Campti, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Campti, Louisiana
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| Town of Campti | |
Natchitoches Parish Library off Hwy 71/84
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Location of Campti in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana.
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Location of Louisiana in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Natchitoches |
| Founded | 1745 |
| Incorporated as a village | 1857 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.04 sq mi (2.70 km2) |
| • Land | 1.04 sq mi (2.70 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 128 ft (39 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 887 |
| • Density | 851.25/sq mi (328.75/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
71411
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| Area code(s) | 318 |
| FIPS code | 22-12280 |
Campti is a town in the northern part of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,056 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Natchitoches Micropolitan Statistical Area. Campti is a flat area of mostly farmland. It is located on the eastern bank of the Red River. Considerable herds of cattle are also raised in the general area.
Etymology
Tradition maintains that the name "Campti" was derived from the name of a Natchitoches Indian chief, known to the French colonists as "Le Roi Campti" (The King Campti). Church records in Natchitoches show that a French missionary, Père Valentin, visited the community of Campti around 1745. This was the first written record of Campti during the period of French Louisiana.
History
The rural parish was developed for large cotton plantations, and a majority of the population were enslaved African Americans in the antebellum years. But by the time of the American Civil War, a number of free people of color also lived in Campti and the area. They were known to be related to several of the longtime white families, who acknowledged them, and they were generally well accepted. According to one authority on this area, they lived nearly as white. At least nine men of color, and likely more, enlisted in the Confederate Army during the Civil War and "easily entered a predominately white military company."
During the war, Union Brigadier-General A. J. Smith, with two brigades, reached Campti to assist Rear-Admiral David D. Porter's gunboats on the Red River there. Confederate Brigadier-General St. John R. Liddell's scattered troops had been harassing the Union fleet but quickly retreated as Smith's overwhelming force arrived on April 13, 1864. Smith and his men burned what was left of Campti, on April 14, 1864. The gunboats were returned safely upriver to Grand Ecore in Natchitoches Parish.
In the postwar years, cotton and agriculture continued as mainstays of the economy. Later cattle raising was introduced. Large-scale agriculture and ranching have reduced economic opportunities in the rural area. The population of Campti has continued to be majority African American, reflecting the history of its development.
Geography
Campti is located at 31°53′44″N 93°6′50″W / 31.89556°N 93.11389°W (31.895511, -93.113966).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2), all land.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 101 | — | |
| 1890 | 310 | 206.9% | |
| 1910 | 664 | — | |
| 1920 | 670 | 0.9% | |
| 1930 | 999 | 49.1% | |
| 1940 | 1,004 | 0.5% | |
| 1950 | 1,014 | 1.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,045 | 3.1% | |
| 1970 | 1,078 | 3.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,069 | −0.8% | |
| 1990 | 929 | −13.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,057 | 13.8% | |
| 2010 | 1,056 | −0.1% | |
| 2020 | 887 | −16.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 157 | 17.7% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 679 | 76.55% |
| Native American | 6 | 0.68% |
| Other/Mixed | 32 | 3.61% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13 | 1.47% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 887 people, 427 households, and 192 families residing in the town.
Education
Natchitoches Parish School Board operates public schools, including Fairview Alpha Elementary School and Lakeview Junior-Senior High School.
Natchitoches Parish Library operates the Northeast Branch in Campti.
Notable people
- Maxine Brown Russell, country singer, was born in Campti. She is a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee and performed with her siblings, Jim Ed and Bonnie, as The Browns.
See also
In Spanish: Campti para niños
