PORT ARTHUR, Texas — For years people around Southeast Texas have referred to Port Arthur as the "Cajun Capital" of the Lonestar State but now it's official.
Port Arthur, Texas, was officially designated as the spot in Texas for all things Cajun when Governor Greg Abbott signed House Concurrent Resolution 61 on June 9, 2023.
"Crawfish boils are family reunions and formal affairs. Gumbo is Christmas dinner. The music gets you two-stepping," reads a news release from the Port Arthur Convention and Visitor's Bureau.
Texas State Representative Christian Manuel brought the resolution before the house this year during Golden Triangle Days in Austin in February.
It was adopted by the Texas House of Representatives on April 28, 2023.
Texas State Senator Brandon Creighton then carried it through the Texas Senate where it was signed on May 17, 2023.
It doesn't seem to matter that the Mardi Gras moved a few miles north a few years ago.
The resolution mentions the migration of the Acadians, better known as Cajuns to Port Arthur, just across the Sabine River, after the Mississippi flood of 1927. The Cajuns settled in Louisiana in the mid-1700s.
The resolution notes that the Cajuns were drawn to the city's petroleum jobs and other "sectors of the coastal economy."
"Warm and friendly Cajun hospitality thrives everywhere in Port Arthur, from fais-dodo house parties to major events, among them the annual Cajun Heritage Fest," the resolution states.
The Cajun flavor of Port Arthur is represented in the resolution with mentions of Judice's French Market, which opened in 1927 as well as whiskey distiller and entrepreneur Jack LaBove.
It also touts the Cajun music that Port Arthur residents danced to including Harry Choates, who recorded the iconic "Jole Blon" in 1946.
"We’ve been calling ourselves the Cajun Capital in our hearts for years," the Port Arthur CVB news release says.
Here's the full wording of HCR 61...
WHEREAS, The City of Port Arthur has been steeped in Cajun culture for nearly a century; and
WHEREAS, Located in the southeastern corner of Texas, Port Arthur is a close neighbor to the Louisiana bayou region where the Acadians, or Cajuns, settled in the mid-1700s after being forced out of Nova Scotia; in 1927, the Great Mississippi Flood drove tens of thousands from their homes in the Acadiana parishes of Louisiana, and many of those displaced made their way to Port Arthur, drawn by the ample employment opportunities in the burgeoning petroleum industry and other sectors of the coastal economy; and
WHEREAS, Louisiana Cajuns brought their distinctive culture, which took root and flourished in their adopted city; local cuisine acquired a Cajun flavor, with a boost from the family that opened Judice's French Market in 1927; the restaurant helped popularize such delicacies as crawfish, gumbo, and hot boudin, and its longtime spokesman, A. J. Judice, "the Crazy Frenchman," became a beloved ambassador of Cajun heritage; among other achievements, he served as the impresario of the improbable pastime of crawfish racing, which led to his tongue-in-cheek appointment as the sport's commissioner by Texas governor Preston Smith in the early 1960s; Port Arthur's Cajun community was also home to whiskey distiller and entrepreneur Jack LaBove, who helped the city survive the dark days of Prohibition; and
WHEREAS, Renowned for their love of music, Port Arthur residents danced to such artists as Harry Choates, the "Godfather of Cajun Music" and the "Fiddle King of Cajun Swing," whose 1946 recording of "Jole Blon" is considered iconic; favorite venues included the Rodair Club, which showcased the music and nurtured aspiring musicians such as accordionist Jude Moreau; today, younger players like Donovan Bourque continue the tradition, keeping the infectious Cajun rhythm part of the city's soundtrack; and
WHEREAS, Warm and friendly Cajun hospitality thrives everywhere in Port Arthur, from fais-dodo house parties to major events, among them the annual Cajun Heritage Fest; moreover, the Museum of the Gulf Coast does its part to preserve and focus attention on Cajun history and traditions; and
WHEREAS, Port Arthur takes great pride in the Cajun influence that pervades so many aspects of life in the city, and residents of all backgrounds enjoy celebrating these distinctive elements of their culture; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby designate Port Arthur as the official Cajun Capital of Texas; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section 391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in effect until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally passed by the legislature.
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