 Welcome to Jennings ... established 1885 |
Jennings Louisiana
Jennings is often called the "Cradle of Louisiana Oil" due to the importance of the oil and gas industry in the area. Agriculture is also an important part of the area economy, led by rice and soybeans. The rice fields are also used for crawfish farming, a source of that Cajun delicacy available in many Jennings and Acadiana restaurants in the form of Crawfish Gumbo, Crawfish Etouffee, Crawfish Bisque, Crawfish Pie and Fried Crawfish, and more!
Jennings is the parish seat of Jefferson Davis Parish and has a population of about 10,000 residents. Oil history in Louisiana began on September 21, 1901, when the state’s first oil well, located in the Jennings Field, was brought in. Today the oil and gas industry remains a key element in the economic development of the area.
Location of Jennings
Jennings is located on Interstate Highway I-10 and historic U.S. Highway 90, about midway between the cities of Lafayette and Lake Charles. Nearby towns include Lacassine, Welsh, Duson, Crowley, Lake Arthur, Rayne, Mermentau, and Gueydan.
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Here are details of some of the most popular Jennings area attractions:
- The popular Louisiana Oil and Gas Park is located on I-10 Exit 64, at Louisiana Highway 26. Amenities include playground equipment, walking track, 10-acre fishing pond and a tourist information office.
- W.H. Tupper Museum - W. H. Tupper operated his General Merchandise Store beginning in 1910 in a rural community just north of Jennings. When he closed the doors in 1949, the complete inventory remained on the shelves, undisturbed, until 1971 when it was carefully packed and warehoused. There it remained until his grandson Joe Tupper, Jr., donated the store’s contents for the creation of the W. H. Tupper General Merchandise Museum. It is located at 311 North Main Street. Phone 337.821-5532 for more information.
- The Zigler Art Museum is located at 154 North Main Street in Jennings. The mission of Museum is to be a dynamic cultural center with an emphasis on art education and the development of Louisiana artists. The Museum's collection consists of two- and three-dimensional works from the nineteenth through twenty-first centuries, ranging from folk to impressionist paintings, fine ceramic works to bronze figures, and carved wood sculptures to photography.
The museum's collection surveys and celebrates the development of visual art in Louisiana and beyond. Highlights from the collection include pieces by John James Audubon, Elton Louviere, Clementine Hunter, Charles Sprague Pearce, Ellsworth Woodward, Julien Hudson, Helen Turner, and a large collection of work by William Tolliver. Phone 337.824.0114 for additional information.
- The Louisiana Telephone Pioneer Museum features 10 exhibits, hundreds of pieces of equipment, tools and telephones spanning more than 100 years of service. It is located inside the Tupper Museum.
- The Gator Chateau is home to baby alligators, and located at the Oil and Gas Park. The goal of the project is to teach the public about the American alligator. Admission is free. Visitors enjoy watching the feeding of the alligators, and holding live baby ones. Phone 337.821.5521 for hours and information.
- The Vietnam War Memorial is located at the Oil and Gas Park in Jennings. Dedicated in November of 2022, the Memorial pays tribute to those that served in the Vietnam War.
- Annual Stearman Fly-in has been held for over 40 years at the Jennings Airport. Flying competitions, food, drink and more!
Scenes Around Jennings
Jennings City Hall |
Carnegie Public Library |
W. H. Tupper Museum |
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Louisiana Oil and Gas Park |
Sign at the Oil and Gas Park |
Strand Theater |
Gator Chateau |
Sign at the Vietnam Memorial |
The Vietnam Memorial in Jennings |
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