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Cajun Homeplace.
We invite you to tour the Chatt Hills Barn Quilt Trail and learn more about the rich rural heritage of beautiful Chattahoochee Hills. Visitors are welcome to take photos from the public road, and are invited to shop in the local businesses.
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Fleur de Lis (#15)
7640 Old Phillips Rd 
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A Cajun Homeplace . . . in Chatt Hills
Fred Couvillion had long-ago discovered the country charm of Chatt Hills when he built his home on Hamilton Road in 1986. But after 10 years, he longed for a larger place to cultivate the land and his hobbies.
In 1996, he found the perfect farm with a well-constructed home, acres of potential, perfect neighbors, and his pride and joy -- an old barn he restored that proudly displays the sign, “Welcome to the Cajun Barn. When it came time to pick a pattern for his barn quilt, he pointed to his favorite painting of a Fleur de Lis that represented his Cajun culture, and its sign that read, “Laissez le bon temps rouler” (Let the Good Times Roll). |
A Little Bit of Cajun . . . A Lifetime of Stewardship
The Fleur de Lis that inspired Fred's barn quilt.
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Welcome to the Cajun Barn restored by Fred.
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One of many pollinator plants on the homeplace.
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Fred Couvillion grew up on the outskirts of New Orleans, but many of his most treasured childhood memories were made on his grandparents' farm. That's where he learned lessons that would shape the rest of his life.
Summer mornings often began with his grandfather opening the bedroom door and calling, "Allons!"—"Let's go!" There were crops to tend, animals to feed, equipment to repair, and no shortage of jobs waiting to be done. By the age of seven, Fred was picking cotton for his grandfather, earning enough for his first prized possession—a BB gun. It was also there that he learned to cook, butcher hogs during boucherie, repair just about anything, and appreciate the satisfaction of making things with his own hands.
Those early years instilled a quiet self-reliance that has stayed with him throughout his life.
When Fred purchased his Chattahoochee Hills property, the old barn and outbuildings were nearly hidden beneath trees and years of neglect. Many people might have seen an overwhelming project. Fred saw possibility. Over time, he cleared the overgrowth, restored the barn from roof to floor, brought electricity to the building, and organized it with the tools, equipment, and family heirlooms that tell the story of a lifetime spent building, repairing, and creating. One treasured possession is a cast-iron cooking pot that has been in his family for more than a century. Today, the restored building proudly bears a sign welcoming visitors to the Cajun Barn.
Outside, Fred's care for the land is just as evident. He intentionally planted flowering shrubs, trees, and native plants to attract birds and pollinators, carefully documenting more than two dozen bird species that now visit his property. Rabbits, deer, and even "Priscilla," a resident opossum, are simply part of the neighborhood. What was once an overgrown tract has become a peaceful place where both people and wildlife feel at home.
Fred's barn quilt celebrates his Cajun heritage, but his life reflects an even greater tradition—the quiet practice of stewardship. Over the years, he has restored an old barn, nurtured the land, welcomed wildlife, preserved family traditions, and built lasting friendships with neighbors who share his love of rural life.
That same spirit continues throughout Chattahoochee Hills, where stewardship is measured not by the number of acres a person owns, but by how faithfully they care for them.
Summer mornings often began with his grandfather opening the bedroom door and calling, "Allons!"—"Let's go!" There were crops to tend, animals to feed, equipment to repair, and no shortage of jobs waiting to be done. By the age of seven, Fred was picking cotton for his grandfather, earning enough for his first prized possession—a BB gun. It was also there that he learned to cook, butcher hogs during boucherie, repair just about anything, and appreciate the satisfaction of making things with his own hands.
Those early years instilled a quiet self-reliance that has stayed with him throughout his life.
When Fred purchased his Chattahoochee Hills property, the old barn and outbuildings were nearly hidden beneath trees and years of neglect. Many people might have seen an overwhelming project. Fred saw possibility. Over time, he cleared the overgrowth, restored the barn from roof to floor, brought electricity to the building, and organized it with the tools, equipment, and family heirlooms that tell the story of a lifetime spent building, repairing, and creating. One treasured possession is a cast-iron cooking pot that has been in his family for more than a century. Today, the restored building proudly bears a sign welcoming visitors to the Cajun Barn.
Outside, Fred's care for the land is just as evident. He intentionally planted flowering shrubs, trees, and native plants to attract birds and pollinators, carefully documenting more than two dozen bird species that now visit his property. Rabbits, deer, and even "Priscilla," a resident opossum, are simply part of the neighborhood. What was once an overgrown tract has become a peaceful place where both people and wildlife feel at home.
Fred's barn quilt celebrates his Cajun heritage, but his life reflects an even greater tradition—the quiet practice of stewardship. Over the years, he has restored an old barn, nurtured the land, welcomed wildlife, preserved family traditions, and built lasting friendships with neighbors who share his love of rural life.
That same spirit continues throughout Chattahoochee Hills, where stewardship is measured not by the number of acres a person owns, but by how faithfully they care for them.
Heritage story . . A history of land stewardship
The stewardship of Fred's land dates back to Hopkins Family in the 1800s. Whiley Hopkins acquired much of the land on both sides of Hopkins Road and the north end of Old Phillips Road in the 1830s, bringing with him his father, Hampton Hopkins, from North Carolina. His homeplace was located on Hopkins Road. His youngest son, Henry Marshal Hopkins, built what was called the “Hopkins Homeplace” on the corner of Hopkins Road and Old Phillips Rd. Two 6th generation family members still own the land around the Henry Marshal Hopkins homeplace. Seven descendants of Hampton Hopkins still live in Chattahoochee Hills today.
Most of the trees you see today were not present in the early 1800’s. The land was cleared and terraced for cotton crops. Over the years the original homestead land has been parceled off and sold but there are still four property owners that are descendants and still own some of the original property.
Most of the trees you see today were not present in the early 1800’s. The land was cleared and terraced for cotton crops. Over the years the original homestead land has been parceled off and sold but there are still four property owners that are descendants and still own some of the original property.