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Young Miss Brenda |
I am Brenda Burgoyne Blanchard, the oldest granddaughter of Marietta Gelpi Loupe,
who was born in 1894 at Oak Alley Plantation. She arrived here in Turnerville when she
was sixteen years old, entered this two-room house and lived here all her life
until she died in 1983. Seven years ago we decided we should have this as a tourist
attraction and show my grandmother's house to the whole world.
Well, when you enter Marietta's house, you go back in time; it's just like she's still
here today. You can envision here in her apron, coming from the kitchen with a demitasse of
coffee, and entertaining her guests in the front room, for she lived in a Creole shotgun cottage.
Marietta spent all of her years in this house, with many trials and tribulations, yet
she managed to take care of a large family: feed them, clothe them, educate them, take care of them when
they were ill.
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Bayou Plaquemine |
And she had a tenacity and a strength of courage that she passed onto me, which has
become the legacy that I have today.
And it's instilled me with pride and values which no amount of money can buy.
Even though we come from very humble background, and we were considered the ordinary working class,
she provided just an amazing place for me to grow up.
And because of that I have a sense of belonging, because I belong in Turnerville.
This is where I was born, this is where I grew up, and this is where I have returned
at middle age.
And I now myself have a granddaughter and I have tried to pass this legacy onto her.
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