Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers Blog

Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers Blog

Best Food & Dining Options in Morgan City, LA

January 14, 2020 Local Interest 0 Comments

Sitting on the banks of the Atchafalaya River, Morgan City is renowned for its fresh and saltwater fishing and epic Cajun cuisine. Visitors to this charming town will find numerous options to whet their appetites, and a wide selection of dining options, where fresh shellfish and Louisiana comfort foods take center stage.

If there’s a single event that encapsulates the cuisine and culture of Morgan City, it’s the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival, which takes place every Labor Day weekend. The festival, now in its 84th year, celebrates the two industries that helped make Morgan City what it is today. The celebration takes place at 305 Everett Street, in the heart of downtown, and features five days of unbeatable food, arts and crafts, music, carnival games and more.

Rest assured, there are plenty of dining options in St. Mary Parish. Here are some of the most popular and well-loved restaurants and eateries in Morgan City.

Morgan’s Restaurant

Morgan’s Restaurant, situated on Roderick Street, is a favorite haunt when it comes to down-home Louisiana cuisine. The menu is extensive and features tasty dishes like Creole gumbo, Louisiana crab cakes, fresh oysters, fish and drunken shrimp. The restaurant is also notable for its juicy porterhouse steaks, grilled redfish and baby back ribs. Save room for dessert! The crème brulée cheesecake is amazing, as is their bourbon pecan pie and bananas foster cheesecake.

Rita Mae’s Kitchen

It doesn’t get much better than the étouffée at Rita Mae’s Kitchen, but their smoked sausage with red beans and rice is a close runner-up! Located at 711 Federal Avenue, this cozy spot is one of Morgan City’s most beloved eateries for good reason. Stop in for lunch or dinner, where you can dine on a crab po’boy with homemade onion rings for less than $13. The seafood is always cooked to perfection and the gumbo (packed with shrimp, sausage and chicken) is out of this world. We recommend their peach cobbler or buttery bread pudding for dessert.

Bayou Lagniappe

If you only get one shot at some authentic Cajun food, cross the river to Bayou Lagniappe, where the shrimp, crawdads and catfish are sublime. This family-owned restaurant is always packed with locals who know where to find the best crab cakes, royal reds and boudin balls. The atmosphere is casual and friendly, and the po’boy sandwiches can’t be beat. Fill up your belly with a lunch of shrimp stew, potato salad, peas and French bread!

Atchafalaya Café

This café is always crowded and is consistently rated among the top 5 restaurants in Morgan City. Enjoy a true taste of the Bayou, great views and friendly service. The menu is eclectic and features everything from chicken fried steak with white gravy and Cajun-fried oysters to alligator bites and giant burgers. The portions are generous, the salads are fresh, and the po’boys (filled with your choice of catfish, roast beef, or shrimp) are unbelievably delectable.

Your Personal Injury Lawyer™

If you or someone you love needs expert legal guidance after a car accident or another type of personal injury, contact us at Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers. As a Lafayette native, Bart Bernard is an award-winning attorney who considers it a privilege to serve residents throughout Morgan City, Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Acadiana.

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A Brief History of Morgan City

January 13, 2020 Local Interest 0 Comments

Morgan City’s rich history centers around the Atchafalaya, the Attakapas Indian word for “long river.” The 135-mile river made this geographic region a desirable place to live. Today, Morgan City encompasses more than 12,000 residents but retains a quaint feel rooted in family, faith, and tradition. 

The 1800s: a strategic riverside stronghold

Early surveyors appointed by U.S. Secretary of War John Calhoun called the region “Tiger Island” after spotting an unknown cat here. The attention attracted Kentucky planter and surgeon Walter Brashear who was renowned for performing the first successful hip-joint amputation. He subdivided a sugar cane plantation and started the town of Brashear, which formally incorporated in 1860.

