Athens, Louisiana Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Athens, Louisiana
Village
Athens Town Hall
Location of Athens in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Athens, Louisiana Location in Louisiana Show map of Louisiana Athens, Louisiana Location in the United States Show map of the United States Athens, Louisiana Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Claiborne
Incorporated	1902
Area
• Total	3.50 sq mi (9.07 km²)
• Land	3.50 sq mi (9.07 km²)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Elevation	302 ft (92 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	237
• Density	67.69/sq mi (26.13/km²)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s)	318
FIPS code	22-03320

Athens is a small village located in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. In 2010, about 249 people lived there. It's a quiet place with a rich history.

The History of Athens Village
Where is Athens, Louisiana?
Who Lives in Athens?
Education in Athens
Famous People from Athens
Images for kids
See also

The History of Athens Village

This village was named after the famous ancient city of Athens, which is the capital of Greece. Athens became the main town, or "parish seat," for Claiborne Parish in 1846.

However, a big fire in 1848 destroyed the courthouse and all its important records. Because of this, the local government, called the Police Jury, decided to move the parish seat. They chose Homer as the new main town.

Where is Athens, Louisiana?

Athens is located in northern Louisiana. You can find it at these coordinates: 32.650219 degrees North and -93.024492 degrees West.

The United States Census Bureau says that Athens covers an area of about 3.5 square miles (9.07 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Who Lives in Athens?

The number of people living in Athens has changed over the years.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	514	—
1920	493	−4.1%
1930	461	−6.5%
1940	491	6.5%
1950	487	−0.8%
1960	406	−16.6%
1970	387	−4.7%
1980	419	8.3%
1990	278	−33.7%
2000	262	−5.8%
2010	249	−5.0%
2020	237	−4.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

In the year 2000, there were 262 people living in Athens. These people made up 112 households and 73 families. The village had about 67 people per square kilometer.

Most of the people in Athens were White (72.52%). About 24.05% were African American. A smaller number were Native American or Pacific Islander.

Many households (34.8%) had children under 18 living with them. About 42.9% of households were married couples. The average household had 2.34 people.

The population included people of all ages. About 28.6% were under 18. People aged 65 or older made up 18.7% of the population. The average age in the village was 37 years old.

Education in Athens

The Claiborne Parish School Board is in charge of schools for the entire parish. Students from Athens now attend schools in Homer, including Homer High School.

Before 2012, students in Athens went to Athens High School. This school taught students from pre-kindergarten all the way to 12th grade. In February 2012, there were 162 students at Athens High School. However, the school closed in the summer of 2012. After that, students moved to schools in Homer.

Today, the Mt. Olive Christian School uses the old Athens High School building. This building was built in 1930. The last class to graduate from Athens High School in that building was in 1969.

Famous People from Athens

Athens has been home to some notable people:

Dorothy Brown (born 1953) is a politician.
Jessie Johnson Couch was born in Athens. She was the wife of Harvey Couch, who was a very successful businessman. He owned companies involved in utilities, railroads, and radio.
Kenneth L. Volentine served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1988 to 1992. He was also the sheriff of Claiborne Parish from 1996 to 2004.