Donaldsonville, Louisiana

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The city of Donaldsonville is the parish seat of Ascension Parish in the US state of Louisiana, and is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The population was 7,605 at the 2000 census.

1 History and Culture
2 Notable people
3 Geography
4 Demographics
5 External links

[edit] History and Culture

Donaldsonville is named after a landownder William Donaldson. In 1806 he commissioned architect and planner Barthelemy Lafon to plan a new town, near New Orleans. This served briefly as the Louisiana capital (1830 - 1831) after New Orleans was deemed "too noisy". Donaldsonville is a small town and has many historic sites. The bricks that were used for the former statehouse of Louisiana are now blocking the waters of Bayou Lafourche. Donaldsonville has a museum (River Road African American Museum), parks, shopping centers, civil war grounds, etc.The official journal of the city is the Donaldsonville Chief, which has been published since 1871. It is available online at http://www.weeklycitizen.com/chief/.

[edit] Notable people

As would be expected of a Mississippi River town above New Orleans, Donaldsonville has made significant contributions to early jazz history. Donaldsonville was the childhood home of jazz great "King" Joe Oliver and the home of bandleader Claiborne Williams.

Members of the Claiborne Williams band included famed Dave Bartholomew, "Papa" John Joseph, Richard Jones, and Walter Lewis. Area pioneer jazz musicians that were interconnected also include Harrison Verrett (Fats Domino's bro-in-law, played with Kid Ory), Manny Sayles, "Pops" Foster, and others. Louis Armstrong was "mentored" by Joe Oliver, and Armstrong played in the Original Tuxedo Orchestra of "Papa" Celestin, of Napoleonville (14 miles south). Sound engineer Ron Capone (1971 Grammy Award winner for Shaft, engineered (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay) and saxophonist Plas Johnson (of The Pink Panther Theme fame) also lived here.

Other residents and affiliates of Donaldsonville include:
- Edward Douglass White Sr. - governor of Louisiana (1834-1838), father of the US Chief Justice
- Henry Johnson - governor of Louisiana (1824-1828)
- Francis T. Nicholls - governor of Lousiana (1877-1880, 1888-1892), Conf. General
- Stephen Hopkins - Brig. General, War of 1812/Battle of New Orleans, La. House Speaker 1812
- Nicholas Trist - negotiator of Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, whereby most of the American west was acquired from Mexico
- Duncan Kenner - built Ashland, Conf. Ambassador to France, England, horse racer, founder of Kenner
- Victor Maurin - commander of the Donaldsonville Cannoneers, core of the Louisiana "Tigers"
- Father St. Cosme - first recorded person at site of St. Louis, founder of oldest extant Catholic church US (Cahokia), killed by Chitimachi south of "La Fourche" (Donaldsonville)
- Farragut - the 'damn the torpedo' man destroyed old Donaldson, including the courthouse and its old records

Also, Allen Thomas (US Ambassador to Venezuela), Prevost (2nd recorded Caesarian section) resided here Judge Sara Vance, United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana Judge Yvette Pregeant Kane, United States District Court, Middle District of Pennyslvania Specific historical factors of Donaldsonville can be acquired through the books of Sidney Marchand (historian, mayor, legislator, attorney). Mr. Marchand as a state Senator was a contemporary of Huey Long. It was during the administrations of Sidney Marchand Sr and Sidney Marchand Jr that significant infrastructure was constructed in Donaldsonville (including miles of paving, the sewerage system).

When Pierre Landry won the 1868 election, he became the first African-American mayor in the United States.

[edit] Geography

Donaldsonville is located at 30°5′60″N, 90°59′39″W (30.099947, -90.994046)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.6 km² (2.5 mi²), all land. Do you know that this was once the capital of Louisiana? It was said that New Orleans got "too loud".

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 7,605 people, 2,656 households, and 1,946 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,151.5/km² (2,986.9/mi²). There were 2,948 housing units at an average density of 446.4/km² (1,157.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 29.82% White, 69.13% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.37% from other races, and 0.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.10% of the population.

There were 2,656 households out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.4% were married couples living together, 30.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.35.

In the city the population was spread out with 32.1% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 81.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,084, and the median income for a family was $29,408. Males had a median income of $31,849 versus $17,528 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,009. About 32.8% of families and 34.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 49.0% of those under age 18 and 22.2% of those age 65 or over.