The strategic location next to a major waterway put the town of Brashear on the map during the Civil War (1861-1865). Federal troops occupied the land for three years, plotting the destruction of the Avery Island salt mines, cutting off rebel supply roads from Texas, and annihilating the Confederate resistance in southwest Louisiana. You can still see the remains of the Union-held Fort Star– where they captured 700 enemy combatants, with a meager three casualties and 18 injuries.

After the war, steamship and railroad baron Charles Morgan dredged the Atchafalaya Bay to create a port and transformed the town of Brashear into an epicenter of trade for animal fur, cypress timber boats, and seafood. The town was renamed Morgan City in his honor. With business booming, iconic structures like Sacred Heart Catholic Church, the Norman-Schreier House, and Turn-of-the-Century House were built around this time.

The 1900s: a hotbed of industry and seafood

By 1910, Morgan City boasted several movie theaters. The filming of the first Tarzan movie, Tarzan of the Apes starring Elmo Lincoln in 1917, showcased the Atchafalaya Basin’s jungle-like landscape with mossy trees and untamed riverbanks. The 800,000 acres of the basin covers one-third of Louisiana and represents the largest overflow swamp in America. Part of the sequel, The Romance of Tarzan was filmed here that same year.

During the First World War, the city earned a government contract to build warships, supplying the area with hundreds of jobs and significant prosperity. The population reached 6,000 in 1925.

The demand for cypress plummeted along with the Stock Market crash, and the area’s oyster beds had dried up, but all was not lost. By 1937, Morgan City developed a leading reputation as the “jumbo shrimp capital of the world.” The petroleum industry again put the city in the national spotlight when Kerr-McGee produced the first offshore oil rig off the coast. These two industries led to explosions in profit and population.

The region experienced significant flooding during Hurricane Juan in 1985 and more widespread damage when Hurricane Andrew struck in 1992. Since then, the “Great Wall” flood barrier has been constructed to protect the land from intrusions by sea, and the community has played an instrumental role in preserving historic sites. Morgan City’s “Main Street Program” to create a nine-block historic district in 1997 has since expanded to include 19 blocks.

The 2000s: a quaint town for families

Today, the quaint town just south of I-10 represents a “gumbo” of French, German, Italian, Spanish, Native, and African American cultures. Catholicism is strongly rooted in the local churches here. It’s a quiet place to own a home, with a handful of family-friendly activities– from bowling and moviegoing to mini-golfing and dining out– and the schools are above-average and the crime rate is relatively low.

Hollywood had taken little interest in Morgan City since the filming of Thunder Bay in the 1950s, but a motion picture renaissance in the 2000s brought film crews for All the King’s Men, Deja-Vu, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Tourist draws include the International Petroleum Museum and the Swamp Gardens & Wildlife Zoo. Every Labor Day weekend, downtown is home to the Shrimp & Petroleum Festival, a five-day celebration, which includes a traditional “blessing of the fleet” and mass in the park, children’s activities, a street parade, 5K run/walks, concerts, a food court, drilling rig tours, balls, carnival rides, and fireworks. 

We hope you enjoyed this brief history. While it is undoubtedly a wonderful and safe place to live, accidents do sometimes happen. Feel free to call Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers. We are proud to serve more than 12,000 residents in Morgan City, Louisiana, out of nearby Lafayette– an hour northwest via Highway 90. We help residents and tourists injured in auto accidents, slip or trip and falls, dog bites, medical mishaps, and product liability cases. If you were hurt through little to no fault of your own, Click Bart First, Call Bart First™. `   

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Camping, Hunting, and Fishing in Morgan City

January 13, 2020 Local Interest 0 Comments

At last count, more than 12,400 residents called Morgan City, Louisiana home. Its prominent location on the banks of the Atchafalaya River makes it an ideal place to enjoy outdoor recreation, whether it’s camping, hunting, or fishing. When we’re not working hard on Morgan City’s personal injury cases, we like to get out into nature and experience all that St. Mary Parish has to offer. Here are a few of our favorite places to explore.

