Lafayette is centrally located in south Louisiana on the Vermilion River, which connects the city to the Intracoastal Waterway. Lafayette is located in the “heart of Acadiana” and is regarded as the “unofficial capital of Cajun Country,” which consists of about 22 parishes or counties surrounding Lafayette. The terms Cajun and Acadiana derive from the French Canadians who formerly resided in what was called Acadie (now Nova Scotia) and emigrated to south Louisiana in the late 18th century to join other French colonists. These settlers referred themselves as “les Acadiens” or “le 'Cadiens,” and were eventually called “Cajuns” by their Americans friends. In addition to a strong French heritage, the area has obvious Spanish, American, Indian and African influences. The city is situated in a geographical area of forests and prairies interlaced with bayous, swamps and marshes.

Lafayette was originally called Vermilionville by the original settlers in the 1770’s, and then was incorporated as a town in 1836. In 1884, the town’s name was changed to honor the Marquis de Lafayette, the young French nobleman who became an American general and a key member of George Washington’s staff during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Lafayette was incorporated as a city in 1914, is the seat of Lafayette Parish (County), and has about 120,000 residents within its city limits and a metropolitan population of about 250,000.

In the 1940s, the petroleum and natural gas industry became dominant in Lafayette and southern Louisiana. Today, Lafayette has diversified into other business sectors and remains one of the state’s key economic centers. It is the center of southwest Louisiana’s medical community, attracting patients from many parishes to its medical facilities. The city is also home to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, which was founded in 1900 and has over 16,000 students. The mid-point of Interstate 10’s path the State traverses the city, which is the point of origin for Interstate 49’s route to northern Louisiana.

Lafayette is home to numerous festivals, including the Festival International, a festival promoting the Francophone tradition with musicians from around the world, and the Festivals Acadiens, which promotes local music. The area is and was the home to several famous Zydeco musicians, including the legendary Clifton Chenier, Rockin’ Dopsie, Terrence Simien, and many others. The area is known worldwide for its unique cuisine, including crawfish, shrimp, and crab dishes as well as delicious gumbos. It is just a short drive away from one of the country’s largest freshwater estuaries, the Atchafalaya River basin, saltwater fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, and antebellum homes. Perhaps its finest attributes are the friendliness of the residents and their joie de vivre.