Lake Charles, Louisiana
Encyclopedia : L : LA : LAK : Lake Charles, Louisiana
''This article is about the City of Lake Charles, La. For the lake after which this city was named, see "Lake Charles (body of water)".
Lake Charles is the fifth largest city in the US state of Louisiana. It is the parish seat of Calcasieu Parish and is the urban center of the southwest region of the state. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 71,757.
Lake Charles is known as the Festival Capital of Louisiana with over 75 festivals held annually in the Lake Charles area. The city is a major petrochemical refining center, gaming center with three riverboat casinos, and home to McNeese State University.
History
While several Indian tribes are known to have lived in the area of modern Lake Charles, the first European people, of French, Spanish, English, and Dutch descent, arrived in the 1760s. At the time, the area was covered with dense pine and baldcypress forests. Oral tradition holds that Jean Lafitte frequented Contraband Bayou and the lake before and after the War of 1812.
M. and Mme. LeBleu of Bordeaux, France were the first recorded Europeans to settle the area around 1781. The area they settled is now known as the LeBleu Settlement. Charles Sallier married LeBleu's daughter, Catherine. The Salliers built their home on the shell beach where Lake Charles now stands. Afterwards, the lake became known as "Charlie's lake". By 1860 this area was being called "Charles Town". Many of Charles Sallier's descendants are buried in Sallier Cemetery, near St. Patrick's Hospital.
The Rio Hondo, which flowed through Lake Charles, was later called Quelqueshue, an Indian term meaning "Crying Eagle", and still later, Calcasieu. On March 7, 1861, Lake Charles was incorporated as the town of Charleston, Louisiana.
The growth of the city was fairly slow until Captain Daniel Goos, a Frisian by birth, came in 1855. Goos established a lumber mill and schooner dock, now called Goosport, and promoted a profitable trade with Texas and Mexican ports by sending his schooner down-river into the Gulf of Mexico. Until the arrival of Goos, a man named Jacob Ryan dominated the lumber industry. Between 1817 and 1855, the timber provided by Longleaf Pines and Baldcypress remained the primary industry.
Jacob Ryan convinced the state government to move the parish seat to Lake Charles from its former location at Marion, which was about 8 miles upriver. Later that year, Ryan and Samuel Kirby transferred the parish courthouse and jail by barge to Lake Charles, which was at that time still called Charleston. Six years after the city was incorporated, dissatisfaction over the name Charleston arose. On March 16, 1867, Charleston, Louisiana, was incorporated into the town of Lake Charles.
By the time of the U.S. Civil War, many English and northeastern Americans, along with a large influx of continental Europeans and Jewish people, had come to settle the area. Attitudes toward slavery in Lake Charles were mixed, and was secondary to business interests. Less than 5% of the population were slaves. The citizenry did finally become involved in the war, and young men of local families went to serve the Confederacy.
After the Civil War, Lake Charles had become a major lumber town. The mills of the area were swamped with orders. The 1880s saw what was a small sawmill village develop into a boom town. This was largely due to the innovative advertising methods of a man named J.B. Watkins. With his astounding $200,000 advertising campaign, the town grew 400% in the '80s.
By the 1890s, finer homes were being built. Carpenters struggled to outbuild each other with their use of elaborate fretwork and Victorian era decoration. Fancy spindles, newel posts, soldiers and paneled doors - all native of native pine - filled the houses.
The courthouse donated by Ryan and Kirby was replaced many times, a cypress wood two-story one in 1872, then a brick one in 1890. The 1890 courthouse was destroyed in the "Great Fire of 1910". The historic Calcasieu Courthouse was completed in 1912, two months after the Louisiana legislature divided old "Imperial Calcasieu" parish into the current parishes of Allen, Beauregard, Cameron, Jefferson Davis and Calcasieu.
In March 1904, the Carnegie Memorial Library, the modern Calcasieu Parish Library, opened, having been partly financed by Andrew Carnegie and built on land donated by W. S. B. McLaren, President of the North American Land and Timber Company of London, England.
After World War II Lake Charles experienced industrial growth with the onset of the petrochemical refining industries. The city grew to a height of 80,000 people in the early 1980s, but with economic recession, the population declined. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 71,757.
Geography
The city is located on the banks of the Calcasieu River in southwestern Louisiana, and borders both Lake Charles and Prien Lake. It is a port on a deepwater channel to the Gulf of Mexico, and was first settled in 1852.
Lake Charles is located at (30.214656, -93.208537)[Geographic references#1GR1].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 110.2 km² (42.5 mi²). 104.0 km² (40.2 mi²) of it is land and 6.1 km² (2.4 mi²) of it (5.57%) is water.
