Lafayette, Louisiana

Geobox City
name = City of Lafayette
Ville de Lafayette
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category = City


image_size =
image_caption = Downtown Lafayette


flag_size =
symbol =
symbol_size =
symbol_type = Logo
nickname = Hub City
motto = The Heart of Cajun Country
country = United States
state = Louisiana
region = Lafayette
region_type = Parish
area_imperial = 47.7
area_land_imperial = 47.6
area_water_imperial = 0.1
area_water_percentage = auto
area_percentage_round = 2
area_round = 1
area_metro_imperial = 5252
location =
lat_d = 30
lat_m = 12
lat_s = 50
lat_NS = N
long_d = 92
long_m = 01
long_s = 46
long_EW = W
elevation_imperial = 36
elevation_round = 1
population_as_of = 2000
population = 110275
population_density_imperial = 2316.7
population_density_round = 1
population_metro_as_of = 2000
population_metro = 512720
population_density_metro_imperial = auto
government =
established_type = Founded
established = 1821
leader = Joey Durel
timezone = CST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
postal_code = 70501-9, 70593, 70596, 70598
postal_code_type = ZIP codes
area_code = 337
area_code_type =
code2_type =
code2 =
free_type =
free =
free1_type =
free1 =


map_size =
map_caption = Location of Lafayette in Louisiana
map_locator = Louisiana
map1 = Map of USA LA.svg
map1_caption = Location of Louisiana in the United States
website = http://www.lafayettela.gov

Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States,GR|6 on the Vermilion River. The population was 110,257 at the 2000 census; a 2007 census estimate put the metropolitan area's population at 256,494. [cite web | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/metro/tables/2007/CBSA-EST2007-01.csv | title = Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007 (CBSA-EST2007-01) | format = CSV | work = 2007 Population Estimates | publisher = United States Census Bureau, Population Division | date = 2008-03-27 | accessdate = 2008-09-02] It is the fourth largest city in the state. It is the larger principal city of the Lafayette-Acadiana, LA Combined Statistical Area, which, in 2007, had an estimated total population of 538,470. [cite web | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/metro/tables/2007/CBSA-EST2007-02.csv | title = Table 2. Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007 (CBSA-EST2007-02) | format = CSV | work = 2007 Population Estimates | publisher = United States Census Bureau, Population Division | date = 2008-03-27 | accessdate = 2008-09-02]

The city was founded as Vermilionville in 1821 by a French-speaking Acadian named Jean Mouton. In 1884, it was renamed for General Lafayette, a French military hero who fought with and significantly aided the American Army during the American Revolutionary War. Niles' Weekly Register, BALTIMORE, June 26,1824; LAFAYETTE ] The city's economy was primarily based on agriculture until the 1940s, when the petroleum and natural gas industry became dominant.

Lafayette has a strong tourism industry, attracted by the Cajun and Creole cultures of the surrounding region. Because of the Cajun culture's affinity for good food, it has one of the highest numbers of restaurants per capita of any U.S. city.

Geography

Lafayette is located at coor dms|30|12|50|N|92|1|46|W|city (30.213901, -92.029363)GR|1 and has an elevation of convert|36|ft|1GR|3.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 47.7 square miles (123.5 km²), of which, 47.6 square miles (123.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.19%) is water.

The Vermilion River runs through the center of Lafayette. Other significant waterways in the city are Isaac Verot Coulee, Coulee Mine, Coulee des Poches and Coulee Ile Des Cannes, which are natural drainage canals that lead to the Vermilion River.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 110,257 people, 43,506 households, and 27,104 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,316.7 people per square mile (894.5/km²). There were 46,865 housing units at an average density of 984.7/sq mi (380.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 68.23% White, 28.51% African American, 0.25% Native American, 1.44% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.58% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.88% of the population.

There were 43,506 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. Nearly 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,996, and the median income for a family was $47,783. Males had a median income of $37,729 versus $23,606 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,031. About 11.6% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.

Also, the population of the Lafayette area has increased in recent years since Hurricane Katrina. Many refugees from the Greater New Orleans are have either permanently relocated to Lafayette, or have stayed there for a pro longed period of time.

