LAKE OF CALCASIEU PARISH, LA
Contributed by Margaret Rentrop Moore

Source: Southwest Louisiana Biographical & Historical by William
Henry Perrin; published 1891 page 160


**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
************************************************
 
    

The parish of Calcasieu has a number of most beautiful little lakes, the
principal of which are Lake Calcasieu, Lake Arthur and Lake Charles. Lake
Calcasieu is about fifteen miles in length, and lies mostly in Calcasieu parish,
extending to within five or six miles of the gulf. Lake Arthur lies in the
southeast part of the parish, while Lake Charles is at the parish capital, and
gives name to the town, or the town to the lake, as the case may be. As the lake
is the older of the two places, perhaps the town was named for the lake , and
both were named for old Charles Sallier, the pioneer.

    Lake Charles is a beautiful little sheet of water, and has often been
compared to Lake Geneva in Switzerland. It is clear as crystal, and about three
miles long and two miles wide. The Calcasieu River runs 'through the lake, and
by the course of the river it is fifty-five miles to the gulf., and the stream
is said to be from forty to one hundred feet deep, except at the Pass, and to
deepen it Congress has appropriated $75,000. When this is accomplished the
largest ocean steamers can ascend to Lake Charles. There is nothing to prevent
the town of Lake Charles from becoming, as already stated in these pages, a
great business and manufacturing place, and also, a fine winter resort. The
climate is fine in the winter season, and the lake presents a place for boat
riding and for fishing at all seasons.