Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth largest incorporated city in the US state of Louisiana. 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 U.S. census, Lake Charles` population was 71,757. The city serves as the parish seat of Calcasieu Parish.
Lake Charles is the principal city of the Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the parishes of Calcasieu and Cameron. It is also part of the larger Lake Charles-Jennings Combined Statistical Area.
The city is considered a major petrochemical refining center, gaming center, and home to McNeese State University.
With over 75 festivals held annually, Lake Charles is referred to as the Festival Capital of Louisiana.
History
18th and 19th Centuries
Settlement and Incorporation
While several Indian tribes are known to have lived in the area of modern Lake Charles, the first European settlers arrived in the 1760s.
Martin LeBleu and his wife, Dela Marion, of Bordeaux, France were the first recorded Europeans to settle the area which they did in around 1781. The area they settled is now known as the LeBleu Settlement. Charles Sallier married LeBleu`s daughter, Catherine LeBleu. The Salliers built their home on the beach where Lake Charles now stands. By 1860 the area became known as Charles Town in Sallier`s honor.
The Rio Hondo, which flowed through Lake Charles, was later called Quelqueshue, a Native American term meaning "Crying Eagle." This term would later lend itself to the name of the parish, Calcasieu. 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 Frisian by birth, came to the city in 1855. Goos established a lumber mill and schooner dock, now called Goosport. He promoted a profitable trade with Texas and Mexican ports by sending his schooner down river into the Gulf of Mexico. Until the arrival of Goos, a man named Jacob Ryan dominated the lumber industry. Between 1817 and 1855, the timber from longleaf pine and bald cypress remained the city`s primary economic industry.
Jacob Ryan convinced the state government to move the parish seat to Lake Charles from its former location at Marion, a settlement about eight miles upriver. Later that year, Ryan and Samuel Kirby transferred the parish courthouse and jail by barge to Lake Charles, which was at that time still named Charleston. Six years after the city was incorporated, dissatisfaction over the name Charleston arose; on March 16, 1867, Charleston, Louisiana, was incorporated into 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 Jews, had come to settle the area. Attitudes toward slavery in Lake Charles were mixed as slavery was secondary to business interests. In fact, less than 5% of the population was slaves. Many citizens became involved in the war, and young men from some local families served on the 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 major lumber community. Especially in the 1880s, the city saw an increase in population and economic demand due largely due to an innovative advertising campaign by J.B. Watkins. With his astounding $200,000 campaign, the town grew 400% during this decade.
Using the pine wood from the city`s mills, construction of large Victorian mansions overwhelmed Lake Charles in the 1890s; carpenters struggled to outbuild each other with their use of elaborate fretwork and decoration, including spindles, newel posts, soldiers and paneled doors. The area of present-day Lake Charles located just east of downtown is known as the Charpentier District due to architecture during this period; charpentier means carpenter in French.
Twentieth Century
The courthouse donated by Ryan and Kirby was replaced many times, including a two-story cypress wood one in 1872, then a brick one in 1890. The 1890 courthouse was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1910. The historic Calcasieu Courthouse was completed in 1912; two months after the Louisiana legislature divided the former Imperial Calcasieu parish into the current parishes of Allen, Beauregard, Cameron, Jefferson Davis and Calcasieu.
After World War II; Lake Charles experienced industrial growth with the onset of the petrochemical refining industries. The city grew to a height of 80,000 people in the early 1980s, but with economic recession, the population declined. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 71,757.
Present Day
The destructive force of Hurricane Rita. Looking down the remains of the lakefront boardwalk toward the damaged Harrah`s Lake Charles Casino property
Pinnacle Entertainment opened their first riverboat casino in the Lake Charles area in May 2005. The name of the resort, L`Auberge du Lac, comes from the French for "The Inn on the Lake." The casino includes an 18-hole, championship golf course designed by Tom Fazio, several dining venues, a spa and salon, a pool area complete with lazy river, and several retail stores. It employs over 2000 citizens.
Lake Charles suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Rita, which struck the city as a Category 2 hurricane early on September 24, 2005. On September 22, Mayor Randy Roach ordered a mandatory evacuation of Lake Charles, and approximately 90% of the residents evacuated prior to the storm. Evacuees were asked not to return for 48 hours, due to the wind damage and flooding. There was extensive damage to the city`s electrical grid as some areas took as long as three weeks to restore power. Many apartment residents had to be evicted because of the mold caused by the hurricane.
The Lake Charles American Press newspaper has a hurricane blog posted on the internet which captures the essence of the events that occurred in this significant event which impacted the City`s history and residents forever: http://americanpress.blogspot.com.
As part of the city`s recovery from Hurricane Rita, elected officials proposed a plan to renovate the downtown area to make it more pedestrian-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing. Charrettes were held presenting architectural concept drawings and ideas of what downtown Lake Charles could look like in future years. Of primary concern was quality and affordable housing to help revitalize the area, and at the same time provide more housing for the housing shortage in the last few years. A parish-wide ballot initiative to increase sales and property taxes for 20 years to fund this proposal and numerous local road projects was rejected by taxpayers on July 15, 2006.
