What to See in Lake Charles - Top Sights and Attractions

Truss bridge in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Calcasieu River Bridge, officially named the Louisiana Memorial World War II Bridge in June 1951 is a through truss located on Interstate 10 between Lake Charles, Louisiana and Westlake, Louisiana. It was the only major bridge in Lake Charles, until the construction of the Lake Charles Loop with the I-210 Calcasieu River High Bridge began in 1962, with an average annual daily traffic of 51,800. The bridge has a vertical clearance of 135 feet. It was built under the administration of Gov. Earl K. Long and opened in 1952. It has decorative iron work with crossed guns integrated into the railings. The I-10 Bridge was originally built as the U.S. Hwy 90 bridge and later was grandfathered into Interstate 10.

The bridge has been rated structurally deficient by the Department of Transportation but was declared safe by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD). There are plans to replace the bridge and improve the Westlake exit.^[3]

Cathedral in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a Catholic cathedral located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Lake Charles. Immaculate Conception Parish was established in 1869, and it became a cathedral in 1980. The church building, rectory, and a garage are listed together on the National Register of Historic Places.

The cathedral church enshrines a century-old image of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception made of Carrara marble. The venerated image was granted a Canonical coronation by Pope Benedict XVI via Pontifical decree signed and executed by his Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò to the country in 2013. A full church renovation project was completed in 2019.^[5]