Reserve, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Reserve, Louisiana
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 Reserve, Louisiana
Location in Louisiana
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | St. John the Baptist |
| Area | |
| • Total | 17.1 sq mi (44 km2) |
| • Land | 16.1 sq mi (42 km2) |
| • Water | 1.0 sq mi (3 km2) |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Population
(2000)
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| • Total | 9,111 |
| • Density | 532.8/sq mi (205.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
70084
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| Area code(s) | 985 |
Reserve is a small community in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is located on the east side of the Mississippi River. In 2000, about 9,111 people lived there. The United States Census Bureau counts Reserve as a special statistical area called a census-designated place (CDP).
Contents
History of Reserve
Before it was called Reserve, this town was known as Bonnet Carre. A businessman named Leon Godchaux changed the town's name in the late 1800s. He built the Godchaux–Reserve Plantation, and the oldest part of the plantation house dates back to 1764. This historic home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the early 1900s, the plantation in Reserve had the biggest sugarcane refinery in the United States. It was called Godchaux Sugar Refinery.
Important visitors came to Reserve. President William Howard Taft visited the Godchaux–Reserve Plantation in 1909. Later, President Gerald Ford visited Reserve in 1976.
Another important building in Reserve is Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church. It was built in 1937 to serve the African American Catholic community. This church is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2005.
Environmental Concerns at Pontchartrain Works
In 2015, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) looked into health concerns in the area. They found that Reserve was in a region with environmental issues. The EPA identified a chemical called chloroprene as a concern. This chemical was being released from a factory called Pontchartrain Works.
The Pontchartrain Works factory made this chemical for many years. It was owned by DuPont and then sold to Denka of Japan in 2015. This factory is the only place in the United States that makes chloroprene.
Geography and Climate
Reserve is located at coordinates 30°3′45″N 90°33′12″W / 30.06250°N 90.55333°W.
The United States Census Bureau says that Reserve covers about 17.1 square miles (44.3 square kilometers). Most of this area, 16.1 square miles (41.6 square kilometers), is land. The rest, 1.0 square mile (2.7 square kilometers), is water.
Weather in Reserve
Reserve has a warm climate. Here's a look at the average temperatures and rainfall:
| Climate data for Reserve, Louisiana (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 62.3 (16.8) |
66.7 (19.3) |
72.4 (22.4) |
78.8 (26.0) |
84.9 (29.4) |
89.3 (31.8) |
91.6 (33.1) |
91.6 (33.1) |
88.3 (31.3) |
81.1 (27.3) |
71.2 (21.8) |
64.7 (18.2) |
78.6 (25.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 52.6 (11.4) |
56.7 (13.7) |
62.2 (16.8) |
68.5 (20.3) |
75.5 (24.2) |
80.9 (27.2) |
83.2 (28.4) |
83.2 (28.4) |
79.7 (26.5) |
71.0 (21.7) |
60.9 (16.1) |
55.1 (12.8) |
69.1 (20.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 42.9 (6.1) |
46.6 (8.1) |
52.1 (11.2) |
58.3 (14.6) |
66.2 (19.0) |
72.6 (22.6) |
74.7 (23.7) |
74.7 (23.7) |
71.0 (21.7) |
60.8 (16.0) |
50.6 (10.3) |
45.5 (7.5) |
59.7 (15.4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 5.89 (150) |
4.44 (113) |
4.90 (124) |
5.54 (141) |
5.85 (149) |
8.62 (219) |
7.08 (180) |
5.74 (146) |
5.75 (146) |
4.14 (105) |
4.28 (109) |
4.98 (126) |
67.21 (1,708) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0 (0) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population Information
The number of people living in Reserve has changed over the years:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 9,111 | — | |
| 2010 | 9,766 | 7.2% | |
| 2020 | 8,541 | −12.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census Details
In 2020, there were 8,541 people living in Reserve. There were 3,232 households and 2,246 families.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 3,923 | 3,559 | 2,806 | 43.06% | 36.44% | 32.85% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,909 | 5,772 | 5,011 | 53.88% | 59.10% | 58.67% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 16 | 18 | 26 | 0.18% | 0.18% | 0.30% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 29 | 38 | 29 | 0.32% | 0.39% | 0.34% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0.02% | 0.04% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 1 | 7 | 10 | 0.01% | 0.07% | 0.12% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 51 | 88 | 165 | 0.56% | 0.90% | 1.93% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 180 | 280 | 492 | 1.98% | 2.87% | 5.76% |
| Total | 9,111 | 9,766 | 8,541 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2000, there were 9,111 people, 3,068 households, and 2,347 families. About 41.5% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.97 people. The average family had 3.45 people.
The population was spread out by age. About 32.2% were under 18. The median age was 31 years old. This means half the people were younger than 31, and half were older.
The median income for a household was $32,466. For a family, it was $40,191. About 21.5% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 30.8% of those under 18.
Schools in Reserve
The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board manages the public schools in Reserve.
- East St. John Preparatory Academy is a school in Reserve. It used to be East St. John Elementary School. A new building for the school opened in 2018 after a fire in 2015. In 2017, it became a school for grades 5-8. In 2025, this school will be renamed Fifth Ward Preparatory School.
- Fifth Ward Elementary School was historically a school for African-American students. It is next to a chemical plant. This school is scheduled to close in 2025.
East St. John High School in Reserve serves the community's high school students.
There are also private schools:
- Riverside Academy is a private school in Reserve.
- St. Peter Catholic School is a K–7 Catholic school.
- Our Lady of Grace School was a Catholic K–7 school in Reserve. It closed in 2015.
Famous People from Reserve
Many talented people have come from Reserve:
- Jared Butler – A basketball player who won MVP of the 2021 Final Four with the Baylor Bears.
- Demond "Tweety" Carter – A former basketball player for Baylor.
- Rico Gathers – An NFL football player for the Dallas Cowboys and former college basketball player at Baylor University.
- Edmond Hall – A famous jazz clarinet player and bandleader.
- Herb Hall – Also a jazz clarinet player.
- Ryan Perrilloux – A quarterback who played for Louisiana State University and the New York Giants.
- Patrick Lewis – A professional football player for the Seattle Seahawks.
- Kid Thomas Valentine – A jazz trumpeter and bandleader.
See also
In Spanish: Reserve (Luisiana) para niños
