Greenwell Springs, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Greenwell Springs
|
|
|---|---|
 Greenwell Springs
Location in Louisiana
Greenwell Springs
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | East Baton Rouge |
| Elevation | 53.84 ft (16.41 m) |
| Population
(2007)
|
|
| • Total | 10,687 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
70739
|
| Area code(s) | 225 |
Greenwell Springs is a special area located within the city of Central, Louisiana, in the United States. It's part of the larger Baton Rouge metropolitan area. Before becoming part of Central, it was a separate community that wasn't officially a city or town. The special mail code for this area is 70739.
History of Greenwell Springs
Around the 1850s, a man named Robert W. Greenwell bought land in this area. He started building a countryside resort here. This resort was special because it had 10 natural springs, which people believed had healing powers. Even though the springs were close, each one had different minerals. This probably meant the water came from different depths underground.
The resort was called the Greenwell Springs Hotel. During the American Civil War, it was used by Confederate General John C. Breckinridge. He used it as a main base and a place to gather his troops.
Before the Battle of Baton Rouge in April 1862, Breckinridge's soldiers marched to attack Union forces. These Union forces had taken over the city of Baton Rouge. After the battle, the Confederate soldiers went back to the Greenwell Springs Hotel. They used it as a hospital for their wounded troops. Both Union and Confederate soldiers were buried on the hotel grounds in unmarked graves.
During the war, Robert W. Greenwell joined the Confederate Army. He became a captain. He led a group called the East Baton Rouge Guards. This group was Company F, 3rd Louisiana Cavalry, during the Battle of Port Hudson.
After the war, most of the resort village and the Greenwell Springs Hotel were taken apart. The wood from these buildings was used to help rebuild Baton Rouge. Many buildings in Baton Rouge had been damaged or destroyed during the war.
In 1910, a new Greenwell Springs Hotel was built where the old one stood. A new building for the springs was also built. But soon after, the springs stopped flowing. People thought this happened because the openings of the springs were made too wide. This caused the water pressure to drop.
Without the springs, the new hotel became less popular and closed down. In 1920, the Greenwell Springs Hotel burned down. Later, the State of Louisiana bought the land. They used it for a hospital that treated tuberculosis, a lung disease. Eventually, it became a mental hospital called Greenwell Springs Hospital. It was during this time that the springs started flowing again.
In April 2005, Greenwell Springs became part of the new city called Central.
Some important people have lived here. These include Gaston Gerald, a former Louisiana State Senator. He was a farmer and rancher. Another resident was Clif Richardson, a former State Representative.
Climate
The weather in Greenwell Springs has hot and humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate. On climate maps, it is marked as Cfa.
Education
The schools in Greenwell Springs are part of the Central Community School System.
- Bellingrath Hills Elementary School teaches Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten.
- Tanglewood Elementary School is for grades 1-2.
- Central Intermediate School serves grades 3-5.
- Central Middle School is for grades 6-8.
- Central High School is for grades 9-12.
Bellingrath Hills Elementary is located right in Greenwell Springs.
The Central Community School System took over these schools in 2007. Before that, they were part of the East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools.
There is also a private Catholic school in Greenwell Springs. It is called St. Alphonsus Catholic School. This school teaches students from Kindergarten through 8th grade. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge. The school opened in 1963 for grades 1-4. It started with 131 students.
Notable people
- Dalton W. Honoré, a state representative for District 63, used to live in Greenwell Springs.
- Will Hayden
