Crowley is a city in and the parish seat of Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States.[1] The population was 14,225 at the 2000 census. The city is noted for its annual International Rice Festival. Crowley has the nickname of "Rice Capital of America", because at one time it was a major center for rice harvesting and milling. Today, Crowley still has a number of rice mills and rice is the main crop of many local farmers. In addition, in recent years, crawfish farming has become increasingly popular.

Crowley is the home of Mastertrak Studios. The studio that is now Mastertrak was founded by J. D. "Jay" Miller in 1955 and has hosted such notable recording artists as Paul Simon and John Fogerty. The studio is known for producing Swamp blues music, as well as segregationist music of the 1960s.

The Crowley High School "Fighting Gents" were District 5-3A Champs in the 1989 football season and had a 8-2 regular season. Crowley is also the home of Notre Dame High School. Notre Dame is a parish-wide Catholic school whose football program has won three state championships and numerous District Champion titles.

Crowley is the principal city of the Crowley Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Acadia Parish. It is also part of the larger Lafayette–Acadiana Combined Statistical Area.

Crowley was founded in 1886[4] by C.C. Duson and W.W. Duson. Incorporated in 1887, W.W. Duson, General Manager of Southwest Louisiana Land Company, platted and developed Crowley. W.W. Duson's daughter, Maime Duson, married P.L. Lawrence, who founded the First National Bank of Crowley. The 10 story building was once the tallest building between Houston and New Orleans. They lived with their three children, P.L. Jr., Pattee, and Jack at 219 East 2nd Street. The house is now on the historic register.

In the early 20th century, oil discoveries in Acadia Parish brought oil companies into the area looking to do business. Lafayette's Oil Center was initially planned for Crowley but the undocumented rumor is that the Lawrence family discouraged it. Another local rumor has it that The University of Louisiana - Lafayette was first offered to Crowley as well. The descendants of W.W. Duson owned much of Crowley and the surrounding land. P.L. Lawrence often walked about town and intended to keep Crowley as such a town.

The town was named after Pat Crowley, an Irish railroad man who brought the railroad depot to W.W. Duson's land. Members of the Holland family, who are descendants of founder W.W. Duson, still live in Crowley today.