{"id":"nps-jela","slug":"jean-lafitte-national-historical-park-and-preserve","name":"Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve","designation":"National Historical Park and Preserve","category":"historic-site","categoryLabel":"Historic Site and Historical Park","agency":{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov"},"managedBy":[{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov","unitCode":"JELA","designation":"National Historical Park and Preserve","sourceId":"nps-jela"}],"states":["LA"],"stateNames":["Louisiana"],"location":{"lat":29.81739855,"lon":-90.1402241},"bbox":[-92.4175,29.7013,-89.9859,30.4934],"acres":{"value":21187,"kind":"gis-estimate","source":"Computed from the simplified boundary","note":"Approximate. The managing agency publishes official acreage."},"firstProtected":null,"established":null,"administrations":[],"designationHistory":[],"summary":"In Jean Lafitte's day, silver and gold filled a pirate's treasure chest, but today's treasures are people, places, and memories. Discover New Orleans’ rich cultural mix. Learn Cajun traditions from people who live them. Watch an alligator bask on a bayou’s bank. Walk in the footsteps of the men who fought at 1815’s Battle of New Orleans. Follow the link to discover the treasure of Jean Lafitte.","summarySource":"National Park Service","guide":{},"trConnection":null,"trConnections":[],"trTypes":[],"links":{"official":"https://www.nps.gov/jela/index.htm","social":{},"recreationGov":null,"alltrails":null,"alltrailsExplore":"https://www.alltrails.com/explore?b_tl_lat=30.4934&b_tl_lng=-92.4175&b_br_lat=29.7013&b_br_lng=-89.9859","recreationGovSearch":"https://www.recreation.gov/search?q=Jean%20Lafitte%20National%20Historical%20Park%20and%20Preserve","directions":"http://www.nps.gov/jela/planyourvisit/directions.htm"},"images":[{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C845D16-1DD8-B71B-0B04181AABF4F0C1.jpg","title":"Barataria Preserve of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve","alt":"Spanish moss hangs from live oak tree","caption":"Spanish moss and lush vegetation provide glimpses of Louisiana's wild wetlands at Jean Lafitte's Barataria Preserve.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C845E7E-1DD8-B71B-0BE1AC184B0AF650.jpg","title":"Chalmete Battlefield at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve","alt":"An oak tree arches over a cannon-guarded rampart with historic house and American flag in background","caption":"Chalmette Battlefield's American rampart and cannons still guard the site of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C8461CD-1DD8-B71B-0BA0A3EAB3AFD319.jpg","title":"Chalmette National Cemetery at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve","alt":"Setting sun lights up cemetery headstones","caption":"Established during the Civil War, Chalmette National Cemetery's 14,000+ headstones pay tribute to those buried there.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C846B2F-1DD8-B71B-0B8FA8F547ADCE23.jpg","title":"French Quarter Visitor Center of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve","alt":"Visitor center exhibit titled \"Crossroads of Cultures\"","caption":"Hundreds of years of history and thousands of people from all over the world have created New Orleans' distinctive cultural mix.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C846C76-1DD8-B71B-0BCC7D9571EBF0FA.jpg","title":"Acadian Cultural Center of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve","alt":"Model of an early Acadian home sits in a glass case","caption":"Bringing skills and traditions from Nova Scotia, the Acadian exiles in Louisiana found a new home and a new name---Cajuns.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C846EF3-1DD8-B71B-0B4D8391F7C91BC6.jpg","title":"Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve","alt":"Exhibit case full of musical instruments","caption":"Acadian (Cajun) music began in cabins and dancehalls and has become famous worldwide.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/99468C42-EE93-353D-DC5C106FC356B7F8.jpg","title":"Prairie Acadian Cultural Center of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve","alt":"guitar sits on a dimly lit porch styled stage","caption":"The Music Porch at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice, LA","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"}],"activities":["Arts and Culture","Craft Demonstrations","Cultural Demonstrations","Live Music","Fishing","Freshwater Fishing","Guided Tours","Self-Guided Tours - Walking","Hands-On","Citizen Science","Arts and Crafts","Hunting and Gathering","Hunting","Living History","Historic Weapons Demonstration","First Person Interpretation","Junior Ranger Program","Wildlife Watching","Birdwatching","Park Film","Museum Exhibits","Shopping","Bookstore