Washington, Louisiana: Difference between revisions
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{{Distinguish|Washington Parish, Louisiana}} |
{{Distinguish|Washington Parish, Louisiana}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} |
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{{Infobox settlement |
{{Infobox settlement |
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| name = Washington, Louisiana |
| name = Washington, Louisiana |
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| official_name = Town of Washington |
| official_name = Town of Washington |
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| native_name = |
| native_name = |
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| native_name_lang = |
| native_name_lang = |
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| other_name = |
| other_name = |
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| settlement_type = Town |
| settlement_type = Town |
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| image_skyline = 2016-03-22 16 15 56 The intersection of De Jean Street (Louisiana State Route 103) and Main Street (Louisiana Route 182) in Washington, Louisiana.jpg |
| image_skyline = 2016-03-22 16 15 56 The intersection of De Jean Street (Louisiana State Route 103) and Main Street (Louisiana Route 182) in Washington, Louisiana.jpg |
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| imagesize = |
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| image_caption = |
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| image_flag = |
| image_flag = |
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| image_seal = |
| image_seal = |
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| etymology = |
| etymology = |
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| nickname = |
| nickname = |
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| motto = |
| motto = |
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| anthem = |
| anthem = |
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| image_map = File:St. Landry Parish Louisiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Washington Highlighted.svg |
| image_map = File:St. Landry Parish Louisiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Washington Highlighted.svg |
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| mapsize = |
| mapsize = |
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| map_alt = |
| map_alt = |
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| map_caption = Location of Washington in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. |
| map_caption = Location of Washington in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. |
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| image_map1 = Louisiana in United States (US48).svg |
| image_map1 = Louisiana in United States (US48).svg |
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| mapsize1 = |
| mapsize1 = |
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| map_alt1 = |
| map_alt1 = |
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| map_caption1 = Location of Louisiana in the United States |
| map_caption1 = Location of Louisiana in the United States |
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| pushpin_map = |
| pushpin_map = |
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| pushpin_label_position = |
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| pushpin_map_caption = |
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| coordinates = {{coord|30|36|52|N|92|03|30|W|display=inline,title}} |
| coordinates = {{coord|30|36|52|N|92|03|30|W|display=inline,title}} |
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| coor_pinpoint = |
| coor_pinpoint = |
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| coordinates_footnotes = |
| coordinates_footnotes = |
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| grid_name = |
| grid_name = |
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| grid_position = |
| grid_position = |
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| subdivision_type = Country |
| subdivision_type = Country |
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| subdivision_name = United States |
| subdivision_name = United States |
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| subdivision_type1 = State |
| subdivision_type1 = State |
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| subdivision_name1 = Louisiana |
| subdivision_name1 = Louisiana |
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| subdivision_type2 = Parish |
| subdivision_type2 = Parish |
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| subdivision_name2 = [[St. Landry Parish, Louisiana|St. Landry]] |
| subdivision_name2 = [[St. Landry Parish, Louisiana|St. Landry]] |
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| subdivision_type3 = |
| subdivision_type3 = |
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| subdivision_name3 = |
| subdivision_name3 = |
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| subdivision_type4 = |
| subdivision_type4 = |
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| subdivision_name4 = |
| subdivision_name4 = |
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| established_title = Founded |
| established_title = Founded |
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| established_date = |
| established_date = |
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| established_title1 = |
| established_title1 = |
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| established_date1 = |
| established_date1 = |
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| established_title2 = |
| established_title2 = |
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| established_date2 = |
| established_date2 = |
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| established_title3 = |
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| established_date3 = |
| established_date3 = |
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| established_title4 = |
| established_title4 = |
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| established_date4 = |
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| established_title5 = |
| established_title5 = |
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| established_date5 = |
| established_date5 = |
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| established_title6 = |
