Cameron
A Gulf town at the mouth of the Calcasieu, rebuilt again and again.
- Population
- 315 (2020 census)
- Rita surge
- 17.8 feet, a state record
- Parish seat
- Cameron Parish
Then
- 1901
Louisiana's first successful oil well is drilled, and Cameron becomes a petroleum center.
- 1957
Hurricane Audrey nearly destroys the town, killing more than 300 residents.
- 2005
Hurricane Rita brings the highest surge ever recorded in Louisiana, but everyone has evacuated.
- 2008
Hurricane Ike's 12-foot surge destroys more than 90 percent of homes.
- 2020
Hurricane Laura makes landfall nearby, destroying much of the town again, including the hospital.
Now
Cameron sits where the Calcasieu meets the Gulf, on the Creole Nature Trail. Costly building codes and insurance have kept many residents from rebuilding, even as a large LNG export project rises nearby.
This stretch includes the Mermentau River and Grand Chenier to the east.
4 tide stations around Cameron
- Calcasieu Pass2.3 mi
- Mermentau River, Grand Chenier19.1 mi
- Catfish Point, Mermentau River28.9 mi
- Joseph Harbor35.3 mi