Arcadia, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arcadia, Louisiana
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Town
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| Town of Arcadia | |
Downtown Arcadia, Louisiana
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Location of Arcadia in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.
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Location of Louisiana in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Bienville Parish |
| Incorporated | 1855 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.67 sq mi (9.51 km2) |
| • Land | 3.65 sq mi (9.44 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2) |
| Elevation | 384 ft (117 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,746 |
| • Rank | BV: 1st |
| • Density | 753.36/sq mi (290.84/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
71001
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| Area code(s) | 318 |
| FIPS code | 22-02655 |
Arcadia is a town in, and the parish seat of, Bienville Parish in northern Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,919 at the 2010 census. Arcadia has the highest elevation of any incorporated municipality in Louisiana. Arcadia's name commemorates the Ancient Greek region of Arcadia.
Contents
History
Arcadia's name commemorates the Ancient Greek region of Arcadia.
In 1934, Bonnie and Clyde were sought throughout the Southeast for their robbing banks and associated crimes. They were killed near Arcadia by law-enforcement officers from Bienville Parish and Dallas County, Texas. The ambush occurred southwest of Arcadia on Louisiana State Highway 154 between Gibsland and Sailes. Gibsland has been a destination for tourism associated with Bonnie and Clyde. L.J. "Boots" Hinton, son of posse member Ted Hinton, operates the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum.
Arcadia has been a center of the poultry industry, with up to 300 independent growers for years supplying the feed mill of Pilgrim's Pride, a poultry company, in Arcadia. In 2009 the company announced the closing of the mill and ending of other operations in nearby Athens in Claiborne Parish, Choudrant in Lincoln Parish, and Farmerville in Union Parish. The closings were estimated to cost North Louisiana a combined 1,300 jobs. Several weeks later, Pilgrim's Pride accepted an $80 million offer from Foster Farms of California to purchase their operations. In addition to the 1,300 direct jobs, mostly in Farmerville, the purchase provides a continuing market for some 300 growers. Foster Farms put up $40 million and the State of Louisiana a matching $40 million. Foster Farms will invest $10 million in capital improvements at the Farmerville plant, to be matched by the state, in an agreement announced by Governor Bobby Jindal.
Geography
Arcadia is located at 32°33′7″N 92°55′27″W / 32.55194°N 92.92417°W (32.551931, -92.924233) and has an elevation of 384 feet (117.0 m).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.1 square miles (7.9 km2), all land.
It is 50 miles (80 km) east of Shreveport.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 862 | — | |
| 1900 | 924 | 7.2% | |
| 1910 | 1,079 | 16.8% | |
| 1920 | 1,240 | 14.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,809 | 45.9% | |
| 1940 | 1,601 | −11.5% | |
| 1950 | 2,241 | 40.0% | |
| 1960 | 2,547 | 13.7% | |
| 1970 | 2,970 | 16.6% | |
| 1980 | 3,403 | 14.6% | |
| 1990 | 3,079 | −9.5% | |
| 2000 | 3,041 | −1.2% | |
| 2010 | 2,919 | −4.0% | |
| 2020 | 2,746 | −5.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 705 | 25.67% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,895 | 69.01% |
| Native American | 12 | 0.44% |
| Asian | 3 | 0.11% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 69 | 2.51% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 61 | 2.22% |
At the census of 2000, there were 3,041 people, 1,071 households, and 737 families residing in the town. At the 2019 American Community Survey, Arcadia had a population of 2,774 people and 1,469 housing units. The population density was 1,025.6 people per square mile (395.3/km2). In 2000, there were 1,231 housing units at an average density of 415.2 per square mile (160.0/km2). As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,746 people, 1,127 households, and 620 families residing in the town.
In 2019, the racial makeup of Arcadia was 73.2% Black or African American, 22% non-Hispanic white, 4.1% some other race, and 0.7% two or more races. Previously, the racial makeup of the town was 37.98% White, 60.57% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.26% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.61% of the population.
In 2000, there were 1,071 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.0% were married couples living together, 27.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.16. In the town of Arcadia, the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $21,661, and the median income for a family was $26,250. Males had a median income of $25,885 versus $17,279 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,962. About 27.1% of families and 31.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.7% of those under age 18 and 20.6% of those age 65 or over. At the 2019 census estimates, the median household income increased to $23,494. About 41.9% of the population lived at or below the poverty line, and 17.5% of Arcadians held a bachelor's degree or higher.
Religion
Among the numerous churches in downtown Arcadia are First United Methodist Church and the First Baptist Church, both in large sanctuaries. The Louisiana Baptist Convention was founded in 1848 in nearby Mount Lebanon.
Transportation
The Arcadia-Bienville Parish Airport is located two nautical miles (2.3 mi, 3.7 km) southwest of Arcadia's central business district.
Education
Arcadia is a part of the Bienville Parish School Board. Arcadia's two public schools are located in the Arcadia School Complex, which encompasses both Arcadia High School and Crawford Elementary
Notable people
- Marcus Fizer, professional basketball player, former collegiate All-American at Iowa State University (1999–2000) and McDonald's All-American from Arcadia High School (1996–1997)
- Patrick O. Jefferson, African-American member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 11 since 2012; lawyer in Arcadia
- Dub Jones, retired Pro Bowler born in 1924
- Henderson Jordan (1896–1958), Bienville Parish sheriff who participated in the ambush of Bonnie and Clyde
- C. L. McCrary (1905–1989), Arcadia businessman and state representative from Bienville Parish from 1960 to 1964
- Philip H. Mecom (1889–1969), United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana
- Danny Roy Moore (1925–c. 2020), State senator from Bienville and Claiborne parishes
- Prentiss Oakley (1905–1957), Jordan's successor as sheriff; also part of the posse that brought down Bonnie and Clyde
- Pol Perritt, MLB player, pitched for New York Giants in 1917 World Series
- Bettye Swann, soul singer best known for the 1967 hit "Make Me Yours"
- Lorris M. Wimberly, former four-time Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, farmer and insurance agent
- Rush Wimberly, lawyer in Arcadia and Shreveport, member of both houses of the Louisiana legislature from 1900 to 1912; former Bienville Parish attorney and school superintendent
Images for kids
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The Bienville Democrat office in Arcadia
See also
In Spanish: Arcadia (Luisiana) para niños
