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.

Sidney Torres, IV, (left) becomes the first private-sector occupant of the more than 20-year history of the Independence Industrial Park.  On Tuesday, Torres signed a lease agreement with Independence Mayor Michael Ragusa (right) to house his entire Northshore/Capital Area Region corporate headquarters in Independence.  The facility, which will employ nearly 100 people, will include 10,000 square feet on four acres in the industrial park, next door to the North Tangipahoa branch of the Regina Coeli Head Start Center.  Torres said the Independence facility will be the focal point for his base of operations in Tangipahoa and five other parishes, including E. Baton Rouge, in 2010.