Jena, Louisiana

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For other uses, see Jena (disambiguation).
Coordinates: 31°41′24″N 92°07′29″W / 31.69000°N 92.12472°W / 31.69000; -92.12472
Jena, Louisiana
Town
Country United States
State Louisiana
Parish La Salle
Elevation 167 ft (50.9 m)
Coordinates 31°41′24″N 92°07′29″W / 31.69000°N 92.12472°W / 31.69000; -92.12472
Area 5.4 sq mi (14 km2)
 - land 5.4 sq mi (14 km2)
 - water 0.0 sq mi (0 km2), 0%
Population 3,398 (2010)
Density 552.7 / sq mi (213.4 / km2)
Timezone CST (UTC-6)
 - summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 71342
Area code 318
Location of Jena in Louisiana
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Jena Town Hall
Bank of Jena
First Baptist Church of Jena

Jena /ˈdʒiːnə/ is a large town in and the parish seat of La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States.[1] The population was 3,398 at the 2010 census.

In September 2006, Jena became the focus of national news stories in the United States for a racial controversy involving its school system and a group of students known as the Jena Six.[2]

History

Jena was named for Jena, Germany, where French Emperor Napoleon I won the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt in 1806.

Geography

Jena is located at 31°41′24″N 92°7′29″W / 31.69000°N 92.12472°W / 31.69000; -92.12472 (31.689993, -92.124781)[3] and has an elevation of 167 feet (50.9 m)[4].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.4 square miles (14 km2), all land.

Surrounding communities

  • Midway
  • Trout
  • Nebo
  • Webb Quarters
  • Summerville
  • Goodpine
  • Possum Point
  • Belah
  • Fellowship
  • White Sulphur Springs
  • Mackerel
  • Rogers
  • Searcy
  • Whitehall
  • Rhinehart
  • Sharptown

Demographics

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 2,971 people, 1,135 households, and 749 families residing in the town. The population density was 552.7 people per square mile (213.2/km²). There were 1,264 housing units at an average density of 235.2 per square mile (90.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.56% White, 12.02% African American, 0.67% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.21% of the population.

There were 1,135 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were 21 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the town the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,938, and the median income for a family was $39,848. Males had a median income of $31,332 versus $18,317 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,761. About 9.9% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

  • Ace Hardware opened a new 28,000 sq ft (2,600 m2) store in downtown Jena.
  • Arrows Industries opened a new expansion and now employs more than one hundred people.
  • Dollar General has re-located to a larger facility across from McDonald's.
  • GEO Group is currently expanding the former Wackenhut Corrections Facility to house detainees, costing $30 million.
  • Homeland Federal Saving Bank of Columbia, Louisiana, has opened a new branch in Jena.
  • Jena Town Hall has moved into the old Southern Heritage Bank building in downtown Jena.
  • Macs Supermarket remodeled 25,000 sq ft (2,300 m2) store in downtown Jena.
  • Southern Heritage Bank opened its new two-story, 12,000 sq ft (1,100 m2). building.
  • Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has built a 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m2) Supercenter on U.S. Route 84 West.

Education

The La Salle Parish School Board is located in Jena.

The following schools serve Jena:

  • Jena High School, 9–12 (Jena)
  • Jena Junior High School, 6,7, & 8 (Jena)
  • Goodpine Middle School, 3,4, & 5 (Trout/Goodpine)
  • Jena Elementary School, PreK - 2 (Jena)
  • Fellowship Elementary School, Pre-K-8 (Belah)
  • Nebo Elementary School, PreK-8 (Nebo)
  • Temple Christian Academy, Private PreK-8 (Jena)

Infrastructure

Hospital Service District #2 of LaSalle Parish, also known as LaSalle General Hospital, is a 60-bed medical facility, with a 24 hour Emergency Department, a home health, a 101 bed nursing home, and physical therapy. The hospital is currently undertaking a $4 million expansion project.[6]

Notable natives and residents

References

  1. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  2. ↑ Amy Waldman (January 2008). "The Truth About Jena". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. 
  3. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
  4. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  5. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  6. ↑ Home

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jena, Louisiana.
Municipalities and communities of La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States
Parish seat: Jena
Towns
CDP
Unincorporated
community
Footnotes
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent parish or parishes

Template:Louisiana parish seats

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