Lake Charles, Louisiana 115522 224739869 2008-07-10T05:37:17Z 24.3.222.47 added zip codes {{for|the lake|Lake Charles (Louisiana)}} {{Geobox City <!-- *** Name section *** --> | name = City of Lake Charles | native_name = | other_name = | other_name1 = | category = [[List of cities in Louisiana|City]] <!-- *** Image *** --> | image = DowntownLC.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Downtown Lake Charles from the west side of [[Lake Charles (Louisiana)|Lake Charles]] <!-- *** Symbols *** --> | flag = | flag_size = | symbol = | symbol_size = | symbol_type = <!-- *** Nickname & motto *** --> | nickname = Festival Capital of Louisiana | motto = <!-- *** Country etc. *** --> | country = United States | state = Louisiana | region = [[Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana|Calcasieu]] | region_type = Parish <!-- *** Geography *** --> | area_imperial = 42.5 | area_land_imperial = 40.2 | area_water_imperial = 2.4 | area_water_percentage = auto | area_percentage_round = 2 | area_round = 1 | area_metro_imperial = 3026 | location_type = Location | lat_d = 30 | lat_m = 12 | lat_s = 53 | lat_NS = N | long_d = 93 | long_m = 12 | long_s = 31 | long_EW = W | elevation_imperial = 13 | elevation_round = 1 <!-- *** Population *** --> | population_as_of = 2000 | population = 71757 | population_density_imperial = 1786.6 | population_density_round = 1 | population_metro_as_of = 2000 | population_metro = 193568 | population_density_metro_imperial = auto <!-- *** Government *** --> | government = | established_type = Founded | established = 1852 | established1_type = Incorporated | established1 = [[March 7]] [[1861]] | established2_type = Re-Incorporated | established2 = [[March 16]] [[1867]] | leader = Randy Roach <!-- *** Various codes *** --> | timezone = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]] | utc_offset = -6 | timezone_DST = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]] | utc_offset_DST = -5 | postal_code = 70601, 70602, 70605, 70606, 70607, 70609, 70611, 70612, 70615, 70616, 70629 | postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]s | area_code = [[Area code 337|337]] | area_code_type = | code2_type = | code2 = <!-- *** Free fields *** --> | free_type = | free = | free1_type = | free1 = <!-- *** Map section *** --> | map = Louisiana Locator Map.PNG | map_size = | map_caption = Location of Lake Charles in Louisiana | map_locator = Louisiana | map1 = Map of USA LA.svg | map1_caption = Location of Louisiana in the United States <!-- *** Website *** --> | website = http://www.cityoflakecharles.com }} '''Lake Charles''' is the fifth largest incorporated [[city]] in the [[US state]] of [[Louisiana]]. <ref name="cdata"> "Lake Charles, Louisiana (LA) Detailed Profile" (notes), ''City Data'', 2007, webpage: [http://www.city-data.com/city/Lake-Charles-Louisiana.html C-LCh]. </ref> <ref name="c2K"> "Census 2000 Data for the State of Louisiana" (town list), [[US Census Bureau]], May 2003, webpage: [http://www.census.gov/census2000/states/la.html C2000-LA]. </ref> It is the major cultural and educational center in the southwest region of the state and one of the most important in [[Acadiana]]. As of the 2000 [[census|U.S. census]], Lake Charles' population was 71,757. The city serves as the [[parish seat]] of [[Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana|Calcasieu Parish]]. Lake Charles is the principal city of the [[Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area]], which includes the parishes of Calcasieu and [[Cameron Parish, Louisiana|Cameron]]. It is also part of the larger [[Lake Charles-Jennings Combined Statistical Area]]. The city is considered a major [[petrochemical]] refining center, [[casino|gaming center]], and home to [[McNeese State University]] and the emerging [http://www.sowela.edu SOWELA Technical Community College]. With over 75 festivals held annually, Lake Charles is referred to as the ''Festival Capital of Louisiana''. Its Central School Arts and Humanities Center is a site featured on the [[Louisiana African American Heritage Trail]]. == History == === 18th and 19th centuries === ==== Settlement and incorporation ==== While several [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] tribes are known to have lived in the area occupied by present-day Lake Charles, the first [[Europe]]an settlers arrived in the 1760s. In 1781 Martin LeBleu and his wife, Dela Marion, of [[Bordeaux, France]] were the first recorded Europeans to settle in the area now known as the ''LeBleu Settlement''. [[Charles Sallier]] married LeBleu's daughter, Catherine LeBleu; the Salliers built their home on the beach in what is current-day Lake Charles. By 1860 the area become known as Charles Town in Sallier's honor. The Rio Hondo, which flowed through [[Lake Charles (Louisiana)|Lake Charles]], was later called ''Quelqueshue,'' a Native American term meaning "Crying Eagle". Transliterated through [[French language|French]], this became the name of [[Calcasieu Parish]]. On March 7, 1861, Lake Charles was officially incorporated as the town of Charleston, Louisiana. ==== Industrial growth and