Where to Camp in Morgan City

Lake End Park Campground is the most well-known spot in Morgan City. Surrounded by towering cypress trees and live oaks on Lake Palourde, you can enjoy pier fishing, boating, swimming, picnicking, a bark park for dogs, wildlife viewing, and hiking along a one-mile paved path. Ducks and black squirrels inhabit the park, but so do the mosquitoes, so be sure to bring your bug spray and a fogger. (After all, this is Louisiana!)

Accommodations include tent sites starting at $24, RV sites starting at $50, and cabins starting at $150. The six cabins have two bedrooms to sleep up to six and are located on the waterfront. Picnic shelters, laundry, a bathhouse, and playgrounds help make your stay more pleasant. Pets are welcome here.

Though it can get messy during periods of heavy rainfall, past guests say, “it has beautiful scenery,” “the staff is friendly,” and “the lake is a big draw.” History buffs will find this location convenient, as it’s just 12 minutes from the Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum. It’s a 30-minute walk to Brownell Memorial Park and Carillon Tower. Other area attractions include the Morgan City Petting Zoo (a five-minute drive), Lawrence Park (seven minutes), the International Petroleum Museum (seven minutes), and the Southwest Reef Lighthouse (nine minutes).

Where to Hunt in Morgan City

The Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area has been renowned for its waterfowl hunting over the past four decades, particularly in the 12,000 acres of marshland at the Wax Lake Outlet. This area is only accessible by boat, but it’s worth the trek. Though it can be busy and require scouting, the average harvest was 1.7 ducks per hunter. An up-and-coming hotspot for ducks is the Pass-A-Loutre WMA, where hunters harvested an average of 4 ducks each, but that’s nearly three hours southeast of us.

The deer hunting season is bow and youth gun lottery only– but the bucks are ample, with big bodies and tremendous racks– particularly in the Teche Area, which boasts favorable upland elevations with excellent sight range. The five-year average for deer harvested is 152. Hunters have taken down 170-pound, 10-point bucks with 16.5-inch spreads.

In addition to duck and deer, the Atchafalaya Delta allows the hunting of rabbit, quail, squirrel, raccoon, woodcock, dove, turkey, alligators, and “outlaw quadrupeds” like coyotes, feral hogs, and armadillos.

Where To Fish in Morgan City

Morgan City is the hub for saltwater sportfishing, as the last big town downstream from the Atchafalaya Basin, which captures a third of the combined flows of the Mississippi and Red rivers. If you need maps, fishing conditions, supplies, or charters, you’ll find it all at the popular Ivy’s Tackle Box at 7209 Hwy 90 E.

There are several approaches to the region, but one popular route involves launching on the east side of the Atchafalaya in Berwick and following the river 25 miles down to Oyster Bayou, where you’ll discover speckled trout, reds, flounder, drum, and sheepshead.

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries limit the redfish to five per person with a 16-inch length minimum imposed; the average redfish here weighs about four pounds and responds well to spinners. Other baits used often include shrimp, crab, mullet, piggie perch, and croaker.

You can collect up to 25 trout (12+ inches) and 10 (10+ inches) flounder. Trout tends to congregate along the coastline and offshore oil rigs, at nighttime, in 60 to 150-foot waters. The best flounder are captured bank fishing the mudflats in October and November. It’s no wonder they call the Cajun Coast a “sportsman’s paradise.”

Contact us today

Were you hurt hunting, fishing, or camping in Morgan City, LA? Did you sustain serious injuries, through little to no fault of your own, due to another person or party’s negligence? We offer free consultations and contingency-based legal representation that costs you nothing out-of-pocket. Call us at Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers, to schedule a meeting right away– as a relatively short statute of limitations applies to Louisiana personal injury lawsuits.

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Interesting Facts About CAJUNDOME

January 13, 2020 News 0 Comments

The CAJUNDOME is a multipurpose arena located in Lafayette, Louisiana. It is a Lafayette landmark that has been the home of the Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns basketball team since 1985. The arena also hosts concerts, sporting events, and touring shows. In 2019, the CAJUNDOME hosted events including the LA Outdoor Expo and Boat Show, the Monster Truck Tour, WWE Live, and the Acadiana Home and Design Show.

