Cankton

The area which is now the Village of Cankton was settled in the mid-1800′s by the Guidry family. It is located in extreme southern portion of St. Landry Parish, 7 miles southwest of Sunset. In the early 1900′s this sparsely settled prairie was known as Coulee Croche. However, upon its incorporation in 1961, the village was named Cankton in honor of its leading citizen, Dr. L. A. “Cank” Guidry. As a youth, Dr. Guidry used a duck call when hunting and upon returning home he would announce his arrival with a duck call (cank, cank, cank) and his mother would say in French “Cank est revenue!” (“Cank is back!”). The nickname stuck and after earning a medical degree from Tulane University he came home to practice. Dr. Cank dispersed counsel as well as medicine and became beloved of everyone. His office, a landmark, is still standing.

Cankton has a population of approximately 350 people. The village centers around St. John Berchman Catholic Church and the Cankton Elementary School. A volunteer fire department which serves the southwest part of St. Landry Parish is located across the Main Street near the Village Hall. The village has recently acquired a branch bank to complement its existing businesses which provide all the necessities for country living. Cankton hosts the Wagon Festival each Spring, bringing its citizens and many visitors together for two days of fun and remembrances of by-gone days.