What year was Lake Charles established as a town, and who was the first mayor?

Lake Charles was incorporated as the town of Charleston in March 1861; it was renamed Lake Charles in 1867. Its first mayor was J.W. Bryan, who was born in Calcasieu 180 years ago this month.

“He had served with the Confederacy as a captain and had distinguished himself as a commander of a regiment during the siege of Vicksburg,” reads a book printed in 1967 to mark the city’s centennial.

“He returned to Lake Charles in 1868, and thereafter, besides his official duties as mayor, taught school, ran a general merchandising store, sold real estate, and was the first editor of the Weekly Echo.”

The mayors of Lake Charles:

J.W. Bryan — 1868-1871.

John Spence — 1871-1873.

A.H. Moss — 1873-1874.

Adolph Meyer — 1874-1888.

Alexander Reid — 1888-1892.

Pat Crowley — 1893-1899.

James Geary — 1899-1900.

John Poe — 1901-1903.

Charles Winterhaler — 1903-1909.

C. Brent Richard — 1909-1913.

George L. Riling — 1913-1916.

Josh A. Trotti — 1917-1925.

Henry J. Geary — 1925-1929.

Leon Locke — 1929-1933.

J.A. Trotti — 1933-1936

Jack H. Handley — 1936-1945.

T.C. Price — 1945-1953.

Sidney L. Gray — 1953-1961.

Alfred E. Roberts — 1961-1965.

James Sudduth — 1965-1973.

Bill E. Boyer — 1973-1981.

Paul Savoie — 1981-1985.

Edward S. Watson — 1985-1989.

James Sudduth — 1989-1993.

Willie Mount — 1993-1999.

Rodney Geyen (interim) — 1999-2000.

Randy Roach — 2000-present.

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Online: http://library.mcneese.edu/depts/archive; www.cityoflakecharles.com.

Stop sign removal requires council’s OK

Why are there so many stop signs on First Avenue from Broad Street to 12th Street?

There aren’t that many.

Only three of the 11 streets that intersect First Avenue between Broad and 12th — i.e., Fifth, Seventh and Eighth — have four-way stops.

Removal of stop signs requires City Council approval, said City Administrator John Cardone.

For more information, call the city engineering department at 491-1490.

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The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.(www.louisianalibraries.org)