Sulphur, Louisiana
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Sulphur (french: Soufre) is a city in
Calcasieu Parish Calcasieu Parish (; french: Paroisse de Calcasieu) is a List of parishes in Louisiana, parish located on the southwestern border of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 216,785. The p ...
,
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
. The population was 21,809 in 2020. Sulphur is part of the Lake Charles
metropolitan statistical area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
.


History

Sulphur is named for the
sulfur Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...
mines that were operated in the area in the 1900s. In 1867, Professor Eugene W. Hilgard, an experienced geologist who was prospecting for oil and other minerals, conducted exploratory borings in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana and discovered sulfur in the caprock of a
salt dome A salt dome is a type of structural dome formed when salt (or other evaporite minerals) intrudes into overlying rocks in a process known as diapirism. Salt domes can have unique surface and subsurface structures, and they can be discovered using ...
. However, the sulfur was beneath several hundred feet of muck and quicksand containing deadly
hydrogen sulfide Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless chalcogen-hydride gas, and is poisonous, corrosive, and flammable, with trace amounts in ambient atmosphere having a characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. The unde ...
gas, which made mining extremely hazardous. Repeated unsuccessful attempts to sink conventional mining shafts in the 1870s and 1880s resulted in the loss of many lives. In 1890, the German immigrant
Herman Frasch Herman Frasch r Hermann Frasch(December 25, 1851 in Oberrot bei Gaildorf, Württemberg – May 1, 1914 in Paris) was a chemist, mining engineer and inventor known for his work with petroleum and sulfur. Biography Early life He was the son of Joh ...
invented and patented the Frasch Process of mining sulfur, using concentric pipes to pump superheated water into the ground, liquefy the mineral, and force the liquid to the surface with compressed air. The first molten sulfur was brought to the surface on Christmas Eve of 1894. Sulfur soon began to be mined on an industrial scale, with the molten mineral allowed to solidify and dry in enormous vats 100 by 400 feet, then blasted and hauled by rail to the Sabine River for shipment. Frasch's invention greatly facilitated sulfur mining, and the
Union Sulphur Company The Union Sulphur Company was an American sulfur mining corporation founded in 1896 by the famous inventor Herman Frasch. It utilized the Frasch Process to extract previously inaccessible sulfur deposits located beneath swampland in Louisiana. ...
, a joint venture of Dr. Frasch and the American Sulphur Company that owned the land, sparked a period of booming growth in the decades that followed. The elementary school on South Huntington Street in downtown Sulphur is named after Frasch. With the addition of the Cities Service (
Citgo Citgo Petroleum Corporation (or Citgo, stylized as CITGO) is a United States–based refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. Headquartered in the Energy Corridor area o ...
) oil refinery in 1943, the areas of Maplewood and Hollywood were developed to house refinery workers. The Sulphur area is still mostly dependent on the oil refineries and petrochemical plants for employment.


Geography

Sulphur is located near the center of Calcasieu Parish. The city lies on
Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
between the towns of Vinton and Westlake, approximately east of the Texas border. The city of Lake Charles is to the east.
U.S. Route 90 U.S. Route 90 or U.S. Highway 90 (US 90) is an east–west major United States highway in the Southern United States. Despite the "0" in its route number, US 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route. With the exception of a short-lived ...
passes through the center of Sulphur as Napoleon Street. Access from I-10 is via exits 20, 21, 23, and 26. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , all land. Communities inside Sulphur city limits include, from west to east, old Sulphur, Hollywood, and Maplewood, as well as Northwest Sulphur, also known as Portie Town, but usually pronounced with the Cajun form of ''pō-chay'' or ''Pohchay'' town. Outside of city limits are the communities of Carlyss and Choupique (Shoe-peak). Like the
bowfin The bowfin (''Amia calva'') is a bony fish, native to North America. Common names include mudfish, mud pike, dogfish, grindle, grinnel, swamp trout, and choupique. It is regarded as a relict, being the sole surviving species of the Halecomorphi ...
, that has many alternate names, the word "Choupique" has several variations of pronunciation in south Louisiana. Choupique is also pronounced ''shoe-pick'', shoe-peg, or chew-pic. Moss Lake to the south. The community of Houston River is north of town, and Mossville is east of town, all but a memory with Sasol's purchase of over 4 square miles of land, that included with a few property exceptions, the entire community of Mossville. Most new development in the city is taking place south of town in Carlyss or around I-10.