| established_title6 = |
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| established_date6 = |
| established_date6 = |
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| established_title7 = |
| established_title7 = |
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| established_date7 = |
| established_date7 = |
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| extinct_title = |
| extinct_title = |
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| extinct_date = |
| extinct_date = |
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| founder = |
| founder = |
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| named_for = |
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| seat_type = |
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| seat = |
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| seat1_type = |
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| government_footnotes = |
| government_footnotes = |
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| government_type = |
| government_type = |
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| governing_body = |
| governing_body = |
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| leader_party = |
| leader_party = |
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| leader_title = Mayor |
| leader_title = Mayor |
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| leader_name = |
| leader_name = Dwight Landreneaux (D) |
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| leader_title1 = |
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<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns: St. Landry Parish|publisher=[[Louisiana Secretary of State]]|date=November 6, 2018|access-date=November 9, 2018}}</ref><br> |
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| ⚫ | |||
Former Mayor Joseph Pitre (D)<ref>Mayor Joseph Pitre is listed among the state and local officials who have endorsed the reelection in 2014 of Democrat [[U.S. Senator]] [[Mary Landrieu]].</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thehayride.com/2014/09/landrieus-gop-endorsements-pale-in-comparison-to-2008-election/|title=Landrieu’s GOP Endorsements Pale In Comparison To 2008 Election|publisher=thehayride.com|access-date=September 12, 2014}}</ref><br> |
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| total_type = |
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| total_type = |
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| area_total_km2 = 2.20 |
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| area_total_sq_mi = 0.85 |
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| ⚫ | |||
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| area_land_km2 = 2.14 |
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| area_land_sq_mi = 0.83 |
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| area_water_km2 = 0.06 |
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| area_water_sq_mi = 0.02 |
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| area_water_km2 = 0.06 |
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| area_water_sq_mi = 0.02 |
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| area_water_percent = |
| area_water_percent = |
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| area_metro_footnotes = |
| area_metro_footnotes = |
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| area_metro_km2 = |
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| area_metro_sq_mi = |
| area_metro_sq_mi = |
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| area_rank = |
| area_rank = |
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| elevation_footnotes = |
| elevation_footnotes = |
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| elevation_m = |
| elevation_m = |
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| elevation_ft = 46 |
| elevation_ft = 46 |
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| elevation_point = |
| elevation_point = |
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| elevation_max_footnotes = |
| elevation_max_footnotes = |
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| elevation_max_m = |
| elevation_max_m = |
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| elevation_max_ft = |
| elevation_max_ft = |
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| elevation_max_point = |
| elevation_max_point = |
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| elevation_max_rank = |
| elevation_max_rank = |
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| elevation_min_footnotes = |
| elevation_min_footnotes = |
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| elevation_min_m = |
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| elevation_min_ft = |
| elevation_min_ft = |
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| elevation_min_point = |
| elevation_min_point = |
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| elevation_min_rank = |
| elevation_min_rank = |
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| population_as_of = [[ |
| population_as_of = [[2020 United States Census|2020]] |
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| population_footnotes = |
| population_footnotes = |
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| population_total = |
| population_total = 742 |
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| pop_est_as_of = |
| pop_est_as_of = |
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| pop_est_footnotes = |
| pop_est_footnotes = |
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| population_est = |
| population_est = |
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| population_rank = |
| population_rank = |
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| population_density_km2 = |
| population_density_km2 = 346.23 |
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| population_density_sq_mi = |
| population_density_sq_mi = 897.22 |
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| population_metro_footnotes = |
| population_metro_footnotes = |
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| population_metro = |
| population_metro = |
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| population_density_metro_km2 = |
| population_density_metro_km2 = |
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| population_density_metro_sq_mi = |