and Park Store","Gift Shop and Souvenirs"],"topics":["Architecture and Building","African American Heritage","Arts","Photography","Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite","National Cemetery","Colonization and Settlement","Enslavement","Immigration","Maritime","Piracy and Privateering","Migrations","Military","Infantry and Militia","Artillery","US Army","US Navy","US Marines","US Coast Guard","Indigenous and Native Warrior","Battlefields","Monuments and Memorials","Music","Presidents","Reconstruction","Schools and Education","Urban America","Wars and Conflicts","War of 1812","Civil War","Animals","Alligators or Crocodiles","Birds","Fish","Climate Change","Forests and Woodlands","Deciduous Forests","Grasslands","Prairies","Scenic Views","Trails","Wetlands","Marshes","Swamps"],"fees":[],"passes":[],"hours":[{"name":"Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve","description":"Each of Jean Lafitte's six sites is open year-round. See the specific site(s) you want to visit for operating hours and days information.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"All Day","monday":"All Day","thursday":"All Day","sunday":"All Day","tuesday":"All Day","friday":"All Day","saturday":"All Day"},"exceptions":[{"name":"Veterans Day","start":"2026-11-11","end":"2026-11-11","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Thanksgiving Day","start":"2026-11-26","end":"2026-11-26","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Christmas Day","start":"2026-12-25","end":"2026-12-25","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"New Year's Day","start":"2027-01-01","end":"2027-01-01","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.","start":"2027-01-18","end":"2027-01-18","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Washington's Birthday","start":"2027-02-15","end":"2027-02-15","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}}]}],"directions":"Jean Lafitte's headquarters and the park's French Quarter Visitor Center are located at 419 Decatur Street in New Orleans. There are five other park sites scattered throughout south Louisiana. For information on all of the park sites and visitor centers, see the Directions Details link.","weatherInfo":"All of the temperatures listed are in degrees Fahrenheit. Note that relative humidity, especially in summer months, can reach 90%, so temperatures can feel 10-20 degrees hotter than the actual temperature. Spring (March, April, May): average high 77 and low 61. Summer (June, July, August): average high 89 and low 75. Fall (September, October, November): average high 78 and low 64. Winter (December, January, February): average high 64 and low 48.","contacts":{"phone":"504-589-3882","email":"jela_interpretation@nps.gov"},"visitorCenters":[{"name":"French Quarter Visitor Center","description":"Visitor center exhibits and a film share the history and traditions of the lower Mississippi River delta and of New Orleans, home to one of America's most distinctive cultural mixes and rich in food, music, architecture, and more. Free admission.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/jela/planyourvisit/french-quarter-site.htm","lat":29.95474004943224,"lon":-90.0646977766894},{"name":"Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center","description":"The Acadians who made their home along Louisiana’s bayous created a unique Cajun culture shaped by life on the water. The center shares their stories through a short film, permanent and special exhibits, live music, walking tours of Thibodaux, and boat tours of Bayou Lafourche. Admission is free for the center and most programs. Enjoy our interactive playroom for kids of all ages, and explore our art gallery, featuring amazing artwork from Louisiana artists! Visit and experience life here on the bayou!","url":"https://www.nps.gov/jela/planyourvisit/wetlands-acadian-cultural-center.htm","lat":29.79618851282566,"lon":-90.8249508997958},{"name":"Chalmette Battlefield and Chalmette National Cemetery","description":"Site of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, Chalmette Battlefield contains a reconstructed American rampart, an 1830s house, 100-foot-high Chalmette Monument, and outdoor exhibits for self-guided tours. Visitor center films and exhibits share the battle and the site's later history. Ranger talks offered daily. Chalmette National Cemetery was established during the Civil War and holds more than 14,000 graves of Americans from the War of 1812 to the Vietnam War; audio tour available. Free.