the Civil War ==== The city's growth was fairly slow until Captain Daniel Goos, a [[Frisians|Frisian]] by birth, came to the city in 1855. Goos established a [[lumber|lumber mill]] and [[schooner|schooner dock]], now called Goosport. He promoted a profitable trade with [[Texas|Texan]] and [[Mexico|Mexican]] ports by sending his schooner downriver into the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. Until the arrival of Goos, a man named Jacob Ryan dominated the lumber industry. Between 1817 and 1855, timber sales from [[Longleaf Pine|longleaf pine]] and bald cypress remained the city's primary source of economic revenue. Jacob Ryan convinced the state government to move the parish seat to Lake Charles from its former location at [[Marion, Louisiana|Marion]], a settlement about eight miles upriver. Later that year, Ryan and Samuel Kirby transferred the parish courthouse and jail by barge to the then-named Charleston. Six years after the city was incorporated, dissatisfaction over the name Charleston arose; on March 16, 1867, Charleston, Louisiana, was renamed and incorporated as the town of Lake Charles. By the time of the [[U.S. Civil War]], many Americans from the North, along with a large influx of continental Europeans and [[Jewish people|Jews]], had come to settle the area. Attitudes toward slavery in Lake Charles were mixed, as slavery was secondary to business interests. In fact, fewer than five percent of the population were [[slavery|slaves]]. Many citizens became involved in the war. Young men from some local families served in the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate Army]]. It is also known that some local families supported the cause of the Union. ==== After the Civil War ==== In the years following the Civil War, Lake Charles regained its status as a lumbering center. Especially in the 1880s, the city saw an increase in population and economic demand largely due to an innovative advertising campaign by J.B. Watkins; thanks to this campaign, the city's population grew four-hundred percent during this decade. Using the pine wood from the city's mills, construction of large [[Victorian architecture|Victorian mansions]] transformed Lake Charles during the 1890s. Carpenters competed with verve to outbuild each other with their use of elaborate fretwork and decoration. The area of present-day Lake Charles located just east of downtown is known as the ''Charpentier'' District from the French word for carpenter and features houses from this era. === Twentieth century === The courthouse donated by Ryan and Kirby was replaced numerous times; such historical courthouses include a two-story cypress structure in 1872 and a brick structure in 1890. The 1890 courthouse, along with most of downtown Lake Charles, was destroyed in the ''Great Fire of 1910''. Two months after the Louisiana legislature divided the former ''Imperial Calcasieu parish'' into the current parishes of [[Allen Parish|Allen]], [[Beauregard Parish|Beauregard]], [[Cameron Parish|Cameron]], [[Jefferson Davis Parish|Jefferson Davis]] and [[Calcasieu Parish|Calcasieu]], the presently-used, historic Calcasieu Courthouse was completed in 1912. After [[World War II]], Lake Charles experienced industrial growth with the onset of the petrochemical refining industries. The city grew to a high of some 80,000 people in the early 1980s, but with local economic recession, the population declined. As of the 2000 [[census]], the city had a total population of 71,757. === Present day === [[Image:ritadestr1.jpg|thumb|250px|The destructive force of Hurricane Rita. Looking down the remains of the lakefront boardwalk toward the damaged Harrah's Lake Charles Casino property.]] Lake Charles suffered extensive damage from [[Hurricane Rita]], which struck the city as a Category 3 storm early [[September 24]], [[2005]]. On September 22, Mayor Randy Roach ordered a mandatory evacuation of the city, and approximately ninety percent of the residents left. Evacuees were asked to not return for 48 hours, due to wind and flood damage. There was extensive damage to the city's electrical grid, and many areas did not have power restored for up to three weeks. As part of the city's recovery from Hurricane Rita, elected officials proposed a plan to renovate the downtown area to make it more attractive and pedestrian-friendly. A primary concern for the downtown revitalization was to include quality and affordable housing. To fund this proposal, officials proposed a parish-wide ballot initiative to increase sales and property taxes for 20 years. This was voted on and rejected by residents on July 15, 2006. On June 20, 2006, a [[Citgo]] petroleum plant located in [[Sulphur, Louisiana]] released between 15,000 and 18,000 barrels of oil into the Calcasieu Ship Channel. The [[United States Coast Guard]] was called in to contain the spilled oil, which had by this time flowed down the [[Calcasieu River]]. Because of the disaster, the Coast Guard had to close many waterways, including the Calcasieu River Channel and a one-mile stretch of the [[Gulf Intracoastal Waterway]]. The Port of Lake Charles remained closed for some time after the accident due to contamination.