Wildlife

The bayous near Sulphur are habitat for
American alligators The American alligator (''Alligator mississippiensis''), sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator or common alligator, is a large crocodilian reptile native to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two extant species in the g ...
, which have been known to enter into the city.


Climate

The climate for Sulphur, and climate data, closely mirrors that of the
National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...
's Lake Charles Weather Forecast Office measured at the
Lake Charles Regional Airport Lake Charles Regional Airport is a public use airport located five nautical miles (9 km) south of the central business district of Lake Charles, a city in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, United States. Owned by Calcasieu Parish, the airport s ...
(KLCH).


Demographics

As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 21,809 people, 8,033 households, and 4,981 families residing in the city.


Economy


Tourism

Tourist attractions as well as local destinations in Sulphur include: *Brimstone Museum: A former
Southern Pacific Railway The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials- SP) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the ...
depot built in 1915 to facilitate the moving of passengers and freight for the Sulfur mines. The depot was discontinued in the early 1970s and in 1975 was sold to the Sulphur Association of Commerce, on condition that it be moved for safety reasons, and was moved to a location near Frasch Park and renovated. Building restoration was completed and the dedication ceremony took place on the nation's 200th birthday, July 4, 1976. The museum highlights includes a permanent exhibit on the history of Sulphur, and is also the only museum in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
to exhibit historical information on the Frasch mining process. The building was moved a second time, to 900 S. Huntington street, providing more visibility resulting in an increase in visitors, and on December 5, 2005 was transferred to the Brimstone Historical Society. Aside from the permanent exhibits the museum provides exhibits of local interest including art and other historical artifacts from the history of the city. *Henning Cultural Center: Was built in 1904 and in 2002, was acquired by Sulphur Parks and Recreation, and opened in Heritage Square community area. *The
Creole Nature Trail The Louisiana Scenic Byways are a network of roadways within the U.S. state of Louisiana that have been deemed of cultural, historical, or scenic value. The routes follow various segments of the state-maintained highway system, usually rural in c ...
starts in Sulphur and the Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point provides information on nature and wildlife Areas, hiking trails, outdoor activities, and nature & parks along the route.


Arts and culture

In 2014 Sulphur was named the third best city in Louisiana to raise a family.


Parks and Recreation

Sulphur Parks and Recreation (SPAR) includes Frasch Park and Golf Course, North Frasch Park, the SPAR Water Park, The Grove at Heritage Square, Kyle Park, Pattison Park, McMurry Park, Center Circle Park, and Carlyss Park,


Education

Most of Sulphur's schools are under the
Calcasieu Parish School Board The Calcasieu Parish School Board (CPSB) is a school district based in Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States. The CPSB operates all public schools in Calcasieu Parish, including the city of Lake Charles. Demographics *Total students (at October ...
. One high school, Sulphur High School, serves the city, along with the Sulphur High Ninth Grade Campus that was completed in 2004. Elementary schools include Frasch, E.K. Key, W.T. Henning, R.W. Vincent, Maplewood, and Vincent Settlement (Carlyss). D.S. Perkins Elementary, one of the area's most challenged schools, closed in 2010, and all students and teachers were transferred to Cypress Cove, a completely new facility located in Carlyss. This represented a move from one of the more impoverished areas of old Sulphur (North Sulphur, a.k.a. "Portie Town" ortie is pronounced pō-chay to one of the wealthier, emerging communities south of town. Middle schools include Leblanc Middle School, the W.W. Lewis Middle School, and Maplewood (K-8th grade). There are some private schools in the area as well, including Our Lady's Catholic School on Cypress Street. Frasch Elementary, W.W. Lewis Middle, and Sulphur High School offer Spanish Immersion classes in which students take Spanish language as well as core classes totally in Spanish from kindergarten all the way to eighth grade, and Spanish language classes up to Spanish V or VI in High School. The program has been praised for giving children a fluency in the Spanish language as well as an understanding of other cultures at an early age. Most of the Immersion teachers come from Hispanic countries or are of Hispanic descent.


