Avery Island | New Iberia | Jeanerette | Delcambre | Loreauville | Lydia

Hypolite Patout Jr., descendant of the early day pioneers for whom the village of Patoutville was named, was a sugar planter and factory owner. On September 19, 1896, he purchased a 7200 acre tract of land primarily for increasing his sugar cane acreage, and also for raising cattle and for lumber. He named his plantation for an eldest daughter, Lydia who died a few years after his purchase of the land. The community that evolved around the plantation adopted the name Lydia, and is the gateway to Cypremort Point.

In 1897, a railroad was constructed which served the people in the community as well as the plantations between Franklin and Abbeville. As early as the 1800's logging activities began in the area. In 1898, the first Methodist Church was the first house of prayer in the community and Brother Martin Hebert was the first minister. Then in 1924, a Catholic mission chapel was built. Father G. De La Congais was the first priest to celebrate the mass. In 1898, came the first post office that served the people of Lydia and Patoutville. The post office was housed in the general mercantile store owned by Mr. Jules Olivier, which still stands today and now called the Olivier Plantation Store, owned
by Gregory De Keyzer, great grandson of Mr. Olivier.