by Cheryl McCarty (Author), Tony Olinger (Author)
The city of Rayne has become a popular tourist stop for thousands of travelers each year who pause on their sojourns along Interstate 10 across South Louisiana. As visitors wind their way through the downtown area and neighborhoods, they are treated to picturesque murals and whimsical painted tree frogs, all honoring the frog industry that put Rayne on the map, menu, and palates of people across the country.
For those that call the one of the oldest settlements in Acadia Parish home, there is so much more to the community than meets the eye. The development of Rayne as it grew from Pouppeville to Rayne Station to an important hub for the frog, rice, and cotton markets played an important role in establishing a very unique cultural foundation. Influences of a multitude of heritages, including French and German, have driven Rayne's evolution in economics, politics, and architecture, as well as its its rich musical roots.