Founded in 1861 in Calcasieu Parish, it is a major industrial, cultural, and educational center in the southwest region of the state.

[6] The city and metropolitan area of Lake Charles is considered a regionally significant center of petrochemical refining, gambling, tourism, and education, being home to McNeese State University and Sowela Technical Community College.

Also, some urban tales indicate he had planned to name the settlement Nouveau Cadix (New Cádiz)", after the city in Spain, but this is uncertain.

[9] During and after World War II, Lake Charles experienced industrial growth with the arrival of petrochemical refineries.

The city grew to a high of some 75,000 people in the early 1980s, but with local economic recession, the population declined and stagnated.

[10] Support ships were to be operated from the new Naval Station Lake Charles, but with the tailing-off of the Cold War, the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended it be closed.

Oak and pine trees dot the landscape; the lumber industry was once the main economic engine of the area.

[23] The National Weather Service called the storm surge "unsurvivable" with one-minute sustained wind speeds of 150 mph (240 km/h).

A communications tower collapsed onto the KPLC studio building (which had been evacuated), and part of a sky bridge was blown out.

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, the Roman Catholic Church is the area's largest individual Christian denomination, with 51,161 adherents in Calcasieu Parish alone.

[35][36] In 2018, the violent crime rate in the Lake Charles area was one of the highest in the United States, across communities of all sizes.

Chennault International Airport hosts AAR Corp, which services airplanes, and a Northrop Grumman facility.

[41] With small businesses, big-box stores, and a regional mall, Lake Charles serves as the shopping and retail hub of the five-parish area.

The largest, the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, features a permanent historical exhibit with artifacts and an art gallery.

[55] The Central School Arts and Humanities Center, located in the historical Charpentier District, is owned by the city.

McNeese State University produces the annual Banners Series of various musical and theatrical performances.

The most popular, the Louisiana Pirate Festival (formerly Contraband Days), is hosted on the Civic Center grounds and lakefront.

The celebrations are filled with savory Cajun food, family fun, and live entertainment, including several national acts.

In a reference to the legends of piracy on the lake and Contraband Bayou, the festival begins when the pirate Jean Lafitte[7] and his crew capture the city and force the mayor to walk the plank.

Throughout the two World Wars, Mardi Gras was downsized which led to a lack of participation by the area's youth.

However, an interest in redeveloping the festivities arose, and the first Mardi Gras Ball in Lake Charles was staged in 1964.

In 1985, Mardi Gras of Imperial Calcasieu, Inc. was formed by a group of civic-minded volunteers to further aid in the preservation of this festival.

Adventure Cove, a state-of-the-art park, was also built by volunteers, and is specifically designed for handicapped children.

The Lake Charles Police Department (LCPD) provides law enforcement and protection for the city.

[76] The Fourteenth Judicial District Court, in downtown Lake Charles, covers Calcasieu Parish and includes nine judges who preside over family, juvenile, civil, and criminal trials.

KBYS 88.3 Oldies, KRVS 88.7 Npr, KRLR 89.1 K-Love, KYLC 90.3, KOJO (FM) 91.1, KBAN 91.5, KTSR 92.1 Classic Rock, KHLA 92.9 Classic Hits, KPPM-LP 93.5 Black Gospel, KSMB 94.5 Top40(Chr), KYKZ 96.1 Country, KQLK 97.9 Country, W252AQ 98.3, KNGT 99.5 Country, KELB-LP 100.5, KKGB 101.3 Mainstream Rock, KYBG 102.1 Classic Hits, KAJN-FM 102.9 Contemporary Christian, KBIU 103.3 Chr, KLCJ 104.1 Oldies, KKMY 104.5 Rhythmic Top 40, KZWA 104.9 Urban Adult Contemporary, KIOC 106.1 Active Rock, KJMH 107.5 Urban, KLVI 560 News/Talk, KAOK 1400 Talk, KLCL 1470 Urban Adult Contemporary, KHB42 162.400 NOAA Weather Radio The city's streets are laid out primarily in a grid pattern.

Interstate 10 passes through Lake Charles, connecting the city with Houston to the west and New Orleans to the east.

Lake Charles Regional Airport,[88] located south of the city, provides commercial airline service to Houston and Dallas.

[90] The Calcasieu Ship Channel provides direct access to the Gulf of Mexico 34 miles (55 km) downstream.

Lake Charles is featured or mentioned in The Drowning Pool, The Beyond, A Taste of Louisiana with Chef John Folse & Co., Passion Fish, Good Eats, UFC 22: There Can Be Only One Champion, UFC 24: First Defense, Blue Vinyl,[95] Little Chenier, Mercy,[96] Split Ends, All Over But to Cry, Film Hustle, Good Boy,[97][98] and 10 Cloverfield Lane.