Primarily the city is located on a plain about 30 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Many pine trees used to grow around the waterways, and some still do. There are few hills, except when one is near the water, or in Moss Bluff.
Nearby Cities
The following is a list of Lake Charles' nearby cities:- Moss Bluff - a suburb of about 12,000 to the north from the inner-city via U.S. Highway 171. Moss Bluff is the fastest-growing area in the city, and predicted to be the largest satelite in the near-future.
- Gillis - a small area north of Moss Bluff, generally included into Moss Bluff.
- Topsey - another small area adjacent to Moss Bluff.
- LeBleu Settlement - an extensive area spanning over Calcasieu and Jefferson Davis Parishes, adjacent to Moss Bluff and Iowa.
- Iowa - a small city east of Lake Charles.
- Ragley - In Beauregard Prish, north of Lake Charles: generally considered in the greater-Lake Charles area.
- Carlyss - a city south of Sulphur, north of Hackberry and what is left of Cameron Parish.
- Sulphur - a suburb of about 20,000 to the west from the inner-city via I-10 or U.S. Highway 90.
- Westlake - a suburb of about 5,000 to the west of downtown just past the Isle of Capri Casino of Lake Charles.
Neighborhoods/Districts
List of relatively large or established neighborhoods and districts in Lake Charles:- Downtown
- Goosport
- Fisherville
- Rice Mill
- Rail Road
- Brownsville
- Carshop
- Historic Charpentier District
- Historic Margaret Place District
- Oak Park
- The Terrace
- Barbe Court
- Greenwich Village (The Village)
- Prien (Big Lake)
- University Place
Demographics
As of the census [Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 71,757 people, 27,974 households, and 18,015 families residing in the city. The population density was 689.7/km² (1,786.6/mi²). There were 31,429 housing units at an average density of 302.1/km² (782.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.23% White, 46.82% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.40% of the population.There were 27,974 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 18.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,774, and the median income for a family was $37,774. Males had a median income of $33,005 versus $21,041 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,922. About 16.3% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Colleges and universities
Lake Charles is home to McNeese State University, a public university in the Louisiana System. McNeese offers good courses in education and biology. Over 8,000 students attend the university. The motto is "Excellence, with a Personal Touch".Schools
Public schools are operated by the Calcasieu Parish Public School System.Culture
The city promotes all of the fine arts. The Old City Hall is now the Arts Center, and regularly showcases paintings and drawings by local as well as other artists. The city also boasts its own symphony orchestra, the Lake Charles Symphony.Religion
Christianity is the predominant religion in the Lake Charles area. Roman Catholicism is the largest denomination of which, claiming a Diocese of 82,414 parishioners, or about 33% of the general population, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. However, the Diocese spans over five parishes, and Calcasieu Parish alone had 183,577 people, according to the 2000 Census. Also according to the 2000 Census, Cameron had 9,991 people, Jefferson Davis had 31,435, Beauregard had 32,986, and Allen had 25,440. So according to the church's own figures, only about 29% of the region is Roman Catholic: 4% less than what is claimed.Lake Charles is home to several Protestant and Evangelical Christian denominations as well, which combined together, comprise the majority of the population.
A substantial portion of the population affiliates itself with Judaism. Notably, there is an atheist group as well. Particular elements of Voodoo are recognizable in the area; namely, Hoodoo, as one can spot jars filled with animal organs placed around graves and hanging from trees in the pauper cemetery on Broad Street.
Transportation
The city is located on Interstate 10, with Interstate 210 serving most of the city toward the south. Interstate 210 is a loop that provides interstate highway access across the mid-section of the city. U.S. Highway 90 and U.S. Highway 171 are other major roads connecting Lake Charles to nearby cities. The main commercial road through the city is Ryan Street, which leads to downtown.Airport service is provided by the Lake Charles Regional Airport, located south of the city. Chennault International Airport, while a fully operational airport, is an industrial center and provides no commercial air services. This latter airport is named for Maj. Gen. Claire Chennault, the aviator famous for commanding the Flying Tigers fighter group during World War II.
The Port of Lake Charles is the sixteenth largest seaport in the United States, 4th largest liner service seaport in the U.S. Gulf and a major West Gulf container load center with the Calcasieu Ship Channel providing direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, 34 miles downstream from the city docks. The ship channel intersects the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway just north of Calcasieu Lake. The Ship Channel has a project depth of 40 feet and a bottom width of 400 feet.
