Sicily Island, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sicily Island, Louisiana
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Village
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Location of Sicily Island in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.
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Location of Louisiana in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Catahoula |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.57 sq mi (1.49 km2) |
| • Land | 0.57 sq mi (1.49 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 366 |
| • Density | 637.63/sq mi (246.05/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 318 |
| FIPS code | 22-70245 |
Sicily Island is a village in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 336 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Sicily Island is located in northeastern Catahoula Parish at 31°50′48″N 91°39′32″W / 31.84667°N 91.65889°W (31.846573, -91.658925). U.S. Route 425 passes through the village, leading north 23 miles (37 km) to Winnsboro and southeast 30 miles (48 km) to Natchez, Mississippi. Louisiana State Highway 8 leads southwest 11 miles (18 km) to Harrisonburg, the Catahoula Parish seat.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Sicily Island has a total area of 0.58 square miles (1.49 km2), all land. Despite its name, Sicily Island is not an island; instead, nearby lakes and rivers gave the area a shape early settlers considered reminiscent of the island of Sicily.
History
In the early 1700s, the area that would become Sicily Island was the site of a Natchez settlement. In January 1731, towards the end of the Natchez Revolt, French forces besieged the Natchez fort, compelling the surrender of 45 men and 450 women and children. Although the bulk of the Natchez leaders and warriors escaped, the siege marked the last major engagement of the war.
In 1881, a Jewish agricultural colony was created in Sicily Island with the support of the Am Olam organization and the Hebrew Emigrant Aid Society. The colony was mostly made up of immigrants from Yelisavetgrad who were fleeing the pogroms that began that same year. By 1882, the colony was completely disbanded as the Mississippi River flooded, destroying most farms.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 761 | — | |
| 1970 | 630 | −17.2% | |
| 1980 | 691 | 9.7% | |
| 1990 | 421 | −39.1% | |
| 2000 | 453 | 7.6% | |
| 2010 | 526 | 16.1% | |
| 2020 | 366 | −30.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 203 | 180 | 96 | 44.81% | 34.22% | 26.23% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 245 | 336 | 251 | 54.08% | 63.88% | 68.58% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.55% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.19% | 0.00% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Other Race alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.09% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 1 | 7 | 10 | 0.22% | 1.33% | 2.73% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0.88% | 0.38% | 0.82% |
| Total | 453 | 526 | 366 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Notable people
- Cecil R. Blair, Louisiana State Senator from Rapides Parish, grew up in Sicily Island and graduated from Sicily Island High School in 1934.
- S. S. DeWitt, member of the Louisiana House from 1964-1972 from Tensas Parish, was born in Sicily Island and graduated from Sicily Island High School in 1931.
- J.C. "Sonny" Gilbert, cotton planter, former member of both the Louisiana House of Representatives (1972–1976) and the Louisiana State Senate (1960–1972), and former director of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, resided in Sicily Island until his death in 2014.
- Joe Raymond Peace, football coach
- William S. Peck, Jr., member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1956 to 1964
- William S. Peck, Sr., member of the Louisiana House from 1920 to 1928
- Sonny Simmons, jazz musician, born in Sicily Island in 1933
- Coy Wilton Wynn, news correspondent for Associated Press and Time magazine
- Todd Guice graduated from Sicily Island High School and served as President of the LHSAA. He is currently the Superintendent of the Ouachita Parish School System.
Photo gallery
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Sicily Island Fire Department
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Catahoula Parish branch library in Sicily Island
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Sicily Island United Methodist Church
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First Baptist Church in Sicily Island
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Sicily Island State Bank
See also
In Spanish: Sicily Island para niños
