The Library of Congress > Chronicling America > The Opelousas courier.

Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more

Title:
The Opelousas courier. [volume] : (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910
Alternative Titles:
  • Courrier des Opelousas
Place of publication:
Opelousas, La.
Geographic coverage:
  • Opelousas, Saint Landry, Louisiana  |  View more titles from this: City County, State
Publisher:
Joel H. Sandoz & Andrew Meynier
Dates of publication:
1852-1910
Description:
  • Ceased in 1910?
  • Vol. 1, no. 1 (Dec. 11, 1852)-
Frequency:
Weekly <July 25, 1863>-<Feb. 5, 1910>
Language:
  • English
  • French
Subjects:
  • Louisiana--Opelousas.--fast--(OCoLC)fst01208500
  • Opelousas (La.)--Newspapers.
Notes:
  • <Apr. 22-30>, 1863 issues edited by occupying Union forces.
  • Archived issues are available in digital format as part of the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
  • Editors: T.G. Compton, <1867>; D.J. Jones, <1873>; L.A. Sandoz, <1896>.
  • In English and French, 1852-<Aug. 29, 1903>.
  • Published with an additional masthead in French: Le Courrier des Opelousas, 1852-June 23, 1883.
  • Publishers: Joel Sandoz & Andrew Meynier, 1852-1857; Joel Sandoz, 1858-1861; Joel H. Sandoz & William H. Spencer, 1862-1863; William Curran, 1863; Leonce & L.A. Sandoz, 1863-1867; Joel H. Sandoz, 1867-1870; Leonce Sandoz, 1871-1877; Leonce & L.A. Sandoz, 1878-1890; Leonce Sandoz, 1891-1894; Leonce & L.A. Sandoz, 1895; L.A. Sandoz, 1896; Leonce Sandoz, 1897-1907; Courier Pub. Co., 1908-1910.
  • Some issues printed on wallpaper, 1862-1864.
  • Suspended in May 1863? Resumed with July 25, 1863 issue. Suspended with Mar. 12, 1864 issue? Resumed with May 14, 1864 issue. Suspended with Apr. 23, 1870 issue; resumed with Aug. 6, 1870.
LCCN:
sn 83026389
OCLC:
9964845
ISSN:
2332-5364
Related Links:
Holdings:
View complete holdings information
View
First Issue Last Issue

The Opelousas courier. [volume] December 11, 1852 , Image 1

Browse:

Calendar View

All front pages

First Issue  |  Last Issue

The Opelousas Courier

Founded in 1852, the Opelousas Courier/Le Courrier des Opelousas was published in a small but historically significant town on the so-called “Cajun Prairie” of south-central Louisiana. Established in 1720 as a French trading post, Opelousas developed into a regional cattle and farming center. In 1862, during the Civil War, it served briefly as Louisiana’s capital after the state legislature abandoned Baton Rouge. In April 1863, occupying Union forces took over the Courier and edited it for a week. A shortage of newsprint resulted in it suspending publication for short periods during the war; some issues were printed on wallpaper. The 1870s and 1880s in Opelousas were marked by reactionary racial politics and a stagnating economy (according to one editorial in the St. Landry Clarion in 1908, “For a number of years Opelousas was known to the surrounding new towns, that rose like mushrooms on every side, as the 'peaceful slumber’"). However, largely owing to railroads, the town’s population slowly grew and by 1910 had reached 4,000.

Throughout its existence, the Courier was associated with the Sandoz family. Joel Henri Sandoz (ca. 1817-1878), a native of Switzerland and formerly coeditor of the Opelousas Gazette, founded the paper with André (or Andrew) Meynier, the town mayor, and edited it for many years. He was succeeded by his son Leonce Sandoz (1844-1909). Although originally neutral in politics, in the presidential election of 1860 the Courier endorsed secessionist Democratic candidate John C. Breckinridge. After the war, it remained Democratic. Local reporting focused on politics, railroads, immigration, education, and agriculture. By the 1870s, the paper had become a typical “home journal,” carrying fiction, essays, a farm and garden column, and domestic advice. Articles of a literary nature were dropped around 1908 in favor of more local reporting. French-language content, which originally took up two of the paper’s four pages, had also disappeared by the early 1900s.

Publication appears to have ceased in February 1910, a few months after the death of Leonce Sandoz.

Provided by: Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA