Bayou Tradition on Display: Historic boats anchor celebration at Nicholls

Abigail Gauthier
Nicholls State University

The Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building gathered with the Bayou Lafourche community on Saturday to commemorate its capital campaign to raise funding for its new boat-building school and museum.

Traditional “putt putt” boats were moored against Bayou Lafourche’s banks at 3 p.m. Saturday in front of Nicholls State University. The location for the event was selected following the agreement the Center signed with Nicholls.

Nicholls allocated a space near its bayou-side pavilion for the Center to construct a Louisiana boat-building school and museum once it obtains funding.

All photos provided by Abigail Gauthier

Before unveiling the campaign sign, Nicholls president Jay Clune welcomed the boat-building community to Nicholls’ campus.

“We are glad to have y’all home,” Clune said. “This is your home.”

Michael Williams and Nicholls President Jay Clune

Michael Williams, board member of the Center and a Nicholls sculpture professor, shared the Center’s vision for the building’s purpose.

“I think it is going to create another great point of interest in our community and draw people in from around the world,” Williams said. “When they come down to see Cajun country, they’ll come in and see the boat museum and check out the school.”

Williams said that the Center had been relocating their boat collection for quite some time. About a year ago, they realized their need and began planning the building’s development. Williams shared that the Center envisions that families will be able to build pirogues and lite skiffs together.

Vickie Gibbens Eserman, board member of the Center, said today’s event brought back fond memories of her father. Eserman said her father was a boat builder and collected antique machinery.

Among his collection, Eserman said he had a Lockwood Ash Marine Motor with two cylinders and desired to replicate the original boat design to install the motor onto. Further research revealed the motor was often used for traditional “putt putt” boats. The boats earned their name from the rhythmic sounds they make up and down the bayou, according to Eserman.

“These boats were originally used as the main transportation up and down the bayou in the early 1900s,” Eserman said. “He [Eserman’s father] built one, and we really enjoyed ‘putt putting’ around and going to different events with the boat.”

Eserman said boat-building has various aspects, with history being of significant importance. She said Cajuns used their boats for everything; their livelihood, their food and to go hunting and fishing. Even to go to church.

“It was such a vital part of their lifestyle,” Eserman said. “We are going to preserve and teach about the Cajun history.”

Jamie Hurry, a member of the boat-building group, shared the specifications on his own putt putt boat he and a friend made together with a marine engine from Plaquemine. Hurry said his friend cut and hand-planed the boards while he glued and nailed them together. Approximately 300-year-old cypress was the wood of choice for their putt putt boat, he said.

“We’ve been riding about 15 years now with no trouble,” Hurry said. “They’re not very fast, but they are an old-time ‘get around’ boat.”

Hurry and Williams both emphasized that they believe the sooner the boat-building school and museum is constructed, the better. The number of people who attended Saturday’s event displayed a tangible passion from the boat-building community. Now, the community has found a new safe harbor to call home.

Jim Parrott with friends

This story was reported and written by a student with the support of the non-profit Louisiana Collegiate News Collaborative, an LSU-led coalition of eight universities, including Nicholls State University, funded by the Henry Luce and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundations.