Vermilionville is a cornerstone of cultural preservation in Lafayette and a defining feature along the Vermilion River. As part of a larger master planning effort, historian Jason Theriot is documenting the history of Vermilionville and the Bayou Vermilion District to inform the site’s next chapter. The project places Vermilionville in its original economic and cultural context, showing how it emerged as both a preservation initiative and a driver of riverfront revitalization. Theriot is working alongside planning and engineering firms Freese and Nichols and HDR to support Bayou Vermilion District’s new master plan. His role centers on the cultural preservation component—bringing historical insight, institutional memory, and place-based storytelling into the planning process to help guide thoughtful, long-term stewardship.