New Iberia, city (1990 pop. 31,828), seat of Iberia parish, S La., on Bayou Teche, which is connected to the Intracoastal Waterway by a canal; inc. 1836. It has printing and publishing, and its manufactures include oil- and gas-drilling equipment, fabricated steel, food products, hunting equipment, ceramics, lumber, and animal feeds. New Iberia is known especially for its pepper sauces. Acadian refugees from Nova Scotia settled there beginning c.1765, and French is still spoken by many of the inhabitants. Numerous old houses are in the area; among them are “Justine” (1822) and “Shadows on the Teche” (1834), a classic example of Greek revival architecture. A sugarcane festival is held in New Iberia every September. Nearby are many wildlife refuges, sheltering a multitude of migratory birds.
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