Rayne has always had the distinction of being a very progressive city. Once a building was worn or considered no longer modern, it was torn down, making way for a new structure to be raised in its place. Images of America: Lost Rayne has taken on the monumental task of preserving images of buildings, whether businesses or residences, that will allow future generations to see Rayne as it has changed during its 132-year history. Readers can almost smell bread baking at Privat's Bakery while sipping French drip coffee nearby at Paco's. Just around the corner, blocks of ice can be heard falling...

The city of Rayne has become a popular tourist stop for thousands of travelers each year who pause on their sojourns along Interstate 10 across South Louisiana. As visitors wind their way through the downtown area and neighborhoods, they are treated to picturesque murals and whimsical painted tree frogs, all honoring the frog industry that put Rayne on the map, menu, and palates of people across the country.

For those that call the one of the oldest settlements in Acadia Parish home, there is so much more to the community than meets the eye. The development of Rayne as it grew from...

Many people who visit Rayne to enjoy its charming murals and picturesque streets know the community as a quaint city along their vacation's journey. However, Rayne is more than just a pleasant stopover for tourists and passersby; it is a destination in its own right-a multicultural, historic community that has enjoyed a vibrant and interesting past. Rayne's People and Places provides insight into the heritage and cultural lifestyles of its citizens-like some who jitterbugged at the old Hollywood Club, drank peach nectars at People's Drug Store, and ate biscuits at Paco's-by showing their...