Have you ever heard of a town named after a saint? This one is named after Saint Rose of Lima, the patron saint of the Americas. This is St. Rose, Louisiana, a small town in the heart of the Mississippi River delta. St. Rose, a census-designated place, lies on the east bank of the Mississippi River and is part of the Greater New Orleans metropolitan area. It’s a place that’s often overlooked, but it has a history rich in the agricultural past of the region. Once known for its sugar cane production, St. Rose is now perhaps best known for its history as a freedman’s town. This story, of course, is linked to the Civil War period. After the war, a man named Palmer Elkins, a former slave, invited freedmen to settle and work on his land. He established a community called “Elkinsville” or “Freetown,” which flourished and eventually became a part of St. Rose. Today, remnants of the former freedman’s community remain and are commemorated by historical markers.
Greater Saint Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church
Established 82 years ago this is Greater St Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church. It began in Uptown New Orleans with