Moonshine lies within the historic region known as the Second Acadian Coast, settled by French-speaking Acadians in the mid-18th century after their expulsion from Canada. These settlers established small farming communities along the Mississippi River, cultivating crops such as sugarcane and corn.
St. James Parish, where Moonshine is located, was created in 1807 as one of Louisiana’s original parishes. The area developed around plantation agriculture during the antebellum period, with sugar production becoming the dominant economic activity. Many plantations operated along the river near present-day Moonshine, supported by enslaved labor until the Civil War.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikipedia, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
