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Lake Charles, the 5th largest city in Louisiana, is known for its Cajun and Creole culture, and its legendary Cajun cooking and fine cuisine.
Lake Charles is considered the "Festival Capital" of Louisiana with its 75 annual festivals, from Mardi Gras early each year to the Contraband Days Pirate Festival later in the year.
Area gaming casinos include the L'Auberge Du Lac Casino Resort and the Isle of Capri Casino and Hotel.
In addition, nearby is the Delta Downs Racetrack, Casino and Hotel. A large petrochemical industry base also provides a part of the area economy.
Lake Charles is also the home of McNeese State University, and serves a large, regional retail area in Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas.
The first people to settle the lake were Mr. and Mrs. LeBleu of Bordeaux, France. They arrived in 1781 and built their home six miles east of the present site of Lake Charles, and known today as LeBleu Settlement.
On March 16, 1867 the area formerly known as Charleston was incorporated into the town of Lake Charles.
Rich in history, the Charpentier Historic District extends over 40 blocks of downtown Lake Charles, and includes one of the finest collections of Victorian architecture in Louisiana, dating from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Shown below are several images of Lake Charles of the past as seen in vintage postcards.
Lake Charles is about 100 miles southwest from Alexandria via U.S. 165, and located strategically on I-10 and the Calcasieu River, as shown on the map below.
The parish seat of Calcasieu Parish, the City of Lake Charles is located near Sulphur, Westlake, Vinton, Iowa, Dequincy, Kinder, Jennings, Cameron and Holly Beach on the Gulf of Mexico.
I distinctly remember the dozens of trip my father made from Alexandria to regional insurance meetings held at the Chateau Charles Motel (see photo below) in Lake Charles, and our offshore fishing charters from nearby Cameron.
For more information, visit the web site of the Southwest Louisiana Chamber of Commerce and Economic Alliance.
Vintage Postcard of Ryan Street, Lake Charles, La, Circa 1020s
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