Industry
Many area residents are employed by the petro-chemical refineries just west of the city across the lake.The Trunkline LNG terminal immediately to the Southwest of Lake Charles is one of the United States' few LNG terminals. It has facilities for LNG receipt, storage and regassification.
Manufacturing has been trying to get a foothold in the area for some time now in order to diversify the economic base of the city. Chennault Airport plays host to the EADS Aeroframe Services, which service airplanes. Northrop Grumman also has an operation at Chennault.
Current events
Hurricane Rita
Lake Charles suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Rita, which struck the town early September 24, 2005. On September 22, Mayor Randy Roach ordered a mandatory evacuation of Lake Charles, and approximately 90% of the residents evacuated prior to the storm. Evacuees were asked not to return for 48 hours, due to the wind damage and flooding. There was extensive damage to the city's electrical grid as some areas took as long as three weeks to restore power. Many apartment residents had to be evicted because of the mold caused by the hurricane.
Pinnacle, Inc.
The casino company Pinnacle Entertainment opened their riverboat casino in May 2005 with much fanfare. The name of the resort is L'Auberge du Lac Resort, which means 'Inn on the Lake' in French. This major casino resort is complete with an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Tom Fazio, several distinct dining venues, spa and salon, lavish pool area with a lazy river, and several retail stores. It employs over 2000 citizens, and regularly brings in celebrities to put on acts and shows.Downtown Development
As part of the city's recovery from Hurricane Rita, elected officials proposed a plan to renovate the downtown area to make it more pedestrian-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing. Charrettes were held presenting architectural concept drawings and ideas of what downtown Lake Charles could look like in future years. Of primary concern was quality and affordable housing to help revitalize the area, and at the same time provide more housing for the housing shortage in the last few years. A ballot initiative to increase sales and property taxes for 20 years to fund this proposal and numerous local road projects was rejected by taxpayers on July 15, 2006.Contraband Days
Contraband Days is a 12-day festival/carnival extravaganza filled with savory cajun food, family fun and festivities, and is attended by over 200,000 people annually. It is one of the largest celebrations in Louisiana, second only to Mardi Gras.Taking place during the first two weeks in May, Contraband Days is the city's official celebration of the legend of the pirate Jean Lafitte. History notes that Lafitte and his band of pirates once sailed the area's waterways and are said to have buried Lafitte's Contraband treasure somewhere in the vicinity of the lake.
The Contraband Days festivities kicks off every year with a pirate ship bombardment to "take control of the city" at the seawall of the Lake Charles Civic Center. A gang of rowdy and unruly buccaneers led by an actor playing Jean Lafitte himself overruns the blazing cannons of the local militia. They then raise their "Jolly Roger" flag, capture the Mayor, and force him - with swords drawn - to walk the plank into the swirling waters of the lake.
Thus begins the two-weeks of pageantry and festivities, which include:
- A gigantic evening parade
- Fireworks shows
- Carnival midway
- Entertainment on three stages
- Sailing regatta
- Savory Cajun cuisine
- Contests
- Beach games
- Thrill attractions
- Many fun-packed competitions, including bed races, bathtub races, and crawfish races
- Nationally sanctioned speedboat races
Local Radio & Television Stations
| Call Letters | Frequency | City of License | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| KYLC | 90.3 | Lake Charles | Religious |
| KTSR | 92.1 | De Quincy | Hot AC |
| KHLA | 92.9 | Jennings | Oldies |
| KYKZ | 96.1 | Lake Charles | Country |
| KQLK | 97.9 | Lake Charles | Rhythmic Top-40 |
| KNGT | 99.5 | Lake Charles | Country |
| KELB (LP) | 100.5 | Lake Charles | Religious |
| KKGB | 101.3 | Sulphur | Rock |
| KBIU | 103.3 | Lake Charles | Hot AC |
| KZWA | 104.9 | Moss Bluff | Urban Contemporary |
| KJMH | 107.5 | Lake Arthur | Hip Hop |
Lake Charles is home to KPLC-TV, Channel 7, a NBC afilliate. KVHP-TV, Channel 29, a Fox afilliate, also serves the city. The city is also served by KATC-TV, Channel 3 (ABC) and KLFY-TV, Channel 10 (CBS), all located in nearby Lafayette. It is also home to the American Press newspaper.
Famous residents (Past & Present)
- Lynn Anderson, born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and famous for the classic song "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden", was married to oilman Harold "Spook" Stream of Lake Charles. They lived on Shell Beach Drive of Lake Charles until their divorce.
- Terry Bradshaw lost his high school football state championship game to the Sulphur High Tors, 12-9 in 1965.