Below are 20 interesting facts that you may not know about the CAJUNDOME.

  1. The CAJUNDOME has 10,873 permanent seats and more than 5,000 portable chairs that can be set up.
  2. It is the largest college basketball arena in the state of Louisiana.
  3. The CAJUNDOME’s concrete roof weighs 13,500 tons.
  4. The scoreboard weighs approximately 30,000 pounds.
  5. The highest point of the arena is 165 feet and 4 inches above the ground floor.
  6. In 1995, an ice rink was added to the arena by raising the concrete floor ten inches and adding eight miles of pumping for antifreeze necessary to freeze the ice.
  7. The CAJUNDOME earned the nickname “The Frozen Swamp” when it was home to the ECHL’s Louisiana Ice Gators from 1995 to 2005.
  8. The arena can convert from a basketball court to an ice hockey rink in as few as six hours.
  9. The arena together with the convention center has a combined 191 toilets, 145 sinks, 102 urinals, and 12 showers.
  10. The CAJUNDOME has on-site catering by award-winning Artisan Creative Catering.
  11. The arena goes through 250 gallons of nacho peppers, 1,000 gallons of cheese sauce, 850 kegs of beer, and 3,000 pounds of popcorn seeds each year.
  12. The CAJUNDOME was built by the State of Louisiana, was funded by the City of Lafayette, and is owned by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
  13. It became a FEMA evacuation shelter in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Rita where it was the center of relief for thousands.
  14. Kenny Rodgers performed the first concert at the CAJUNDOME on November 11, 1985.
  15. The Kenny Rodgers concert had the largest crowd of any event at the arena with 13,500 fans in attendance. 
  16. The largest crowd for a basketball game was 11,479 fans on December 16, 1992 when the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns defeated Loyola Marymount.
  17. The CAJUNDOME averages 140 events per year and 10 to 15 concerts per year.
  18. Top entertainers including The Eagles, Whitney Houston, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Billy Joel, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Justin Bieber, and Lil Wayne have performed at the CAJUNDOME.
  19. The arena hosted the Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball tournament in 1997, 1998, and 2007.
  20. Every year, the CAJUNDOME hosts the eleven-day Cajun Heartland State Fair that attracts over 175,000 visitors from around the country.

The CAJUNDOME is located at 444 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette, Louisiana 70506. It is easily accessible at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Interstate 49, and it is only a ten-minute drive from Lafayette Regional Airport. Over 4,500 hotel rooms are available within minutes of the facility. For most events, complimentary parking is available around the perimeter of the CAJUNDOME and convention center.

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Parks and Recreation in Lafayette, LA

January 9, 2020 News 0 Comments

Lafayette, Louisiana has no shortage of great parks. The city boasts over 33 parks that offer spaces and activities for people of all ages. Below is a list of eight parks to visit in Lafayette. 

Parks and Recreation in Lafayette, LA
  • Girard Park

Located in downtown Lafayette next to the University of Louisiana, Girard Park is the perfect place to enjoy the outdoors. The 33-acre park includes a running path, fishing pond, basketball court, tennis courts, disc golf, multiple playgrounds, and a splash pad. Each October, the park hosts the annual Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, a three-day festival where visitors experience the Cajun and Creole culture through music, dancing, and food. Girard Park is located at 500 Girard Park Drive, Lafayette, LA 70503. 

  • Moncus Park

Explore acres of rolling hills, open meadows, and forested ravines at Moncus Park located in the heart of Lafayette. It is the last significantly-sized piece of undeveloped public land within the city. Every Saturday the park hosts the Lafayette Farmers and Artisans Market where you can find the region’s freshest produce, meats, and seafood. Throughout the year, concerts, theatrical performances, and plays are held in the park’s open-air amphitheater. Moncus Park is located at 2913 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA 70503. 

