Milton, Louisiana

It is unknown when the village of Milton was first settled. Old land claims show that much of the town is on land once owned by Bernard, son of Ashnoya, a leader of the Atakapa people. The area served as a river crossing and a trade center for the farms and cattle ranches that lined both sides of the Vermilion River.

The earliest settlers were Acadian families. Early landowners in the area included Francois Broussard, son of Joseph Broussard dit Beausoleil; Jean Bernard; Pierre Vincent; Michel Meaux; Jean-Baptiste Trahan; and Joseph Boudreaux. Jean-Jacques Denais operated a ferry at the townsite in the early 19th century. Désiré Broussard and Jean-Baptiste Montet settled there by 1823. Anselm Thibodeaux, who settled on land on the east bank of the river, cultivated it for at least 20 years prior to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Anselm's Coulee, named for him, runs through the area.

Vermilion River bridge in Milton

Beausoleil Broussard's descendants Eloi Broussard and Darmas Broussard owned and operated a store during the steamboat era. They built a two-story home on the east side of the river in the late 1880s. The home stands at a bridge there today. A ferry operated at the Milton site probably as early as 1820. At the December 14, 1897, meeting of the Vermilion Parish Police Jury, it was suggested that a bridge be built across the river there. That bridge was dedicated on February 2, 1902. The present bridge was built in 1948.

In 1885, Milton R. Cushman came to the area to practice medicine. Dr. Cushman petitioned for a post office at the Desire Broussard place and became the first postmaster there. The mail was left at his medical office. When postal officials asked for a name for the locale, Dr. Cushman's wife decided upon Milton—the name of her husband and of her son, Milton S. Cushman, who was born in 1890.[2]

Milton is in southern Lafayette Parish, on the east side of the Vermilion River, which forms the Vermilion Parish line. It is 11 miles (18 km) south of Lafayette, the Lafayette parish seat, and 12 miles (19 km) north of Abbeville, the Vermilion parish seat.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Milton CDP has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.1 km²), of which 0.03 square miles (0.08 km²), or 0.69%, are water.[3]

Milton is part of the Lafayette Parish School System.[4]

• Milton Elementary School
• Milton Middle School

Downtown Milton

Milton is served by the following hospitals:

• Lafayette General Medical Center (external site) - 1214 Coolidge Street
• University Medical Center - 2390 West Congress Street
• Women's and Children's Hospital - 4600 Ambassador Caffery Parkway
• Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital - 1011 Kaliste Saloom Road
• Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center - 4801 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy
• Medical Center of Southwest Louisiana - 2810 Ambassador Caffery Parkway

• List of cities, towns, and villages in Louisiana
• Acadiana
• Cajun
• French Louisiana