Pointe Coupee Parish
Parish
Pointe Coupee Parish Courthouse
Pointe Coupee Parish Courthouse
Map of Louisiana highlighting Pointe Coupee Parish
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Map of the United States highlighting Louisiana
Louisiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°43′N 91°36′W / 30.71°N 91.6°W / 30.71; -91.6
Country United States
State Louisiana
Founded1807
Named forFrench for the place of the cut-off
SeatNew Roads
Largest cityNew Roads
Area
 • Total591 sq mi (1,530 km2)
 • Land557 sq mi (1,440 km2)
 • Water33 sq mi (90 km2)  5.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total20,758
 • Estimate 
(2021)
20,356[1]
 • Density35/sq mi (14/km2)
DemonymPointe Coupean
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
70715, 70729, 70732, 70736, 70747, 70749, 70752, 70753, 70755, 70756, 70759, 70760, 70762, 70773, 70783
Area code225
Congressional district6th
Websitewww.pcpolicejury.org

Pointe Coupee Parish (/ˈpɔɪnt kəˈpiː/ or /ˈpwɑːnt kuːˈpeɪ/; French: Paroisse de la Pointe-Coupée) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,758.[2] The parish seat is New Roads.[3]

Pointe Coupee Parish is part of the Baton Rouge, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2010, the center of population of Louisiana was located in Pointe Coupee Parish, in the city of New Roads.[4]

History

Pointe Coupee is the oldest settlement on the lower Mississippi, having been made by some wandering Canadian trappers as early as 1708. Bienville established this place as a military post, before the commencement of New Orleans. The fort was moved in 1722 to an area near the present St. Francisville Ferry landing.

After several floods, Governor Luis de Unzaga in 1772 moved the European settlement to a new post, the so-called Post Unzaga. Recently, historians Cazorla and Polo, from the Louis de Unzaga Historical Society research team, using satellite remote sensing techniques and comparative plans from the General Archive of the Indies, have managed to locate the position of the Unzaga post, which included, along with it, a parish. After the slave rebellion of 1795 this settlement was left uninhabited.[5] Pointe Coupee Parish (originally and recently, informally pronounced pwahnt coo-pay) was organized by European Americans in 1805 as part of the Territory of Orleans (statehood for Louisiana followed in 1812). It was originally called Pointe Coupee County, and was one of the original 12 counties of the Territory of Orleans. It was renamed as Pointe Coupee Parish in 1816. The original Pointe Coupee Parish included parts of present-day Iberville and West Baton Rouge Parishes. There were minor boundary adjustments with neighboring parishes up through 1852, when its boundaries stabilized.[6]

In 2008, Pointe Coupee was one of the communities that suffered the most damage by Hurricane Gustav.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 591 square miles (1,530 km2), of which 557 square miles (1,440 km2) is land and 33 square miles (85 km2) (5.6%) is water.[7] The land consists mainly of prairies and backswamp.

Major highways

Pointe Coupee Parish has 498.98 miles of highways within its borders.[8]

Major waterways

Adjacent parishes

National protected area

Communities

City

Towns

Village

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1745 600—    
1810 3,187+431.2%
1820 4,912+54.1%
1830 5,942+21.0%
1840 7,898+32.9%
1850 11,339+43.6%
1860 17,718+56.3%
1870 12,981−26.7%
1880 17,785+37.0%
1890 19,613+10.3%
1900 25,777+31.4%
1910 25,289−1.9%
1920 24,697−2.3%
1930 21,007−14.9%
1940 24,004+14.3%
1950 21,841−9.0%
1960 22,488+3.0%
1970 22,002−2.2%
1980 24,045+9.3%
1990 22,540−6.3%
2000 22,763+1.0%
2010 22,802+0.2%
2020 20,758−9.0%
2022 (est.) 20,151−2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010[13]
Pointe Coupee Parish racial composition as of 2020[2]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 12,245 58.99%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 7,221 34.79%
Native American 37 0.18%
Asian 60 0.29%
Pacific Islander 2 0.01%
Other/Mixed 568 2.74%
Hispanic or Latino 625 3.01%

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,763 people, 8,397 households, and 6,171 families residing in the parish.[14] The population density was 41 inhabitants per square mile (16/km2). There were 10,297 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (6.9/km2). The racial makeup of the parish was 68.91% White, 29.61% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 1.08% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 93.61% of the population spoke only English at home, while 4.89% spoke French or Cajun French, 0.96% spoke Spanish, and 0.73% spoke Louisiana Creole French.

By the publication of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,758 people, 8,960 households, and 5,625 families residing in the parish, reflecting a slight population decline.[2] Among the population in 2020, the racial and ethnic makeup of the parish was 58.99% non-Hispanic white, 34.79% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.74% other or multiracial, and 3.01% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the parish was $30,618, and the median income for a family was $36,625. Males had a median income of $35,022 versus $20,759 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $15,387, ranking 23rd out of 64 parishes. About 18.70% of families and 23.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.20% of those under age 18 and 23.90% are the age of 65 and older.

