Lake Charles

With its cutesy local businesses lodged inside colorful Craftsman bungalows, the Cottage Shop District is unmistakable Lake Charles. "I get my hair cut in a 1970s house that was retrofitted to be a hair salon. It's definitely something unique to this area," says Cameron Fultz, executive director of the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana. In 2009, the Cottage Shop District became a Louisiana Cultural District — a state program for revitalizing communities with cultural experiences like businesses, arts and tourism. But following the back-to-back destruction of hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020, many of its essential businesses left, some moving a few blocks away, others leaving never to reopen. It's taken some time to recover, but the return of preexisting businesses — and the opening of brand-new ones — shows new winds blowing in the right direction.<br><br>The neighborhood was "on an upward trajectory between the years of certification and natural disasters," says Francesca Vega, Director of Civic Design & Cultural Districts for the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development. But hurricane damage shooed away many of the classic businesses the district was known for. Some moved a few blocks away, like clothing boutique Catina Couture, now on Ryan Street, or the Mexican lunch counter Agave Tamale, now located south of Interstate 210. Others closed their doors permanently. New shops, like Not Just Christmas, which sells Mardi Gras throws and holiday trinkets all year long, sprung up on the scene in the years since the storm. Up Hodges Street, t'Pot Noir Cajun Kitchen serves regional favorites like crawfish etouffee or sandwiches with a side of Zapp's potato chips. Still, the local business scene isn't quite what it used to be. Chain and big-box shopping is still conveniently close: A Market Basket supermarket sits directly across Ryan Street, and a Walmart Neighborhood Market is less than a mile north. The Prien Lake Mall, a 95-store indoor shopping mall, is mile drive as well.<br><br>The neighborhood’s cottage industry is the direct result of suburban sprawl. "As Lake Charles grew in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, they started converting all these homes along Ryan and Kirkman Street into businesses," Fultz says. Today, not many people actually live in the neighborhood. Much of the neighborhood is still zoned for either commercial or mixed-use, so structures have been built accordingly, sometimes with unusual floorplans. They could contain a home, a business or both in some cases. Additionally, Craftsman cottages and bungalows that comprise this part of town are small, usually no more than 1,500 square feet across a single story. Many of them were heavily damaged by recent storms. Properties needing moderate repairs have sold for as low as $70,000, while those that are turnkey ready sell for around $100,000.<br><br>Although some business owners left after the 2020 storms, a strong community remains in the neighborhood. Pop-up sales and other events are some methods that stakeholders take to attract increased foot traffic to the neighborhood's businesses. Recurring "shop hops" that occur around major holidays like Christmas offer a way to meet business owners and fellow shoppers and enter raffles and other giveaways. For those seeking an alternative way of mingling, the neighborhood's watering hole, Pappy's Sports Pub, hosts trivia and annual parties for New Year's Eve and the Super Bowl.<br><br>Two Paratransit bus routes make stops near the neighborhood along Ryan Street, but, like the rest of Lake Charles, residents of the Cottage Shop District are largely car-dependent. Heading roughly 5 blocks south on Ryan Street leads to entrance ramps for Interstate 210 – one of the city's faster-moving routes "because it's just a loop for people who want to go shopping in Lake Charles," says Realtor Steve Rackley of R Home Real Estate LLC.<br><br>The south end of Lake Charles between 12th Street and I-210 is largely bereft of parks, including the Cottage Shop District. Indoor gyms on Ryan Street and other major roads are the main way locals stay active around the Cottage Shop District. However, the playground equipment across Common Street at Thomas S. Cooley Elementary offers a nearby location for kids to burn off energy. The closest city parks sit across I-210 from the neighborhood, just over a mile south at the LaGrange Soccer Park, an outdoor facility with three fields for play. Across the street from the soccer fields, College Oaks Park offers a location for softball games, while the community center hosts private events and programming.<br><br>Neighborhood students begin school at Barbe Elementary School, rated C-plus by Niche. For grades 6 through 8, students attend the C-plus-rated Oak Park Middle, which hosts its own Mardi Gras parade for students during the Carnival Season. For the last four years of school, the neighborhood's oldest students attend C-rated LaGrange High.<br><br>Prone to high water, the neighborhood, like many in Lake Charles, constantly navigates puddles and soggy ground whenever it rains. However, the Cottage Shop District is not in a flood zone, so risk factors are lower than they are in other neighborhoods.