<ref>{{cite news | last = Atkinson | first = Vince | title = Lake Charles Port All But Shuts Down | work = KPLC-TV | date = 2006-06-20 | url = http://www.kplctv.com/Global/story.asp?s=5073114 | accessdate = 2007-02-07}}</ref> Oil prices surged to over $74 per barrel in part due to the Citgo spillage. The Calcasieu Refining Co., which normally processes 76,500 barrels of oil a day, was working at low levels for weeks after the incident.<ref>{{cite news | last = Shevory | first = Kristina | title = Oil Holds Above $74 a Barrel | work = TheStreet.com | date = 2006-07-12 | url = http://www.thestreet.com/_tscrss/markets/energy/10296296.html | accessdate = 2007-02-07}}</ref> <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Lake Charles development.jpg|thumb|centre|400px|One idea for the revitalization of downtown Lake Charles circa March 2007.]] --> ==Geography and Climate== 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 deep-water channel to the [[Gulf of Mexico]], and was first settled in [[1852]]. Lake Charles is located at {{coor dms|30|12|53|N|93|12|31|W|city}} (30.214656, -93.208537){{GR|1}} and has an elevation of {{convert|13|ft|1}}{{GR|3}}. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of 42.5&nbsp;[[square mile]]s (110.2&nbsp;[[km²]]), of which, 40.2&nbsp;square miles (104.0&nbsp;km²) of it is land and 2.4&nbsp;square miles (6.1&nbsp;km²) 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. Few hills are to be seen, except when one is near the water, or in Moss Bluff. {| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"| | colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;"|Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures |- ! style="background: #F3552E; color: #000000" height="17" | Month ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | Jan ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | Feb ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | Mar ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | Apr ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | May ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | Jun ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | Jul ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | Aug ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | Sep ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | Oct ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | Nov ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" | Dec |- ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Rec High °F | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 87 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 87 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 94 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 95 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 100 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 106 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 103 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 107 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 105 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 103 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 93 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 89 |- ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Norm High °F | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 60.6 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 64.5 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 71.3 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 77.4 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 84.1 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 88.9 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 91.0 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 91.3 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 87.7 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 80.5 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 70.6 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 63.3 |- ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Norm Low °F | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 41.2 | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 44.3 | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 50.8 | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 57.2 | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 65.7 | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 72.1 | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 74.3 | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 73.6 | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 69.1 | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 58.6 | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 49.7 | style="text-align:center; background: #F4FFC0; color:#000000;" | 43.3 |- ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Rec Low °F | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 12 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 3 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 21 