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Broussard
www.broussardla.com
“A historic past, an industrial future.”

• Population: 7,315
• Mayor: Charles Langlinais

• Schools
• Katharine Drexel Elementary
• Broussard Middle
• Comeaux High (home to the Academy of Design)
• St. Cecilia School
• Episcopal School of Acadiana

Broussard is located six miles southeast of Lafayette and was originally called Cote Gelee by the Acadians who first settled the region. The town lays claim to one of the first 200 Acadians, Joseph “Beausoleil” Broussard, and the city was founded in 1884 by his descendant Valsin Broussard. The area’s rich and fertile land made it prime for growing sugarcane and soybeans and for horse and cattle farming.

Over the years, Broussard has grown from a horse-and-buggy community to an industrial area with more than 600 businesses. Principal industries today include oil and gas service companies, food distributors, real estate developments, and manufacturing.

The city remains true to its roots with attractions like the Valsin Broussard home and several other homes on Main Street that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nash’s Restaurant, located in a historic home dating back to the early 1900s, offers fine dining under third-generation chef Nash Bareca, Jr., and Tons and Morvant’s restaurants are favorite spots for burgers. Visitors will find a little bit of everything in Broussard.

Carencro
www.carencro.org
“A progressive city with a small-town atmosphere.”

• Population: 6,403
• Mayor: Glenn L. Brasseaux

• Schools
• Carencro Heights Elementary
• Carencro Middle
• Carencro High (home to the Academy of Information Technology and “Save Our Stage” project)
• Carencro Catholic

Located just outside the city of Lafayette, Carencro maintains a community-oriented quality of life along with a progressive approach to business and economic development. The city council has initiated several city improvement projects, such as construction of a new Community Center and a 12,000-square-foot regional library. Carencro’s history dates back to 1765, when it was first settled by a native of Nova Scotia. The town celebrated its centennial in October 2005. Today, Carencro is twinned with Dieppe, New Brunswick, and Leuze en Hainaut, Belgium.

Two local restaurants, Prejean’s and Paul’s Pirogue, still celebrate the Cajun style of cooking brought to the area by the Acadians and have become destination restaurants for both locals and tourists. Carencro also draws visitors to Pelican Park, which holds the area’s Reggae Festival each September in addition to the “Mercredi Show,” a free outdoor music series held on the third Wednesday of the month from June through September. During the Christmas and Mardi Gras holidays, the city also holds its own celebrations.

In addition to leisure, Carencro also presents some great business opportunities with easy access to two major interstates. Also, the city holds the home office of Southwest Louisiana Electric Membership Corporation (SLEMCO) and has teamed up with both SLEMCO and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to establish the Enterprise Center of Louisiana, a business incubator. Future plans for the city include a major $2.5 million drainage project for low-lying areas, construction of a new water treatment facility and construction of sidewalks.

Scott
www.scottlouisiana.org
“A vibrant business environment and healthy balanced growth.”

• Population: 8,280
• Mayor: Hazel Myers

• Schools
• Scott Head Start
• L. Leo Judice Elementary
• Scott Middle
• Acadiana High (home to the Academy of Business & Finance)
• Family Life Christian Fellowship
• West Side Elementary
• St. Peter & Paul Elementary

Located five miles west of Lafayette, the city of Scott dubs itself “where the West begins.” The city is named after J.B. Scott, who was division superintendent of Southern Pacific Railroad and built the first depot there in 1880. The city flourished because of the railroad line running through it and is still greatly connected by Interstate 10 and U.S. Highway 90, which both run directly through the city. Scott is definitely on the move, with several road extensions underway and new developments going up off of Interstate 10. The construction of its City Hall in 1994 was a tribute to the railroad days, with a clock tower and gable roofs to mimic an old depot.

Culturally and business-wise, Scott has plenty to offer, from local art to boudin and major industries. The late pen-and-ink artist Floyd Sonnier’s Beau Cajun Art Gallery is in Scott. Favorite stops for boudin in town are Don’s Specialty Meats & Grocery, which recently opened a second location there, and Best Stop. Major industries in manufacturing and retail include Weatherford International, Cajun Harley-Davidson, Lafayette Steel Erectors and M-I Swaco. Scott celebrated its centennial in 2007 by remembering its history while quickly moving forward as a progressive community.

Youngsville
www.youngsville.us
“The fastest-growing community in Louisiana.”

• Population: 5,633
• Mayor: Wilson B. Viator Jr.

• Schools
• Green T. Lindon Elementary
• Youngsville Middle
• Ernest Gallet Elementary

Youngsville has historically been known as a bedroom community of Lafayette but has been named the fastest-growing town in Louisiana from 1990-2005. Its population has increased by more than 300 percent since it was recently declared a city by Gov. Kathleen Blanco. Although Youngsville has extended its boundaries and expanded its services, the city has remained rural. Youngsville was settled in the early 1800s by French Acadian farmers. Establishing a pattern of growth in 1908, the community reached “village” status and changed its name to Youngsville, meaning “young village.” The village was officially declared a town in 1983.

Today, Lafayette’s population has quickly spread to Youngsville, and the city is becoming the place to start a business and raise a family. More than 13 new subdivisions with 1,200-plus residential and commercial sites have been approved by the city, in addition to the Traditional Neighborhood Development of Sugar Mill Pond. Youngsville is ready for the future – with affordable land, adequate utility services, some of the finest schools in Acadiana and people who believe in helping one another.

Duson
www.townofduson.org
“The town that cannot grow.”

• Population: 1,824
• Mayor: Susie Lagneaux
• School: Duson Elementary

Located in both Lafayette and Acadia parishes, Duson is historically referred to as “the little town that couldn’t grow.” Named for the Duson brothers, the town’s history includes many colorful traditions like boucheries, fais do-dos, and courirs de Mardi Gras. The town is believed to have been established in 1884 when the Duson Brothers began bringing in families from neighboring Acadia Parish by advertising good crop lands for sale. The “Duson Station” was also established around that time and brought in people on the railroad. Duson became a village in 1909 and was declared a town by Gov. Jimmie Davis in 1963.

The town’s main businesses include Champagne’s Grocery, Thibodeaux’s Restaurant, K&B Grocery and three truck stops off of Interstate 10. Today, Duson remains an extremely small town with one caution light. The town may not be able to grow, but its citizens have plenty of access to Lafayette and other surrounding cities from Interstate 10.