You can be a Crowley native or a tourist who has heard exciting tales from friends spending their vacations in New Orleans, and no matter your history with the southern boot-shaped state, there’s always more to discover. The following collection of cajun country facts is adapted from Mental Floss’s list of “25 Fascinating Louisiana Facts’, a true curation of details that could only have been learned by true first-hand cajun accounts and not on the back of Bourbon Street postcards. Enjoy this Louisiana trivia.

Capital Nickname- Louisiana Trivia 

It’s well known that the capital city of Louisiana is Baton Rouge, and it’s alleged that its name’s french translation of “red stick” is attributed to the French explorer Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville. Supposedly he names the territory after an observation he made while wandering along the Mississippi River bluff, spotting a polie covered in animal blood. This odd sight served as a territory marker that signified the division of land between the Indian tribes of Bayougoula and Houma.

Notorious Notes- Louisiana Trivia

Often associated with Louisiana due to its prominence across the state, the musical genre of jazz was born in the state, despite the exact year being unknown. It’s often accepted that it originated in the later half of the 19th century or it was blown through a trumpet and into existence with the first jazz song recorded by Nick LaRocca and his “Original Dixieland Jass Band’s single, Livery Stable Blues.”

King of Cakes & Carnivale- Louisiana Trivia

Every Mardi Gras season brings a lot of tourism, culture, and acclaim to the city of New Orleans, but the Crescent City also sells approximately 500,000 king cakes annually with an additional 50,000 cakes being shipped out nationwide to out-of-state customers and fans of the classic dessert. Originating as part of an Epiphany tradition from the 14th century, the official cake of Mardi Gras is topped with the symbolic colors of purple, green, and gold, signifying justice, faith, and power, respectively. Whether they’re coming for the King Cakes or not, the city of New Orleans sees approximately 1.4 million people attending Mardi Gras in the famed city each year. Compare this to the 384,000 people that populate the city outside of the holiday, and it’s easy to find “where the party’s at.”

Gator Country- Louisiana Trivia

In the United States, Louisiana is among the top states housing the most alligators in the country, with over 300,000 residing in alligator farms and an additional 2,000,000 roaming the wild. The industry of alligator hides and raw meats collectively bring the state around $57 million annually.

Good Times- Louisiana Trivia

Often associated in tourist and cajun branding, the phrase “Laissez les bon temps rouler” is a word-for-word translation of “let the good times roll.” This exact phrasing, while wildly popular, is technically grammatically incorrect, at least in the French Language, where you would be corrected to “Prenons du bons temps” instead.

Elevating Spirits- Louisiana Trivia

Interestingly enough, the highest point in the state is the Driskill Mountain, located just East of Shreveport at a modest 535 feet above sea level. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the state’s lowest point is the city of New Orleans itself at an astounding eight feet below sea level. New Orleans is also the second lowest point of elevation in the entire United States, attributing to its cemeteries housing above-ground mausoleums instead of the tombstones and markers found in other cities.

Celebrated Capitals- Louisiana Trivia

Often celebrated for its individuality, Louisiana is home to many international accolades, including being home to the Crawfish Capital of the World (Breaux Bridge), Dog Trot Capital of the World (Dubach), Frog Capital of the World(Rayne), Cajun Music Capital of the World (Mamou), Duck Capital of the World (Ghueydan), and Rice Capital of the World (Crowley).

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