Culture in Jackson Louisiana

When you make a list of all the unique things Louisiana has to offer visitors, you quickly see the long-lasting influences of our French, Spanish and African ancestry. Our past is well-preserved in our architecture, music, food and lifestyles—which include our amazing festivals—and of course in our museums of history and fine arts.

It is not an accident that Louisiana clings to the phrase "Laissez les bons temps rouler," meaning "Let the good times roll". Let yourself get lost in the traditions passed down through generations. Come visit us during Mardi Gras when costumed riders parade and magnificent balls are thrown from New Orleans and Baton Rouge to Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport and beyond. Peek back across the centuries, as you walk under lavish ironwork and through the lush courtyard gardens of a meticulous French Quarter hotel. Touch history with a tour of a plantation where the daily activities of the past are recreated. Let nature's mysteries inspire and awe you via a boat tour through a cypress studded bayou.

Here, in Louisiana, history and lore don't merely live in books on a shelf; they're reflected in our everyday lives.

Rolling hills around Jackson make for lovely scenic drives between historic sites in the area. Founded in 1815, the town was named for Andrew Jackson following his victory over the British at New Orleans at the end of the War of 1812. Jackson is said to have camped his Tennessee army contingents on Thompson Creek on his return from that battle. The Town of Jackson was the site of two Civil War battles fought in 1863 during the Union siege of Port Hudson. One of these battles is commemorated each year with the Battle of Jackson Crossroads reenactment. A wealth of 19th-century architecture helped Jackson become a National Historic District, making it a good place to browse and sightsee.