Crowley was founded in 1886 by brothers CC and WW. The town was named after the railroad man from the Louisiana Western Railroad that brought the railroad to the town.

The town hosts the International Rice Festival, and was at one time a major rice milling town. There are still several working mills located there.

Crowley also boasts of 200 homes listed on the National List of Historic Places.

At one time the seven story First National Bank was the tallest building between New Orleans and Houston