Education

Public Schools
*Lafayette Parish Public Schools

Private Schools
* [http://www.cathedralcarmel.com/ Cathedral Carmel School]
* Ascension Day School
* Academy of the Sacred Heart (not in Lafayette Parish but most students are Lafayette residents)
* St. Genevieve Catholic School (Middle and Elementary)
* [http://www.leoseton.org/ Sts. Leo-Seton Catholic School]
* Fatima School, Our Lady of
* Lafayette Christian Academy
* St. Thomas More School
* [http://www.tchs.net/ Teurlings Catholic High School]
* Episcopal School of Acadiana
* [http://www.lafayettelutheran.com/ Lafayette Lutheran School]
* Family Life Christian Academy
* Holy Family Catholic School
* Immaculate Heart of Mary School
* First Baptist Christian School
* [http://www.stpiuselementary.org/ St. Pius] University and colleges
* The University of Louisiana at Lafayette
* [http://www.slcc.cc.la.us/ South Louisiana Community College] (Lafayette campus)
* [http://www.lafayettecampus.net/lafayette/ Louisiana Technical College] (Lafayette campus)
* [http://www.remingtoncollege.edu/lafayette/index.html Remington College] (Lafayette campus)

Public Library System
* [http://www.lafayette.lib.la.us/ Lafayette Public Library System]

Health and medicine

Lafayette is served by the following hospitals.
* [http://www.lafayettegeneral.com/ Lafayette General Medical Center] - 1214 Coolidge Street]
* [http://www.lgsh.us/ Lafayette General Surgical Hospital] - 1000 West Pinhook Road
* [http://www.lafayettesurgical.com/ Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital] - 1101 Kaliste Saloom Road
* [http://www.medschool.lsuhsc.edu/family_medicine/lafayette.asp University Medical Center] - 2390 West Congress Street
* [http://www.womens-childrens.com/cpm/SplashPage.htm Womens and Childrens Hospital] - 4600 Ambassador Caffery Parkway
* [http://www.medicalcentersw.com/ Medical Center of Southwest Louisiana] - 2810 Ambassador Caffery Parkway
* [http://www.lourdes.net/ Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center] - 611 Saint Landry Street

ports

Lafayette is home to the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, the athletic teams of The University of Louisiana at Lafayette. It is also home to the [http://www.bayoubulls.com Lafayette Bayou Bulls] semi-pro football program which started in 2003. Between the years of 1995 and 2005, Lafayette was home to the Louisiana IceGators ECHL hockey team.

Sports venues:
* Cajundome
* Cajun Field
* Blackham Coliseum

Military

Lafayette is the home of the National Guard headquarters of the 256th Infantry Brigade, a military unit of over 3,000 soldiers that served in Iraq in the years of 2004-2005.

Government and politics

Since the consolidation of city and parish governments, Lafayette has had a city-parish president as its chief executive, rather than a mayor as it had previously. The current Republican city-parish president is Joey Durel. As the largest city in the seventh congressional district of Louisiana, it overwhelmingly supported U.S. representative Charles Boustany in his races in 2004 and 2006; he is a citizen of Lafayette. In 2004, residents of Lafayette cast 57,000 ballots for George W. Bush and 31,000 for John F. Kerry. According to the Bay City Center for Voting Research, Lafayette is the ninth most conservative city in the nation and the fourth most conservative city in the South. [ [http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/statesman/metro/081205libs.pdf Bay City Center for Voting Research] ]

Notable local politicians
*Earl J. "Nickey" Picard City of Lafayette City Marshal 1984-present, Honored member 2008-2009, Cambridge's Who's Who [http://www.cambridgewhoswho.com/MainSite/AboutUs/] Executive, Professional and Entrepreneurial Registry for showing excellence, leadership and dedication in criminal justice.Louisiana state police trooper and sergeant, Under his administration, Lafayette became the first Marshal's office to be honored with the Recognition Award by the Commission for Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). He attended the Louisiana State Police Training Academy, the Southern Police Institute-University of Louisville, and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics Training Academy in Washington, DC. He is a Certified Safety Supervisor through the Committee on Motor Fleet Supervision of Pennsylvania State University, and is an active member of the Lafayette Kiwanis Club and a third- and fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus. An inductee into the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame in 2005, Marshal Picard has been honored with numerous citations and awards in the course of his long, distinguished career. These include several Lawman of the Year awards in Louisiana, Mississippi and West Tennessee, a United States Army Commendation Medal, a Louisiana Commendation Medal, a Louisiana Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year Award, and promotion to the rank of Command Sergeant Major in the Louisiana National Guard.
*Edgar G. Mouton Jr. (b.1929), State Representative 1964-1966, State Senator 1966-1980,President Pro Tempore 1976-1980 (1st non-Lieutenant Governor to preside over Senate), Candidate for Governor 1979, executive counsel to the Governor 1980-1983,2003 Living Legends Hall of Fame, 2004 La. Political Hall of Fame, principal author of legislation which created the Council for the Development of French in La. popularly known as Codofil.
*Ernie Alexander (b. 1933), state representative and former member of the Lafayette City-Parish Council
*J. Rayburn Bertrand (deceased), mayor from 1960-1972
*Kenneth Francis "Kenny" Bowen (deceased), mayor from 1972-1980; 1992-1996
*Isaac A. Broussard (deceased), Lafayette Parish sheriff (1888-1904), one of two longest-tenured sheriffs
*Joey Durel (b. 1953), mayor-president of Lafayette consolidated government since 2004
*William Dudley "Dud" Lastrapes, Jr. (b. 1929), first Republican mayor of Lafayette since Reconstruction, served 1980-1992
*Roderick Miller (deceased), first Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Lafayette since Reconstruction
*Ashton J. Mouton (deceased), youngest mayor in Lafayette history, served 1948-1956
*David Thibodaux (deceased), UL Lafayette English faculty, Lafayette Parish School Board member, four-time Republican congressional candidate

