Acadia Parish, Louisiana

{{short description|Parish in Louisiana, United States}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox U.S. county | county = Acadia Parish | state = Louisiana | type = Parish | founded year = 1886 | founded date = June 30 | seat wl = Crowley | largest city wl = Crowley | area_total_sq_mi = 657 | area_land_sq_mi = 655 | area_water_sq_mi = 2.3 | area percentage = 0.4 | population_as_of = 2020 | population_total = 57576 | pop_est_as_of = 2025 | population_est = 57032 {{loss}} | pop_est_footnotes = | population_density_sq_mi = auto | time zone = Central | footnotes = | web = https://appj.org/ | named for = The Acadians | ex image = Crowley, Louisiana - Parish Courthouse Feb 2019.jpg | ex image cap = Acadia Parish Courthouse | district = 3rd | coordinates = {{coord|30|16|N|92|24|W|type:adm2nd_region:US-LA|display=inline,title}} |seal=File:Seal of Acadia Parish, Louisiana.png|official_name=Parish of Acadia {{native name|fr|Paroisse de l'Acadie}}|name=Acadia Parish}}

'''Acadia Parish''' ({{langx|fr|link=no|Paroisse de l'Acadie}}) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 57,576.<ref>{{Cite web|title=QuickFacts: Acadia Parish, Louisiana|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/acadiaparishlouisiana/POP010220|access-date=August 14, 2021|website=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref> The parish seat and the most populous municipality is Crowley.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> The parish was founded from parts of St. Landry Parish in 1886, and later an election was held to determine the parish seat, ending when Crowley beat Rayne and Prairie Hayes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://classes.slis.lsu.edu/wu/7008/sp10/bfrench/project/history.html |title=Acadia Parish History |publisher=Acadia Parish Library |access-date=September 3, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100707201408/http://classes.slis.lsu.edu/wu/7008/sp10/bfrench/project/history.html |archive-date=July 7, 2010 }}</ref> Acadia Parish is included in the Lafayette metropolitan statistical area.

==History== The name of the parish is derived from the former French colony of Acadia in Canada (which consisted of the modern provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and much of Maine). After Britain defeated France in the Seven Years' War, they took control of their North American colonies east of the Mississippi River. They required ethnic French Acadians to take a loyalty oath and never got over their suspicions of them. They deported many of the French-speaking inhabitants to France. From there, some joined others who had migrated directly to the French colony of ''La Louisiane'' (Louisiana) in what was known as the Great Upheaval. (see Cajuns).

The parish was formed from the southwestern portion of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. On May 19, 1886, a bill was introduced in the Louisiana state house entitled "An act to create the parish of Nicholls, and to provide for the organization thereof."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iKxIAQAAMAAJ&q=%22An+act+to+create+the+parish+of+Nicholls%22&pg=PA83|title = Official Journal of the Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana|year = 1886}}</ref> The title was later changed to read: "An act to create the parish of Acadia." Father Joseph Anthonioz, the first pastor of the Catholic Church at Rayne, is credited with having suggested the name, Acadia Parish. The bill passed the house on June 11, the senate on June 28, and was approved by Governor Samuel D. McEnery on June 30.<ref name="Fontenot1976p244">Fontenot, Mary.''Acadia Parish, Louisiana''. The Center for Louisiana Studies, 1976, p. 244.</ref>

On October 6, an election was held to affirm the creation of the parish, with 2,516 votes for and 1,521 votes against the creation. The population of the new parish was from 10,000 to 12,000. Acadia Parish population in 1890 was 13,231.<ref name="Fontenot1976p254">Fontenot, Mary.''Acadia Parish, Louisiana''. The Center for Louisiana Studies, 1976, p. 254.</ref>

After a close election held on March 1, 1887, Crowley was chosen as the parish seat, gathering 698 votes to Rayne's and Prairie Hayes' 560 and 519, respectively. The election also determined the first officers in the parish: Elridge W. Lyons, first sheriff of Acadia; and R. T. Clark, first clerk of court. The first courthouse was constructed in Crowley and completed on June 30, 1888. It continued to be used until May 1, 1902, when it was destroyed to make way for the second building.<ref name="Fontenot1976p298">Fontenot, Mary.''Acadia Parish, Louisiana''. The Center for Louisiana Studies, 1976, p. 298.</ref>

==Geography== According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of {{convert|657|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|655|sqmi|abbr=on}} are land and {{convert|2.3|sqmi|abbr=on}} (0.4%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_22.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 20, 2014|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928155956/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_22.txt|archive-date=September 28, 2013}}</ref>

