There’s always more trivia to be learned about the Teche Area. For instance, did you know that if you do a Google search for “trilingual marker,” the New Iberia Trilingual Marker Trail is the first listing that comes up?

Try it.

“I thought we were the only one in the world,” said Cathy Indest, executive director of the Iberia Cultural Resource Association.

Indest, who has had a hand in many of the events and cultural offerings New Iberia has to offer, has a particular bond with the area’s historic markers. It’s a family tradition. In 1974, her mother Jaqueline Voorhies was the chapter president of the Iberia Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) when she undertook what was envisioned as a pilot program to mark historic sites with plaques in both English and French, keying in on the area’s rich French history.

That initial impetus resulted in seven markers being placed. But years later, when the old Masonic Temple on Main Street burned, Indest took the torch and reignited the project.

“When I heard the building was on fire, I called the city,” she said. “I told the mayor (Hilda Daigre Curry), ‘Get the plaque! Don’t leave it there!’ And they did.”

That original bronze plaque, saved after the fire, will make its reappearance on the original site of the temple, where the George Rodrigue Park currently sits. But the fire resulted in a conversation between Indest and Al Landry, who then teamed up to replace the original wooden plaques from 1974 with bronze ones — and expand the marker reach as well.

In addition to the first seven sites, two others were added. Then, in 2012, 12 new plaques were dedicated.

But instead of being bilingual, they were now trilingual.

“Al said that we needed to add Spanish as well,” Indest said. “So we did, and now all of the plaques are trilingual.”

Now, almost 50 years since the dedication of those first seven plaques, Indest and Bo Belanger, with help from Charlie Robertson and other volunteers, are hoping to double the number of markers across the area.

This time, the markers will take advantage of the latest technology, many of them proposed as two-sided markers with a text description, in English, French and Spanish, of the historical significance of the site. On the other plaque, a laser-etched photo or rendering of the original structure will be included.

“We could have done that in 2012,” Belanger said. “But I didn’t think of it. It wasn’t until later that I said, ‘Duh, pictures!’”

The only downside to that revelation is that it means two plaques, not one. And each single-plaque installation costs just under $4,500 — pole included. The two-sided installations, with text on one side and the photo opposite, run right at $8,400, a bargain by comparison.

Like Indest’s mother said back in 2004, when Indest and Landry started planning to replace all of the original wooden markers with bronze ones, “Bronze is expensive.”

The group is still seeking help to get the next flight of markers ready. Indest said she would like too have 10 ready to go before they schedule the next dedication.

“We have several sponsors who have already chosen which sites they would like,” Indest said. “But we are still seeking others to help support the effort.”

And, despite the expense, bronze plaques handle the weather in Louisiana far better than the original wooden versions, two of which will be going on display in the Bayou Teche Museum.

“Bronze will last forever,” Indest said. “This is n’t about us, or even about the sponsors. It’s about bringing attention to our story, and making sure that we don’t lose our history to time.”

The latest crop of trilingual historic markers are seeking adoptive sponsors to help cover the costs of creating and placing the plaques. Here’s a list of the proposed sites:

Hotel Frederic

Allain Building

St. Peter’s Church

First Methodist Church (St. Peter at Jefferson)

Temple Gates of Prayer

Former location of First Baptist Church (Weeks Street at St. Peter)

Former location of Central High School (Weeks Street at St. Peter)

Essanee Theater

Bayou Art Gallery

Frank Tea and Spice (St. Peter at Jefferson)

Bouligny Plaza (marker for the city’s founders)

Old Courthouse (Bouligny Plaza)

Cestia/Pascal Building (next to Allain Building)

Satterfield Building (Main Street)

Old Taylor’s Drug Store (Main and French streets)

Mt. Carmel Bridge

The Foundry (Jane Street)

Church of the Epiphany (Main at Jefferson Street)

If you are interested in sponsoring a site, or a side of one of the plaque installations, contact Cathy Indest at (337) 298-7964.