On June 20, 2006 a Citgo Petroleum Plant located in Westlake 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 flowed down the Calcasieu River; closures of many waterways included the Calcasieu River Channel and one mile of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The Port of Lake Charles remained closed for some time after the disaster due to contamination.
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 a day, was at low levels weeks after the accident.
Industry
Many area residents are employed by the petro-chemical refineries in nearby Westlake; some of the corporations with facilities in or around the city include PPG Industries, ConocoPhillips, and Citgo Petroleum Corporation.
The Trunkline 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.
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.
On May 26, 2006, nearly 900 members of the Local 470 at PPG Industries went on strike due to issues of pensions, healthcare, and a 2-tier, hire-in wage rate. PPG proposed that newly hired employees would no longer receive retirement medical benefits or a defined-benefit pension. On August 31, 2006, striking members voted to ratify a new contract with PPG. PPG officials had threatened to permanently replace them and prolonged the strike by refusing to negotiate key issues, which left many members and community leaders bitter.
Holidays and Festivities
Lake Charles plays host to over one hundred festivals and carnivals which give the city its nickname, "The Festival Capital of Louisiana."
Contraband Days
Contraband Days is a 12-day, annual festival in early May filled with savory cajun food, family fun and festivities, including entertainment with live bands, and is attended by more than 200,000 people. It is one of the largest celebrations in Louisiana. The festival begins when pirate Jean Lafitte captures the port and throws the mayor of the city of Lake Charles into Lake Charles; i.e. the lake itself. It takes place the first two weekends in May ending on Mothers Day.
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 lead 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.
Other Festivals
1. Cajun Music and Food Festival
2. CAL-CA-CHEW (Calcasieu) Festival
3. Celtic Nations Heritage Festival
4. International Food and Music Festival
5. Marshland Festival
6. Red, White, Blue and You July 4 Celebration
7. Southwest Louisiana Christmas Lighting Festival
8. Veteran`s Day Parade
Understanding Who the Real Estate Agent Is Working For by Duane Devalle
When Buying a Home, the first thing you should do, even before you make your first call to a real estate agent, is to fully understand the type of relationship you will have with the agent. You need to know whether the agent is working for you as a client or merely with you as a customer.
The real estate agent represents someone in the transaction. The question is - "Who does the agent represent?" The North Carolina Real Estate Commission has produced an informative brochure meant to protect consumers. The "Working With Real Estate Agents Brochure" explains who a seller`s agent, dual agent, and buyer`s agent represent in the transaction. Every real estate agent is required by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission to present and explain the brochure with those seeking the services of a real estate agent.
When buying or selling a home, you need to know the real estate agency representation to which you are agreeing to.
An agent who is working at a new home construction site is typically working for and representing only the seller. Their loyalty belongs to the seller. That agent is obligated to gather as much information as possible about you in order to assist the seller in profiting from the transaction.
If you contact a real estate agent listed on a "For Sale" sign, they too represent and serve the seller.
That real estate agent will make every effort to capture as large a profit as possible for the seller.
These real estate agents prior to showing you any property or home are required by North Carolina Real Estate Law to discuss and explain the "Working with Real Estate Agents Brochure".
As a buyer, under such circumstances, you are not represented. Only the seller is represented. If a home buyer wishes to be represented, the home buyer will seek a buyer`s agent. In this case, you will seek a buyer`s agent and enter into a "Buyer Agency Agreement" with the real estate agent.
The services of a buyer`s agent are often at no cost to the buyer.
The real estate agent agreement defines the compensation terms. The agreement should clearly spell out who is compensating the buyer`s agent. As a buyer, seek agreements which state compensation will be paid by the seller only. Under these circumstances, the real estate agent will serve you at no cost to you. The seller`s agent (firm) is glad to compensate the buyer`s agent. After all, the buyer`s agent was largely responsible for the sale.
In summary, a buyer`s agent provides you professional advice and counsel throughout the entire purchasing process at no cost to you.
Duane Devalle provides you with frank appraisals of the current market and ensures your interests are protected while your transaction stays on course. You can count on Duane to have the patience to invest as much time as necessary to make sure you are comfortable with every step of the process. He will always complete your business at hand before he moves on to his next client. Duane`s first priority to you is the utmost skill, care and due diligence.
When listing your home, Duane takes the approach of utilizing a non-traditional commission structure to make every effort to maximize your profit. Duane look`s forward to discussing with you his fair commission approach.
When buying a home learn how you will pay no commission.
http://www.ClaytonNCRealEstateAgent.com
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Source:
Devalle, Duane. "Understanding Who The Real Estate Agent Is Working For." EzineArticles 11 October 2006. 05 November 2007 <http://ezinearticles.com/?Understanding-Who-The-Real-Estate-Agent-Is-Working-For&id=325208>.