Religiously, Christianity is the dominant religion being part of the Bible Belt. The largest denomination by membership as of 2020 has been the Catholic Church (according to the Association of Religion Data Archives). Southern Baptists were the second largest denomination by membership.[15]

Economy

Nan Ya Plastics Corporation America has a large plant near Batchelor. Another large employer is NRG / Big Cajun 1 & 2 power plants near New Roads. The parish's economy is heavily reliant upon agriculture, with sugar cane being one of the main cash crops.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

The Pointe Coupee Parish School Board serves the parish. As of 2014 the sole secondary school operated by the parish school board is Livonia High School, serving grades 7 through 12. Pointe Coupee Central High School was closed down in 2014. Current public schools include Stem Magnet Academy, Valverda Elementary, Rougon, Rosenwald, and Upper Pointe Coupee Elementary.

Private

The parish is in the service area of South Louisiana Community College.[16]

National Guard

A Co of the 769th BEB (Brigade Engineer Battalion) is an Engineer Company (Combat) that resides in New Roads, Louisiana. This unit is part of the 256TH IBCT and deployed to Iraq in 2004-5 and 2010.

Law enforcement

Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's Office
AbbreviationPCSO
Agency overview
Formed1807
Jurisdictional structure
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersNew Roads, Louisiana
Deputy Sheriffs125
Agency executive
Facilities
Stations3
Website
Official website

The Pointe Coupee Sheriff's Office is the chief law enforcement agency in Pointe Coupee Parish. The sheriff's office is responsible for routine law enforcement patrols in the parish. There are several divisions besides the road patrol, including the parish prison, a water patrol, a mounted horse patrol, an aviation unit, a criminal investigations division, and bailiffs for the courthouse.[17] This department employs over 100 full-time deputies, as well as several part-time deputies.[18] The department's main office is located in the parish courthouse in New Roads.

Notable residents

Politics

Prior to 2008, Pointe Coupee Parish was a Democratic stronghold in presidential elections, only failing to back the party's nominees four times between 1912 and 2004 even as the South began trending more Republican in presidential elections. Since 2008 it has consistently supported Republican nominees.

United States presidential election results for Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 7,503 60.65% 4,683 37.85% 185 1.50%
2016 6,789 57.72% 4,764 40.51% 208 1.77%
2012 6,548 53.91% 5,436 44.75% 163 1.34%
2008 6,702 53.90% 5,516 44.36% 217 1.75%
2004 5,429 48.17% 5,712 50.68% 130 1.15%
2000 4,710 43.48% 5,813 53.67% 309 2.85%
1996 3,545 31.28% 6,835 60.32% 952 8.40%
1992 3,563 31.47% 6,512 57.52% 1,247 11.01%
1988 4,333 39.64% 6,308 57.71% 289 2.64%
1984 5,477 44.58% 6,732 54.79% 78 0.63%
1980 3,667 35.73% 6,395 62.31% 201 1.96%
1976 2,567 32.59% 5,147 65.35% 162 2.06%
1972 3,192 46.58% 3,133 45.72% 528 7.70%
1968 850 11.34% 3,139 41.87% 3,508 46.79%
1964 2,327 50.87% 2,247 49.13% 0 0.00%
1960 674 16.39% 2,953 71.81% 485 11.79%
1956 1,332 45.03% 1,542 52.13% 84 2.84%
1952 1,174 45.88% 1,385 54.12% 0 0.00%
1948 198 10.01% 402 20.31% 1,379 69.68%
1944 271 15.88% 1,436 84.12% 0 0.00%
1940 247 11.63% 1,877 88.37% 0 0.00%
1936 116 7.56% 1,419 92.44% 0 0.00%
1932 65 5.95% 1,027 94.05% 0 0.00%
1928 102 7.12% 1,330 92.88% 0 0.00%
1924 146 27.65% 369 69.89% 13 2.46%
1920 143 26.00% 407 74.00% 0 0.00%
1916 37 10.48% 301 85.27% 15 4.25%
1912 55 12.09% 304 66.81% 96 21.10%

See also

References

  1. ↑ "County Population Totals: 2020-2021". Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Centers of Population by State: 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  5. ↑ Cazorla, Frank, The governor Louis de Unzaga (1717-1793) Pioneer in birth of the United States of America and in Liberalism, Foundation Malaga, 2019, pages 58, 133
  6. ↑ Gold Bug Software. "AniMap Plus: County Boundary Historical Atlas".
  7. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Louisiana State Police". lsp.org.
  9. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  13. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  15. ↑ "Maps and data files for 2020 | U.S. Religion Census | Religious Statistics & Demographics". www.usreligioncensus.org. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Our Colleges". Louisiana's Technical and Community Colleges. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  17. ↑ PCPSO Divisions
  18. ↑ Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's Office
  19. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
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