History: City Cafe; Iberville, Louisiana
Submitter: Joan Angelo Newman
Date: Feb. 2000
Source:




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The Parks was located where the Intracoastal Waterway (once Bayou Plaquemine where
my kinpeople hale from) joins Grand River along Hwy. 75.  The origin of the
name dates back to 1821, Notarial Acts, Book G. Year 1821 (Iberville Parish
Courthouse) contains the following entry for july 7th (275,491):

"Contract of Lease and Rent between John Questie and Aaron Rulong.  A house
on the Park junction of the Bayou Plaquemine with the Grand River with about
6 arpents superficial of Land, with the privilege of cutting firewood for
house and kitchen.  Said J. Questie binds himself to have built a Baking Oven,
and in order to make the same an establishment of a public entertainment to
be paid as per arbitrary estimation, during one year to begin the last day of
August next; for the sum of $400 at the expiration of every three months $100."

Antoine DeVillier sold to Giovanni Questi on September 21, 1821, for $100 his
interest as heir of his father, Jacques DeVillier, a tract of land adjacent
to the Bank of Plaquemine at the mouth of Grand River on the left bank of
of Bayou Plaquemine (Iberville Parish Courthouse, Conv. Bk. G-513).

My grandfather hauled logs here during the great logging days and it was a 
hive of activity.  There was also a large loading dock and pens for cattle.

The establishment known as "Jack Miller's Landing" is near the spot where
Giovanni Questi's "Park" was.  The original store was built in 1908 by J.L.
Ferguson and was later purchased by Jack Miller.  The building is not the
original one.