Plaquemine, Louisiana

City of Plaquemine
City
Old Square
Nickname: "City of Hospitality"[1]
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Iberville
Elevation	23 ft (7 m)
Coordinates	30°17′03″N 91°14′26″W / 30.28417°N 91.24056°W / 30.28417; -91.24056
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
Location of Plaquemine in Louisiana
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Website: Official website

Plaquemine is a city in and the parish seat of Iberville Parish, Louisiana, United States.^[2] The population was 7,064 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Early inhabitants of the area were Chitimacha Indians. Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville claimed all of Louisiana in 1699 for King Louis XIV of France.^[3] Plaquemine was settled by 1775 and named for the Indian word Plakemine, which means persimmons.^[4]

Due to its location at the juncture of the Bayou Plaquemine and 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,^[5] electing Zenon LaBauve, for whom the Garden District's main street is named, as its first mayor.^[6] Plaquemine continued to grow in the antebellum era. Massive plantations were constructed in nearby regions, including St. Louis, 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. Plaquemine did not have a hospital until 1923.^[7]

Plaquemine has been a Louisiana-designated Main Street City since 1993.^[8]

Geography

Plaquemine is located at 30°17′3″N 91°14′26″W / 30.28417°N 91.24056°W / 30.28417; -91.24056 (30.284044, −91.240485)^[9] and has an elevation of 23 feet (7.0 m)^[10]. 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.

Demographics

As of the census^[11] 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.

Economy

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.^[12] Its design served as the prototype for the Panama Canal locks. The Plaquemine Lock was shut down in 1961. In 1974, the Corps of Engineers supervised the construction of the levee that runs across the mouth of Bayou Plaquemine at the Mississippi River. The Plaquemine Lock was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The area now operates as a state park.^[13][14]

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

Plaquemine's annual International Acadian Festival draws visitors from all over the world.^[15] Local Mardi Gras celebrations also attract tourists.^[16]

Tourism

Plaquemine is noted for a number of antebellum structures that survive within the city limits and along Bayou Road. One of the most noteworthy homes is St Basil's, a riverfront mansion built by socialite Physician Dr. John Scratchley in the 1850s. Now a private residence, the home retains the name St Basil's from when it was a fashionable Convent school. ^[17]

The Iberville Museum was built i 1949 as the Iberville Parish Courthouse. The building served as the city's first City Hall, and was the city seat of government until 1985. It now serves as a parish museum, and the building is on the National Register of Historic Places.^[18][19]

Infrastructure

Transportation

Plaquemine is accessed 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.

Notable people

• Bill Lee, former Major League Baseball pitcher, played for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Braves^[20]
• Brian Mitchell, former Washington Redskins football player, played football at Plaquemine High School^[21]
• Eugene Roe, WWII medic^{[citation needed]}
• Clarence Williams, early jazz pianist and composer^[22]

National Guard

Plaquemine is the home of the 256th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, formerly known as the 1088th Engineer Battalion,^[23] 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 from 2004-2005.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Plaquemine, Louisiana.

• Iberville Parish
• City-Data.com

v t e Municipalities and communities of Iberville Parish, Louisiana, United States Parish seat: Plaquemine Cities Plaquemine St. Gabriel Towns Maringouin White Castle Villages Grosse Tête Rosedale CDPs Bayou Goula Crescent Other unincorporated communities Bayou Pigeon Bayou Sorrel Laurel Ridge Lonestar Ramah Samstown Ghost towns Morrisonville