Bermuda Plantation Papers

The bulk of this collection contains the papers of Peter Emanuel Prudhomme and documents his retail activities on Bermuda Plantation at Bermuda, Louisiana. 

Of particular interest in the correspondence is discussion on of the building of bridges and roads.  One letter from 1912 documents the first payment received toward the building of the Bermuda Bridge.  In addition, there is correspondence from members of the area School Board and Police Jury.  A petition to build a school at Old River, Louisiana is included in an 1896 letter.  The bulk of the correspondence is from the late 1890s and early 1910s.

There are only three photographs in the series, with only one being identified and dated.  The other two are unidentified group shots.

The bulk of the invoices date from the late 1890's and document purchases made by Prudhomme from New Orleans retailers.  Of importance, are a few documents describing the mode of transportation used to ship the goods.

Included in the manuscripts are enlarged copies of the Prudhomme Papers from the University of North Carolina, Chappell Hill microfilm collection.  These documents include papers related to the Prudhomme and Lecomte families.  Also included are drawings for the construction of The Lecomte Building in Natchitoches.

Publications include brochures, booklets and catalogs relating to Prudhomme's activities of road building and his retail store.  Of interest, are several retail catalogs advertising road equipment and machinery of the early twentieth century.  Also included are several New Orleans Cotton Exchange Reports and New Orleans retail price lists of general merchandise.  These items date from the late 1890s.

Journals include two poetry books from the late 1890s written by Prudhomme family women.  Also present are several personal journals from various family members.  Of particular interest are recorded minutes and a member list of the 1891 Bermuda Tennis Club.

The promissory notes consist of notes written on scrap paper requesting items from the Prudhomme store and promising future payment for the these items.

The last group, Empty Envelopes and Fragments, is a sampling of some of the empty envelopes found in the collection, most of which are addressed to Prudhomme.  Also, in this box are some fragments of letters and receipts.

Inventory

Correspondence (1888-1974, n.d.)

Box 1

Folder 1 1888-1892

Folder 2 1895-1896

Folder 3 1909-1911

Folder 4 1911

Folder 5 1911-1974, n.d.

Photographs (1911, n.d.)

Folder 6 1911, n.d.

Invoices (bulk, late 1890s)

Box 2

Folders 7-12

Box 3

Folders 13-18

Manuscripts (1833-1873, n.d.)

Box 4

Prudhomme Papers (copies)

Publications (1871-1987, n.d.)

Boxes 4-8

Journals (1887-1905)

Box 9


Promissory Notes (bulk, late 1890s)

Box 10

Empty Envelopes and Fragments (bulk, late 1890s)

Box 11