Ville Platte is the largest city in, and the

parish seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equivalent term, shire town, is used in ...

of,

Evangeline Parish Evangeline Parish () is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. the population was 32,350. The parish seat is Ville Platte. History The parish was created out of lands formerly belonging to St. Landry Parish in 1910. The majority ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

, United States. The population was 6,303 at the 2020 census, down from 8,145 in

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

. The city's name is of French origin, roughly translating to "flat town", in reference to its relatively flat topography in contrast to the more hilly terrain north of the area.

History

The area around Ville Platte appears to have been first settled during the last half of the eighteenth century, when Louisiana was under Spanish rule. The earliest record of settlement in the immediate area of Ville Platte was in the 1780s. Popular legend states the founder of Ville Platte was Marcellin Garand, an adjutant major in the Army of the French Empire during the reign of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

. In 1824, Garand obtained one of the first two lots that were platted in what is now Ville Platte, with the second being obtained by a Doctor Robert Windex. Those lots were obtained from the estate of William O'Donegan. This appears to be the actual beginning of, or the founding of, the present town of Ville Platte. The first post office in Ville Platte was established in 1842 with Marcellin Garand as postmaster from 1842 to 1848.

Geography

Ville Platte is located in eastern Evangeline Parish According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, Ville Platte has a total area of , of which , or 0.01%, is water.

U.S. Route 167 U.S. Route 167 is a north-south United States Numbered Highway System, United States Highway within the U.S. states of Louisiana and Arkansas. It runs for from Ash Flat, Arkansas at U.S. Route 62/U.S. Route 412 to Abbeville, Louisiana at Louis ...

passes through the city as Main Street (eastbound) and Lasalle Street (westbound). The highway leads southeast to

Opelousas Opelousas (; ) is a small city and the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 190 were constructed with a junction here. According to the 2020 census, Opelousas has a population of 15,786, a 6 ...

and north to

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

Louisiana Highway 10 Louisiana Highway 10 (LA 10) is a state highway located in southern Louisiana. It runs in an east–west direction from U.S. Highway 171 (US 171) south of Leesville to the Mississippi state line east of Bogalusa. The route connec ...

passes through the city in tandem with US 167 but leads northwest to Oakdale.

Chicot State Park Chicot State Park is located near Ville Platte, Louisiana. This wildlife reserve of South Central Louisiana features of rolling hills surrounding a man-made Lake Chicot stocked with bass, crappie (sac-au-lait), bluegill, and red-ear sunfish. ...

, Louisiana's largest state park, is located north of Ville Platte. The park covers of rolling hills and water and has large numbers of deer, raccoon, and other wildlife.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,303 people, 3,007 households, and 1,686 families residing in the city.

Education

Public schools in Evangeline Parish are operated by the Evangeline Parish School Board. Three campuses are located in Ville Platte - James Stephens Montessori School (Grades PK-4), Ville Platte Elementary School (Grades PK-4), and

Ville Platte High School Ville Platte High School (VPHS) is a senior high school in Ville Platte, Louisiana. It is a part of the Evangeline Parish School Board. History The school first began in 1908. Jeré Longman of ''The New York Times'' wrote that the facilities ...

(Grades 5-12). There are also two private schools. Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School is a Roman Catholic school, serving grades K-12.

Christian Heritage Academy Christian Heritage Academy (CHA) is a private Christian school located in Del City, Oklahoma, United States. Established in 1972, CHA instructs its students in an American Christian philosophy of education through the Principle Approach methodo ...

is a Christian school, serving grades PK-12. The famous St. Landry Parish

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

Cat Doucet Daly Joseph "Cat" Doucet Sr. (November 8, 1899 – February 9, 1975) was an American politician who served as Sheriff of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana from 1936 to 1940 and 1952 to 1968. Background Doucet was born in Grand Prairie, Louisiana ...

was educated in Ville Platte.

Culture

Ville Platte is located in Louisiana's

Cajun country Acadiana (; French and Louisiana French: ''L'Acadiane'' or ''Acadiane''), also known as Cajun Country (Louisiana French: ''Pays des Cadiens''), is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that has historically contained much ...

. The town is famous for its

smoked meat Smoked meat is the result of a method of preparing red meat, white meat, and seafood which originated in the Paleolithic, Paleolithic Era. Smoking adds Flavor (taste), flavor, improves the appearance of meat through the Maillard reaction, and ...

and

swamp pop Swamp pop is a music genre indigenous to the Acadiana region of south Louisiana and an adjoining section of southeast Texas. Created in the 1950s by young Cajuns and Creoles, it combines New Orleans–style rhythm and blues, Country music, countr ...

music and bills itself as "Smoked Meat Capital of the World". Ville Platte has been officially designated by the Louisiana Legislature at the "Swamp Pop Capital of the World," recognizing the town's "long, rich history of fostering the development of swamp pop music." Ville Platte has significant Creole and

Cajun The Cajuns (; French: ''les Cadjins'' or ''les Cadiens'' ), also known as Louisiana ''Acadians'' (French: ''les Acadiens''), are a Louisiana French ethnicity mainly found in the US state of Louisiana and surrounding Gulf Coast states. Whi ...

cultural associations (cuisine, music, language etc.). It lies at the northern point of the "French Triangle" with a significant

francophone The Francophonie or Francophone world is the whole body of people and organisations around the world who use the French language regularly for private or public purposes. The term was coined by Onésime Reclus in 1880 and became important a ...

population residing in the city as well as the parish. It is located just north of the birthplace of Creole music, (ie Zydeco music) the Plaisance community. Zydeco has become one of the signatures of Louisiana culture throughout the world. Ville Platte hosts two large

festival A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...

s each year. The Louisiana Cotton festival, run in conjunction with the Le Tournoi, and the Festival de la Viande Bouccanee (Smoked Meat Festival) are held in Ville Platte annually. Ville Platte and the surrounding areas participate in the traditional ''

Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ; also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the final day of Carnival (also known as Shrovetide or Fastelavn); it thus falls on the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. is French for "Fat Tuesday", referring to it being ...