  • Acadiana Park 

Acadiana Park in northeastern Lafayette encompasses 110 acres and includes nature trails, a 70-site campground, disc golf, basketball courts, tennis courts, and baseball fields. Visitors can launch kayaks or canoes from the park into the Bayou Vermillion Paddle Trail, and the park’s Nature Station offers hands-on exhibits for children to learn about local animals and plants. Acadiana Park is located at 1005 East Alexander Street, Lafayette, LA 70501. 

  • Parc San Souci

Parc San Souci in downtown Lafayette is a family-friendly park that features a splash pad, park benches, and grassy areas to play. The park is the perfect location for a photo-op with six-foot-tall concrete letters spelling out “Lafayette” without the “Y.” Visitors can complete the word by holding out their arms. Parc San Souci is located at 201 East Vermillion Street, Lafayette, LA 70501. 

  • Youngsville Sports Complex

Youngsville Sports Complex is a premier sports facility for soccer, baseball, softball, volleyball, basketball, and tennis. Sports teams from around the country come to the facility to compete. The multi-purpose sports complex also has a one-mile walking trail, fishing pond, and playground. The Youngsville Sports Complex is located 11 miles south of downtown Lafayette at 801 Savoy Road, Youngsville, LA 70592. 

  • Graham Brown Memorial Park

Graham Brown Memorial Park is a 50-acre public park that the whole family can enjoy. The park features a one-mile running trail with workout stations, tennis courts, basketball courts, an 18-hole disc golf course, picnic areas, dog park, and a playground. Graham Brown Memorial Park is located at 1234 East Pont des Mouton Road, Lafayette, LA 70507. 

  • Beaver Park

Beaver Park is home to Bowles Tennis Center, which offers tennis lessons by appointment. Additionally, there are ballparks, picnic areas, a playground, and a fishing pond with a pier and boat ramp at the park. Beaver Park is located at 1632 Surrey Street, Lafayette, LA 70508. 

  • J. Otto Broussard Memorial Park

Spanning 222 acres J. Otto Broussard Memorial Park is Lafayette’s largest park. It is home to the Fabacher Field Baseball Complex and the Les Vieux Chenes, an 18-hole golf course. The park also has seven batting cages, six soccer fields, five baseball fields, four softball fields, and a pond with a fishing pier. J. Otto Broussard Memorial Park is located at 705 West University Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70505. 

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What Makes Lafayette a Good Place to Live

January 6, 2020 News 0 Comments

Lafayette, Louisiana, the heart of Cajun and Creole country, is one of the best places to live in the United States. From its vibrant food scene, great music, and festivals to its abundance of outdoor activities and laid back vibes, Lafayette is a special place to home. 

What Makes Lafayette a Good Place to Live

Delicious Food

Lafayette is known for its great food, which you can enjoy in over 100 locally-owned eateries or nationally recognized chains. One of Lafayette’s main draws is its unique, local dishes, like gumbo, jambalaya, po-boys, crawfish, and etouffee served traditionally or with modern twists. In addition to the local dishes, award-winning restaurants feature cuisines from around the world, including Japanese, Mexican, Chinese, Italian, Korean, and Caribbean. You could eat at a new restaurant every day and never have the same dish twice. And if you want to create your own meals, fresh seafood, meats, and produce can be found weekly at local farmer’s markets. 

Great Music

Like food, music is part of Lafayette’s culture and history. The city has a distinct blend of Cajun and Zydeco music. You can enjoy live music at restaurants, dance halls, clubs, and concert halls. The community can also enjoy live music, dance, and theater performances held at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Besides Cajun and Zydeco music, Lafayette is also home to a range of musical styles, including country, gospel, blues, hip hop, and rock. 

Outdoor Activities

Whether you enjoy golfing, fishing, hunting, paddling, cycling, or camping Lafayette has something for you to enjoy. The city has some of the best bird-watching in North America, as it is located on the Mississippi Flyway and the Atchafalaya Loop of America’s Wetland Birding Trail. The swampland dotted with Cyprus trees are full of wildlife and provide an excellent opportunity for nature-lovers to bird-watch, paddle, and fish. The Vermillion River and Atchafalaya Basin offer freshwater fishing for bass, bream, and catfish. 

