1929 Oleander Hotel in Louisiana gets new life as Grand Isle Museum

The organization is developing a comprehensive master plan that will determine how the building can be restored, adapted and maintained over the long term. On an island shaped by storms, tides and generations of coastal life, one old hotel is getting a chance to tell its story all over again. According to an online report by Houma Times, the historic Oleander Hotel on Louisiana's Grand Isle is being restored nearly a century after it first opened its doors. Restore Grand Isle, the organization leading the effort, wants to transform the landmark into the Grand Isle Cultural Center, giving the historic structure a new role as a visitor center, community gathering place and museum, states the online report. The community has already raised about $400,000 toward saving the building, adds the report. It is reported that the Oleander opened in 1929, becoming part of Grand Isle's history as the island developed as a coastal resort community. Over the decades, Grand Isle became known for its fishing and maritime traditions as well as its unique coastal environment. The Oleander remained a tangible connection to that past, but years of exposure to the harsh Gulf Coast environment left the h...