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 30 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 40 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 51 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 60 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 59 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 45 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 30 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 20 | style="text-align:center; background: #FEE040; color:#000000;" | 11 |- ! style="background: #F3552E; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Precip (in) | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 5.52 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 3.28 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 3.54 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 3.64 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 6.06 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 6.07 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 5.13 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 4.85 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 5.95 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 3.94 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 4.61 | style="text-align:center; background: #FB9B13; color:#000000;" | 4.60 |- | colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|''Source: National Weather Service Lake Charles Office [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lch/climate/climate.php]'' |} == Nearby cities == *[[Carlyss, Louisiana|Carlyss]] is a town of 4,049 located between Sulphur and [[Hackberry, Louisiana|Hackberry]]. *[[Iowa, Louisiana|Iowa]] is a town of 2,663 east of the city. *[[LeBleu Settlement, Louisiana|LeBleu Settlement]] is extensive area spanning over [[Calcasieu Parish|Calcasieu]] and [[Jefferson Davis Parish|Jefferson Davis]] parishes, adjacent to Moss Bluff and Iowa. *[[Moss Bluff, Louisiana|Moss Bluff]] is a suburb of 10,535 north of the city via [[U.S. Highway 171]]. *Starks, Louisiana *[[Sulphur, Louisiana|Sulphur]] is a city of 22,512 located to the west of the city via [[Interstate 10 in Louisiana|Interstate 10]] and [[U.S. Highway 90]]. *[[Welsh, Louisiana]] *[[Westlake, Louisiana|Westlake]] is a suburb of 4,668 located directly west of the [[Calcasieu River]] and [[Lake Charles (Louisiana)|Lake Charles]] from the city. *[[Vinton, Louisiana]] [[Image:Hiberniatower.JPG|thumb|right|350px|[[Capital One Tower (Lake Charles)|Capital One Tower]] in downtown Lake Charles after [[Hurricane Rita]]]] == Neighborhoods/districts == *'''Central Business District''' is the city's downtown area located on the lakefront. *'''Charpentier District''' is one of the city's oldest residential areas; it's located directly east of the Central Business District. *'''Goosport''' is a district in the far north of the city. *'''Graywood Estates''' is a series of subdivisions developed southwest of the city. *'''Greinwich Village''' is a large neighborhood in the east of the city, south of Prien Lake Road and west of Highway 14. *'''Holly Hill''' is a series of subdivisions in the south-central part of the city along Holly Hill Road. *'''Mallard Junction''' is a district to the northeast of the city at the junction of Interstates 10 and 210. *'''Oak Park''' is a large district in the central part of the city; its rough boundaries are defined by being north of Prien Lake Road, east of Enterprise Boulevard, south of 12th Street, and west of Highway 14. *'''Prien''' is the district located along Lake Prien in southwestern parts of the city. *'''University Place''' is a large neighborhood located south of McNeese State University in the south-central part of the city. *'''Lisle Peters''' is a moderate size neighborhood at the end of Country Club Rd. and southwest of the Lake Charles Country Club. Most neighborhoods south of I-210 and west of Ryan St. are known by the major roads they connect to, such as Country Club, Nelson, Lake, Sale, Big Lake, etc. ==Demographics== As of the census {{GR|2}} of 2000, there were 71,757 people,<ref name=c2K/> 27,974 households, and 18,015 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 1,786.6 people per square mile (689.7/km²). There were 31,429 housing units<small><ref name=c2K/></small> at an average density of 302.1/km² (782.5/sq&nbsp;mi). The racial makeup of the city was: *50.23% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] *46.82% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]] *0.23% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] *1.07% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] *0.03% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] *0.47% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]] *1.15% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|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 [[Marriage|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 of Lake Charles, 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== {{seealso|List of schools in Lake Charles, Louisiana}} Lake Charles' public schools are operated by the [[Calcasieu Parish