Was incorporated 1858 and first settled in the late 1700's after being founded by Marcellin Garand, a former adjutant-major in the French army of Napoleon. Garland is credited with introducing “Le Tournoi”, ancient French jousting tournaments, to the area. The tournaments ran until as late as 1890 when they were abandoned and were revived in 1952.
In 1910 it was designated as the parish seat for the newly created Evangeline Parish. However, it was not until the 1930's, and the discovery of oil in the area, that significant growth of the community occurred.
Today Ville Platte is known as the “Swamp Pop Capital of the World”, and the “Smoked Meat Capital of the World.”
Twinning Agreements
Ville Platte and Durbuy, Belgium (1986)
Evangeline Parish
Was established in 1910 and was originally settled by French and Spanish settlers who established a number of “vacheries”, large cattle ranches that were located in the area to take advantage of the Attakapas, or Cajun, Prairie grasslands. Evangeline Parish was separated from St. Landry Parish in 1910.