'' held in

Mamou Mamou ( Pular: 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤥𞤵𞤲) is a city and sub-prefecture in a valley of the Fouta Djallon area of Guinea. The population is 376,269 (2018 est). Radio host A radio personality is a person who has an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality who hosts a radio show is also known as a radio host (North American English), radio presenter (British English) or radio jockey. Radio personali ...

Jim Soileau, the "Voice of KVPI" throughout most of the past 50 years, is semi-retired but still hosts the French News as well as co-hosts "''La Tasse de Café''" ("The Cup of Coffee") on Monday and Wednesday mornings. He has one of the most recognized voices in Acadiana and hosted "''This is Mamou Cajun radio''" from location at Fred's Lounge for many years. The Louisiana Swamp Pop Museum is located in a former railway station in Ville Platte.

Government

Former

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

T. Ashton Thompson of

Louisiana's 7th congressional district Louisiana's 7th congressional district was a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana located in the southwestern part of the state. It last contained the cities of Crowley, Louisiana, Crowley, Eunice, Louisiana, Eunice, Jennings, L ...

, since disbanded, was born in Ville Platte in 1916. He died in office in 1965 as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident in

Gastonia, North Carolina Gastonia is the most populous city in and the county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest satellite city of the Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte area, behind Concord, North Carolina, Concord. The po ...

. His death paved the way for

Edwin Washington Edwards Edwin Washington Edwards (August 7, 1927 – July 12, 2021) was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1965 to 1972 and as the 50th governor of Louisiana for four terms (1972–1980, 1984–1988, and 1992–1996 ...

to assume the seat. Walter L. Lee served as the Evangeline Parish Clerk of Court for 56 years, from 1956 to 2012. The current mayor, Ryan Leday Williams, was elected in 2022 after defeating incumbent mayor Jennifer Vidrine, who was the first woman and first African American to hold the position. City officials: *Mayor: Ryan Leday Williams (D), 2023–present *Chief of Police: Al Perry Thomas (D), 2023–present *City Marshall: Nicole Snoddy, 2020–present *City Clerk: Donald Bergeron, 2023–present *City Judge: J. Gregory Vidrine, 2014–present *City Attorney: Chris Ludeau, 2023–present Members of the City Council: *District A: Faye Lemoine, 2018–present *District B: Anna L. Frank (D), 2023–present *District C: Tracey Jagneaux (R), 2023–present *District D: Shawn D. Roy (D), 2023–present *District E: Christina Sam (D), 2022–present *District F: Bryant Riggs (D), 2014–present Members of the Louisiana Legislature: * Senate, District 28: Heather Cloud (R), 2020–present * House of Representatives, District 38:
Rhonda Butler
(R), 2020–present

Notable residents

Danny Ardoin Daniel Wayne Ardoin (born July 8, 1974) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000 to 2008 for the Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, an ...

(Former Major League Baseball Player) *

Edgar Chatman Edgar Chatman (born January 12, 1917) is an American former Negro league pitcher who played in the 1940s. A native of Ville Platte, Louisiana, Chatman played for the Memphis Red Sox The Memphis Red Sox were an American Negro league baseball ...

(Former Negro Leagues Baseball Player) *

Joseph Verbis Lafleur } Joseph Verbis Lafleur (January 24, 1912 – September 7, 1944) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Military Ordinariate of the United States who died in the sinking of the and is in the preliminary stages for sainthood. Early life Lafleur wa ...

(In the preliminary stages for sainthood in the Catholic Church) * Bennett Landreneau (Former 2 Star General) *

Rico Noel Jablonski Rico Noel (born January 11, 1989) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees in 2015. Amateur career Noel attended Lawton High School in Lawton, Oklahoma, w ...

(Former Major League Baseball Player) *

Austin Pitre Austin Pitre (February 23, 1918 - April 8, 1981) was born in Ville Platte, Louisiana. A Cajun music pioneer, Pitre claimed to be the first musician to play the accordion standing up, rather than sitting down. Along with his band, the Evangelin ...

(Cajun Music Artist) *

René L. De Rouen René Louis De Rouen (January 7, 1874 – March 27, 1942) was a U.S. Representative from Louisiana. Born on a farm near Ville Platte, then in St. Landry Parish (since the seat of government of Evangeline Parish), De Rouen attended private and pu ...

(Former United States Representative)

Points of interest

Alexis LaTour House The Alexis LaTour House also known as, Old Homeplace and Guillory Homeplace is a historic house formerly located in Ville Platte, Louisiana. The oldest portion of the house was built in 1835 by Alexis LaTour. The house was expanded in 1837. The ...

* Flat Town Music Co

References

External links

City of Ville Platte official websiteMercy Regional Medical CenterVille Platte Gazette
{{authority control * Cities in Louisiana Cities in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana Parish seats in Louisiana Populated places established in 1846 1846 establishments in Louisiana