Public School System]], although there are a number of private schools located in the city. {{see also|List of high schools in Louisiana|Calcasieu Parish}} === Colleges and universities === {{seealso|List of schools in Lake Charles, Louisiana}} Lake Charles is home to [[McNeese State University]], a public university in the Louisiana School System. McNeese offers a variety of courses, including well-respected schools of [[education]], [[engineering]], [[nursing]], and [[biology]]. Over 8,000 students attend the university. Also located in within the city are Delta School of Business and Technology [http://www.deltatech.edu] and Sowela Technical Community College [http://www.sowela.net] which specialize in vocational courses. === Libraries === In March 1904 the Carnegie Memorial Library [http://www.calcasieu.lib.la.us/carnegie.htm], the present-day 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]]. The Calcasieu Parish Public Library [http://www.calcasieu.lib.la.us/] has several locations throughout [[Calcasieu Parish]]. == Culture == Lake Charles has several small museums and other cultural facilities, such as the Central School Arts and Humanities Center, whose Black Heritage Art Gallery is one of the sites featured on the [[Louisiana African American Heritage Trail]] recently created by the state. Also attracting visitors are the [http://www.child-museum.org Children's Museum of Lake Charles], and the [http://www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/1161975 Imperial Calcasieu Museum]. The Old City Hall has been renovated into exhibition space and many moving art exhibits are displayed at the locale throughout the year. [[McNeese State University]] produces [http://www.banners.org The Banners Series], a series of various musical and theatrical performances, throughout the year. In addition, [http://www.thelclt.com The Lake Charles Little Theatre], [http://www.actstheatre.com The Artists Civic Theatre Studios (ACTS) Theatre] and [http://www.childrenstheatre.cc The Children's Theatre Company] provide excellent theater with local talent. The city 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 individual denomination, claiming a diocese of 82,414 parishioners, or about 33% of the general population, according to the [[United States Conference of Catholic Bishops]]. Lake Charles is also home to various [[Protestant]] Christian denominations, which when combined, comprise the majority of the population. In addition, the city boasts a significant Jewish population who worship at [http://la010.urj.net/ Sinai Temple]. Lake Charles is also home to other faiths, as well as a non-religious community. == Transportation == [[Interstate 10]] passes through Lake Charles, connecting the city with [[Houston, Texas|Houston]] to the west and [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]] to the east. [[Interstate 210 (Louisiana)|Interstate 210]] loops through the southern half of the city. Other major throughways include [[U.S. Highway 90]], which runs parallel with Interstate 10, and [[U.S. Highway 171]], which connects the city to the north with [[DeRidder, Louisiana|De Ridder]]. The city's main street is Ryan Street, running north-south connecting downtown to the south of the city. [[Lake Charles Regional Airport]], located south of the city, is the Lake Charles's only airport which provides commercial airline service. [[Chennault International Airport]], while a fully operational airport, is strictly an industrial and maintenance center. The latter airport, a former [[Strategic Air Command]] [[US Air Force]] base during the Cold War, 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, the fourth-largest liner service seaport in the U.S. Gulf, and a major West Gulf container load center. The Calcasieu Ship Channel provides direct access to the Gulf of Mexico 34-miles downstream. The ship channel, which has a projected depth of 40 feet and a bottom width of 400 feet, intersects the [[Gulf Intracoastal Waterway]] just north of Calcasieu Lake. The City of Lake Charles has an operating bus system throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. On July 7, 2006, The U.S. Dept. of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded a $290,142 grant to the Lake Charles Bus Terminal and Support Facilities Transit System. The City will use these funds towards their bus terminal and support facility, which adds more federal funds for engineering and design, as well as rehabilitation and renovation of the bus terminal and support facility. Lake Charles also has its own [[Greyhound bus]] and [[Amtrak]] station. == Industry == Many area residents are employed by the petro-chemical refineries in nearby [[Westlake, Louisiana|Westlake]]; some of the corporations with facilities in or around the city include [[PPG Industries]], [[ConocoPhillips]], and [[Citgo|Citgo Petroleum Corporation]]. The Trunkline [[Liquefied Natural Gas|LNG]] terminal, immediately southwest of Lake Charles, is one of the United States' few LNG terminals. It has facilities for LNG receipt, storage and regassification. Lake Charles Cogeneration, a subsidiary