How was Calcasieu Parish Formed?
A long time ago, this land that we live in was known to the rest of the country as “No Man’s Land.” It was called this because no form of law or government claimed the land. With no one to keep law and order, this region was home to many outlaws, criminals, and pirates, like the famous Jean Lafitte. We were “No Man’s Land,” until the year 1819, when the United States Government took control of the area. At this time, there weren’t many people living in Southwest Louisiana. “No Man’s Land” became a part of St. Landry Parish, and would remain this way for the next 21 years! One day in late August of 1840, a group of six men from various parts of our region decided to form their own parish, known as Calcasieu Parish. Originally, our Parish was very large! Our entire parish consisted of land that would become four other parishes at some point in time. They are: Allen, Beauregard, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis Parishes. This large mass of land was known in the past as “Imperial Calcasieu.” I
