Ship Model, Louisiana Pirogue

This model represents a late 19th century pirogue, made in Assumption Parish, Louisiana. First used by Native Americans in the swamps and marshes of Louisiana, the canoe-like pirogue was further developed by French settlers. Pirogues were commonly used for the fur trade, fishing, hunting and general transportation in swamps and marshes. They were carved out of cypress logs which made them very heavy, sometimes weighing several thousand pounds. Pirogues were similar to canoes but had flat bottoms instead of concave, which allowed them to easily move over obstacles in the narrow waterways of Louisiana. This model represents a pirogue about 17½ feet long and 2½ feet wide. The model was built in 1886 and was given to the Smithsonian by the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries.

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