Crowley Louisiana
Crowley is located in South Louisiana, and has a population of about 12,000 residents. It is the Parish Seat of Acadia Parish.
It was founded in 1887 by two brothers, C.C. and W.W. Duson. The new town offered land well suited for agriculture, particularly rice, and the population grew to 6,000 by 1917.
Crowley has more than 200 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including many Victorian residences featuring Queen Anne architecture. The city also supports an active Main Street Program.
The Annual Gumbo Cook-Off is held at the Enterprise Center Grounds in Crowley, and the city hosts the well-known International Rice Festival.
The cost of living and sites for business are affordable in Crowley. This humble community is home to a culturally diverse and devoted population whose work ethic is as strong now as it was when their Cajun forefathers first settled here. Acadia Parish’s quaint charm makes it a great place to live, work, visit and retire!
The Importance of Rice to Crowley
Rice production began in earnest in Louisiana shortly after the Civil War. Thanks to the warm climate and long growing season, farmers could usually harvest rice twice a year. Rice continues to play an important role in Crowley’s economy. Crawfish farming is also a mainstay of the local economy.
Crowley has milled more rice than any city in the country, earning it the designation of “Rice Capital of the World.” Every October, the city celebrates the International Rice Festival, one of the nation’s largest and oldest agricultural festivals.
Location of Crowley
Crowley is located on Interstate Highway I-10 and historic U.S. Highway 90, about midway between the cities of Lafayette and Jennings. The City of Eunice lies to the north on Louisiana Highway 13, and Kaplan is to the south. Other nearby towns include Lacassine, Welsh, Duson, Lake Arthur, Rayne, Mermentau, and Gueydan.
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Crowley recently restored the Ford Building, built in 1921 as a car dealership and partial assembly line for Ford Model Ts. The building, open for tours, now serves as the Crowley City Hall and houses four museums:
- Rice Interpretive Center
- City of Crowley Museum
- Ford Motor Company Museum
- J.D. Miller Music and Recording Studio Museum
Major events held through the year include:
- International Rice Festival - held annually every third full weekend in October; it is one of Louisiana's oldest and largest agricultural festivals. The first festival was held on October 5, 1937 as the National Rice Festival; it was renamed the "International Rice Festival" in 1946 when the festival was resumed after a hiatus during World War II.
The celebration is held to honor the rice industry and its hardworking farmers. It has brought attention to the importance of rice as a food and emphasizes its place in the world. The festival features music, food, car shows and much more!
- Annual Gumbo Cook-Off is held in October at the Enterprise Center Grounds in Crowley
Here are details of some of the most popular Crowley area attractions:
- The popular Crowley Motor Company & Ford Building is located at 425 Parkerson Avenue. It was built as the city's Ford Motor Model T dealership. Designed by an architect for the Ford Motor Co, its was one of 1,000 similar Ford dealerships constructed in the U.S. The City of Crowley purchased the building in 2000 and it has been restored as City Hall and the locale of four new musuems. Phone 337.783.0824 for more information.
- The Grand Opera House of the South is located at 505 North Parkerson Avenue. David E. Lyons, the “Amusement King,” built the Grand Opera House in 1901 and brought many successful plays and shows to Crowley. After Lyons’ death in 1940, the theatre closed and became a hardware store. In 1999, the building was purchased and completely restored by L.J. Gielen who then donated the entire 33,000-square-foot building to the nonprofit organization, the Grand Opera House of the South. It has been in operation since 2008 as a performing arts venue. Phone 337.785.0440 for more information.
- The Historic Rice Theatre is a renovated historic Art Deco-style theater built in 1939, and located at 323 North Parkerson Avenue. It features live local and national theatrical and musical events, with tours available by appointment. Phone 337.783.0824
- Kelly's Landing is a agricultural museum and working Cajun Prairie farm. It is conveniently located 10 minutes north of the beautiful and historic city of Crowley, at 1109 Roberts Cove Road. Phone 337.263.5520
- The Zydeco Cajun Prairie Scenic ByWay winds it way through area roads and communities of Cajun Country.
Scenes Around Crowley
Crowley Motor Co. Building |
One of many historic homes |
Falcon Rice Mill |
Grand Opera House |
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Earlier Times in Crowley
Bird's Eye View - 1910 |
Acadia Parish Courthouse |
Crowley High School |
De Rousselle Restaurant |
Parkerson Avenue |
Suds Pioneer Bar |
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