EVANGELINE PARISH
Parish Offices
1008 W. LaSalle Street
Ville Platte 337-363-5651
http://evangelineparishpolicejury.com
Chamber of Commerce
306 W. Main Street
Ville Platte 337-363-1878
https://www.evangelinechamber.com
Evangeline Parish is widely known for the diverse nationalities of the people who settled the area and the blend of French, Spanish and German cultures that is still evident today. Major industries in this rural area include agriculture, oil, healthcare, and manufacturing with two major industrial operations, two full-service hospitals, an energy storage facility, and thriving small businesses. The largest city of Ville Platte serves as the hub of parish government but also as a center of commerce, education, and healthcare for a rural population. The presence of Interstate 49 and two federal highways ensures easy commutes and access to regional attractions and resources.
Services
State-of-the-art healthcare is close to home in Evangeline Parish, where two full-service hospitals provide a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services for a regional population. Mercy Regional Medical Center is a 109-bed, acute-care hospital in Ville Platte with a medical staff of more than 200 skilled physicians. Along with its Acadian Medical Center campus in Eunice, Mercy Regional has been recognized among the nation’s Top Performers on Key Quality Measures by the Joint Commission. The hospital provides a continuum of care that includes a number of recent additions and state-of-the-art upgrades to Intensive Care and the Emergency Department, which now features a triage center and state-of-the-art trauma rooms. Savoy Medical Center is located in Mamou, taking for its slogan “Our people provide the healing, personal touch.” The hospital maintains a critical care unit, 24-hour emergency department, advanced diagnostics and imaging, acute care and short-term acute rehabilitation, outpatient services, therapies, and women’s services. Should the need for advanced care arise, Lafayette is home to major medical facilities like Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center with an all-new 183-bed hospital, the Heart Hospital of Lafayette, Centers of Excellence, and the only burn unit in Southwest Louisiana. Another healthcare leader, Lafayette General Health encompasses Lafayette General Medical Center, Lafayette General Surgical Hospital, and University Hospital & Clinics. Lafayette General Medical Center with 377 beds is the largest full-service, acute-care hospital in Acadiana, offering the highest level trauma care in the region. University Hospital & Clinics serves as a primary graduate medical education facility and the region’s charity hospital.
Parents will be pleased to learn that quality educational opportunities are available in and near the parish, where the progressive public school system features three award-winning high schools in the U.S. News Best High Schools rankings. Several options for a private educational are also available. The recent merger of Louisiana Technical College with state community college systems has placed the Charles B. Coreil center in Ville Platte within the South Louisiana Community College system. SLCC has earned a number of distinctions and accolades that include a national ranking of 11 for associate degree awards. With more than 35 degree and certification programs, SLCC plays a key role in advancing local economies with relevant training and customized programs for local business and industry. Those who are interested in transferring to a four-year college or university can make an affordable start at Louisiana State University at Eunice, with two-year programs in 100 areas and transfer agreements with every state-supported university. The respected research institution of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette covers 1,300 acres with a 145-acre main campus and multi-site specialty centers. The second-largest university in the state, UL Lafayette enrolls nearly 18,000 students in bachelor’s and graduate degree programs including doctorates.
Lifestyle
Newcomers to Evangeline Parish will discover a delightful community atmosphere steeped in historic pride. Boasts about having the best gumbo, boudin, and other Cajun delicacies might accompany a claim that an Evangeline town invented the fais-do-do dance—only to be challenged by a neighboring town. Few locales can rival Evangeline for Louisiana French country flavor or surpass the spirit of “laissez le bon temps rouler” translated as “Let the good times roll!” In addition to the flamboyant Mardi Gras celebration, parish communities host popular events like the Louisiana Cajun Gumbo Festival and the Louisiana Cotton Festival with the Le Tournoi de la Ville Platte jousting tournament. June brings the Smoked Meat Festival with cooking contests, great food, and music. The City of Ville Platte has been officially recognized by the Louisiana Legislature as the “Swamp Pop Capital of the World”—a genre that gives Cajun music a rock-and-roll flair.
