Pineville, Louisiana

Pineville
City
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Rapides
Elevation	118 ft (36 m)
Coordinates	31°20′20″N 92°24′45″W / 31.33889°N 92.41250°W / 31.33889; -92.41250Coordinates: 31°20′20″N 92°24′45″W / 31.33889°N 92.41250°W / 31.33889; -92.41250
Area	12.1 sq mi (31.3 km2)
- land	11.5 sq mi (30 km2)
- water	0.6 sq mi (2 km2), 4.96%
Population	14,555 (2010)
Density	1,204.8 / sq mi (465.2 / km2)
Mayor	Clarence R. Fields
Timezone	CST (UTC-6)
- summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code	318
Location of Pineville in Louisiana
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Website: www.pineville.net

Pineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is adjacent to the city of Alexandria, and is part of that city's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,555 at the 2010 census. It had been 13,829 in 2000; population hence grew by 5 percent over the preceding decade.^[1]

The Central Louisiana State Hospital, the Pinecrest Supports and Services Center, the Huey P. Long Memorial Hospital (now closed), the Alexandria Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Alexandria National Cemetery are all located in Pineville. Pineville is also home to several large non-government employers including Baker Manufacturing Inc., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Co., Crest Industries, LLC, and Dresser Industrial Valve, Inc.

Original LSU in Pineville

Louisiana State University was founded by the Louisiana General Assembly in 1853. It was founded under the name Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy and was located near Pineville. The first session began on January 2, 1860, with General William Tecumseh Sherman of Ohio as superintendent.

The military opened for its fourth session in November 1862 with 112 students. Superintendent William A. Seay found the task of holding the cadets in class hopeless. According to historian John D. Winters of Louisiana Tech University:

The undisciplined young cadets with their enthusiasm for war were a continuous source of trouble. Around April 1, 1863, the cadets decided to close the school. They broke into the kitchen, smashed all the furniture, and seized all the cutlery, dishes, pots and pans, dumping them into the well. Most of the students then went home to volunteer. Professor Seay was able to keep a few students until April 23, when the excitement of the approach of Banks's army caused him to close the school and send the cadets home to fight."^[2]

Geography

Pineville is located at 31°20′20″N 92°24′45″W / 31.33889°N 92.41250°W / 31.33889; -92.41250 (31.338781, -92.412485).^[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.1 square miles (31.3 km²), of which 11.5 square miles (29.7 km²) is land and 0.6 square mile (1.6 km²) (4.97%) is water.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Pineville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.^[4]

Demographics

As of the census^[8] of 2000, there were 13,829 people, 4,994 households, and 3,121 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,204.8 people per square mile (465.1/km²). There were 5,448 housing units at an average density of 474.6 per square mile (183.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.57% White, 26.08% African American, 0.51% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.

There were 4,994 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of eighteen living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,159, and the median income for a family was $37,735. Males had a median income of $30,205 versus $21,154 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,969. About 14.3% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.

Museums

The former Pineville City Hall building now houses the only museum in Louisiana dedicated to municipal government

Pineville houses two unique museums. The Louisiana Maneuvers Museum provides insight into the huge maneuvers that prepared the United States for World War II and promoted the career of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, known for his organizational skills.

Old Town Hall Museum "is the only museum in the entire state of Louisiana dedicated to municipal government".^[9]

Government and infrastructure

The Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center was located on the property of Camp Beauregard and in Pineville.^[10][11] It closed in July 2012.^[12]

From 1939 to 2014, the former Huey P. Long Medical Center, a state charity hospital named for Governor and U.S. Senator Huey Pierce Long, Jr., operated on Main Street in Pineville. Officials are seeking to have the structure under the original name of Huey P. Long Memorial Hospital placed into the National Register of Historic Places. Mayor Clarence R. Fields was born at Huey P. Long in 1955.^[13]

National Guard

Located adjacent to the city is Camp Beauregard. Operated by the Louisiana Army National Guard, it is the headquarters of the 225th Engineer Brigade and is one of the largest engineer units in the US Army.

Education

In 1906, the Southern Baptist–affiliated Louisiana College opened in Pineville. Rapides Parish School Board operates public schools.

Liquor sales in restaurants

Until a special election held on October 19, 2013, Pineville had long been a fully dry city, with no alcohol available legally in the community. Voters in the 1980s maintained that stance in a referendum. The late Mayor Fred Baden was particularly known for his opposition to liquor sales. Clarence R. Fields, the first African-American mayor of Pineville, who has held his office since 1999, pushed for another referendum to permit the sale of liquor in restaurants. Nearly four years after Baden's death, the measure was roundly approved by voters in the special election, 1,849 (78 percent) to 515 (22 percent).^[14]

Liquor will become available in restaurants no sooner than January 1, 2014.^[15] Fields claims that allowing limited liquor sales, requested by area developers, will boost economic development, particularly along the riverfront.^[15] According to Fields, members of the clergy, including city council member Nathan Martin of the Christian Challenge Worship Center in Pineville, have joined the call for liquor sales: "We've had a lot of conversations with our religious community, and all of the ministers I have spoken with are favorable.".^[16]

The liquor referendum was authored by State Senator Rick Gallot.^[17] In the previous referendum in 1981, liquor sales in restaurants had not been one of the options available for consideration.^[16] Gallot's Senate Bill 116 allows cities within the population range of 13,500 to 16,500 to call for an election to permit restaurants to sell alcoholic beverages. The Pineville City Council then voted unanimously to place the referendum on the special election ballot.^[17]

Notable people

• Faith Ford, actress
• Justin Gaston, actor, model, and singer who was also a contestant on Nashville Star.
• Rashard Lewis, professional basketball player with the Miami Heat
• Joshua Joy Dara, Sr., pastor of Zion Hill Family Church, the largest congregation in the community.

Pineville gallery

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  Pineville welcome sign

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  Buhlow Lake hosts boat races and other recreational events. The O.K. Allen Bridge atop the Red River is in the background.

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  Entrance to Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College in Pineville

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  Pineville City Hall was completed in 1974 during the administration of Mayor Fred Baden.

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  First Baptist Church of Pineville is located across the street from City Hall.

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  Main Street in Pineville near the Community Center

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  A glimpse of the large Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Pineville

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  Peaceful pond at Greenwood Memorial Park

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  Mt. Olivet Episcopal Chapel and Cemetery in Pineville; former Mayor Fred Baden is interred there.

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  Kingsville Baptist Church off U.S. Highway 165

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  Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery across from Kingsville Baptist Church

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  Kees Park off Louisiana Highway 28 East in Pineville is named for businessman and postmaster William "Billy" Keys, Sr. (1881-1938), the father of Willie E. Kees, Jr., the mayor of Pineville from 1946 to 1952.

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  Procter and Gamble plant off U.S. Highway 165 in north Pineville

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pineville, Louisiana.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Pineville, Louisiana.

• City of Pineville

Municipalities and communities of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States Parish seat: Alexandria Cities Alexandria Pineville Towns Ball Boyce Cheneyville Glenmora Lecompte Woodworth Villages Forest Hill McNary CDP Deville Other unincorporated communities Afeman Alfalfa Anandale Clifton Echo Elmer Flatwoods Gardner Hineston Kolin Lena Libuse Longleaf Loyd Midway Otis Ruby Sieper Tioga

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