For the last few months, The Daily Iberian has gone back in time, so to speak with our “Do You Remember” section, bringing with it the nostalgia of years past in the Teche Area.

Nostalgia is much more than mere reminiscing, it’s a feeling that someone has for something or someone. Erica Hepper once said that nostalgia is the warm, fuzzy emotion that we feel when we think about fond memories from our past.

A unique aspect of New Iberia is the people, places and things in it and it allows for stories back then to be told today. Though a great deal of the places aren’t still here, it doesn’t mean the people have forgotten them.

One of the most special parts of looking back to a particular place is finding out a couple shared their first date there and years later, they’re still married, some-50 years or so later. Or even children going to a particular place and now they are bringing their children there, too.

There are a few places that really stood out in the “Do You Remember” section, one of them being The Cottage, an old arts and crafts store located on Main Street. Upon writing, there was no way to gauge how much it resonated with the reader. It was just a simple little story but to the people around here, it meant so much more.

Laura Edmunds was a prime example of the impact the Cottage had on her years ago, who loved going there as a child.

“It was wonderful,” Edmunds said. “Every imaginable thing from embroidery hoops to paints — oils and acrylic, canvas — for stretching, millions of brushes.”

Another story that resonated with so many was the French House on Center Street years ago. While it was only open for 20 or so years, the people who ate there still remembered it.

Once run by Wofford Folse, the French House was much more than just a restaurant — it was a symbol of New Iberia and its people. It was a place where memories were first made. It was a place you can enjoy a great meal while also sitting down with friends and family.

The menu at the French House was almost as memorable as Folse himself, from spaghetti and meatballs to shrimp salad, shrimp fettuccine and even shrimp bisque, not to mention the garlic bread many remember. Larry Dupree said he enjoyed his time at the French House. For the time he lived in New Iberia, it was always a place he could go to enjoy a meal surrounded by people he enjoyed even more.

“I ate there many times during the 20 years we lived in New Iberia,” Dupre said. “I remember Erna Clark being a waitress there. Great food. Lunch specials I remember were smothered chicken livers and white beans on rice topped with a large meatball and brown gravy.”

One of the best parts of writing about the French House was getting to know Folse’s daughter, Wendy, who enjoyed telling stories of her late father. Talking to her, you got to learn more about him and his love for others.

And that’s what’s it’s all about here at The Daily Iberian, telling stories that few know but everyone should. It’s a great joy to tell and learn on how much something impacted others so many years ago. And even more so, how they still talk about them to this day.

And we’re not close to being done. We want to hear from you, our readers, we want to learn more on unique parts of New Iberia.

We want to continue telling your stories. So if you have one, don’t hesitate to email us at aaron@daily-iberian.com so we can tell it. We look forward to it.