of [[Leucadia National]], is scheduled to begin construction of a $1.6 billion petroleum coke gasification plant in early 2009. <ref>[http://www.kplctv.com/global/story.asp?s=8104226 KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana |$1.6 Billion Petroleum Coke Gasification Plant Gets Funding<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Manufacturing has been periodically struggling to achieve economic success in the area in order to diversify the economic base of the city. [[Chennault International Airport]] hosts [[Aeroframe]] (formerly [[EADS]] Aeroframe Services), which services airplanes, and a [[Northrop Grumman]] facility. == Holidays and festivals == Lake Charles plays host to over one-hundred festivals and carnivals, giving the city its nickname, "The Festival Capital of Louisiana." ===Contraband Days=== {{main|Contraband Days}} Contraband Days is a twelve-day annual festival held during the first two weeks of May. The celebrations are filled with savory [[Cajun]] food, family fun and live entertainment. The festival is attended by more than 200,000 people making it one of the largest celebrations in Louisiana. The festival begins when pirate [[Jean Lafitte]] captures the port and throws the mayor of the city into the lake. === Mardi Gras === [[Mardi Gras]] in Southwest Louisiana has a colorful history dating back to 1882, when Momus, King of Mardi Gras, landed his royal yacht at the foot of Pujo Street in downtown Lake Charles. Throughout the two World Wars, Mardi Gras was downsized which led to a lack of participation by the area's youth. However, an interest to redevelop the festivities arose, and the first Mardi Gras Ball in the Lake Charles area was staged in 1964. The full revival of Mardi Gras in Lake Charles was not realized until 1979, when several [[Krewe]] captains formed the "Krewe of Krewes", with the prime purpose of parading and promoting Mardi Gras for local residents. In 1985, ''Mardi Gras of Imperial Calcasieu, Inc.'' was formed by a group of civic-minded volunteers to further aid in the preservation of this festival.<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/7288/lcmardigras.html "History of Mardi Gras in Southwest Louisiana."]</ref> === Other festivals === *[http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/festivals/cajun_french.asp Cajun Music and Food Festival] *[http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/festivals/calcachew.asp CAL-CA-CHEW (Calcasieu) Festival] *[http://www.celticnationsfestival.org/ Celtic Nations Heritage Festival] *[http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/festivals/intl_fest.asp International Food and Music Festival] *[http://www.marshlandfestival.com Marshland Festival] *[http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/festivals/rwby.asp Red, White, Blue and You July 4 Celebration] *[http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/festivals/christmas.asp Southwest Louisiana Christmas Lighting Festival] *[http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/festivals/vets_day.asp Veteran's Day Parade] == Media == === Print === Lake Charles has many publications in circulation. The most widely distributed, daily newspaper is ''[http://www.americanpress.com The American Press]''. Other popular periodicals include ''Lagniappe Magazine'', ''[http://www.timessw.com The Times of Southwest Louisiana]'', ''Gumbo Magazine'', and ''Thrive'' magazine; however, the latter three are non-daily. ===Television=== Major television network affiliates serving the area include: * 7 [[KPLC]] ([[National Broadcasting Company|NBC]]) * 18 [[KLTL]] ([[Public Broadcasting System|PBS]]) * 29 [[KVHP]] ([[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]]) === Radio === {| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" !align="left" valign="top"|Call Letters !align="left" valign="top"|Frequency !align="left" valign="top"|City of License !align="left" valign="top"|Format |- |align="left" valign="top"|KYLC |align="left" valign="top"|90.3 |align="left" valign="top"|Lake Charles |align="left" valign="top"|Religious |- |align="left" valign="top"|KTSR |align="left" valign="top"|92.1 |align="left" valign="top"|DeQuincy |align="left" valign="top"|Mainstream Top-40 |- |align="left" valign="top"|KHLA |align="left" valign="top"|92.9 |align="left" valign="top"|Jennings |align="left" valign="top"|Classic Hits |- |align="left" valign="top"|KYKZ |align="left" valign="top"|96.1 |align="left" valign="top"|Lake Charles |align="left" valign="top"|Country |- |align="left" valign="top"|KQLK |align="left" valign="top"|97.9 |align="left" valign="top"|Deridder |align="left" valign="top"|Rhythmic Top-40 |- |align="left" valign="top"|KNGT |align="left" valign="top"|99.5 |align="left" valign="top"|Lake Charles |align="left" valign="top"|Country |- |align="left" valign="top"|KELB ([[Low-power FM|LP]]) |align="left" valign="top"|100.5 |align="left" valign="top"|Lake Charles |align="left" valign="top"|Religious |- |align="left" valign="top"|KKGB |align="left" valign="top"|101.3 |align="left" valign="top"|Sulphur |align="left" valign="top"|Rock |- |align="left" valign="top"|KAJN |align="left" valign="top"|102.9 |align="left" valign="top"|Crowley |align="left" valign="top"|Contemporary Christian |- |align="left" valign="top"|KBIU |align="left" valign="top"|103.3 |align="left" valign="top"|Lake Charles |align="left" valign="top"|JACK-FM |- |align="left" valign="top"|KZWA |align="left" valign="top"|104.9 |align="left" valign="top"|Moss Bluff |align="left" valign="top"|Urban Contemporary |- |align="left" valign="top"|KJMH |align="left" valign="top"|107.5 |align="left" valign="top"|Lake Arthur |align="left" valign="top"|Urban |- |align="left" valign="top"|KEZM |align="left" valign="top"|1310 AM |align="left" valign="top"|Sulphur |align="left" valign="top"|Sports |- |align="left" valign="top"|KAOK |align="left" valign="top"|1400 AM |align="left" valign="top"|Lake Charles |align="left" valign="top"|News & Sports Talk |- |align="left" valign="top"|KXZZ |align="left" valign="top"|1580 AM |align="left" valign="top"|Lake Charles |align="left" valign="top"|Soul |} ==Notable natives and residents== *[[Lynn Anderson]]: famous for the song "[[(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden]]," was married to oilman Harold "Spook" Stream of Lake Charles; they lived on Shell Beach Drive in the city until their divorce. *[[James David Cain]]: (b. [[1938]]) is a retiring state senator and former state representative from [[Beauregard Parish]] whose district includes a part of Calcasieu Parish. *[[A.C. Clemons]]: ([[1921]]-[[1992]]) was a trucking executive in [[Jefferson Davis Parish]] who was the first [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] member of the [[Louisiana State Legislature|Louisiana State Senate]] since [[Reconstruction era of the United States|Reconstruction]]. *[[Alvin Dark]]: was a 1948 alumnus of the Boston Braves, a legend at LSU, and a former [[major league baseball]] player & manager. *[[Michael E. DeBakey]]: world-renowned heart surgeon, was the first person to successfully implant an artificial heart (in 1963), was born in Lake Charles. He's a member of Health Care Hall of Fame, a recipient of The United Nations Lifetime Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, and The National Medal of Science. Additionally, he was the originator of the [[Mobile Army Surgical Hospital]], or M.A.S.H. unit, concept. *[[Andre Dubus]]: well-known author and essayist, was born in Lake Charles and was educated at McNeese State University.<ref name="Andre Dubus">{{cite web | date=2006 | url=http://www.reaaward.org/html/andre_dubus.html | title= Andre Dubus | format=web | work=Rea Award| pages= 1 | publisher=Rea Award.| language=English | accessdate=2006-09-14}}</ref> *[[Joe Dumars]]: former player and current General Manager for the [[Detroit Pistons]], played for McNeese State University before going on to have a successful [[National Basketball Association|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.<ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | coauthors = | title = Dumars Says His Parents Are To Thank | work = mlive.com | pages = | language = | publisher = | date = 2006-04-04 | url = http://www.mlive.com/weblogs/print.ssf?/mtlogs/mlive_fcpress/archives/print127701.html | accessdate = 2007-02-07}}</ref> *[[David Filo]]: now a [[billionaire]], was born and raised in [[Moss Bluff]]. He created the [[Internet]] portal [[YAHOO]] along with several partners. *[[Sean Patrick Flanery]]: who starred in [[The Boondock Saints]] and [[The Dead Zone]] television series, was born in Lake Charles on October 11, 1965.<ref> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Patrick_Flanery </ref> *[[Lether Frazar]]: McNeese university president and [[lieutenant governor]] of Louisiana under [[Earl Kemp Long]] from [[1956]]-[[1960]] *Dud Faulk: son of "Patin" Faulk, was the world goose calling champion for 1961, 1962 and the 1954 international duck calling champion. *[[Mike Heinen]]: American [[professional golfer]] who has played on the [[PGA Tour]] and the [[Nationwide Tour]]. Former winner of the PGA [[Shell Houston Open]]. *[[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.<ref>[http://www.kplctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2200607 KPLC 7 At Your Service, the News for Southwest Louisiana, health, sports, weather, video, community events, classifieds and more. | Neil Woolley<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> *[[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 [[List of Governors of Louisiana|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, Louisiana|Calcasieu Parish]], and survivor of the World War II [[Bataan Death March]]. *[[Zachary Levi]]: actor, born September 29, 1980 in Lake Charles. *[[Nellie Lutcher]]: was a jazz singer who gained some national popularity in the late 1940s and 1950s. At one point she recorded for Capital Records. <ref>[http://library.mcneese.edu/depts/archive/lutcher145.htm Nellie Lutcher Collection<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> *Robert Marciano: a weather anchor for [[CNN]], was the morning and chief meteorologist at KPLC TV in Lake Charles during the mid 1990's. *Charles "Cotton" Nash: was the first [[University of Kentucky|Kentucky]] basketball player to average twenty points in three straight seasons. In 1967 and 1968 he was in the pros. *Isaac Ryan: lost his life as one of the defenders of the Alamo. *[[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.