Monroe is a city in Louisiana, a state in the United States. It is the ninth-largest city in Louisiana. Monroe is the main city of Ouachita Parish. It is also the biggest city in the parish. In 2020, about 47,702 people lived there. Monroe is the second-largest metropolitan area in North Louisiana.

What's in a Name?

Monroe was first called Fort Miro. This fort was built in 1791 by Governor Esteban Rodríguez Miró. The name changed to Monroe in the spring of 1820. This happened when the steamboat James Monroe arrived for the first time. People thought this event turned the small outpost into a real town.

The steamboat was named after James Monroe. He was the fifth President of the United States. You can see a picture of this steamboat in a mural at the Ouachita Parish Public Library.

Monroe's Story

How Monroe Began

Monroe started a long time ago, during the Spanish colonial period. In 1781, a man named Jean Baptiste Filhiol was sent to oversee the area. In 1785, he chose Prairie des Canots, which is now Monroe, as the main government center. A fort was built in 1791 and named Fort Miro. This was to honor the Spanish governor, Estavan Miro.

The name changed to Monroe in 1820. This was to celebrate the first time the steamboat James Monroe came to town.

Important People and Changes

In 1913, Joseph A. Biedenharn moved to Monroe. He was the first person to bottle Coca-Cola. Joseph and his son Malcolm helped start Delta Air Lines. This company was first called Delta Dusters. It helped farmers by dusting crops from airplanes. This was to fight the boll weevil, a bug that harmed cotton plants. Today, Biedenharn's home and gardens are a museum. It is called the Biedenharn Museum and Gardens.

Collett E. Woolman was another important person. He was from Indiana. He helped create the world's first crop-dusting service. This helped farmers fight the boll weevil. When cotton farming declined, many farm jobs were lost. This led to the Great Migration. Many African-Americans moved from the rural South to northern and midwestern cities. They were looking for new jobs and better lives.

Howard D. Griffin bought a boat dealership in 1936. By the 1960s, his company was the biggest outboard motor dealership in the world. He also sold motorcycles. From 1955 to 1985, he and his wife ran a seasonal toy store called Land O' Toys.

Where is Monroe?

Monroe is in northeastern Louisiana. It is the main city of the Monroe metropolitan area. It is also the center for business and culture in northeastern Louisiana. Monroe is about 72 feet (21.9 m) above sea level.

The city covers about 31.6 square miles (83.9 km²). Most of this is land, about 28.7 square miles (74.3 km²). The rest, about 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²), is water.

Monroe's Weather

Bayou Desiard flows through Monroe.

Monroe has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. It rains a lot, with over 51 inches (1.3 m) of rain each year. The wettest month is June, and the driest is August.

Sometimes, there are strong thunderstorms. These can bring heavy rain, hail, strong winds, and even tornadoes. This usually happens in spring and summer.

Winters are usually mild. Temperatures drop below freezing about 35 days a year. Sometimes, there can be ice or sleet storms. Summers are hot and humid. Temperatures often go above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). This happens about 91 days a year. The air is also very humid.

Big Storms in Monroe

The 2016 Flood

In March 2016, Monroe had a huge flood. Between 15 and 20 inches of rain fell in just three days. This was more rain than ever recorded in a three-day period. In Ouachita Parish, 9,500 homes were damaged by the flood. About 5,400 homes were completely flooded. More than 1,700 people were rescued from high water.

The 2020 Tornado

On April 12, 2020, a strong tornado hit Monroe. It was part of the 2020 Easter tornado outbreak. The tornado caused a lot of damage. But because people had warnings, no one was killed or injured.

Who Lives in Monroe?

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	435	—
1870	1,949	—
1880	2,070	6.2%
1890	3,256	57.3%
1900	5,428	66.7%
1910	10,209	88.1%
1920	12,675	24.2%
1930	26,028	105.3%
1940	28,309	8.8%
1950	38,572	36.3%
1960	52,219	35.4%
1970	56,374	8.0%
1980	57,597	2.2%
1990	54,909	−4.7%
2000	53,107	−3.3%
2010	48,815	−8.1%
2020	47,702	−2.3%
2023 (est.)	46,616	−4.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census

In 2020, Monroe had 47,702 people living there. The population has changed over time. It was highest in 1980, with 57,597 people.

Here's a look at the different groups of people in Monroe in 2020:

Monroe racial composition as of 2020
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	14,398	30.18%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	30,166	63.24%
Native American	84	0.18%
Asian	835	1.75%
Pacific Islander	10	0.02%
Other/mixed	1,221	2.56%
Hispanic or Latino	988	2.07%

In 2019, about 62% of the people were Black or African American. About 32.7% were white. Other groups included Asian (0.8%), American Indian (0.2%), and people of two or more races (0.9%). About 2.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latin American.

Religions in Monroe

First Baptist Church, Monroe

Most people in Monroe are Christian. The largest Christian group is Baptists. Many African-American churches are Baptist. The Southern Baptist Convention also has churches here.

Methodism is the second-largest Christian group. The Catholic Church is the third-largest. There are also many Pentecostal churches growing in the city.

Islam is the second-largest religion in Monroe. Most Muslims are Sunni. Judaism is the third-largest religion. Temple B'nai Israel, started in 1868, is the oldest synagogue in Monroe.

Monroe's Economy

Major Employers

St. Francis Medical Center is located off Interstate 20 in downtown Monroe.

