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,

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 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 passes through the city in tandem with US 167 but leads northwest to Oakdale. Chicot State Park, 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 (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 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 was educated in Ville Platte.

Culture

Ville Platte is located in Louisiana's Cajun country. 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'' held in Mamou.

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 T. Ashton Thompson of Louisiana's 7th congressional district, 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. His death paved the way for Edwin Washington Edwards 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 (Former Major League Baseball Player) * Edgar Chatman (Former Negro Leagues Baseball Player) * Joseph Verbis Lafleur (In the preliminary stages for sainthood in the Catholic Church) * Bennett Landreneau (Former 2 Star General) * Rico Noel (Former Major League Baseball Player) * Austin Pitre (Cajun Music Artist) * René L. De Rouen (Former United States Representative)

Points of interest

* Chicot State Park * Alexis LaTour House * 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