Date of Award
12-2025
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Program
Urban Studies
Department
Planning and Urban Studies
Major Professor
Michelle M. Thompson
Second Advisor
Mary N. Mitchell
Third Advisor
Renee Bourgogne
Abstract
This dissertation examines the intersection of planning theory and historic preservation through the context of tourism planning. Using the West Feliciana Tourist Commission’s 2021-205 Strategic Plan as a case study, an exploration of how tourism planning should be integrated within a comprehensive planning framework will be conducted. While both tourism plans and comprehensive plans seek to promote economic development, tourism plans are often standalone and unenforceable documents. The study centers on the Louisiana State University (LSU) Lemon House, a property initially identified as a rare example of a non-plantation yeoman farmer’s homestead with a historical narrative that has remained underexplored. This gap presents an opportunity to enhance the interpretation and representation of West Feliciana’s diverse population for tourism purposes.
The dissertation also contextualizes the history of tourism planning at international, national, and state levels, with particular emphasis on Louisiana’s long recognition of tourism as an economic driver. Despite longstanding legislative and institutional recognition of tourism’s significance, discrepancies exist between tourism plans and comprehensive plans. This research examines how these inconsistencies can hinder a cohesive promotion of local history. A mixed-methods approach – combining historical research, geographic information system (GIS) software, and a matrix of parish tourism sites – reveal issues of representation, access, and exclusion. The focus on the Lemon House highlights inconsistencies between the promoted narrative and a more comprehensive understanding of its historical significance, emphasizing the need for narratives that more accurately represent the people of the parish.
Ultimately, the dissertation highlights the need for tourism plans to be transparent, inclusive, and aligned with comprehensive planning principles. The research contributes to the discourse on how tourism planning can serve as a vehicle for both historic preservation and sustainable development, while challenging communities to engage with their histories, especially those histories that have been underrepresented.
Recommended Citation
Garcia, Jennie, "Researching the Historic Lemon House, West Feliciana Parish: Designating Historic Properties for Inclusive Tourism Planning" (2025). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 3325.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/3325
Included in
Architectural History and Criticism Commons, Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis Commons, Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons, Urban, Community and Regional Planning Commons
Rights
The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.