Elliot City, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elliot City
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 Elliot City
Location in Louisiana
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Pointe Coupee |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Elliot City was a ghost town in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. It was located about 6 miles west of Livonia. Today, the area where the town once stood is mostly covered by U.S. Route 190.
Why Elliot City Disappeared
Elliot City faced many challenges from flooding. The town was hit by floods in 1912 and 1913. These floods happened because of breaks in the Atchafalaya River levee. A levee is a wall built to stop a river from overflowing. There were also floods from the Mississippi River in 1912 and the Atchafalaya River in 1927.
The Morganza Spillway
In 1939, the people of Elliot City had to leave their homes. This was because of the construction of the Morganza Spillway. A spillway is a structure that helps control river water levels. The Morganza Spillway was built to protect cities like Baton Rouge and New Orleans from major floods.
The area where Elliot City was located is now part of a floodway system. This means it is designed to be flooded on purpose if river levels get too high. For example, the floodway gates at the Morganza control structure were opened in 1973 and 2011. When this happened, the entire area where Elliot City once stood went underwater. The area could be flooded again if the gates are opened in the future.
A Look Back: World War II Training
Not far from where Elliot City used to be, there was once a training area. This area was used by the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Airplanes from Harding Army Air Field in Baton Rouge would practice bombing there. This bombing range is no longer active today.