===Major highways=== * 25px Interstate 10 * 25px U.S. Highway 90 * 25px U.S. Highway 190 * 25px Louisiana Highway 13 * 25px Louisiana Highway 35 * 25px Louisiana Highway 91 * 25px Louisiana Highway 92 * 25px Louisiana Highway 95 * 25px Louisiana Highway 97 * 25px Louisiana Highway 98 * 25px Louisiana Highway 365 * 25px Louisiana Highway 370 * 25px Louisiana Highway 1111

===Adjacent parishes=== * Evangeline Parish (north) * St. Landry Parish (northeast) * Lafayette Parish (east) * Vermilion Parish (south) * Jefferson Davis Parish (west)

==Communities== thumb|250px|Map of Acadia Parish, with municipal labels

===Cities=== * Crowley (parish seat and largest municipality) * Eunice (partly in St. Landry Parish) * Rayne

===Towns=== * Basile (partly in Evangeline Parish) * Church Point * Duson (partly in Lafayette Parish) * Iota

===Villages=== * Estherwood * Mermentau * Morse

===Unincorporated areas===

====Census-designated places====

* Branch * Egan * Midland

====Other communities====

{{div col|colwidth=20em}} * Arceneaux * Bates * Bluff * Castile * Deshotel * Ebenezer * Ellis * Evangeline * Frey * Gatte's Cove * Gumpoint * Hundley * Judd * Keystone * LeJeune Cove * Link * Little Japan * Lyons Point * Maxie * Mermentau Cove * Millerville * Mire (formerly Marais Bouleur and Bosco) * Mowata * Peach Bloom * Pitreville * Pointe Noire * Prairie Hayes * Prudhomme * Richard * Ritchie * Robert's Cove * Rork * Shortbread * Tepetate * Tortue * Tee Mamou * Whitehouse * Williams{{div col end}}

==Demographics== {{US Census population |1890= 13231 |1900= 23483 |1910= 31847 |1920= 34820 |1930= 39326 |1940= 46260 |1950= 47050 |1960= 49931 |1970= 52109 |1980= 56427 |1990= 55882 |2000= 58861 |2010= 61773 |2020= 57576 |estyear=2025 |estimate=57032 |estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 10, 2026}}</ref> {{loss}} |align-fn=center |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=U.S. Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 20, 2014 }}</ref> 1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/la190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref> 1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref> 2010–2013<ref name="QF">{{cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22001.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606213400/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22001.html |archive-date=June 6, 2011 }}</ref> }}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" |+'''Acadia Parish, Louisiana – Racial and ethnic composition''' {{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}} !Race / Ethnicity (''NH = Non-Hispanic'') !Pop 1980<ref name=1980Census>{{Cite web|title=1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Louisiana - Table 14 - Persons by Race and Table 15 - Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race (p. 20/12-20/20)|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_laABC-02.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau|page=}}</ref> !Pop 1990<ref name=1990Census>{{Cite web|title=1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Louisiana - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-2/cp-2-20-1.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau|pages=15–38}}</ref> !Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Acadia Parish, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US22001&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Acadia Parish, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US22001&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Acadia Parish, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US22001&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !% 1980 !% 1990 !% 2000 !% 2010 !style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020 |- |White alone (NH) |45,936 |45,240 |47,150 |48,555 |style='background: #ffffe6; |44,115 |81.41% |80.96% |80.10% |78.60% |style='background: #ffffe6; |76.62% |- |Black or African American alone (NH) |9,734 |10,140 |10,705 |11,133 |style='background: #ffffe6; |9,946 |17.25% |18.15% |18.19% |18.02% |style='background: #ffffe6; |17.27% |- |Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) |23 |47 |110 |155 |style='background: #ffffe6; |145 |0.04% |0.08% |0.19% |0.25% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.25% |- |Asian alone (NH) |43 |73 |87 |137 |style='background: #ffffe6; |163 |0.08% |0.13% |0.15% |0.22% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.28% |- |Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) |x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census</ref> |x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census</ref> |3 |5 |style='background: #ffffe6; |2 |x |x |0.01% |0.01% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00% |- |Other race alone (NH) |28 |10 |29 |43 |style='background: #ffffe6; |99 |0.05% |0.02% |0.05% |0.07% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.17% |- |Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) |x <ref>not an option in the 1980 Census</ref> |x <ref>not an option in the 1990 Census</ref> |239 |685 |style='background: #ffffe6; |1,465 |x |x |0.41% |1.11% |style='background: #ffffe6; |2.54% |- |Hispanic or Latino (any race) |663 |372 |538 |1,060 |style='background: #ffffe6; |1,641 |1.17% |0.67% |0.91% |1.72% |style='background: #ffffe6; |2.85% |- |'''Total''' |'''56,427''' |'''55,882''' |'''58,861''' |'''61,773''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''57,576 ''' |'''100.00%''' |'''100.00%''' |'''100.00%''' |'''100.00%''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%''' |} As of the 2020 United States census, there were 57,576 people, 22,236 households, and 15,519 families residing in the parish. At the 2010 United States census, 61,773 people were residing in the parish, and 58,861 people at the 2000 United States census.<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> In 2019, the American Community Survey estimated 62,045 people lived in the parish.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Geography Profile: Acadia Parish, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US22001|url-status=live|access-date=August 12, 2021|website=data.census.gov|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812150715/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US22001 |archive-date=August 12, 2021 }}</ref>