Lafayette has 36 parks and ten recreation centers offering tennis courts, disc golf, hiking trails, and swimming pools, and kids and adults can participate in active sports leagues. 

Calendar Full of Festivals

If you live in Lafayette, you always have something to celebrate with year-round festivals. Two of Lafayette’s biggest festivals are the Festival International de Louisiane in the spring and the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles in the fall. Smaller food festivals, like the Boudin Cook-Off, Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, and the Delcambre Shrimp Festival, offer fun for the entire family. 

Joie De Vie

The people are the biggest reason that Lafayette is such a great place to live. The city is known as one of the happiest cities in the United States. With joy for life and laid back vibe, locals let the good times time roll or “laissez les bons temps rouler.” 

Your Lafayette Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been in a car, motorcycle, or truck accident and are looking for a local Lafayette, Louisiana attorney, call Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers at 888-GET-BART. The experienced personal injury attorneys at Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers will provide you with the help that you need. 

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Places of Interest Around Lafayette, LA

January 6, 2020 News 0 Comments

There are tons of exciting things to see and do in Lafayette, LA. Below are eight favorites. 

Places of Interest Around Lafayette, LA
  • Sans Souci Fine Crafts Gallery

The Sans Souci Fine Crafts Gallery features the work of the Louisiana Craft Guild, whose members include over 250 of the South’s finest artists. Southern Living Magazine voted it one of the top places to shop in the South. The building itself is possibly the oldest commercial building still standing in Lafayette. The gallery is located at 219 E. Vermilion Street, Lafayette, LA 70508. 

  • Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist

The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist is famous for its Dutch Romanesque architecture, beautiful stained glass windows, ancient oak tree, and museum of relics. It is the third church built on site originally donated by Jean Mouton, the founder of Lafayette, in 1821. The cathedral is located at 515 Cathedral Street, Lafayette, LA 70501. 

  • Children’s Museum of Acadiana

The Children’s Museum of Acadiana is a hands-on, interactive museum designed for families to play and learn together. In addition to its numerous exhibits, the museum hosts special events throughout the year, especially during holidays. The Children’s Museum is located in downtown Lafayette at 201 East Congress Street, Lafayette, LA 70501. 

  • Cité des Arts 

Cité des Arts is a multi-use arts center in downtown Lafayette offering theatrical productions, jam sessions, music and dance lessons, children’s activities, and an art gallery. Cité des Arts is located at 109 Vine Street, Lafayette, LA 70501. 

  • Lafayette Science Museum and Planetarium

The Lafayette Science Museum offers visitors of all ages a fun, hands-on experience to learn something new through its exhibits and installations. On the second floor of the museum is a state-of-the-art, all-digital planetarium that offers daily programs about the universe. The Lafayette Science Museum and Planetarium is located at 433 Jefferson Street, Lafayette, LA 70501. 

  • Blue Moon Saloon

Everyone is welcome to eat, drink, and dance at The Blue Moon Saloon, one of America’s premier venues for roots music. For out-of-town visitors, there is an accompanying Guesthouse where travelers can book a room. The Blue Moon Saloon is located at 215 E. Convent Street, Lafayette, LA 70501. 

  • Vermilionville

Vermilionville is a living history museum and folklife park where visitors can learn about the Acadian, Creole, and American people living in the Lafayette region during the time period 1765 to 1890. Vermilionville is located on a 23-acre park along the banks of the Bayou Vermilion at 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette, LA 70508. 

  • Cypress Lake

Located on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Cypress Lake, also known as “The Swamp” is a unique university landmark. The swamp-like lake is a habitat for native irises, alligators, turtles, birds, and fish. 

If you live in Lafayette and are looking for a personal injury attorney, call Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers. The attorneys at Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers are experts in personal injury law, including car, motorcycle, and 18-wheeler accidents. Call or visit our website to schedule your free, private consultation with The People’s Trial Lawyer™.  

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