- Alvin Dark was a 1948 alumnus of the Boston Braves, a legend at LSU, and a former major league baseball player & manager.
- Heart surgeon Michael E. DeBakey, the first person to successfully implant an artificial heart (in 1963), was born in Lake Charles.
- Andre Dubus, well-known author and essayist, was born in Lake Charles and was educated at McNeese State University.
- Joe Dumars, former player and current General Manager for the Detroit Pistons, played for McNeese State University before going on to have a successful NBA career including being named the MVP of the 1989 NBA Finals. More recently, he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
- David Filo, co-founder of Yahoo!, was born and raised in the Lake Charles suburb of Moss Bluff.
- Sean Patrick Flanery, who stars in The Boondock Saints, was born in Lake Charles on October 11, 1965.
- Marcus "Nawty Boi" Guillory, award winning poet, songwriter,and musician. He was born and raised in Lake Charles and now lives in Hampton, Virginia, serving in the United States Air Force. He's starring in his first film 'Brother like no other' which is the poem title he won three awards for. You can view his poetry at Poetry.com
- Bob Hilton was the host of the game show Truth or Consequences and numerous other game shows of the past. He appeared briefly as the announcer for The Price is Right. He began his career at KPLC TV.
- Sam Houston Jones was born in Merryville, Louisiana in 1897. He served as Assistant Parish Prosecutor in Lake Charles for nine years before defeating the Long dynasty, becoming Governor of Louisiana in 1940. Governor Jones died on February 8, 1978 in Lake Charles, where he is buried at Prien Pines Cemetery.
- Jesse Knowles was a businessman, civic leader, state legislator representing Calcasieu Parish, and survivor of the World War II Bataan Death March.
- Tony Kushner is an award-winning American playwright most famous for his play Angels in America, for which he was honored with the Pulitzer Prize; his play Caroline, or Change is set in Lake Charles in 1963. His father, William Kushner, is the conductor of the Lake Charles Symphony. Along with Eric Roth, he is also one of the co-writers of the screenplay for the 2005 film Munich, directed by Steven Spielberg.
- Nellie Lutcher is a jazz singer who gained some national popularity in the late 1940's and 1950's. At one point she recorded for Capital Records.
- Janice Lynde, from Sulphur, was an original cast member of the CBS soap opera "The Young & The Restless", playing Leslie Brooks. She also appeared on "Another World", "One Life To Live", and most recently on HBO's "Six Feet Under".
- Rob Marciano, a weather anchor for CNN, was the morning and chief meterologist at KPLC TV in Lake Charles.
- Tommy Mason was the first draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings in 1961.
- Charles "Cotton" North was the first Kentucky basketball player to average twenty points in three straight seasons. In 1967 and 1968 he was in the pros.
- Dolly Parton recorded her first album in Lake Charles.
- Isaac Ryan lost his life as one of the defenders of the Alamo.
- B.J. Sams, a former McNeese State football player, now plays running back for the Baltimore Ravens.
- Eddie Shuler was the founder of Goldband Records and a legend in the South for recording swamp pop, cajun, and other genres of music. Dolly Parton, at the age of 13, recorded her first single at Goldband Studios. Rockin' Sidney, Jo-El Sonnier, Freddy Fender, Phil Phillips and many others have passed through the doors of the little studio on Church Street.
- Howie Simon, Hollywood publicist, was raised in Sulphur. He represents many stars of daytime TV, especially from "Days of our Lives", and has worked with Grammy-winning singer Gloria Gaynor, Chad M ichael Murray, Chris Tucker, Tommy Davidson, Susan Ward, Nadia Bjorlin, and many others.
- Singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams was born in Lake Charles and recorded the song "Lake Charles" about her father's love for the city. Her father taught English at McNeese State University at the time of her birth.
- Ted Williams, a Fox News contributor and a criminal defense attorney, was born in Lake Charles.
Sister City
- Lake Charles is the proud sister city of Sioux City, Iowa.
References
- [The City of Lake Charles website]
- [Calcasieu Public Library - history of the library]
- [Showcasing the Recovery of Louisiana, including the proposed Downtown Development of the City of Lake Charles]
- [The City of Lake Charles website on Contraband Days]
- [The Official Contraband Days website]
- [The Lake Charles LNG terminal]
External links
- [UFO Phil] appeared locally on KBIU from 2000-2002 as part of the B Morning Buzz with Justin and Rick. UFO Phil has since gained worldwide recognition.
- [Lake Charles en français] The French version of this article is excellent and includes extra information.
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