The Name Lecompte

In 1854, residents of Smith's Landing, a small trading post on historic Bayou Boeuf, renamed their settlement Lecomte for a famous horse owned by area plantation owners Thomas Jefferson and Montfort Wells. Lecomte won his first race in 1853 on the Metairie course in New Orleans, and in 1854 he won the Great State Stakes four mile heat in 7 minutes 26 seconds, the best time ever previously recorded. When a sign was painted for the town, a P was added to the name, and the town has been known as Lecompte ever since.

Lecompte, Louisiana · United States