Lafayette is also home to a branch of the AmeriCorps State program (http://www.americorps.org/). UL AmeriCorps is associated with the University of Louisiana and employs about 40 students who perform either 900 or 400 hours of community service in 11 months. (http://americorps.louisiana.edu/)

Media

Print
*" [http://www.theadvertiser.com/ The Daily Advertiser] ", daily newspaper
*" [http://www.theind.com/ The Independent Weekly] ", weekly newspaper
*" [http://www.timesofacadiana.com/ The Times of Acadiana] ", weekly newspaper
*"The Vermillion", UL Lafayette student newspaper

Television
Lafayette is home to KATC-TV, Channel 3, an (ABC) affiliate, KLFY-TV Channel 10 (CBS), KADN-TV, Channel 15 (Fox), and KLWB, Channel 50 (CW). KPLC-TV, Channel 7 and WVLA, Channel 33, are NBC affiliates, located in nearby Lake Charles and Baton Rouge, respectively, but serve Lafayette as well.

Radio
*List of Lafayette radio stations

Points of interest

* Acadian Village is a reconstructed Cajun bayou community (of moved and reassembled authentic buildings) and has a representative collection of Cajun furnishings. [http://www.acadianvillage.org/ Website]
* [http://www.acadianaartscouncil.org/ Acadiana Center for the Arts]
* Alexandre Mouton House Museum was home to Louisiana's first Democratic governor, Alexandre Mouton, who once lived in this antebellum town house. It is now a museum and contain collection of antiques, historical documents, and old mardi gras costumes.
* Cajundome, home to the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns basketball teams, serves as a convention space.
* Cajun Field also nicknamed "the Swamp" is home to the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team.
* [http://www.childrensmuseumofacadiana.com/ Children's Museum of Acadiana]
* [http://www.citedesarts.org/ Cite des Arts]
* [http://www.acadianacenterforthearts.org/ Acadiana Center for the Arts]
* Cypress Lake
* [http://www.heymann-center.com/ Heymann Center] A performing arts center.
* [http://www.nps.gov/Jela/ Jean Lafitte National Park Acadian Cultural Center]
* [http://www.jeffersonstmarket.com/cms/ Jefferson Street Market] has 65 shops under one roof, offering everything from fine French antiques to fine art by regional artists.
* [http://www.lnhmpmuseum.org/ Lafayette Natural History Museum & Planetarium] is a combination museum and planetarium, which houses over 1,000 paintings, prints and sculpture of Louisiana artists and regularly changing exhibits and planetarium programs.
* [http://www.lafayette.org/site135.php Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise (LITE)] is a state-of-the-art resource center encompassing the world’s first six-sided, digital virtual reality cube as well as the world’s largest digital 3-D auditorium.
* Mall of Acadiana - Contains a Dillards, Sears, JCPenny, Macy's, and over 120 specialty stores and services.
* [http://museum.louisiana.edu/ Paul and Lulu Hillard University Art Museum] has a Permanent Collection consisting of more than 2000 works of art, including paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, and photographs that represent 18th, 19th and 20th century Louisiana, in addition to works from around the world.
*University of Louisiana at Lafayette
*National Wetlands Research Center is a research facility operated by the U.S. Geological Survey that focuses on estuarine, marine, and freshwater wetlands.
* [http://www.vermillionville.org/ Vermillionville] is a reconstruction of a Cajun-Creole settlement from the 1765-to-1890 era
* [http://www.zooofacadiana.org/ Zoo of Acadiana] is located nearby in Broussard.
* [http://www.lafayette.lib.la.us/ Lafayette Public Library System]

