On Hall Street near West Harrison Street, on the right when traveling north.
Built in 1885 in Patterson, La. and originally known as Holy Trinity. Moved to present location in 1942. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its Gothic Revival architecture. — — Map (db m140550) HM
On Lake Charles Avenue near North Pine Street, on the right when traveling west.
Built in 1923, the depot is an outstanding example of Mission Revival architecture, and is one of the most architecturally significant railroad depots in the state. Listed on National Register of Historic Places. — — Map (db m140551) HM
On South Grand Avenue (State Highway 27) at East 4th Street (State Highway 12), on the right when traveling north on South Grand Avenue.
Between 1890 and 1930, large lumber companies moved into southwest Louisiana to harvest Longleaf Pine. After 1930, most of the companies ended logging operations, leaving thousands of acres of pine stumps. In 1919, W. Burns Logan, Sr., a chemical . . . — — Map (db m109523) HM
On Lake Charles Avenue just east of North Pine Street, on the right when traveling west.
World War I
April 6, 1917 – Nov. 11, 1918
Thomas Jefferson Gearen • Jessie James Rainwater
World War II
Dec. 7, 1941 – Sept. 2, 1945
Woodrow Wilson Alston • Norris Bennett • John Laird Boyd • Louis Cooper • George L. . . . — — Map (db m214285) WM
On State Highway 27 at Old Camp Road, on the left when traveling north on State Highway 27.
First military air field in Louisiana. US Army signal Corps began training Nov. 1917. Gerstner had 24 hangars and 90 other buildings. Almost 500 fighter pilots and instructors were trained here for the World War I Western Front. Dismantled in 1921; . . . — — Map (db m109525) HM
Near Veterans Memorial Boulevard near Lakeshore Drive, on the left when traveling south.
Activated Lake Charles AFB LA 1953
Deactivated at Selfridge AFB MI 1964
Crew Positions Aircraft Commander Pilot Navigator Flight Engineer Boom Operator Radio Operator Crew Chief — — Map (db m147260) HM WM
On North Enterprise Boulevard at St. John Street, on the right when traveling north on North Enterprise Boulevard.
One block from this site stood Ball's Auditorium from 1945 to 1995. Here, Reginald Ball, Sr. operated a trade school to help returning World War II African- American veterans obtain jobs through training in the crafts. By the 1950s, the trade . . . — — Map (db m116201) HM
On Shell Beach Drive west of Barbe Street, on the right when traveling west.
The pioneer Barbe family operated a public fishing pier and casino, beach and park at this site as early as the turn of the twentieth century, and after the 1918 storm, they planned and constructed a Pleasure Pier, Dancing Pavilion and Bathhouse . . . — — Map (db m147001) HM
Near I-10 Service Road near Veterans Memorial Boulevard, on the right when traveling east.
Established April 8, 1840 with the burial of Margaret Bilbo.
Burial site of John Jacob Ryan Jr. 1816-1899 Father of Lake Charles.
Earlier site of ancient Attakapa Indian village
U.S. Army Military post, Cantonment Atkinson, 1829-1832
. . . — — Map (db m147002) HM
On Veterans Memorial Boulevard east of I-10 Service Road, on the right when traveling east.
A military post established by the Federal Government for the protection of Louisiana against illicit border warfare following the Louisiana Purchase. — — Map (db m146934) HM
On Bord du Lac Drive south of Gill Street, on the left when traveling south.
Panel 1 Born March 23, 1815 in Wyk Auf Föhr, Nordfriesland, now Germany
Immigrated to Philadelphia in 1835 and soon moved to New Orleans
Married Katarina Barbara Moeling March 26, 1846 Moved to Lake Charles in 1855 Died May 19, 1898 in . . . — — Map (db m147253) HM
On Kirby Street near Ford Street, on the right when traveling west.
Christian Science was discovered by Mary Baker Eddy in 1866. This church is one of the many world wide branches of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, organized by her in 1879.
By 1890, a group of . . . — — Map (db m136264) HM
On Church Street near Ryan Street, on the right when traveling west.
Goldband Records was founded in 1945 by Eddie Shuler to record the music of his band “The All-Star Revelers” and later to record music created by other regional musicians. The record label was known for its Cajun, swamp pop, and . . . — — Map (db m116634) HM
On Common Street (State Highway 385) near East McNeese Street, on the right when traveling south.