Downtown Lake Charles is the cultural heart of the city — a heart that sometimes needs resuscitating. In 2020, Hurricane Laura hit the area hard. One high rise near the lake had nearly all its glass blown out by high winds. But life in Southern Louisiana is all about resiliency. In downtown Lake Charles, that means building resiliency into new construction with future storms in mind, while also nurturing the neighborhood's already strong sense of community. The cultural cachet of New Orleans tends to steal the spotlight 200 miles away, but Lake Charles has its own downtown brimming with events, restaurants, shops and parks, many of which recently returned after Hurricane Laura drove them out. "We're the most highly populated of our five-parish area, so we're able to bring in artists and bands and all kinds of things from around our area into downtown," says Cameron Fultz, executive director for the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana. "There's actually quite a lot to do around here, especially for free or on the cheap. There's a very community-driven arts scene and culture around here. It's very laid back. I would say it's a big town in a small city."<br><br>A few years after Laura, many downtown businesses have finally reopened. Residents can once again swing into the historic buildings that house businesses like art galleries, Pujo Street Cafe for a New Orleans-style brunch, or Corner Market to shop for knickknacks. Villa Harlequin offers an intimate setting for upscale Italian dishes. There's plenty of casual options too, like Tia Juanitas Fish Camp, beloved for its hearty regional delicacies like gumbo and boudin. After a meal, MacFarlane's Celtic Pub draws in diners looking for a nightcap or live music. But, according to Fultz, "The only problem with our downtown, in my opinion, is there's not a lot of grocery stores or things to supply the everyday needs of people who live directly downtown." That means residents usually travel less than a mile south for groceries at a nearby Walmart Neighborhood Market.<br><br>Parks are in full supply around downtown. Practically all of the lakefront is park land, so even a morning jog offers a scenic view. On the north shore of the lake, swimmers can enter the waters at North Beach while sunbathers watch from the white sand shoreline. Across I-10, a public boat launch offers access to the lake. On the opposite end of the lakefront, Millenium Park's playground and splash pad attract dozens of kids and their parents from across the city. Meanwhile, its transient marina provides a place to lay anchor for however long is needed. Meetups occur between residents and their pets further into downtown at Bark Du Lac Dog Park. And if it's raining, there are several indoor activities to kill some time, such as classes and programs at the Calcasieu Parish Public Library Carnegie Memorial Branch. <br><br>The anchor point of Downtown Lake Charles, Bord Du Lac Park, ties the region's culture with frequent events, whether ticketed shows at the Lake Charles Event Center or free concerts at the Arcade Amphitheater. But following Laura, the city was without its constant schedule of events – a trend that has changed with the return of most annual events. "It took about two years to really get back to a place where we could have those things. But there's a lot we lost. We lost a few traditional theater houses. So, we're kind of still writing that part of the story a little bit." Nowadays, the Gallery Promenade, the Spring Art Walk and the annual Mardi Gras parade on Ryan Street have all returned. Many more events continue to happen downtown, like ChuckFest, a free all-day extravaganza of music, food and Southwest Louisiana culture. <br><br>Ongoing and recently completed pedestrian infrastructure improvements have made some parts of downtown more friendly to those who rely on the heel-toe express. Although bus routes also service Downtown Lake Charles, the city is a largely car-dependent area, so most residents commute by car. The good news is that downtown isn't strenuously congested at most hours. "Some people have the opinion that our parking situation downtown isn't good. And that's just not true. There's plenty of parking, I think," Fultz says. <br><br>Hurricane Laura left a lot of damage in Downtown Lake Charles, and rebuilding is still ongoing in some parts. In particular, the northern neck of land between the lake and Interstate 10, around the Lake Charles Visitor Center, is among the most significant development areas in the city, though not for residential space. "There's a new giant Children's Museum is being built there. They're doing a lot on the beach fronts. And soon, they're actually going to be replacing the I-10 Bridge," Fultz says. Rebuilding has brought more options into the central parts of downtown, particularly for renters and condo owners. Recently built condos in a new traditional style typically begin around $225,000, sitting roughly in the middle of the neighborhood's price range for single-family homes. Most of these detached new traditional homes can be found just beyond the reaches of downtown. Because most have recent renovations, they typically sell for between $115,000 and $320,000. <br><br>Students in Downtown Lake Charles begin school with kindergarten through 2nd grade at John J. Johnson Elementary, which earns a Niche score of B. For grades 3 through 5, students attend Ralph F. Wilson Elementary. Next comes Ray D. Molo Middle Magnet School for grades 6 through 8, followed by Washington-Marion Magnet High School for grades 9 through 12. Aside from Johnson Elementary, all other schools in the pathway have Niche scores of C. <br><br>Altering bodies of water is the great pastime of the Lower Mississippi River Basin, especially in southern Louisiana. In fact, some of downtown – particularly Bord Du Lac Park – is all human-engineered land dredged up with drainage projects in the early 20th century. Previously, the city's pumps and drains were going into disrepair. However, recent history has compelled the city to modernize its drainage and pumping systems. "The city's been working really hard on resiliency just in general," Fultz says. "Previously, anytime it rained, there'd be a pool outside, but it's actually been getting a lot better." Nonetheless, buyers looking near the lake, especially near the Pithon Coulee Pump Station on Lakeshore Drive, should consider the hazards of these areas.