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = |
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| population_density_rank = |
| population_density_rank = |
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| population_blank1_title = |
| population_blank1_title = |
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| population_blank1 = |
| population_blank1 = |
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| population_density_blank1_km2 = |
| population_density_blank1_km2 = |
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| population_density_blank1_sq_mi = |
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi = |
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| population_blank2_title = |
| population_blank2_title = |
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| population_blank2 = |
| population_blank2 = |
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| population_density_blank2_km2 = |
| population_density_blank2_km2 = |
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| population_density_blank2_sq_mi = |
| population_density_blank2_sq_mi = |
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| population_demonym = |
| population_demonym = |
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| population_note = |
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| demographics_type1 = |
| demographics_type1 = |
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| demographics1_footnotes = |
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| demographics2_title1 = |
| demographics2_title1 = |
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| demographics2_info1 = |
| demographics2_info1 = |
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| timezone1 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]] |
| timezone1 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]] |
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| utc_offset1 = -6 |
| utc_offset1 = -6 |
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| timezone1_DST = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]] |
| timezone1_DST = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]] |
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| utc_offset1_DST = -5 |
| utc_offset1_DST = -5 |
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| timezone2 = |
| timezone2 = |
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| utc_offset2 = |
| utc_offset2 = |
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| timezone2_DST = |
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| utc_offset2_DST = |
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| postal_code_type = |
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| postal_code = |
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| postal2_code_type = |
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| postal2_code = |
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| area_code_type = |
| area_code_type = |
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| area_code = [[Area code 337|337]] |
| area_code = [[Area code 337|337]] |
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| geocode = |
| geocode = |
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| iso_code = |
| iso_code = |
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| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]] |
| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]] |
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| blank_info = 22-79870 |
| blank_info = 22-79870 |
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| blank1_name = |
| blank1_name = |
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| blank1_info = |
| blank1_info = |
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| blank2_name = |
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| blank_name_sec2 = |
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| blank1_name_sec2 = |
| blank1_name_sec2 = |
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| blank1_info_sec2 = |
| blank1_info_sec2 = |
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| blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons |
| blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons |
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| blank2_info_sec2 = |
| blank2_info_sec2 = |
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| website = |
| website = |
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| footnotes = |
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}} |
}} |
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'''Washington''' is a village in [[St. Landry Parish, Louisiana|St. Landry Parish]], [[Louisiana]], United States. The population was |
'''Washington''' is a village in [[St. Landry Parish, Louisiana|St. Landry Parish]], [[Louisiana]], United States. The population was 742 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. It is part of the [[Opelousas, Louisiana|Opelousas]]–[[Eunice, Louisiana|Eunice]] [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]]. Washington was the largest inland port between New Orleans and St. Louis for much of the 19th century.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://townofwashingtonla.org/wp/history-of-washington/ |title=History of Washington | Town of Washington Louisiana |access-date=March 3, 2015 |archive-date=October 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007043241/http://townofwashingtonla.org/wp/history-of-washington/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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==Geography== |
==Geography== |
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Washington is located at {{Coord|30|36|52|N|92|3|30|W|type:city}} (30.614428, -92.058363).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date= |
Washington is located at {{Coord|30|36|52|N|92|3|30|W|type:city}} (30.614428, -92.058363).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> |
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According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.9|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.9|sqmi|km2}} is land and 1.15% is water. |
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.9|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.9|sqmi|km2}} is land and 1.15% is water. |
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|2000= 1082 |
|2000= 1082 |
