Through the Louisiana State Museum and Friends of the Cabildo’s Second Thursday Lecture Series, historian Cassie Pruyn, author of Bayou St. John: A Brief History, will trace the evolution of Bayou St. John from prehistory through the present day. In this swiftly-moving talk, Pruyn will cover the bayou’s role as crucial “backdoor route” for French colonial settlers, its life as a bustling commercial waterway, its stint as an unauthorized houseboat haven, its WPA-era “beautification,” and much more. The talk will include historic images and will culminate with audience Q&A and a book-signing. Free and open to the public. Refreshments courtesy of Friends of the Cabildo. For more information, contact Friends of the Cabildo at 504.523.3939.