The History Behind Lake Charles Street Names

Lake Charles, Louisiana - If you live in Lake Charles, you probably see certain street names almost every day without ever really thinking about them.

Ryan Street. Sallier Street. Pithon Street. Pujo Street. Goos Street.

They're just roads to most of us. They're the streets we take to work, school, restaurants, downtown, or wherever we're headed. But many of these names have a story behind them, and some go all the way back to Lake Charles' earliest days. We're giving you a quick history lesson, as best we can, on the history behind some of the roads in Lake Charles...

The History Behind Lake Charles Street Names

Ryan Street - Ryan Street is probably the most recognizable example. The street is named after Jacob Ryan Jr., one of the early settlers and important figures in Lake Charles. Ryan played a major role in the early development of the city, and his name eventually became attached to one of its most important streets. Today, Ryan Street runs right through the heart of Lake Charles and is one of the streets most people immediately think of when they think about downtown.

Sallier Street - Sallier actually has an even bigger connection to the history of Lake Charles. It was named after Charles Sallier, the early settler whose name is connected to the name Lake Charles itself. Sallier settled in the area around the lake in the early 1800s. Over time, the area became known as Charles' Lake, which eventually became Lake Charles.

Pithon Street - Pithon is named for Michael Pithon, one of the area's early settlers. Pithon owned a large amount of land in what eventually became Lake Charles.

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Pujo Street - Pujo features one of my favorite restaurants in Downtown Lake Charles, Pujo Street Cafe. The street name actually comes from the Pujo family, which was an important family in the early history of Lake Charles.

Goos Street - Goos has one of the more interesting stories. The street is named for Captain Daniel Goos, an early lumberman who came to the Lake Charles area in the 1800s. Goos became involved in the lumber industry, which was one of the biggest parts of Lake Charles' early economy.

DeBakey Drive - Now, not every street in Lake Charles goes all the way back to the 1800s. Dr. Michael DeBakey is one of Lake Charles' most famous natives, and his name can be found on DeBakey Drive. DeBakey became one of the most famous heart surgeons in the world. He was born in Lake Charles and went on to have a groundbreaking career in medicine.

McNeese Street - Then of course there's McNeese Street, a name that should be very familiar to anyone around Southwest Louisiana. The street is named for John McNeese, the namesake of McNeese State University. McNeese was an early educator in Southwest Louisiana, and his name has become one of the most recognizable names in the area.

Joe Dumars Drive - Joe Dumars Drive is named after one of the biggest basketball names ever to come out of Lake Charles. Dumars grew up in Lake Charles and went on to become a star at McNeese State before having a Hall of Fame NBA career with the Detroit Pistons. He won two NBA championships, was named NBA Finals MVP in 1989, and later became a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Prien Lake Road - According to a historical account published in the Lake Charles American Press, Cyprien Duhon arrived in Calcasieu Parish in 1820 after making the trip from St. Martinville by ox cart. He settled near what was then called Little Lake, near the area where the Lake Charles Country Club is today. Because Duhon's first name was Cyprien, the lake eventually became known as Cyprien's Lake, which was later shortened to Prien Lake. So when you're driving down Prien Lake Road, you're actually driving on a name that traces back to one of the area's early settlers.