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|2010= 964 |
|2010= 964 |
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|2020= 742 |
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|estyear=2019 |
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|estimate=914 |
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|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref> |
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|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref> |
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref> |
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}} |
}} |
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===2020 census=== |
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right" |
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|+Washington racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2279870&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 29, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref> |
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!scope="col"| Race |
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!scope="col"| Number |
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!scope="col"| Percentage |
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|- |
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!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic) |
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| 302 |
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| 40.7% |
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|- |
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!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic) |
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| 410 |
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| 55.26% |
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|- |
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!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] |
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| 1 |
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| 0.13% |
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|- |
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!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] |
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| 17 |
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| 2.29% |
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|- |
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!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] |
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| 12 |
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| 1.62% |
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|} |
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As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 742 people, 382 households, and 212 families residing in the town. |
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===2010 census=== |
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As of the [[2010 United States Census]], there were 964 people living in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 52.8% Black, 43.2% White, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% Asian and 1.7% from two or more races. 1.9% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. |
As of the [[2010 United States Census]], there were 964 people living in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 52.8% Black, 43.2% White, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% Asian and 1.7% from two or more races. 1.9% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. |
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===2000 census=== |
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At the 2000 [[census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date= |
At the 2000 [[census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 1,082 people, 459 households and 289 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,256.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 535 housing units at an average density of {{convert|621.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 43.07% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 56.28% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.37% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.28% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.02% of the population. |
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There were 459 households, of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 25.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.05. |
There were 459 households, of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 25.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.05. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The [[Grimble Bell School]] was located in Washington and was the first African American school in the parish when it opened in the 1830s; it was forced closed by white vigilantes in 1860.<ref name="HartleyCarola">{{Cite web |last=Hartley |first=Carola Lillie |date=February 22, 2020 |title=Parlons Opelousas: History of African American education in Opelousas |url=https://www.dailyworld.com/story/news/2020/02/22/african-american-education-opelousas/4843340002/ |access-date=February 19, 2024 |website=[[Daily World (Opelousas)|Daily World]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Dormon |first=James H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=97exa6i6TmQC&pg=PA79 |title=Creoles of Color of the Gulf South |date=1996 |publisher=University of Tennessee Press |isbn=978-0-87049-917-3 |pages=79}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Neidenbach |first=Elizabeth Clark |date=April 28, 2011 |title=Free People of Color from the Early American Period through the Civil War |url=https://64parishes.org/entry/free-people-of-color-from-the-early-american-period-through-the-civil-war-adaptation |access-date=February 19, 2024 |website=[[64 Parishes]]}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | During the [[American Civil War]], |
