Civics
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Built in 1868, this building served as the Ascension parish courthouse and jail. On June 1, 2017, the Ascension Parish Council officially changed its name to the Charles "Chalou" Trepagnier Building in honor of his 51 years as a law enforcer. Born on March 12, 1906, to Cariogero Trapani of Salaparta, Sicily, and Virginia Cantella of Gibellina, Sicily, he was given the name Carlogero Trapani at baptism, but the priest misspelled it as Charles Trepagnier, and that became his Americanized name. Chalou and his siblings Phillip, Joe, Frank, Victor, Virginia, Mary, and Margret worked hard on their father's farm and in his grocery store on Front Street in Donaldsonville. At age 18, Chalou became a deputy and jailer and lived in the jail. He married Mary Falsetta, and they had four children: Virgie, Charles III, Anthony, and Rosemary. His exploits as a deputy and chief of police were legendary. He died on September 14, 1985.
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Donaldsonville, Louisiana · United States