Monroe has many important employers. Here are some of the biggest ones:

#	Employer	# of employees
1	Ouachita Parish School Board	2,844
2	Lumen Technologies, Inc. (formerly CenturyLink)	2,360
3	St. Francis Specialty Hospital	1,584
4	Monroe City Schools	1,348
5	IASIS Healthcare (Glenwood Regional Medical Center)	1,156
6	City of Monroe	1,105
7	JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.	930
8	Walmart (three locations)	912
9	University of Louisiana at Monroe	885
10	Graphic Packaging Holding Company	840

Shopping Fun

Pecanland Mall south entrance

Pecanland Mall is the biggest mall in North Louisiana. It has many stores like Belk, Dillard's, and JC Penney. There are 83 retail stores in total.

Arts and Culture

Monroe Convention Hall across Monroe Civic Center designed by Hugh G. Parker, Jr.

The Monroe Civic Center is a big place for events. Its main area has 44,000 square feet (4,100 m²) of space. It can seat 5,600 people, or up to 7,200 for bigger events. It hosts banquets, circuses, and rodeos.

The center also has the B. D. Robinson Conference Hall and the Monroe Convention Center. There is an equestrian pavilion for horse events. The W. L. Jack Howard Theatre seats 2,200 people. It is named after W. L. "Jack" Howard, a former mayor of Monroe. The Harvey H. Benoit Recreation Center is used for basketball and has outdoor tennis courts.

Every year in late June, Monroe hosts the Miss Louisiana pageant.

Museums and More

The Chennault Aviation and Military Museum in Monroe

Monroe is home to the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo. It has over 500 animals. You can also enjoy boat rides and a catwalk there.

There are several museums in the Monroe area:

Northeast Louisiana Children's Museum
Biedenharn Museum and Gardens
Chennault Aviation and Military Museum
Masur Museum of Arts
Northeast Louisiana Delta African-American Heritage Museum (This museum is part of the state's Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.)

Parks and Fun Activities

Monroe has the Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge. It's a great place to visit, and admission is free.

Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge

City Parks

The City of Monroe has 17 parks for everyone to enjoy:

Jesse Williams Park
Lamyville/Magnolia Park
Charles Johnson Park
Orange Street Park
Mt. Nebo Playground Park
Anita Lane Park
Hawthorne Street Park
Myrtle Street Park
Jasmine Street/Civic Street Park
Triangle/Stuart Park
Lida Benton Playground
Anna Grey Noe Park
Henry Bry Park
River Oaks Neighborhood Park
Sherrouse Neighborhood Park
Forsythe Point Recreation Area
Forsythe Park

Golf Courses

If you like golf, Monroe has several courses:

Bayou Desiard Country Club
Chennault Golf Course
Frenchman's Bend Country Club
The Links at Muny, Forsythe Park

Sports Teams

Monroe used to have a minor league hockey team called the Monroe Moccasins. They played from 1997 to 2001. The team is planning to play again in 2024.

Media and News

The News Star is the main daily newspaper in Monroe. It is owned by Gannett.

There are also two weekly newspapers owned by African-Americans: the Monroe Free Press and the Monroe Dispatch. The Free Press started in 1969. The Dispatch started in 1975. The Ouachita Citizen is another weekly newspaper. It covers local news in Ouachita Parish, including Monroe and nearby towns.

TV Stations

Monroe has several TV stations that offer local news:

KNOE-TV
KTVE
KARD-TV

Radio Stations

You can listen to local radio stations like KJLO and KMVX. KMLB AM 540 also broadcasts in Monroe.

Emergency Alerts

In case of an emergency, you can get alerts from:

KMLB-KNOE 540 AM
KMVX-KNOE 101.9 FM
KNOE TV 8
KTVE-TV 10
KARD-TV 14

Learning in Monroe

University of Louisiana Monroe Library and Conference Center

Colleges and Universities

Monroe has several places for higher education:

Career Technical College
Louisiana Delta Community College
McCann School of Business & Technology
Northeast Louisiana Technical College
UniTech Training Academy
University of Louisiana Monroe

Schools for Kids

Monroe City High School historic postcard, dated 1907)

The Monroe City Schools district covers the city. It has three high schools, three junior high schools, and 18 elementary schools. The high schools are:

Carroll High School
Neville High School
Wossman High School

The Ouachita Parish School System is a separate school district. It does not include any part of Monroe city limits.

There are also private schools in the area:

St. Frederick Catholic High School
Jesus the Good Shepherd School
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School
River Oaks School (has a Monroe address but is outside city limits)

City Services

National Guard

Monroe is home to the 528th Engineer Battalion of the Louisiana Army National Guard. This unit is part of the 225th Engineer Brigade.

Getting Around Monroe

Monroe was the first home of Delta Air Lines in the 1920s. Later, the airline moved to Atlanta. Today, Monroe Regional Airport serves the city. It has three runways and flights from American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

Greyhound Bus Lines offers bus trips from Monroe to many cities. Monroe also has the oldest city-owned transit system in the country. It started in 1906 as a street railroad. Now, the Monroe Transit System has 13 bus routes. It also has special buses for people with disabilities.

You can reach Monroe by car using Interstate 20, U.S. Highway 165, Louisiana Highway 15, and U.S. Highway 80.

For moving goods, Kansas City Southern, Union Pacific, BNSF, and Norfolk Southern all serve the city.

Famous People from Monroe

Images for kids

Downtown Monroe
Seal of Monroe
Location of Monroe in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
Bayou Desiard flows through Monroe.
First Baptist Church, Monroe
St. Francis Medical Center is located off Interstate 20 in downtown Monroe.
Pecanland Mall south entrance
Monroe Convention Hall across Monroe Civic Center designed by Hugh G. Parker, Jr.
The Chennault Aviation and Military Museum in Monroe
Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge
University of Louisiana Monroe Library and Conference Center
Monroe City High School historic postcard, dated 1907)