A Philadelphia Sun article highlights Lake Charles culture and the Atakapa-Ishak people as the main Native American group in the area during the 1500s.
Here’s an excerpt from the article:
The major Native American group in Southwest Louisiana when Cabeza de Vaca passed through the area in the 1500s was the nomadic Attakapas. Lake Charles’ county owes its name, Calcasieu, to them. Legend has it that it was the name of one of their most important chiefs, “Crying Eagle.” Jose de Evia, who explored the region in depth, followed Cabeza de Vaca more than 200 years later.
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