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A multigenerational rural community remains unspoiled by suburban growth
Heading east on Highway 14 from Bell City, just before the dividing line of Calcasieu and Jefferson Davis parishes , drivers pass through the unincorporated rural community of Hayes. Hayes, Louisiana, is the kind of place where street names take after the names of the families who have lived on them for generations. It’s the kind of place, where almost everyone goes to the same church on Sunday, where students learn to farm rice in high school, and where the long-dead town founders rest in peace next to the recently deceased. But unlike other outlying communities around Lake Charles, things haven't changed much in Hayes. Persistence is precisely what residents like about their bucolic community. "Hayes is countryside," says Realtor Vick Fuselier of Exit Realty Southern. "It's a great place to raise a family because it's quiet and the school is great out there."
You'll find Hayes residents out after work riding bikes or riding ATV's.
Hayes is a rural community where the past
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Duck hunting and catfish wrangling at Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge
The center of town is anchored by Hayes Park, a 4-acre community space sitting behind the local Calcasieu Parish Public Library branch. A perimeter of mighty live oak trees cast constant shade onto the benches and charcoal barbecues that dot the lawn. A playground and covered basketball courts help ensure there is a space for recreational activities directly in Hayes. North of town, Lorrain Park offers a place to put in a kayak or canoe and paddle down Bayou Lacassine. Photographers like to visit Lorrain Park to snap photos of egrets, bundles of Spanish moss hanging from cypress trees and romantic moments that occur on the Lorrain Bridge, a 100-year-old wooden drawbridge currently being considered for placement on the National Register of Historic Places. But hunting and fishing are the true pastimes in these wetland hideaways untouched by suburban sprawl. Hayes sits north of the Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, a massive 35,000-acre expanse of wetlands that attracts herds of duck hunters and catfish wranglers who must abide by strict regulations imposed by local, state and federal authorities.
Bird and wildlife enthusiests will enjoy the various species at Lacassine Pool near Hayes.
Enjoy the natural beauty and nature of Lacassine Pool near Hayes.
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Acreage for building and cattle grazing
Rural and homey, there isn't much town to explore in Hayes. Quiet residential streets link together to form a small grid built around the park, library branch and Baptist church. Even quieter country roads branch outward from Highway 14, fading from view as they extend toward the green belt of trees that surrounds Hayes. Housing inventory in Hayes rarely includes single-family homes; of the few that do sell, most are midcentury ranchers priced between $150,000 and $235,000. "There's not very many people there. I would say the people that do live there are family," Fuselier says. The vast majority of sales in Hayes are parcels of land, sometimes for commercial purposes like cattle grazing or to put a new house or manufactured home. The price of land in Hayes varies depending on a few factors, primarily location. Ten-acre parcels in flood zones can sell for as low as $15,000, while 3-acre plots outside the flood zone can sell for over $100,000.
Various open lots are available to build on in Hayes.
There are a few local churches in town like Hayes Baptist Church.
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4-H and Future Farmers of America at Bell City High School
As in many of the small towns surrounding Lake Charles, students in Hayes spend their entire K-12 education at the same school. Every morning, buses pick up students from Hayes and transport them one town over to Bell City High School, which has a Niche score of B. "Bell City has been known for its school, so that's why families are going to move out there," Fuselier says. In addition to a 90% graduation rate, students have a number of sports teams to join, including the littlest players in the Little Dribblers basketball league. Additionally, the school offers extracurricular activities that intertwine with Hayes' rural setting, including Future Farmers of America, 4-H and a rodeo club.
Bell City High has a student-teacher ratio of 17:1.
Cheer on the baseball team at Bell City High.
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Long drives to Interstate 10
Ten miles south of Interstate 10, Hayes is fully car-dependent. Highway 14 and LA 101 are the only roads that provide access in or out of the community. Heading north on LA 101 — a quiet road that rarely has traffic — is the most direct route to I-10. Reaching hospitals and other essential services not found in Hayes usually requires a 25-mile trip all the way to Lake Charles.
Crawfish picking at Poole's Boile N Go
While Hayes Park might be the heart of town, the life blood is in rice fields in and around the parish. Once the rice reaches maturity in early spring, local farmers move in to clear it, and so begins crawfish season in Louisiana. During that time, the people of Hayes can often be found cracking open crawfish while enjoying the fresh outdoor air at Poole's Boil N Go. Aside from that, there aren't many businesses to visit in Hayes. Many residents shop for simple grocery items at Dollar General, and most gas station convenience stores, such as Cajun Grocery, sell boudin and other small food items, plus bait for hunting and fishing.
Hayes residents can pick up their groceries at the Dollar General.
Hayes Grocery & Baits is the go to spot to grab essentials in Hayes.
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Church potlucks and vintage car shows
Deep in the Bible Belt, residents of Hayes find community in local churches, particularly First Baptist of Hayes. Aside from regular services, churches put special events and activities, like potluck picnics. Poole's Boil N Go is also notable meetup place, especially for area motorheads who gather in early May for the Car, Truck, Bike and Golf Carts Show. Residents come from across the region to listen to live music and dig into seafood boils while admiring a fleet of gleaming vintage Mustangs and Chevrolet trucks.
Surrounded by flood zones
Hayes is a small dry spot in an otherwise flood-prone area. The eastern edges of town are less than a mile from Bayou Lacassine and a drainage canal slices southwest across Hayes. Ground elevation is high enough to skirt flood-zone designation only in a small area between Lacassine Avenue and Joe Breaux Road. Otherwise, every other square inch of Hayes is in a special hazard flood zone.
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