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| ⚫ | During the [[American Civil War]], some of [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] [[General]] [[Nathaniel P. Banks]]' forces occupied several towns in the region, including Washington, which was then larger than the parish seat of [[Opelousas, Louisiana|Opelousas]].<ref>[[John D. Winters]], ''The Civil War in Louisiana'', [[Baton Rouge]]: [[Louisiana State University Press]], 1963, {{ISBN|0-8071-0834-0}}, p. 233</ref> Banks' men stripped the towns of supplies of all kinds, including food, livestock, cotton, and other trade goods; the total value of the goods was estimated at more than ten million dollars.<ref>Winters, p. 237</ref> |
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Winters wrote that Banks' men operated from the towns of Washington, Opelousas, [[New Iberia, Louisiana|New Iberia]], and [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] in "gathering [[cotton]], vegetables, [[molasses]], [[rum]], [[sugar]], saddles, bridles, horses, mules, [[cattle]], [[Maize|corn]], and [[sweet potatoes]]. [[Negro]]es were mounted and assisted in driving in the cattle and horses found hidden in the woods and swamps. Between eight and ten thousand bales of cotton were collected. It was estimated that the . . . region was stripped of legitimate [[forage]] valued at more than ten million dollars. . . . "<ref>Winters, p. 237</ref> |
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After the war, there was extensive white resistance to the emancipation and enfranchisement of former slaves or [[freedmen]]. Some insurgents based in Opelousas formed the Seymour Knights, a unit of the [[Knights of the White Camellia]]. In the fall of 1868 before the election, white Democrats in Washington rejected African Americans who sought to join their political party, and the Seymour Knights physically drove the blacks out of the city. |
After the war, there was extensive white resistance to the emancipation and enfranchisement of former slaves or [[freedmen]]. Some insurgents based in Opelousas formed the Seymour Knights, a unit of the [[Knights of the White Camellia]]. In the fall of 1868 before the election, white Democrats in Washington rejected African Americans who sought to join their political party, and the Seymour Knights physically drove the blacks out of the city. |
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A series of events followed in which blacks marched on Opelousas and 29 men were captured. All but two were executed without trial, and whites rampaged against blacks in the parish seat and surrounding area, killing an estimated 50 to 200-300 African Americans, in what is known as the [[Opelousas Massacre]]. |
A series of events followed in which blacks marched on Opelousas and 29 men were captured. All but two were executed without trial, and whites rampaged against blacks in the parish seat and surrounding area, killing an estimated 50 to 200-300 African Americans, in what is known as the [[Opelousas Massacre]]. |
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== |
=== Speed trap === |
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Washington has a reputation of being a [[speed trap]]; that is, a town where traffic laws are enforced extremely strictly as a means of generating revenue. A 2007 report from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor found that more than 50% of the town's revenue came from traffic-related fines in the 2005 fiscal year. It was one of 15 such towns.<ref>[http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2007/la-speedtraps.pdf Excessive Fine Enforcement], Louisiana Legislative Auditor. June 6, 2007.</ref> In 2009, then-mayor Joseph Pitre told ''[[The Advocate (Louisiana)|The Advocate]]'' newspaper that he believed the town had collected between $700,000-$800,000 from speeding tickets yearly.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Need for Speed|url=http://theind.com/article-permalink-8114.html|access-date=February 18, 2022|website=theind.com|language=en}}</ref> |
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*Washington was the birthplace of Louisiana [[Governor]] [[Oramel H. Simpson]], who served from 1926 until his defeat by the legendary [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]] in the 1928 [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] [[gubernatorial]] primary. |
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* [[John Travis Nixon]], newspaper publisher in [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]] and [[Crowley, Louisiana|Crowley]], formerly resided in Washington; his wife, Leona White Nixon, a prominent educator was a native of St. Landry Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lahistory.org/site31.php|title=Nixon, John Travis|publisher=[[Louisiana Historical Association]]|access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | *[[Arthur T. Prescott]], |
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| ⚫ | In 2014, [[Louisiana House of Representatives|State Representative]] [[Alan Seabaugh]] targeted Washington as the most "notorious" speed trap in the state. He obtained approval of the House Transportation Committee to allow enforcement of traffic laws only if a community had incorporated at least one-half mile of land that extends to each side of an [[interstate highway]], excluding overpasses and ramps. At the time, Seabaugh reported receiving many complaints from constituents in [[Shreveport, Louisiana|Shreveport]] as well as out-of-state drivers who have been ticketed for speeding only slightly over the legal limit.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20140423/NEWS01/304230025/Bills-aimed-speed-trap-advance-Louisiana-House|title=Mike Hasten, Bills aimed at 'speed trap' advance to Louisiana House|newspaper=[[The Town Talk (Alexandria)|The Town Talk]]|access-date=April 23, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140423235035/http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20140423/NEWS01/304230025/Bills-aimed-speed-trap-advance-Louisiana-House|archive-date=April 23, 2014}}</ref> |
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==Festival== |
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Washington holds the annual Festival du Courtableau, now renamed the Washington Catfish Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mapquest.com/us/la/washington-282026597|title=Washington, LA - Washington, Louisiana Map & Directions - MapQuest|website=www.mapquest.com|language=en|access-date=2018-02-06}}</ref><ref>https://www.faubourgmarigny.org/pdf/newsletter/201005.pdf</ref> |
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== |
== Culture == |
