HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
An 1835 Creole inn that served as a Union Army infirmary during the Civil War — and the site of a reported officer murder in the lobby — now operates as a celebrated Cajun restaurant.
1304 West Pinhook Road, Lafayette, LA 70503
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Full-service restaurant; dinner entrees typically $25–$45. Lunch available. Reservations recommended.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Indoor restaurant in a restored historic building
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1835 · Built c.1835 as inn on the Old Spanish Trail · Union Army headquarters and infirmary during the Civil War · National Register of Historic Places listing · Associated with Dr. Percy M. Girard
The building now occupied by Cafe Vermilionville dates to approximately 1835, when it was constructed as an inn along the Old Spanish Trail — one of the primary travel corridors through southwest Louisiana. For decades it served travelers passing through the region, accumulating the history of a busy crossroads hostelry.
During the Civil War, Union Army forces who took control of the Lafayette area commandeered the property as a headquarters and, critically, as an infirmary for treating soldiers wounded in the regional campaigns. The dual role — command center and medical facility — placed considerable human suffering within these walls. Confederate-sympathizing civilians in the area had little recourse as the building became a military installation for the occupying force.
One event during the Union occupation entered local legend: a Confederate sympathizer reportedly killed a Union officer, described as a man with a distinctive handlebar mustache, in the lobby of the building. The act was said to have been motivated by jealousy over a woman rather than purely military conflict. The details are passed down through local accounts rather than formal military records, but the Civil War infirmary use is well-documented.
The property was later associated with Dr. Percy M. Girard, a prominent Lafayette physician. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. As Cafe Vermilionville, it has operated as one of Acadiana's noted fine-dining establishments, serving Cajun and Creole cuisine in a structure that has stood for nearly two centuries.
Sources
The paranormal accounts at Cafe Vermilionville divide between two figures with very different temperaments. The first is the Union officer — described specifically as having a handlebar mustache — who was allegedly killed in the main lobby during the Civil War occupation. His is described as a lingering, watchful presence rather than an active one; some accounts place his apparition in the entry area of the building.
The second figure is a young girl associated with the property's post-war history. Local accounts identify her as possibly the daughter of Dr. Percy M. Girard, who is said to have died of scarlet fever while living at the property. When maintenance work required reopening a room that had been boarded shut for years, staff reportedly found items inside moved or scattered with no obvious explanation. The girl's presence is characterized as mischievous rather than threatening.
The Advocate's 2024 coverage of Acadiana haunted places cited Cafe Vermilionville as one of the region's most documented cases, and the Lafayette travel bureau has included it in its official rundown of the area's notable dark-tourism and paranormal sites for years. The combination of a verified Civil War infirmary history and two distinct reported presences gives the site unusual documentary depth for a dining establishment.
Notable Entities
Dine in a building that has stood since approximately 1835, served travelers on the Old Spanish Trail as an inn, and housed Union Army troops and casualties during the Civil War. The historic rooms and architecture are visible to all diners.
Local Acadiana ghost and history tour operators include Cafe Vermilionville among documented haunted restaurants in the Lafayette area, covering the Civil War infirmary history and paranormal accounts.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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