Taft, Louisiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taft
Census-designated place
The Dow Chemical plant in Taft, photographed in 2012.
Taft Location in Louisiana
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	St. Charles
Area
• Total	5.64 sq mi (14.60 km2)
• Land	4.98 sq mi (12.90 km2)
• Water	0.66 sq mi (1.70 km2)
Elevation	7 ft (2 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	61
• Density	12.24/sq mi (4.73/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s)	985
FIPS code	22-74550
GNIS feature ID	2402911

Taft is a small community in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is located on the west side of the Mississippi River. Taft is known as a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's an area that the government counts for population, but it's not officially a city or town.

History of Taft

Taft is home to several large industrial facilities. These include a plant owned by The Mosaic Company that processes phosphate. There is also a Dow/Union Carbide plant. This plant makes many different organic chemicals. Part of the Waterford Nuclear Generating Station, owned by Entergy Corporation, is also located here. Most of the land in Taft is now used for heavy industry.

Early Community Life

Taft was once the original location of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. This church served the communities of Taft, Killona, and Hahnville. The church building was first built in 1877. In 1963, the church moved to Hahnville. However, the cemetery in Taft is still used for burials by the church today. It is surrounded on three sides by the Dow chemical facilities.

Population Changes Over Time

When the first post office opened in Taft in 1905, about 700 people lived there. The post office stayed open until 1967. By 1977, the population had dropped significantly, with only 36 people living in Taft. This shows how much the community changed over the years.

Important Events

In December 1982, an event happened at the Union Carbide facility in Taft. This caused nearly 17,000 people to leave their homes for safety. The facility is about 30 miles from New Orleans.

Geography of Taft

Taft is located right on the Mississippi River. It is across the river from the communities of Norco and Montz.

Land and Water Area

According to the United States Census Bureau, the total area of Taft is about 5.64 square miles (14.60 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 4.98 square miles (12.90 square kilometers). The rest, about 0.66 square miles (1.70 square kilometers), is water.

Population Information

The population of Taft has been counted in the United States Census. A census is an official count of how many people live in an area.

Population Growth

Taft first appeared in the 2000 census. At that time, its recorded population was zero. By the 2010 census, the population had grown to 63 people. In the 2020 census, the population was 61 people.

Racial and Ethnic Makeup

The table below shows the different racial and ethnic groups that make up the population of Taft. The census treats Hispanic/Latino as a separate ethnic group, and people of any race can be Hispanic/Latino.

See also

In Spanish: Taft (Luisiana) para niños