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Washington holds the annual Festival du Courtableau, now renamed the Washington Catfish Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Washington, LA - Washington, Louisiana Map & Directions - MapQuest|url=https://www.mapquest.com/us/la/washington-282026597|access-date=February 6, 2018|website=www.mapquest.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.faubourgmarigny.org/pdf/newsletter/201005.pdf | access-date=December 22, 2023 | title=Not Making Groceries | first=Arin|last=Adkins | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203085009/https://www.faubourgmarigny.org/pdf/newsletter/201005.pdf | archive-date=February 3, 2019}}</ref> On November 15, 1978, the downtown area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the [[Washington Historic District (Washington, Louisiana)|Washington Historic District]].<ref>{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=78003114}}|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Washington Historic District |publisher=[[National Park Service]]|author= Dorothy Mayer |author2=Jonathan Fricker |date=1978 |accessdate=December 22, 2023}} With {{NRHP url|id=78003114|photos=y|title=accompanying 31 photos from 1976-78}}</ref> |
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According to a 2007 [http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2007/la-speedtraps.pdf report], Washington was named among the ten worst [[speed traps]] in the state of Louisiana. Washington made 50.84 percent of its revenue, an average of roughly $370 per capita population, from fines and forfeitures in the 2005 [[fiscal year]]. A motorist passing through for the Catfish Festival could be ticketed for going two miles over the speed limit.<ref>http://www.theind.com/cover-story/8399-need-for-speed</ref> |
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== Notable people == |
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| ⚫ | In 2014, [[Louisiana House of Representatives|State Representative]] [[Alan Seabaugh]] targeted Washington as the most "notorious" speed trap in the state. He obtained approval of the House Transportation Committee to allow enforcement of traffic laws only if a community had incorporated at least one-half mile of land that extends to each side of an [[interstate highway]], excluding overpasses and ramps. |
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*[[Oramel H. Simpson]], governor{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:Washington, Louisiana|*]] |
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[[Category:Towns in Louisiana]] |
[[Category:Towns in Louisiana]] |
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[[Category:Towns in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana]] |
[[Category:Towns in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana]] |
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Latest revision as of 01:10, 1 May 2024
Washington, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Town of Washington | |
_and_Main_Street_(Louisiana_Route_182)_in_Washington,_Louisiana.jpg) | |
 Location of Washington in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. | |
.svg) Location of Louisiana in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 30°36′52″N 92°03′30″W / 30.61444°N 92.05833°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | St. Landry |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Dwight Landreneaux (D) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.85 sq mi (2.20 km2) |
| • Land | 0.83 sq mi (2.14 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
| Elevation | 46 ft (14 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 742 |
| • Density | 897.22/sq mi (346.23/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 337 |
| FIPS code | 22-79870 |
Washington is a village in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 742 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Opelousas–Eunice Micropolitan Statistical Area. Washington was the largest inland port between New Orleans and St. Louis for much of the 19th century.[2]
Geography
[edit]Washington is located at 30°36′52″N 92°3′30″W / 30.61444°N 92.05833°W (30.614428, -92.058363).[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2), of which 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) is land and 1.15% is water.
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 536 | — | |
| 1870 | 907 | 69.2% | |
| 1880 | 1,194 | 31.6% | |
| 1890 | 1,064 | −10.9% | |
| 1900 | 1,197 | 12.5% | |
| 1910 | 1,528 | 27.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,041 | −31.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,004 | −3.6% | |
| 1940 | 1,264 | 25.9% | |
| 1950 | 1,291 | 2.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,291 | 0.0% | |
| 1970 | 1,473 | 14.1% | |
| 1980 | 1,266 | −14.1% | |
| 1990 | 1,253 | −1.0% | |
| 2000 | 1,082 | −13.6% | |
| 2010 | 964 | −10.9% | |
| 2020 | 742 | −23.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[4] | |||
2020 census
[edit]| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 302 | 40.7% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 410 | 55.26% |
| Native American | 1 | 0.13% |
| Other/Mixed | 17 | 2.29% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12 | 1.62% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 742 people, 382 households, and 212 families residing in the town.
2010 census
[edit]As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 964 people living in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 52.8% Black, 43.2% White, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% Asian and 1.7% from two or more races. 1.9% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
2000 census
[edit]At the 2000 census,[6] there were 1,082 people, 459 households and 289 families living in the town. The population density was 1,256.8 inhabitants per square mile (485.3/km2). There were 535 housing units at an average density of 621.4 per square mile (239.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 43.07% White, 56.28% African American, 0.37% from other races, and 0.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.
There were 459 households, of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples living together, 25.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.05.
Age distribution was 29.1% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.3 males.