Notable people

* David Walker (born 1955), former Sulphur High School and
Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
. * Marcus R. Clark, justice of the
Louisiana Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Louisiana (french: Cour suprême de Louisiane) is the highest court and court of last resort in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The modern Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, meets in the French Quarter of New Orlea ...
, born in Sulphur in 1956 *
Casey Daigle Sean Casey Daigle (born April 4, 1981) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Professional career Arizona Diamondbacks Daigle made his major league debut in 2004, giving up five home runs in less than three innings. , he is the only pitche ...
, former pitcher in the MLB. He graduated from Sulphur High School. *
Mike Danahay Michael Edward Danahay is an American politician. He served as a Democratic member for the 33rd district of the Louisiana House of Representatives. Danahay attended McNeese State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administratio ...
, Louisiana state representative for Calcasieu Parish since 2008; sales representative in Lake Charles, reared in Sulphur, elected city mayor 2018 * Michael Durham, born in Sulphur, was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name,
Johnny Grunge Michael Lynn Durham (July 10, 1966 – February 16, 2006) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Johnny Grunge. He is known for his appearances with Eastern/Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestl ...
. He has held the ECW and WCW tag titles with his partner,
Rocco Rock Theodore James Petty (September 1, 1953 – September 21, 2002) was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name "Flyboy" Rocco Rock. Rock is best known for his appearances in Eastern Championship Wrestling / Extreme Championsh ...
, who are together known as
The Public Enemy ''The Public Enemy'' (''Enemies of the Public'' in the UK) is a 1931 American all-talking pre-Code gangster film produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The film was directed by William A. Wellman and stars James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward ...
. *
Herman Frasch Herman Frasch r Hermann Frasch(December 25, 1851 in Oberrot bei Gaildorf, Württemberg – May 1, 1914 in Paris) was a chemist, mining engineer and inventor known for his work with petroleum and sulfur. Biography Early life He was the son of Joh ...
, inventor of the "Frasch Method" of mining sulphur, was head of
Union Sulphur Company The Union Sulphur Company was an American sulfur mining corporation founded in 1896 by the famous inventor Herman Frasch. It utilized the Frasch Process to extract previously inaccessible sulfur deposits located beneath swampland in Louisiana. ...
. Its headquarters were at the Sulphur Mines, a company town just west of present-day Sulphur. Herman Frasch Elementary School is named after him. * Edith Killgore Kirkpatrick, lived in Sulphur in the late 1930s before moving to Jennings. She was a member of
Louisiana Board of Regents The Louisiana Board of Regents is a government agency in the U.S. state of Louisiana that is responsible for coordination of all public higher education in the state. The Board was created under the terms of the 1974 Louisiana Constitution, and bega ...
from 1978 to 1990. *
Janice Lynde Janice Lynde is an American actress. The Houston-born, Lake Charles, Louisiana-reared Lynde began her career with the Dallas Symphony, both as a pianist and as a vocal soloist. The child of German parents Marvin and Sophia Zoch, she had to learn ...
, actress, original cast member of the CBS soap opera ''
The Young and the Restless ''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, Wi ...
'' for three years, then went on to ABC's ''
One Life to Live ''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...
'' and NBC's '' Another World'' *
Dak Prescott Rayne Dakota Prescott (born July 29, 1993) is an American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Mississippi State, where he twice received first-team All- SEC honors, a ...
, NFL quarterback, professional football player with the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
*Jason Hewitt, film director and producer of
Blood Out ''Blood Out'' is a 2011 American direct-to-video action film written by Jason Hewitt and John A. O'Connell and starring Val Kilmer and Luke Goss. The film is Hewitt's directorial debut. Premise Small town Cop Michael Savion (Luke Goss) gets s ...
* Matt Stevens, former football player:
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
,
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
college football radio analyst * Les Farnum, members of the
Louisiana House of Representatives The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...


References


External links


City of Sulphur official website
{{authority control Cities in Louisiana Cities in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana Cities in Lake Charles metropolitan area