Contrary to popular belief, Moss Bluff does not take its name from the spindly Spanish moss that grows on trees throughout the swampy South. Instead, the census-designated place is named after Johnson Moss, first sheriff of Calcasieu Parish, who purchased roughly 2,000 acres that later became Moss Bluff. The Lake Charles suburb is directly linked to the region's deep-rooted logging history, as many of its first inhabitants were lumber mill employees. Later, as the logging industry went fallow due to a lack of reforestation, the suburb of single-family homes grew in place of native longleaf pines. Decades later, even after the region was wracked by two major hurricanes in 2020, Moss Bluff continues to grow with new businesses and parks. "They vote on Lake Charles taxes, and they are their own voting district within Lake Charles, but it's definitely a very separate community," says Cameron Fultz, executive director for the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana. "Whereas Lake Charles is more urban and industrial, Moss Bluff is very suburban." Moss Bluff's gradient of development begins with expanses of farmland to the north, leading to south-lying wetlands that act as a natural buffer between urban Lake Charles and its northern suburb. Residents' sportsman and outdoorsy preferences are evident in the many private marinas and public boat launches that dot Moss Bluff's waterways. Some anglers go to River Bluff Park to put in their small craft while kids visit the park's splash pad and playground. On the other side of Moss Bluff, a hike through Sam Houston Jones State Park is quite possibly the best way to see what Calcasieu Parish looked like before the logging industry arrived. “There are a couple of these grandpappy pines that are still up there that were just beyond the reach of the exploiting sawmills," says local historian Adley Cormier. The real outdoor gem of Moss Bluff, though, is the Don Manuel Memorial Sports Complex, which, in addition to its baseball diamonds and a new playground, is building new Pickleball courts for the Fall 2024 season. Moss Bluff's suburban lifestyle can be seen in its quiet, natural landscape, separated from the lake area by the Calcasieu West Fork, the English Bayou and their surrounding wetlands. Subdivisions, established residential pockets and a handful of RV parks hang off major roads like Sam Houston Jones Parkway. Small cottages and midcentury ranchers are the most common single-family options in established areas, with a small handful needing repairs. Cottages are priced between $55,000 and $140,000, depending on their condition. Meanwhile, midcentury ranchers typically sell for between $150,000 and $250,000 due to their larger square footage. Styled ranchers, many built or heavily renovated in the 2010s, come in a variety of designs, including Colonial Revivals, Cape Cods and even a few farmhouses; however, these homes also demand some of the highest prices in Moss Bluff, most selling for between $260,000 and $425,000. A few luxury homes sell for even more, especially the Acadian homes on stilts along the Calcasieu West Fork. Although their inventory is low, when they sell, their prices can start at $125,000 and reach up to $750,000. Whether restocking a pantry or a chicken coop, the center of Moss Bluff has shopping to fulfill most needs. A Market Basket supermarket and a Walmart Neighborhood Market both sit directly across Sam Houston Jones Parkway from a Tractor Supply Co. Jutting off from the center, chain eateries, dollar stores, auto repair shops and indoor gyms line major roads like U.S. Highway 171. Local eateries can be found nearby, some of which are newer while others have stuck around for decades. In-Laws Cajun Specialties, a famous lunch counter based in Iowa, Louisiana, opened a second location in the heart of Moss Bluff. Since 2023, locals have flocked there for beloved Cajun classics like boudin balls and fried ribs doused in their famous pepper jelly. Further west, Jo's Party House has continued serving dozens of their beloved strawberry cupcakes since it first opened in 1968, even after the building was completely destroyed by Hurricane Laura in 2020. Moss Bluff is car-dependent, as Para-Transit Service buses only run as far north as the Walmart Supercenter on Martin Luther King Highway. Major roads move a little slower near Moss Bluff's commercial areas, but most places in Moss Bluff can be easily reached by car. Getting out of Moss Bluff toward the city is a different matter. Martin Luther King Highway is the most direct connection with the city, but slowdowns occur frequently at busy intersections during peak hours. Students in Moss Bluff begin school at one of two elementary schools in their area. Those in the southern parts of Moss Bluff typically begin at Moss Bluff Elementary, which has a B-plus Niche score. Meanwhile, students living in the northern parts of Moss Bluff begin at Gillis Elementary, rated B. For grades 6 through 8, all students reconvene at Moss Bluff Middle School, which has a Niche score of B. Finally, 9th through 12th graders attend Sam Houston High School, a B-plus-rated public high school with an athletics department that ranks in Louisiana's top 50. Without museums, galleries and music venues, residents typically head into downtown Lake Charles for a dose of culture. However, Moss Bluff does have many community-building events of its own. The Moss Bluff library branch offers story time for kids, plus adult events like Dinner and a Movie, which pairs foreign film screenings with a free dinner that reflects the movie's nationality. Moss Bluff also has a senior center just north of the area, which offers a daily schedule of group activities like Tai Chi, dominos and live music for dancing. Much of Moss Bluff, particularly anything near its waterways, is within a Special Flood Hazard Area. Flood insurance may be required to purchase a home, especially a waterfront property. However, most homes near the core of Moss Bluff are at a safe enough elevation to avoid flooding, although drainage ditches in the very center of the area can still overflow with water during heavy rains.