The median household income was $12,177, and the median family income was $17,727. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $14,479 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,607. About 45.6% of families and 48.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 58.0% of those under age 18 and 38.4% of those age 65 or over.
History
[edit]The Grimble Bell School was located in Washington and was the first African American school in the parish when it opened in the 1830s; it was forced closed by white vigilantes in 1860.[7][8][9]
During the American Civil War, some of Union General Nathaniel P. Banks' forces occupied several towns in the region, including Washington, which was then larger than the parish seat of Opelousas.[10] Banks' men stripped the towns of supplies of all kinds, including food, livestock, cotton, and other trade goods; the total value of the goods was estimated at more than ten million dollars.[11]
After the war, there was extensive white resistance to the emancipation and enfranchisement of former slaves or freedmen. Some insurgents based in Opelousas formed the Seymour Knights, a unit of the Knights of the White Camellia. In the fall of 1868 before the election, white Democrats in Washington rejected African Americans who sought to join their political party, and the Seymour Knights physically drove the blacks out of the city.
A series of events followed in which blacks marched on Opelousas and 29 men were captured. All but two were executed without trial, and whites rampaged against blacks in the parish seat and surrounding area, killing an estimated 50 to 200-300 African Americans, in what is known as the Opelousas Massacre.
Speed trap
[edit]Washington has a reputation of being a speed trap; that is, a town where traffic laws are enforced extremely strictly as a means of generating revenue. A 2007 report from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor found that more than 50% of the town's revenue came from traffic-related fines in the 2005 fiscal year. It was one of 15 such towns.[12] In 2009, then-mayor Joseph Pitre told The Advocate newspaper that he believed the town had collected between $700,000-$800,000 from speeding tickets yearly.[13]
In 2014, State Representative Alan Seabaugh targeted Washington as the most "notorious" speed trap in the state. He obtained approval of the House Transportation Committee to allow enforcement of traffic laws only if a community had incorporated at least one-half mile of land that extends to each side of an interstate highway, excluding overpasses and ramps. At the time, Seabaugh reported receiving many complaints from constituents in Shreveport as well as out-of-state drivers who have been ticketed for speeding only slightly over the legal limit.[14]
Culture
[edit]Washington holds the annual Festival du Courtableau, now renamed the Washington Catfish Festival.[15][16] On November 15, 1978, the downtown area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Washington Historic District.[17]
Notable people
[edit]- Oramel H. Simpson, governor[citation needed]
- Arthur T. Prescott, academic president and administrator[18]
References
[edit]- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- ^ "History of Washington | Town of Washington Louisiana". Archived from the original on October 7, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Hartley, Carola Lillie (February 22, 2020). "Parlons Opelousas: History of African American education in Opelousas". Daily World. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ Dormon, James H. (1996). Creoles of Color of the Gulf South. University of Tennessee Press. p. 79. ISBN 978-0-87049-917-3.
- ^ Neidenbach, Elizabeth Clark (April 28, 2011). "Free People of Color from the Early American Period through the Civil War". 64 Parishes. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ John D. Winters, The Civil War in Louisiana, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1963, ISBN 0-8071-0834-0, p. 233
- ^ Winters, p. 237
- ^ Excessive Fine Enforcement, Louisiana Legislative Auditor. June 6, 2007.
- ^ "Need for Speed". theind.com. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
- ^ "Mike Hasten, Bills aimed at 'speed trap' advance to Louisiana House". The Town Talk. Archived from the original on April 23, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
- ^ "Washington, LA - Washington, Louisiana Map & Directions - MapQuest". www.mapquest.com. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
- ^ Adkins, Arin. "Not Making Groceries" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
- ^ Dorothy Mayer; Jonathan Fricker (1978). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Washington Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved December 22, 2023. With accompanying 31 photos from 1976-78
- ^ Henry E. Chambers, A History of Louisiana, Vol. 2 (Chicago and New York City: American Historical Society, 1925), pp. 313-314
Municipalities and communities of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent parish or parishes | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