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/jela/planyourvisit/chalmette-battlefield.htm","lat":29.94213464896627,"lon":-89.99435227703322},{"name":"Barataria Preserve","description":"With more than 26,000 acres of wild Louisiana wetlands, the Barataria Preserve's hardwood forest, swamp, bayous, and marsh offer trails, picnic areas, fishing, hunting (in season and with permits), and wildlife viewing. Visitor center films and exhibits explain the wetlands habitat and current environmental challenges; ranger programs are offered daily. Admission to the preserve and to most programs is free.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/jela/planyourvisit/barataria-preserve.htm","lat":29.78395414779424,"lon":-90.11552593624504},{"name":"Prairie Acadian Cultural Center","description":"The Acadian exiles from Canada's Nova Scotia who settled Louisiana's prairies developed a distinctive cultural mix of Cajun, Creole, and cowboy. The Prairie Acadian Cultural Center tells this story through ranger programs, exhibits, and films. The center features cooking and crafts demonstrations, local musicians, and dancing for all. Center admission is free.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/jela/planyourvisit/prairie-acadian-cultural-center-eunice.htm","lat":30.493148925996298,"lon":-92.41730894065739},{"name":"Acadian Cultural Center","description":"Permanent and special exhibits, an award-winning film, ranger talks, and programs share the history, customs, language, and contemporary culture of the Acadians who became Louisiana's Cajuns. Admission to the center and to most programs is free.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/jela/planyourvisit/new-acadian-cultural-center.htm","lat":30.21339638288027,"lon":-91.99415688831328}],"campgrounds":[],"thingsToDo":[],"nearby":[{"slug":"new-orleans-jazz-national-historical-park","km":18},{"slug":"bayou-sauvage-urban-national-wildlife-refuge","km":38},{"slug":"big-branch-marsh-national-wildlife-refuge","km":55},{"slug":"mandalay-national-wildlife-refuge","km":71},{"slug":"bogue-chitto-national-wildlife-refuge","km":89},{"slug":"delta-national-wildlife-refuge","km":111}],"hasBoundary":true,"boundarySource":{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division","url":"https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2224545"},"sources":[{"name":"NPS Data API","url":"https://developer.nps.gov/api/v1/parks?parkCode=jela"},{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division boundaries","url":"https://services1.arcgis.com/fBc8EJBxQRMcHlei/arcgis/rest/services/NPS_Land_Resources_Division_Boundary_and_Tract_Data_Service/FeatureServer/2"}],"editorialStatus":"draft","synced":"2026-11-09T02:12:45.615Z","alerts":[{"source":"NPS","kind":"Information","title":"Chalmette Battlefield buildings closed, gates are open","text":"Chalmette Battlefield buildings, including the visitor center and restrooms, are closed for maintenance. Gates remain open during normal hours. Check back here or visit our social media channels for reopening updates.","url":null,"updated":"2026-11-08 00:00:00.0","id":"nps-89D43FD8-EE1A-44AA-A9EE-6BDC061F7186"},{"source":"NPS","kind":"Information","title":"Visitor services for the Town of Jean Lafitte unavailable November 11 & 12","text":"Rangers will not be present at Wetland Trace on November 11 and 12 as we prepare for Veteran's Day programming at Chalmette Battlefield. Wetland Trace trails will still be open and accessible. We will resume our regular operations on Wednesdays and Thursdays on November 18, with roving from 10 a - 2 p and a guided Wetlands Walk at 1 pm at Wetland Trace at 4917 City Park St, Jean Lafitte, LA 70067.","url":null,"updated":"2026-11-05 00:00:00.0","id":"nps-0AD98F1A-CCDC-4769-A0FF-69FFA8D014EC"},{"source":"NPS","kind":"Caution","title":"Barataria Visitor Center and Trails are Closed","text":"Because of upcoming demolition and construction of the trails and Visitor Center, all trails at the Barataria Preserve and the Visitor Center are closed, with the exception of Twin Canals Trail. This is a day-use area only with no restrooms. Visitor services are relocated to the Wetlands Education Center and trails at 4917 City Park Drive, Jean Lafitte, 70067. Rangers will be on site Wednesdays and Thursdays 10 am to 2 pm for programming and ranger talks at the Town of Lafitte's Civic Center.","url":null,"updated":"2026-06-15 00:00:00.0","id":"nps-E1DDA22C-7F53-4344-9753-9317105721D9"},{"source":"NPS","kind":"Caution","title":"Acadian Cultural Center Temporarily Closed","text":"The Acadian Cultural Center in Lafayette is temporarily closed due to HVAC issues. Join us at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice for programs and events 5 days a week, Tuesday through Saturday.","url":null,"updated":"2025-12-10 00:00:00.0","id":"nps-E3D8300D-259B-4A2D-82E8-5B37002F9FA9"}],"url":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/sites/jean-lafitte-national-historical-park-and-preserve/","boundaryUrl":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/boundaries/jean-lafitte-national-historical-park-and-preserve.geojson"}