My husband and I have been visiting the Old Schoolhouse Antique Mall in Washington, Louisiana, for more than 20 years — long enough that walking through its doors feels like stepping into a familiar yet slightly dusty, slightly magical space. Every time we go, I think, "We should come here more often."

Most recently, we drove to Washington to meet friends for lunch. They were coming from Pineville and Lafayette. Washington seemed like the perfect midpoint. We met at the Old Courtableau Café and had the kind of lunch that turns into an early afternoon without anyone noticing.

At various points through the years, Washington has struck me as a place that hovers between its glorious past and an uncertain present, buildings with personality — chipped columns, sagging porches, stories in every

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