| City of Plaquemine | |
| City | |
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| Country | United States |
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| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Iberville |
| Elevation | 23 ft (7 m) |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 2.9 sq mi (7.5 km2) |
| - land | 2.9 sq mi (8 km2) |
| - water | 0.1 sq mi (0 km2), 3.45% |
| Population | 7,064 (2000) |
| Density | 2,467.0 / sq mi (952.5 / km2) |
| Settled | 1775 |
| - Incorporated | 1838 |
| Timezone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 70764 |
| Area code | 225 |
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Location of Plaquemine in Louisiana
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Location of Louisiana in the United States
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Plaquemine is a city in and the parish seat of Iberville Parish, Louisiana, United States.[1] The population was 7,064 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Plaquemine is the birthplace of radio talk show host Moon Griffon, who broadcasts statewide from Monroe. Griffon is sometimes known as the "Cajun Rush Limbaugh".
The town is also home to former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Robert "Bobby" Freeman.
Former State Representative Mary Smith Gleason (1899–1967) of Webster Parish in north Louisiana spent her last years in Plaquemine.
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Plaquemine is located at (30.284044, −91.240485)[2] and has an elevation of 23 feet (7.0 m)[3]. Plaquemine is located at the junction of Bayou Plaquemine and the Mississippi River. The city itself is surrounded by farmland; beyond the farmland to the west lies nearly uninhabited swampland.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.6 km²), of which, 2.9 square miles (7.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.71%) is water.
Plaquemine is accessed, mainly, by four highways LA 3066, LA 75, LA 77, and the scenic LA 1. Other highways include LA 992 (Tenant Road) and LA 405. LA 3066 continues from Court Street to "Down the Bayou" neighborhoods. LA 75 accesses east: over the Mississippi River via Toll Ferry to Saint Gabriel and continues southwest eventually reaching Bayou Pigeon. LA 77 starts around The Island Country Club and continues northwest to Maringouin. Most Importantly, LA 1 continues north to Interstate 10/Baton Rouge and south to Donaldsonville.
Otherwise, Plaquemine lacks public transportation and its residents rely completely on the use of the automobile.
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 7,064 people, 2,593 households, and 1,846 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,467.0 people per square mile (953.6/km²). There were 2,828 housing units at an average density of 987.6 per square mile (381.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 49.26% White, 49.60% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.15% of the population.
There were 2,593 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years, higher than Louisiana's median age of 34.0 years. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,364, and the median income for a family was $32,971. Males had a median income of $34,868 versus $21,016 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,066. About 23.6% of families and 24.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.8% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.
Plaquemine was settled as early as 1775. Due to its location at the juncture of Bayou Plaquemine with the Mississippi River, the village soon began to prosper and grow beginning a long history of prosperity that has never ceased. By 1838, the town was incorporated, electing Zenon LaBauve, for whom the Garden District's main street is named, as its first mayor. Plaquemine continued to grow in the antebellum era. Massive plantations were constructed in nearby regions, including Nottoway and Belle Grove. The town has been the seat of Iberville Parish government since its incorporation. The former Parish Courthouse (c.1906)on Railroad Avenue has been serving as City Hall since 1985.
The lumber industry boomed in the mid-18th century and did not close until available supplies of massive virgin bald cypress trees were exhausted around 1930. Plaquemine produced over 1.5 million board feet (3500 m³) per year in her sawmills. The Plaquemine Lock, constructed from 1895–1909, was a vitally important link between the Mississippi River and the Intracoastal Canal, of which Bayou Plaquemine served as its northern terminus. Its design served as the proto-type for the upcoming Panama Canal locks. The locks were shut in 1961. Today, it is operated as a state park.
Plaquemine is the home of the 256th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, formerly known as the 1088th Engineer Battalion, a unit made up of combat engineer, military intelligence, signal, military police and other supporting units. The 256th BSTB is part of the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana Army National Guard that served in Iraq in 2004-5.
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