Shady Brook House

Shady Brook House was built for Dr. Robert D. Voorhies, a staff physician for Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute (SLII), predecessor to UL Lafayette. Dr. Voorhies and his family lived in this house for nearly fifty years. Elmhurst Park Subdivision was developed between 1905 and 1907 when Lafayette experienced a population growth of 92% within 10 years. Elmhurst Park’s resident population shifted 50 years later, when new construction, air conditioning, brick homes, and modern appliances enticed residents into new subdivisions in nearby Bendel Gardens, Greenbriar, and Comeaux Place. Elmhurst Park properties became rentals for students and student organizations. Many structures suffered a decline in maintenance and value during that time. In 1988, Mr. and Mrs. Phil Martin restored Shady Brook to its original, neoclassical look, and a renewed interest in the subdivision soon followed. Today, most of Elmhurst Park’s historic properties have been rehabilitated. The quality of historic structures and the subdivision’s proximity to both the UL Lafayette campus and
downtown have made Elmhurst Park Subdivision a desirable place to live.