Welcome to Independence, Louisiana

Independence, "Little Italy" of Louisiana, was created as a result of the New Orleans to Jackson route of the Great Northern Railroad in the 1880's.  It was first called "Rabbit Town" and later called "Uncle Sam".  Feeling a lack of dignity in the name, a Welch immigrant named Christopher Evens gave the settlement the name of Independence.

Italian families searching for a place to settle in the 1880's  were attracted by the thriving strawberry industry of the area.  Independence slowly became a predominately Italian community.  It is more diverse culturally today but is still characterized by its excellent Italian cuisine and its hard working and friendly people.

 Indy's Sicilian Heritage Festival

FESTIVAL PREPARATIONS---Independence Mayor Michael Ragusa and the Independence Sicilian Heritage Festival Board are presenting authentic flags of Sicily and Sicilian Heritage Festival commemorative posters to local officials to invite them and their constituents to the 2nd Annual ISHF which will be held March 12-14, 2010, in downtown Independence.  Above, Ragusa (left) and Festival Chairman Reggie Martin (right) proudly show the Sicilian flag to Parish President Gordon Burgess (center), while below, Ragusa shares a 2009 commemorative poster with our parish's senior lawmaker, Sen. Ben Nevers.