Bernice, Louisiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bernice, Louisiana
Town
Town of Bernice
Bernice Rock Island Railroad Depot Museum
Location of Bernice in Union Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Union
Founded	1899
Area
• Total	3.24 sq mi (8.39 km2)
• Land	3.23 sq mi (8.35 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation	223 ft (68 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,356
• Density	420.33/sq mi (162.31/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	71222
Area code(s)	318
FIPS code	22-07030
Website	http://www.bernicela.org

Bernice is a small town located in Union Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. In 2010, the town had a population of 1,689 people. This was a slight decrease from the 1,809 people who lived there in 2000. Bernice is also part of the larger Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History of Bernice

The area where Bernice is located was once a wild frontier with many large pine forests. Some of the oldest houses still standing today date back to the mid-1800s. These include the "Sweet Onion" house and the McCuller Log Cabin, both built around 1865.

Bernice was officially started in 1899. It became a "sawmill town" because Captain C.C. Henderson built the Arkansas Southern Railroad here. This was the very first railway in Union Parish. Bernice also became an important place for trading farm goods. It is the newest European-American town to be founded in this parish.

The area was known as the "big woods" because of its huge, untouched pine trees. Captain Henderson built the railroad to help cut down and move this valuable lumber. He directed the railroad construction from Junction City south to Winnfield.

Captain Henderson wanted to buy land north of the current town from Henry Mabry, but they couldn't agree on a price. So, Henderson moved south and bought land from Allen Lowery and Dave Cole instead. He decided to name his new town after Lowery's baby daughter, Bernice. On a spring day, Henderson held an auction to sell lots for the new community.

Bernice became an official town in 1899, the same year it was founded. The railroad depot was built soon after. An old photo from 1901 shows the depot on Louisiana Street. Another photo from around 1905 shows the train agent and local people inside. Today, this old station has been restored and is now the Depot Museum. It shows many interesting items from Bernice's past and also helps tourists find information.

Jake Crews was the first mayor of Bernice. He was a builder who constructed many of the town's first homes. His own house, built in 1900, is still standing and is thought to be the oldest house in town. Other old buildings include the Garland/Reeder House (1902), the J.W. Heard/Laurence/Patton House (1903), and the Thomas Heard House (1904). The first brick home in Bernice was the Pollock/Martin House, built in the 1920s. The old Bernice Jail also dates from this time.

The Alabama Methodist Church, built around 1895, is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site. Another interesting old building is the Lynn Log House. It was moved and rebuilt from an old "dogtrot house" that stood nearby before the American Civil War.

Captain Henderson gave land to the town to create Oakhurst Park. This park was full of oak trees and had a gazebo where public events were held in the early days. In 1938, the Bernice Clubhouse was built in the park, and it is still used today. The famous basketball player Willis Reed grew up near this park.

The original layout of Bernice, designed by Captain Henderson, has recently been recognized as the Bernice Historic District by the town council.

The very first store in Bernice was in a tent, run by a man named Nelson. The next store was a general goods business in a train box car, run by Will Martin. Many other businesses soon followed, with some merchants moving from Shiloh. The Bank of Bernice was started in 1901. Since lumber was so important, there was usually at least one sawmill, and often two, operating in town.

Even though Bernice has changed a lot from its early days, it still has a sawmill and a chip mill operating. The Lindsey warehouse complex has 63 buildings that provide space for several businesses related to timber. The town also has a hospital, a nursing home, a volunteer fire department, several churches, and many small businesses.

Geography of Bernice

Bernice covers a total area of about 3.2 square miles (8.3 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 3.2 square miles (8.3 square kilometers), is land. A very small part, about 0.31%, is water.

Main Roads in Bernice

• U.S. Highway 63/U.S. Highway 167
• Louisiana Highway 2

Population Data

According to the 2020 United States census, there were 1,356 people living in Bernice. These people lived in 571 households, and 326 of these were families.

Education in Bernice

Students living in Bernice attend schools that are part of the Union Parish Public Schools system. The Bernice school, which taught students from kindergarten through 12th grade, closed in 2013. Now, all students in Union Parish go to schools in the parish seat, which is Farmerville.

Famous People from Bernice

• Benny Anders
• Robert Finley, a musician
• Wahoo McDaniel, a former NFL player and professional wrestler
• Dante Powell, a stand-up comedian
• Willis Reed, a famous NBA basketball player
• Willie Robertson, a reality television star
• Orlando Woolridge, an NBA basketball player

See also

In Spanish: Bernice (Luisiana) para niños