| City of Thibodaux | |
| City | |
| Nickname: Queen City of Lafourche | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Lafourche |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 5.5 sq mi (14.2 km2) |
| - land | 5.5 sq mi (14 km2) |
| - water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km2), 0% |
| Population | 14,431 (2000) |
| Density | 2,636.8 / sq mi (1,018.1 / km2) |
| Incorporated | 1830 |
| Mayor | Tommy Eschete[1] |
| Timezone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP codes | 70301, 70302, 70310 |
| Area code | 985 |
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Location of Thibodaux in Louisiana
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Location of Louisiana in the United States
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| Website: http://ci.thibodaux.la.us | |
Thibodaux ( /ˈtɪbədoʊ/ tib-ə-doh) is a small city in and the parish seat of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States,[2] along the banks of Bayou Lafourche in the northwestern part of the parish. The population was 14,431 at the 2000 census. Thibodaux is a principal city of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area.
ZIP codes for Thibodaux are 70301, 70302, and 70310. Thibodaux's area code is 985. Thibodaux is nicknamed "Queen City of Lafourche."
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The community was settled in the 18th century. It was incorporated as a town in 1838 under the name Thibodauxville, in honor of local plantation owner Henry Schuyler Thibodaux, who provided land for the village and served as acting governor of Louisiana in 1824.[3] The name was changed to Thibodeaux in 1838, and the current spelling Thibodaux was officially adopted in 1918.
In October 1862, following the Battle of Georgia Landing (Labadieville), Thibodaux was occupied by the Union Army under Godfrey Weitzel. Before they left the city, the Confederates under General Alfred Mouton, later killed in the Battle of Mansfield in De Soto Parish, burned the depot, the bridges, sugar, and supplies that they could not otherwise carry with them.[4] In 1863, the Union under James P. Major temporarily abandoned Thibodaux but soon returned. Winters reports that "terrified Negroes and whites raced into the town announcing that 3,000 Confederate cavalrymen were en route to attack Thibodaux and Lafourche Crossing. [Union] Colonel [Thomas W.] Cahill ordered an immediate retreat. The bayou bridges were burned, three field guns were destroyed, and as many of the men and the horses as possible were loaded . . . and ordered to Raceland. . . . Ammunition was destroyed, horses abandoned, and four field pieces were left behind.[5]
Planters about Thibodaux had difficulty obtaining labor contracts for Negro workers once the area was under Union control. Alexander F. Pugh, a large sugar planter near Thibodaux, complained that the "Negroes and federal officers took up too much time in negotiating new labor contracts. Part of the delay was occasioned by the fact that the Negroes were dissatisfied with the settlements from the past year, and additional delays were brought about because of changes in labor rules and regulations.[6] Pugh wrote in his diary: "I have agreed with the Negroes today to pay them monthly wages. It was very distasteful to me, but I could do no better. Everybody else in the neighborhood has agreed to pay the same, and mine [laborers] would listen to nothing else."[7]
A sugar cane workers' strike culminated in the "Thibodaux Massacre" of November 22, 1887, one of the bloodiest labor disputes in U.S. history. The strike for higher wages of 10,000 workers (1,000 of whom were white) was organized by the Knights of Labor during rolling period. This was critical to the sugar cane harvest. Planters were alarmed both by outside organizations and the thought of losing their total crops. The governor called in the State militia at the planters' request. Efforts to break the strike resulted in the deaths of at least 35, and perhaps hundreds, of African American workers at the hands of white paramilitary members.[8][9]
In 1896, the first rural free delivery of mail in Louisiana began in Thibodaux. It was the second in the United States.
Thibodaux is located at (29.7922, -90.8200)[10] and has an elevation of 13 feet (4.0 m)[11].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.47 square miles (14.2 km2), all land.
The supermarket chain Rouses is based in Thibodaux.
As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 14,431 people, 5,500 households, and 3,355 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,636.8 people per square mile (1,018.6/km²). There were 6,004 housing units at an average density of 1,097.0 per square mile (423.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.04% White, 33.76% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.03% of the population.
There were 5,500 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 19.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 17.3% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,697, and the median income for a family was $36,551. Males had a median income of $31,464 versus $21,144 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,966. About 20.6% of families and 25.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.3% of those under age 18 and 18.2% of those age 65 or over.
Residents are zoned to schools in the Lafourche Parish Public Schools [1].
Zoned elementary schools include:
W.S. Lafargue Elementary School
Zoned middle schools include:
Sixth Ward Middle School
Thibodaux residents are zoned to Thibodaux High School.
Catholic schools include
Colleges:
The Roman Catholic patron saints of Thibodaux are Saint Valérie, an early Christian martyr, and Saint Vitalis of Milan, her husband, also a martyr. A life-sized reliquary of Saint Valérie, containing an arm bone, was brought to Thibodaux in 1868 and is displayed in her shrine in St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux. A smaller reliquary, with a relic of St. Vitalis, is displayed near St. Valérie's reliquary. St. Valérie has traditionally been invoked for intercession in protecting Thibodaux from hurricanes.
The family name "Thibodaux" is mentioned in Hank Williams's "Jambalaya (On The Bayou)", in the 1970s Jerry Reed song "Amos Moses," in the 1990s George Strait song "Adalida," in Dan Baird's 1992 song "Dixie Beauxderaunt," the 1999 Jimmy Buffett song "I will Play for Gumbo," the 2008 Toby Keith song "Creole Woman," and its name is the title of a song by jazz songstress Marcia Ball.
Richard D'Alton Williams, a well-known 19th-century Irish patriot, poet, and physician, died of tuberculosis in Thibodaux in 1862, and is buried in St. Joseph Cemetery. His headstone was later erected that year by Irish members of the 8th New Hampshire Infantry Regiment, then encamped in Thibodaux. A famous Mississippi blues musician, Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones, is buried in Thibodaux, where he often played, and where his manager, Hosea Hill, resided.
The local newspaper is The Daily Comet. It was founded in 1889 as Lafourche Comet. It has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1980.
Cable television is serviced in Thibodaux by Charter Communications.
The mayor of Thibodaux is Tommy Eschete.[1] The city council is arranged in five districts lettered A-E, as well as two At-Large members.[24] Thibodaux is in Parish Council Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4.[25] In the Louisiana Legislature, Thibodaux is represented by Rep. Jerome Richard (I-Thibodaux) and Sen. Joel Chaisson (D-Destrehan). In the United States Congress, it is represented by Rep. Jeff Landry (R-New Iberia), Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-New Orleans) and Sen. David Vitter (R-Metairie).
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