Church Point · Crowley · Estherwood · Iota · Mermentau · Morse · Rayne

About Us

How Our Communities Got Their Names

BRANCH
The community dates back to 1818 when it was known as Plaquemine Brulee, believed to be the oldest settlement in Acadia Parish. The name was changed when Branch Hayes was appointed constable.

CHURCH POINT
In 1872, a U.S. Post Office official in seeking for a name for the post office between two settlements, decided on the name because of a church with a high steeple in one of the settlements. Another version states that the resident priest Father Eby suggested the name after a French city in Acadie in Nova Scotia Point de l’Eglise.

CROWLEY
The Parish seat of Acadia Parish, was founded January 4, 1887 by C.C. Duson and his brother W.W. Duson. It was named for Patrick C. Crowley, an Irish roadmaster for the railroad.

EGAN
This area was first called Canal Switch, then Abbott’s Post Office, before becoming Egan. It was named after William M. Egan, a pioneer business man of Crowley who laid out 600 acres for the town in 1903.

ESTHERWOOD
Formerly known as Coulee Trief, it was named for the wife of the railroad section boss, Esther. The wood part may come from the fact that the trains stopped for fuel wood here.

EVANGELINE
It was probably named for the Evangeline of H.W. Longfellow’s poem. The first oil fields in Louisiana was discovered near Evangeline.

IOTA
Originally named Pointe Aux Loups (Wolf Point) because there were many wild wolves in the area. In 1894, the railroad company, laying a track, refused to accept that name because of its length. One version of how Iota received its name says that the railroad opposed going through the area, but C.C. Duson, legislator, refused to exclude it, saying, “Not by one iota will I cut out this area.”

LYONS POINT
Named for John Lyons, the colonial landowner and settler.

MAXIE
First known as Long Point, the name was changed to honor Maxie Duson, youngest son of W.W. Duson, one of the founders of Crowley.

MERMENTAU
Incorporated in 1899, the village is located on the Mermentau River. Jean Castex, a French merchant, was one of the first to settle the area. The chief of the Attakapas Indians living in this area was called Nementou (the French spelling according to the Indian pronunciation). Referring to the river as Nementou flowing to the open mer (French for sea) led to the popular usage Mermentau.

MIDLAND
The site for this town was chosen by C.C..Duson. He chose the name Midland because the village is midway between Houston and New Orleans

MIRE
 The Acadia Parish School Board formally changed the name of the Elementary School from Mier (unknown variant of the Mire name) to Mire (the correct spelling of the Mire families in the area) in 1973.  The area was previously know by the name Marais Bouleur and Bosco.

MORSE
Incorporated as a village in 1906, it was settled by farmers from Illinois and Iowa. When the Southern Pacific Railroad completed the line here, named it Morse Station after a railroad official.

MOWATA
A pioneer in the area, a Mr. Jones, encouraged the farmers to dig new wells for water to cultivate the soil by constantly repeating “more water”, thus giving the community its name.

RAYNE
Incorporated as a town in 1884, it was originally named Poupeville. One of the railroad officials was related to a prominent Rayne family in New Orleans. It is said that the city was named specifically for a young lady in the Rayne family.

RICHARD
Named for S.P. Richard, who donated the land.

ROBERT’S COVE
The name was shortened from Robertson’s Cove. It was settled by German immigrants and was named for Solomon Robertson. The Germans were the first farmers in southwest Louisiana to raise rice for market.