, there are few remaining German speakers and relatively few overt manifestations of German culture yet the community is still viewed as a German ethnic enclave. [ [http://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/stnick_robscove.html www.louisianafolklife.org "A Kinder, Gentler St. Nicholas: Transformation and Meaning in a "Louisiana German" Tradition"] ]

Culture

Roberts Cove is known for its annual GermanFest in October. The event is held the first weekend in October at St. Leo's Catholic Church. [ [http://www.lsue.edu/acadgate/rayne.htm www.lsue.edu "Rayne"] ] Visitors are treated to local German food, heritage and genealogy. German singing and German Folk dancing performed by descendants from 8 to 80 years old are special attractions. [ [http://www.robertscovegermanfest.com/ www.robertscovegermanfest.com "Roberts Cove Germanfest Association"] ] The Roberts Cove German Heritage Museum is open for visitors. [ [http://www.hoffpauirhouse.com/events_&_links.htm www.hoffpauirhouse.com "Area Points of Interest"] ]

ee also

* German American

References