Breaux Bridge, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
Pont-Breaux
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| City of Breaux Bridge | |
Downtown Breaux Bridge
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| Nicknames:
Pont-Breaux; La Capitale Mondiale de l’Écrevisse (Crawfish Capital of the World)
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Location of Breaux Bridge in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana.
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Location of Louisiana in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | St. Martin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.90 sq mi (20.45 km2) |
| • Land | 7.72 sq mi (19.98 km2) |
| • Water | 0.18 sq mi (0.46 km2) |
| Elevation | 23 ft (7 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,513 |
| • Density | 973.69/sq mi (375.96/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 337 |
| FIPS code | 22-09340 |
| Website | https://breauxbridgela.net/ |
Breaux Bridge is a small city in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, United States. In 2020, about 7,513 people lived there. It is part of the larger Lafayette area.
Breaux Bridge is famous for being the "Crawfish Capital of the World." Its French-speaking residents first gave it the nickname "La Capitale Mondiale de l’Écrevisse." The city even hosts a yearly Crawfish Festival! People in Breaux Bridge are also known for listing each other by nicknames in the local phone book.
Contents
History of Breaux Bridge
How Breaux Bridge Got Its Name
The story of Breaux Bridge began with Firmin Breaux. He was a pioneer from Acadia, a region in what is now eastern Canada. The British forced the Acadians to leave their homes. Firmin arrived in this area of Louisiana in early 1765.
By 1799, Firmin Breaux built a simple footbridge across the Bayou Têche. This bridge helped his family and neighbors cross the bayou easily. It was likely made of ropes and small wooden planks. The bridge was tied to large live oak trees on both sides of the bayou to keep it steady.
When people gave directions, they would often say, "go to Breaux's bridge." Over time, this phrase became the name of the city.
Founding of the City
On August 25, 1829, a determined Acadian woman named Scholastique (Picou) Breaux officially founded the city of Breaux Bridge. She was 33 years old at the time.
Scholastique had married Agricole Breaux, Firmin's son, when she was young. In 1817, Scholastique and Agricole replaced the old footbridge. They built a new, stronger bridge that wagons could cross. This new bridge helped the area's trade grow. Agricole passed away when Scholastique was 32, leaving her a widow.
Even after her husband's death, Scholastique continued to develop the area. She created a detailed map called "Plan de la Ville du Pont des Breaux" (Plan for the City of Breaux Bridge). She sold land lots to other Acadian settlers, helping the community grow. In 1847, a church parish was started. Twelve years later, in 1859, Breaux Bridge officially became a town.
Geography of Breaux Bridge
Breaux Bridge covers a total area of about 6.7 square miles (17.4 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 6.6 square miles (17.1 square kilometers), is land. The remaining 0.1 square miles (0.3 square kilometers) is water.
People of Breaux Bridge (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 443 | — | |
| 1890 | 654 | 47.6% | |
| 1900 | 654 | 0.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,339 | 104.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,171 | −12.5% | |
| 1930 | 1,399 | 19.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,668 | 19.2% | |
| 1950 | 2,492 | 49.4% | |
| 1960 | 3,303 | 32.5% | |
| 1970 | 4,942 | 49.6% | |
| 1980 | 5,922 | 19.8% | |
| 1990 | 6,515 | 10.0% | |
| 2000 | 7,281 | 11.8% | |
| 2010 | 8,139 | 11.8% | |
| 2020 | 7,513 | −7.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 3,629 | 48.3% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 3,331 | 44.34% |
| Native American | 29 | 0.39% |
| Asian | 68 | 0.91% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 263 | 3.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 192 | 2.56% |
In 2020, there were 7,513 people living in Breaux Bridge. The city had 2,944 households and 2,171 families.
A look at the population in 2010 showed that about half the people were White (50.0%) and nearly half were African American (47.3%). Smaller groups included Native American, Asian, and people of two or more races. About 1.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
In 2000, most people (68.3%) spoke English at home. A good number (28.3%) also spoke French. Smaller groups spoke Spanish or Louisiana Creole French.
The average household in 2000 had about 2.73 people. About 38.3% of households had children under 18 living with them. The median age in the city was 32 years old.
Education in Breaux Bridge
Public schools in Breaux Bridge are managed by the St. Martin Parish School Board. Students attend Breaux Bridge Primary School for grades PK-2, Breaux Bridge Elementary for grades 3-5, and Breaux Bridge Junior High for grades 6-8. Older students go to Breaux Bridge High School for grades 9-12.
There are also private schools available. These include St. Bernard Elementary, which teaches grades PreK-8, and Louisiana Christian School, which serves students from PreK all the way through 12th grade.
Notable People from Breaux Bridge
Many interesting people have come from Breaux Bridge:
- Scott Angelle served as a temporary Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana in 2010.
- Ryan Broussard is an actor known for the TV show Alert: Missing Persons Unit.
- Lottie Beebe is the superintendent of public schools in St. Martin Parish.
- Paula Davis is a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives.
- Jake Delhomme was a professional quarterback for NFL teams like the Carolina Panthers.
- Sonny Landreth is a famous blues guitarist.
- Hunter Hayes is a well-known singer-songwriter and record producer.
- Mike "Pete" Huval is a state representative and former member of the St. Martin Parish Council.
- Jules Jeanmard was a Roman Catholic bishop.
- Ali Landry was crowned Miss USA 1996 and is also an actress and model.
- Branford Marsalis is a talented jazz musician.
- Fred H. Mills, Jr. is a state senator and a bank president.
- Domanick Williams was a professional running back for the Houston Texans and was named the 2003 Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year.
See also
In Spanish: Breaux Bridge para niños
