Historical walking tour focuses on the story of Lake Charles
Lake Charles' first City Hall was constructed in 1903. Before that, city council members met at homes, hotels or the second floor of the city's then-fire station at the corner of Iris and Cole streets. (American Press Archives)
T he Imperial Calcasieu Museum is stepping beyond its walls to highlight and preserve Lake Charles' rich history this weekend.
Starting at 2 p.m. Friday, ICM will host the first of three guided historical walking tours through Downtown Lake Charles. The 'Story of Lake Charles: Historical Walking Tours' will bring the city's history to the forefront in the locations of landmark events.
The tours offer locals and tourists alike an opportunity to learn about landmark events and showcase influential figures who helped shape Lake Charles into what it is today.
Ashley Royer, interim executive director, said the tours are a continuation of ICM's undertaking to preserve the area's history and culture, and will allow the museum to take this mission out of the confines of the building and into the area it honors.
'It is a way to take them out and about and just travel within the footsteps,' Royer said.
The museum, which has operated since 1963, has curated the tour using precious — and scarce — primary sources such as Maude Reid's scrapbooks, as well as oral histories and input from area historians, to script the tour. Anna Alamond, an ICM creative specialist, will serve as docent for the tour.
Royer said the walking tour is a chance for people to hear the accurate history of Lake Charles in a digital world of misinformation.
'If you imagine 20 years ago, everything's in the newspaper, everything's in a paper format, and we've moved to a digital format and part of it is that we're losing,' she explained. 'There's been mistranslations of the history that's going out.'
History requires one to look backward and forward. And this is an important practice, Royer said, especially considering recurring themes the area is experiencing. The 1910 fire consumed the downtown area, but Lake Charles became a more developed city after the tragedy. Now, Lake Charles is in recovery from an onslaught of natural disasters, coupled with a pandemic.
'We think it's important because it's not just knowing what happened before, but what's happening currently,' Royer said. 'And I think it's important that history is a two-way street. You have to look back and forward.
'And there are just some really unique individuals who played a part in our development. I feel like you should know their stories.'
The tour begins and ends at the Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center, 1001 Ryan St., and will last about two hours.
Two more guided history tours will be offered in June.
Tickets can be purchased on ICM's website. The cost is $20 for adults and $15 for seniors, military and children. Children ages 4 and younger admitted free.
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