The natural splendor of Cypress Lake in Lafayette

Cypress Lake is the heart of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus. Today, it stands as a unique attraction, serving as a habitat for local irises, alligators, turtles, birds, and fish, as well as a gathering place for students.

The origin of the lake remains somewhat of a mystery. Let's discover why.

History of Cypress Lake

In prehistoric times, herds of buffalo roaming this area would stop in the shade of a cypress grove. Eventually, their presence created a depression in the ground that began to hold water, forming what would later become a pond. By the early 20th century, the University of Louisiana grew around this pond. Initially, the institution fenced it off to use as a pigsty for its teaching farm.

In the early 1920s, the pigsty was drained to restore the 63 cypresses in the grove because the university used it as an open-air theater for Shakespearean plays, music, and dance programs. In the early 1940s, agriculture teachers suggested turning the grove back into a pond because they were concerned that a lack of water could harm the cypresses. A pump was installed, the pond was filled, and the cypress grove became a lake.

There's another theory explaining why the grove was converted back into a lake, contradicting the theory that the trees were dying and needed water. It's challenging to determine which is correct.

Differing opinions suggest that the university created the lake as a precaution during World War II. Two women closely associated with the university, Maria Mamalakis and Vesta Bourgeois, participated in the "Oral History" project in the 1980s, recalling the lake's formation.

Female students filled the swamp and conducted fire drills in case of bombing. With men gone to serve, women had to undertake such tasks. Although the grove was a popular gathering spot and even used as "lover's lane," students agreed to this step as part of the war effort. Since this occurred during the war, the creation of the artificial lake was not widely publicized, hence the discrepancy in versions.

Traditions on Cypress Lake

Thanks to its location near the main campus, a rich series of university traditions have developed over the years:

• The annual crawfish boil is a popular ritual throughout the city. More than 20,000 pounds of crawfish are boiled by the lake and served free to university students.
• Canoeing through Cypress Lake offers students a rare opportunity to glide across the lake and enjoy the view from a completely different perspective. Not to mention, it's a chance to get an up-close look at alligators, turtles, and fish.
• Canoe races see students participate in an annual canoe race across the lake. Sixteen teams of 4-6 people compete for the championship title.
• Lake Jump — in 1977, student Phillip Beridon made the first jump into the lake. After that, he made it an annual event until his death in 2006. Since 2008, a tradition has emerged — every year, in memory of Phillip, a new student jumps into the murky waters of the lake.

FactsInteresting facts about Cypress Lake

Throughout its existence, Cypress Lake has been the center of a few interesting events worth mentioning:

• Cypress Lake is often mistakenly referred to as a swamp, which also happens to be the nickname of Louisiana's stadium — Cajun Field.
• A tree located south of the lake was planted in honor of Edwin Stephens, the first president of the Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute, for his efforts as a president, conservationist, and visionary.
• In 1962, Life magazine photographed students ice skating on the lake when it froze over.
• In the late 1980s, a question about Cypress Lake appeared on the show Jeopardy! under the category "college landmarks."