<ref>[http://www.thedailypage.com/going-out/theguide/print_event.php?id=127973 ISTHMUS | The Daily Page | THE GUIDE to Events in Madison, WI<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> [[Rockin' Sidney]], [[Jo-El Sonnier]], [[Freddy Fender]], [[Phil Phillips]] and many others have passed through the doors of the little studio on Church Street. *[[Joe Gray Taylor]]: was a distinguished [[historian]] of Louisiana and the American South and a professor and graduate school dean at McNeese State University. *[[David William Thomas]]: ([[1876]]-[[1961]]) was a teacher and [[school principal]] in Lake Charles late in the [[19th Century]]. He was later an attorney and the [[mayor]] of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], the seat of [[Webster Parish]]. *Justin Vincent: alumnus of Alfred M. Barbe High School, plays for the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] NFL Football Team. *[[George H. Wells]]: ([[1833]]-[[1905]]) was a Northern-born [[Confederate States of America]] officer who practiced law in Lake Charles and served in the [[Louisiana State Legislature|Louisiana State Senate]] from [[1878]] to [[1880]]. *Singer-songwriter [[Lucinda Williams]]: was born in Lake Charles and recorded the song "Lake Charles" about Clyde Woodward, a boyfriend of hers born in [[Nacogdoches, Texas]], who nevertheless told everybody that he was from Lake Charles. *Ted Williams: a Fox News contributor and a criminal defense attorney, was born in Lake Charles. ==Cultural references== Music: *Subject and title of the song ''Lake Charles'' by [[Lucinda Williams]]. *Mentioned in the lyrics of the song ''Continental Trailways Blues'' by [[Steve Earle]]. *Mentioned in the lyrics of the song ''Up on Cripple Creek'' by [[The Band]]: {{cquote2|quotetext=When I get off of this mountain, you know where I want to go? Straight down the Mississippi river, to the Gulf of Mexico. To Lake Charles, Louisiana, little Bessie, girl that I once knew.|personquoted=The Band|quotesource=|quotewidth=150px|quoteheight=150px}} *Mentioned in the lyrics of the song ''Stet Troop '88!'' by [[Stetsasonic]]: {{cquote2|quotetext=I eat at BBQ; meat-eatin days are through. I like it in Lake Charles; I like Miami too.|personquoted=Stetsasonic|quotesource=|quotewidth=150px|quoteheight=150px}} Literature *Mentioned in Jack Kerouac's ''[[On The Road]]'' - After leaving Sal Paradise in Mexico, the famous Dean Moriarty's car breaks down in Lake Charles. *Lake Charles is mentioned in the movie ''[[Catch Me If You Can]]'', staring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. *Tony Kushner, Pulitzer Prize winning author of ''[[Angels in America]]'', was born to a Jewish family in Manhattan, but his parents, William Kushner and Sylvia (Deutscher) Kushner, both classically trained musicians, moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana shortly after his birth. His father William is the recently retired conductor of the Lake Charles symphony orchestra. == Sister cities == Lake Charles is a sister city of: *[[Perpignan|Perpignan, Catalonia, France]], 1993.<ref> {{fr icon}} http://www.mairie-perpignan.fr/index.php?np=907. </ref> *[[Sioux City, Iowa]], 1996.<ref> http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/news/newsview.asp?nw=254 </ref> *[[Cobh, Ireland]], 2008.<ref>[http://www.americanpress.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2667&Itemid=105 AmericanPress.com - Roach signs sister-city pact with Cobh, Ireland (5/24)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Films== *2002 - ''[[Blue Vinyl]]'' (dir. Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand) ==External links== * [http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/about/history.asp City of Lake Charles] * [http://www.calcasieu.lib.la.us/history.html Calcasieu Public Library - history of the library] * [http://www.louisianaspeaks.org Showcasing the Recovery of Louisiana, including the proposed Downtown Development of the City of Lake Charles] * [http://www.lakecharles.com/ LakeCharles.com - Community Website] * [http://www.contrabanddays.com/ The Official Contraband Days website] * [http://www.panhandleenergy.com/serv_lng.asp The Lake Charles LNG terminal] ==References== {{reflist}} {{Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana}} {{Louisiana}} [[Category:Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana]] [[Category:Cities in Louisiana]] [[Category:Parish seats in Louisiana]] [[Category:Lake Charles, Louisiana| ]] [[Category:Lake Charles metropolitan area]] [[Category:Louisiana African American Heritage Trail]] [[de:Lake Charles]] [[fr:Lac Charles]] [[it:Lake Charles]] [[nl:Lake Charles]] [[ja:レイクチャールズ (ルイジアナ州)]] [[pl:Lake Charles]] [[pt:Lake Charles (Louisiana)]] [[fi:Lake Charles]] [[sv:Lake Charles]] [[vo:Lake Charles]]