According to the 2019 American Community Survey, the racial and ethnic makeup of the parish was 77.4% non-Hispanic white, 17.4% Black and African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian alone, 0.3% some other race, 2.8% two or more races, and 2.6% Hispanic and Latin American of any race. In 2010, 79.5% were White American, 18.1% Black and African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% some other race, and 1.3% of two or more races; 1.7% were Hispanic or Latin American of any race.

Among the population in 2019, 73.8% were aged 18 and older, and 14.9% aged 65 and older; 7.0% were aged 5 and under.<ref name=":0" /> The median age was 36.7, and 27.4% were of French heritage; 9.3% were German, 4.2% English, 4.1% Irish, 0.5% sub-Saharan African, 0.4% Scottish, 0.1% Norwegian, and 0.1% Polish in ancestry. Among the population in 2010, 43.7% were of French, French Canadian or Cajun, 10.8% American, and 8.0% German ancestry. Approximately 10% of the parish spoke a language other than English at home.

There were 22,236 households spread among 26,435 housing units. There was a home-ownership rate of 71.1% with an average of 3.31 people per household; an estimated 32% of the population living in the parish were never married, and 26.2% of households had children under the age of 18 living in them. The median gross rent was $662, and the median household value was $118,000.<ref name=":0" /> The median monthly cost with a mortgage was $1,083, and $312 without a mortgage.

An estimated 1,120 businesses operated in the parish, and the median household income was $43,396; the mean income was $61,465.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2019 Income Statistics|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US22001&tid=ACSST5Y2019.S1901&hidePreview=true|url-status=live|access-date=August 12, 2021|website=data.census.gov|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812150715/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US22001&tid=ACSST5Y2019.S1901&hidePreview=true |archive-date=August 12, 2021 }}</ref> The parish had a 52.6% employment rate, and 24.2% of the total population lived at or below the poverty line in 2019.

==Arts and culture== Many festivals and cultural celebrations are held annually in Acadia Parish, including the International Rice Festival in Crowley, [https://www.raynefrogfestival.com/ Frog Festival] in Rayne, and Germanfest [https://www.robertscovegermanfest.com/] in Roberts Cove. Cajun food and music, both specialties of the local population, feature prominently in these festivals.

Several communities in Acadia Parish celebrate the tradition of ''Courir de Mardi Gras''. Disguised with masks and costumes, Cajuns travel through their rural neighborhoods, making merry while begging for gumbo ingredients. The gumbo is the centerpiece of a communal supper and dance.