Events
*Festivals Acadiens
*Festival International
*Festival de Musique Acadienne
* [http://www.mechacon.com/ MechaCon] (Louisiana's longest running Anime and Japanese Cultural Convention)
*Mardi Gras (the second largest Mardi Gras celebration in Louisiana)

Retail and Shopping

Lafayette serves as the retail and shopping hub of the Acadiana area, serving an eight parish area. The seat of this retail is the Mall of Acadiana. The mall features department stores Macy's, Dillards, JC Penney, and Sears. It also includes over 100 specialty stores, such as Express, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Talbots, Chico's, Nine West, and Coldwater Creek. Other retailers/stores that have recently located in Lafayette include Kohl's, Incredible Pizza Co., and Plato's Closet. Academy Sports and Outdoors recently built a new building for its Lafayette location to become one of the largest stores in the Academy chain.

Transportation

* Air: Lafayette Regional Airport (LFT) is on US Highway 90, on the southeast side of the city.
* Interstate Highway: I-10 and I-49 (Lafayette serves as I-49's southern terminus, at its intersection with I-10)
* Passenger Rail: The Amtrak "Sunset Limited" offers service from New Orleans, Louisiana and Los Angeles, California with selected stops in Louisiana, Texas, Arizona and California. The 2004 Route Guide describes service eastward to Orlando, but this has not been restored in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
* Public Transit: Lafayette Transit System [http://www.ridelts.com] provides bus service.

Lafayette is also served by U.S. Routes 90 (known as the Evangeline Thruway for part of its route) and 167 (also known as Johnston Street). Ambassador Caffery Parkway, named for Jefferson Caffery, serves as a partially completed loop around Lafayette. Other Arterial Roads serving Lafayette include Verot School Road (LA 339), Congress Street, Kaliste Saloom Road (LA 3095), Carmel Dr. (LA 94), University Avenue (LA 182), and Pinhook Road (LA 182).

Notable residents

Natives
Some of the notable people born in Lafayette:
*Ernie Alexander, former member of Louisiana House of Representatives
*Nnamdi Asomugha, NFL defensive back
*Paul Bako, a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds.
*Jefferson Caffery (deceased), former U.S. ambassador
*Page Cortez, District 43 state representative since 2008
*Cupid, famous R&B singer; wrote "Cupid Shuffle"
*Michael Doucet, Cajun musician
*Walter Davis, triple jump athlete
*Kevin Faulk, NFL running back
*Patrick LeBlanc (1954-2008), businessman, architect, Republican politician
*Garrett Maxwell, NFL Defensive Back, Dallas Cowboys
*Ron Gomez, former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives; journalist
*Ron Guidry, Yankees pitcher
*Danneel Harris, television actress
*J. Lomax Jordan, lawyer, former state senator
*Angela Kinsey, television actress, "The Office"
*Gil Meche, MLB pitcher, Kansas City Royals
*Michael J. Michot, businessman and state Senator from Lafayette
*Ross Mouton, professional basketball player
*Brett Weaver, Anime voice over actor; mostly known for his work with ADV Films
*Domanick Williams, NFL running back
*James J.Duhon,Movie Director, video & documentary director [BET,MTV,History Channel]

Residents
Other notable current and former residents of Lafayette:
*Kevyn Aucoin (deceased), professional makeup artist
*Paul Bako, major league baseball player
*Allen Bares (1936-2008), represented Lafayette Parish in both house of the Louisiana State Legislature from 1972-1992
*Captain Steven L. Bennett (deceased), Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient
*Kathleen Blanco, former Louisiana governor
*Marc Broussard, musician
*Kody Chamberlain, comic book writer and artist
*Hollis Conway, Olympic medalist
*Aaron Dalbec, musician
*Charles deGravelles, former Louisiana State Republican Party chairman
*Virginia deGravelles, former Louisiana Republican national committeewoman
*Jake Delhomme, NFL quarterback
*Ernest Gaines, acclaimed writer
*Ben Earl Looney (deceased), acclaimed painter originally from Webster Parish
*Elizabeth McNulty, Miss Louisiana 2007
*Louis J. Michot, businessman, former state education superintendent and state representative
*Nick Rees, NFL running back, Green Bay Packers
*Brian Mitchell, former NFL running back, special teams returner
*Brandon Stokley, NFL wide receiver
*Javon Walker, NFL wide receiver

References

External links

* [http://www.lafayettegov.com Lafayette Consolidated Government]
* [http://www.lafayettetravel.com/ Lafayette Conventions and Visitors Center]
* [http://www.downtownalive.org/ Downtown Alive]
* [http://www.lifeinlafayette.com/pelicans Pelicans on Parade in Lafayette]