Louisiana towns have a strong sense of pride to them, that’s for sure. You may be familiar with many of the nicknames our charming towns have, like Breaux Bridge being the Crawfish Capital of the World, or Rayne being the Frog Capital of the World. There’s one little town that you may not have ever heard of, and they’ve got a big claim to fame: it’s the Dogtrot Capital of the World. What’s a dogtrot? Let’s find out.
Welcome to Dubach, a tiny little town in Lincoln Parish.
The town is home to fewer than 1,000 people and used to play a major role in the lumber industry in the early 1900s. When the Arkansas Southern Railway came to the town in 1898, it didn’t take long for Missouri-native Fred B. Dubach to arrive and start the Dubach Lumber Company.
The lumber mill thrived for years and helped the town grow and develop, so it’s easy to see why they named the town after Mr. Dubach.
The tiny but mighty town may not have all of the bells and whistles that larger cities are known for, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to see.
Dubach is known as the “Dogtrot Capital of the World.”
But what is a dogtrot?
A dogtrot is a specific style of house that was commonly seen throughout the 19th and 20th centuries across the southeastern part of the country.
Here’s a layout of a typical dogtrot. Basically, a dogtrot consists of two cabins that are connected by a breezeway, or "dogtrot," all under one roof. Typically, one side of cabin wa used for cooking and eating while the other was used as a living space and bedroom. Every room opens into the breezeway, which helps with air circulation, and we all know how important that is down here in the summer.
Dubach has several surviving dogtrot houses, and was recognized as the “Dogtrot Capital of the World” in 1990 by the state legislature.
One of the most popular is the Autrey House Museum. It was built in 1849 and is considered to be the oldest surviving structure in Lincoln Parish. It’s a great example of this unique architecture and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Have you ever been to Dubach? Let us know in the comments!
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