==Education== Acadia Parish is served by Acadia Parish Schools. * Acadia Parish Head Start - Church Point * Church Point Elementary (grades PK-5) (Church Point) * Church Point Middle (grades 6–8) (Church Point) * Church Point High (grades 9–12) (Church Point) * Acadia Parish Head Start - Rayne * Central Rayne Kindergarten (grades PK-1) (Rayne) * Martin Petitjean Elementary (grades 1–3) (Rayne) * South Rayne Elementary (grades 4–5) (Rayne) * Armstrong Middle (grades 6–8) (Rayne) * Rayne High (grades 9–12) (Rayne) * Acadia Parish Head Start - Crowley * Crowley Kindergarten (grades PK-K) (Crowley) * North Crowley Elementary (grades K-5) (Crowley) * Ross Elementary (grades K-5) (Crowley) * South Crowley Elementary (grades K-5) (Crowley) * Crowley Middle (grades 6–8) (Crowley) * Iota Elementary (grades PK-5) (Iota) * Iota Middle (grades 6–8) (Iota) * Iota High (grades 9–12) (Iota) * Acadia Parish Head Start - Estherwood * Branch Elementary (grades PK-8) (Branch) * Egan Elementary (grades PK-8) (Egan) * Estherwood Elementary (grades PK-7) (Estherwood) * Evangeline Elementary (grades PK-8) (Evangeline) * Mermentau Elementary (grades PK-7) (Mermentau) * Mire Elementary (grades PK-8) (unincorporated Rayne) * Morse Elementary (grades PK-7) (Morse) * Richard Elementary (grades PK-8) (unincorporated Church Point) * Crowley High (grades 9–12) (unincorporated Crowley) * Midland High (grades 8–12) (unincorporated Midland)

'''Acadia Parish is also served by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette with five schools:''' * St. Francis School (grades PK-8) (Iota) * Rayne Catholic Elementary School (grades PK-8) (Rayne) * St. Michael Elementary School (grades PK-8) (Crowley) * Our Mother of Peace Elementary School (grades PK-8) (Church Point) * Notre Dame High School (grades 9–12) (Crowley)

'''Additionally, Acadia Parish is served by one unaffiliated private school:''' * Northside Christian School (grades PK-12) (Crowley)

'''Acadia Parish is served by two institutions of higher education:''' * Louisiana State University, Eunice (Eunice) * South Louisiana Community College service area: Acadian Campus (Crowley)

Acadia Parish Library operates branches in the parish.

==National Guard== C Company 3-156TH Infantry Battalion resides in Crowley, Louisiana. As part of the 256th IBCT, this unit deployed to Iraq twice, 2004-5 and 2010.

==Politics== Historically, along with the rest of Louisiana, Acadia Parish strongly supported the Democratic Party, with support waning throughout the latter half of the 20th century. Following Bill Clinton's 1996 re-election bid, Acadia Parish has voted exclusively for Republican candidates at the presidential level. {{PresHead|place=Acadia Parish, Louisiana|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 14, 2018}}</ref>}}  {{PresRow|1912|Democratic|51|1,147|330|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1916|Democratic|202|1,165|22|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,141|1,058|6|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1924|Democratic|691|1,481|116|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1928|Democratic|1,071|3,633|0|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1932|Democratic|351|3,583|0|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1936|Democratic|441|4,504|0|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1940|Democratic|719|5,058|2|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,023|4,439|0|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1948|Dixiecrat|784|2,382|3,512|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1952|Democratic|4,167|5,863|0|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1956|Democratic|4,204|6,122|191|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1960|Democratic|2,616|11,440|1,028|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1964|Democratic|6,706|9,463|0|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1968|American Independent|3,178|4,098|9,715|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1972|Republican|9,698|4,406|1,090|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1976|Democratic|6,296|10,814|538|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1980|Republican|11,533|9,948|619|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1984|Republican|14,906|9,262|434|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1988|Democratic|11,319|11,510|281|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1992|Democratic|9,017|12,276|3,275|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|1996|Democratic|9,246|12,300|2,381|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|2000|Republican|13,814|8,892|532|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|2004|Republican|16,083|8,937|210|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|2008|Republican|19,229|7,028|454|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|2012|Republican|19,931|6,560|344|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|2016|Republican|21,162|5,638|589|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|2020|Republican|22,596|5,443|386|Louisiana}} {{PresRow|2024|Republican|21,783|4,695|242|Louisiana}} {{PresFoot}}