Jean Laffite was a French privateer, pirate and patriot. A hero with his band of baratarians at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. Reputed to have had a warehouse on Contraband Bayou and to have conducted business with locals, Charles Salier and . . . — — Map (db m136230) HM
On First Avenue south of Fourth Street, on the right when traveling north. Reported missing.
Louisiana High School Hall of Famer, R.S. Killen, coached from 1924-1950. In 1944, this stadium was named Killen Field in his honor. The name was revoked in 1953 due to a state law barring naming public structures after living persons. This stadium . . . — — Map (db m205919) HM
On Ryan Street (State Highway 385) north of West School Street, on the left when traveling north.
In 1903, Mesard LaGrange donated an acre for a one-room schoolhouse at this site, and in 1913 offered to donate 9 more acres for an expansion of the school. The School Board at the time offered him $1000 for the land to obtain clear title. In 1929, . . . — — Map (db m116338) HM
On Bord du Lac Drive, 0.2 miles north of Lakeshore Drive, on the left when traveling north.
The World Trade Center beams rise from a reflecting pool and visitors
may touch one of the beams from the walkway. Each piece of glass
embedded in the "ribbon of souls” represents one of the lives lost in
the attacks. Earth tones represent . . . — — Map (db m149627) HM
On Seventh Street at Bilbo Street, on the right when traveling west on Seventh Street.
The Lake Charles High School Kilties, Louisiana's first all-girl drill team, was widely known for its fast-stepping precision drills, its unique drum cadences and its tartan plaid uniforms. With the piercing trill of the Colonels' whistles and the . . . — — Map (db m116203) HM
On Clarence Street east of Ryan Street, on the right when traveling east.
At least four railroad stations were located in Lake Charles, all of which have been lost. On Railroad Avenue at Bilbo were passenger and freight stations (circa 1880) for Louisiana Western Railroad, later Southern Pacific which ran to points east . . . — — Map (db m116217) HM
On Seventh Street south of Bank Street, on the right when traveling east.
Area congregations constructed a two-story orphanage in 1899 that housed up to 150 children at a time. This location was selected for the wholesome, rural character of the setting. The landmark structure was so identified with this part of the . . . — — Map (db m116272) HM
On Bilbo Street north of Pujo Street, on the right when traveling south.
On this site stood the Majestic Hotel from
1906 to 1965. Advanced for its day, the
Majestic's own water system was used to
save it (and surrounding properties) during
the Great Lake Charles Fire of 1910. The
Majestic Hotel was operated for . . . — — Map (db m172222) HM
On Ryan Street (State Highway 385) at Seventh Street/Dr. Michael Debakey Drive, on the right when traveling south on Ryan Street.
The original site of St. Charles Academy was the northeast corner of Ryan and Kirby, part of the Roman Catholic complex of church, convent and school destroyed in the Great Fire of 1910. Opening in 1882, St. Charles Academy was staffed by the . . . — — Map (db m116323) HM
On Ryan Street south of Broad Street, on the right when traveling south.
Four important landmarks once stood here, part of an unbroken line of buildings from Railroad Avenue to Clarence Street. The Weber Building housed professional offices and was the center of Western Union communications for this region. The offices . . . — — Map (db m116238) HM
Near North Lakeshore Drive near Pryce Street, on the right when traveling south.
Plaque 1 In Memory of All Vietnam Veterans This memorial was erected in memory of the young individuals who went to war as kids and lost their youthful dreams, and some their lives, for a cause - freedom and honor - and came back as men with . . . — — Map (db m147317) HM WM
On Niblett Bluff Road at Wright Road, on the left when traveling west on Niblett Bluff Road.
In 1862 when federal troops captured New Orleans and blockaded the mouth of the Mississippi River, Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Richard Taylor established headquarters in Central Louisiana, where they successfully stopped Maj. Gen. Nathaniel . . . — — Map (db m136732) HM
Near Ruth Street south of Cypress Street, on the left when traveling north.
The Henning Family arrived in Calcasieu Parish in approximately 1875 and began to lay the foundation for a remarkable tenure as community, business and industry leaders. Reverend John Henning and Family, including son John Thomas Henning, arrived in . . . — — Map (db m109527) HM