Recreational opportunities are outstanding in Evangeline, including Chicot State Park with 6,400 picturesque acres of lakes and woods for hiking, cycling, fishing, swimming, and camping. The 2,000-acre manmade lake is well stocked for record-breaking catches, while park amenities include an Olympic-sized pool, boathouse, launches, and boat rentals. Louisiana State Arboretum is adjacent to the park, showcasing more than 150 species of native plants and trees. Nearby, the incredible Atchafalaya Basin extends from Morgan City to beyond Lafayette, a maze of bayous, lakes, ponds, and swamps teeming with wildlife and more than 300 species of birds. The parish-owned Crooked Creek Recreational Area is another popular place near Pine Prairie, while golfers enjoy Ville Platte Golf and Country Club. Along the northern border of the parish, communities like Lone Pine, Centerville, and St. Landry offer rural living at its finest with most residents commuting to employment centers. The small community of Bayou Chicot nestles in heavily forested land, while the Vidrine-Reddell area features many lovely homes surrounded by farms and ranches. The tiny historic Village of Chataignier is surrounded by agricultural land and is still home to descendants of an early settler who received a land grant from the Spanish. From the bustling small city of Ville Platte to serene rural landscapes, beautiful Evangeline Parish is a wonderful place to call home.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
Basile
Town Offices
337-432-6692
Chamber of Commerce
337-363-1878
https://www.evangelinechamber.com
The small rural town of Basile in the southwest corner of the parish has long been a leading center for Cajun music, producing native sons like Dewey Balfa, Nathan Abshire, and legendary Nonc Allie Young. In fact, the town is now graced by a new mural portraying these most famous of Basile’s celebrated musicians. The Nathan Abshire Museum is also located in Basile. Residents enjoy two commercial districts, one in the old downtown district still referred to as Main Street and newer development along Highway 90. One of the unique events is the Louisiana Swine Festival that began to promote local pig production. The local operation was short-lived but the festival is still a boon to the pork industry. Regional visitors and residents enjoy a carnival, beauty pageants, a parade, and live music with special events like the Greasy Pig Chase and the Pork Cook-Off or the Hog Calling Contest. The traditional Basile Mardi Gras follows the age-old tradition of costumed riders running around the town asking for gumbo ingredients that are later used for free gumbo served in the town park.
Mamou
Town Offices
337-468-3272
Chamber of Commerce
337-363-1878
https://www.evangelinechamber.com
The Town of Mamou nestles in the heart of Cajun Country, billing itself as “The Cajun Music Capital of the World” in honor of its reputation for great music and talented musicians. For this reason, the town name plays into many song titles like “Valse de Grand Mamou” or “Mamou Two-Step.” The local establishment of Fred’s Lounge is internationally known for its live Cajun music every Saturday morning—an oddity by any standard, but by 8:45 Fred’s has standing room only. The town follows many other communities in the area with a traditional Courir de Mardi Gras where costumed riders beg their neighbors for the ingredients to make a free community gumbo dinner. Mamou also hosts a popular Veterans Day celebration in November. Residential and business growth has been slow but steady since the 1950s, adding commercial conveniences, rice mills, and a community hospital. Residents enjoy the relaxed pace of a close-knit small town surrounded by picturesque farms and fields and an easy commute to expanded amenities.
Pine Prairie
Town Offices
337-599-2198
Chamber of Commerce
337-363-1878
https://www.evangelinechamber.com
Officially evolving from a village into a town, the small community of Pine Prairie offers a close-knit atmosphere where neighbors are friends and many activities are focused on school and church activities. In fact, two Pine Prairie churches have halls that serve as community centers. One of the highlights of the annual calendar is the Christmas Parade and the lighting of the town gazebo, Christmas tree, and seasonal lights. Residents make frequent use of the Pine Prairie Community Park developed to host youth activities. The community is located near one of the major recreational centers in Evangeline Parish, the Crooked Creek Recreation Area, with a 400-acre pristine lake and sandy beaches. This beautiful area offers camping, fishing, boating, swimming, water-skiing, and sailing. One of the larger businesses in this serene community is the Prairie Manor Nursing Home, a 100-bed facility with more than 20 years of providing skilled nursing services to seniors of Central Louisiana.
Ville Platte
City Offices
337-363-2939
https://www.cityofvilleplatte.com
Chamber of Commerce
337-363-1878
https://www.evangelinechamber.com
Rich in history, legend, agriculture, timber, and natural resources, the community of Ville Platte is the most populous municipality in Evangeline Parish. Still a small town by most standards, the city is ideally located along US Highway 167 midway between Baton Rouge and Alexandria. The city offers public schools and one private school, a number of churches, several small businesses, and a variety of civic and social groups and organizations that keep residents active and engaged. Among them are the Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus, Lions Club, Magnolia Garden Club, Woodmen of the World, American Legion and Auxiliary, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The establishment of Chicot State Park with 6,500 acres of woodland and a 2,500-acre lake has been an economic asset to the city as it welcomes thousands of annual recreational visitors. Industry is also moving into the area, and the city is home to the 109-bed Mercy Regional Medical Center. Ville Platte attracts throngs of visitors to three exceptionally large events: Louisiana Cotton Festival with its jousting tournament, Festival de la Viande Bouccanee or Smoked Meat Festival in the summertime, and the Dewey Balfa Roots Festival in early spring.