==Notable people== {{Unreferenced section|date=July 2025}} * Tommy Casanova (born 1950), former All-Pro NFL defensive back * Wayne Toups (born 1958), popular Cajun musician, singer, and songwriter * Bill Cleveland (1902–1974), real estate developer and former member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature * Jo-El Sonnier (1946–2024), country and Cajun singer, songwriter, and accordionist * Tony Thibodeaux (1938–2010), Cajun fiddler * Joe Werner (1909–1978), early Cajun musician and member of the Hackberry Ramblers * Camey Doucet (born 1939), Cajun musician and disc jockey * Victory "Trey" Trahan, architect and Fellow of the American Institute of Architects * George Stanley (1903–1970), sculptor for the design of the Oscar statue and the Muse Sculpture at the Hollywood Bowl * Rosie Ledet (born 1971), Creole and zydeco musician and singer * Jack Brooks (1922–2012), longtime U.S. Representative for Texas * Seth Thibodeaux (born 1980), college baseball coach * J. Bert Sonnier (born 1938), retired trainer of thoroughbred racehorses * Taylor Ri'chard (born 1980), film director, screenwriter, executive producer, and actor * Clint Brown (born 1963), gospel musician * Barry Jean Ancelet (born 1951), Cajun folklorist in Louisiana French and ethnomusicologist in Cajun music * Godfrey Zaunbrecher (born 1946), former NFL center * Dudley Wilkins (1914–1989), 1934 United States triple jump champion and participant at 1936 Summer Olympics * Gary Lavergne (born 1955), author * J. Roy White (1907–1985), architect and artist * Belton Richard (1939–2017), Cajun accordionist and vocalist * Josh Reed (born 1980), former NFL wide receiver and 2001 recipient of the Biletnikoff Award * Dave Petitjean (1928–2013), actor and humorist of Cajun stories * Elvis Perrodin (1956–2012), jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing * Byron Mouton (born 1978), former professional basketball player and member of 2002 national championship team at the University of Maryland * Gerard Melancon (born 1967), jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing * Mark Carrier (born 1965), former NFL wide receiver and current Buffalo Bills player engagement director * Victoria Anne Kennedy (born 1954), current United States Ambassador to Austria * Elmore Nixon (1933–1975), jump blues pianist and singer * Kidd Jordan (1935–2023), jazz saxophonist and music educator * Chris John (born 1960), lobbyist and former U.S. Representative * Lee Benoit (born 1959), Cajun musician * Donnie Meche (born 1974), jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing * Leroy Leblanc (1915–1988), Cajun swing musician * Mike Heinen (born 1967), professional golfer * Alyson Habetz (born 1971), current softball head coach at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette * Mary Alice Fontenot (1910–2003), journalist and author of children's books and books on Louisiana history * Orlando Thomas (1972–2014), former NFL defensive back * Johnny Rebel (1938–2016), controversial singer, songwriter, and musician who performed songs that were supportive of white supremacy * John Stefanski (born 1984), attorney and member of Louisiana House of Representatives * Johnnie Allan (born 1938), musician and singer who pioneered the swamp pop musical genre * Sherman Andrus (born 1942), gospel singer and former member of The Imperials * J.D. "Jay" Miller (1922–1996), record producer and songwriter * Larry Miller (born 1936), retired Cajun accordion maker * Buford Jordan (born 1962), former NFL running back * Ed Zaunbrecher (born 1950), former college football coach * Sidney Brown (1906–1981), musician and noted Cajun accordion builder * Jim Gueno (born 1954), former NFL linebacker *John Breaux (born 1944), lobbyist, attorney and retired former U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator *Edwin Edwards (1927–2021), 50th Governor of Louisiana who started his political career on the Crowley City Council * Tony Robichaux (1961–2019), former head baseball coach at University of Louisiana at Lafayette and McNeese State University * Irene Whitfield Holmes (1900–1993), ethnomusicologist and educator

==See also== * National Register of Historic Places listings in Acadia Parish, Louisiana {{Portal|United States}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://acadiaparishchamber.org/ Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce] * [http://www.acadiaparishclerk.com/ Acadia Parish Clerk of Court] * [http://www.acadiatourism.org/ Acadia Parish Tourist Commission] * [https://pa.totaland.com/ACADIA Acadia Parish GIS Maps] * [https://www.apso.org/ Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809121226/https://www.apso.org/ |date=August 9, 2016 }}

Geology * Heinrich, P. V., J. Snead, and R. P. McCulloh, 2003, [https://web.archive.org/web/20100628125032/http://www.lgs.lsu.edu/deploy/uploads/Crowley%20100K.pdf ''Crowley 30 x 60 minute geologic quadrangle.''] Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

{{Geographic Location |Centre = Acadia Parish, Louisiana |North = Evangeline Parish |Northeast = St. Landry Parish |East = Lafayette Parish |Southeast = |South = Vermillion Parish |Southwest = |West = Jefferson Davis Parish |Northwest = }} {{Acadia Parish, Louisiana}} {{Louisiana parishes}}{{Authority control}}

{{ |titlestyle = background:#ccccff; |title = Presidential elections results }}

Category:Acadia Parish, Louisiana Category:Louisiana parishes Category:Parishes in Acadiana Category:1886 establishments in Louisiana Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1886