Academy of the Sacred Heart

This Catholic girls' school was established in 1821 and known for its beautiful formal gardens and oak alley. The academy has remained in continuous operation through fire, epidemics, and the Civil War. In 1863, General Banks commanded Federal troops pouring into the Teche country, and he made his headquarters at Grand Coteau for a brief time. His daughter attended a Sacred Heart school in New York, and the superior of the convent there requested that the general look after the nuns at Grand Coteau. The general protected the students and the nuns and even provided food and supplies to the convent, allowing the school to remain open during the war.