Waggaman, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Waggaman, Louisiana
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 Waggaman, Louisiana
Location in Louisiana
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Jefferson |
| Named for | George A. Waggaman |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.57 sq mi (17.00 km2) |
| • Land | 5.73 sq mi (14.85 km2) |
| • Water | 0.83 sq mi (2.16 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,835 |
| • Density | 1,715.51/sq mi (662.39/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
70094 (Westwego)
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| Area code(s) | 504 |
| GNIS feature ID | 558340 |
Waggaman is a community in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. It's known as a "census-designated place," which means it's an area that the government counts for population, but it's not officially a city or town.
Waggaman is located on the west side of the Mississippi River. It's part of the larger New Orleans metropolitan area. In 2020, about 9,835 people lived there. The area got its name from George Augustus Waggaman, who was a U.S. Senator.
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History of Waggaman
The area of Waggaman has a rich history. George A. Waggaman and his wife, Camille Arnoult, settled here a long time ago. Camille inherited a large piece of land, and they built a big farm, or "plantation," called Avondale.
Sadly, the Mississippi River changed its path in 1892 and took over the Avondale plantation land. Today, the Avondale area is right next to Waggaman. It used to be home to the Avondale Shipyards, which was a very important workplace in Jefferson Parish.
Geography of Waggaman
Waggaman is located on the west side of Jefferson Parish. It sits on the southwest bank of the Mississippi River. To its southeast is the community of Avondale.
Across the Mississippi River, Waggaman faces other communities like Kenner to the north, River Ridge to the northeast, and Harahan to the east.
U.S. Route 90 runs along the southern edge of Waggaman. This road can take you about 14 miles east into the city of New Orleans. Another important road, Louisiana Highway 18 (also called River Road), follows the river through the community. It goes east into Avondale and west for about 10 miles to Interstate 310 in Luling.
The total area of Waggaman is about 6.57 square miles (17.0 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 5.73 square miles (14.2 square kilometers), while the rest, about 0.83 square miles (2.8 square kilometers), is water.
People in Waggaman
The population of Waggaman was 9,835 people in 2020. The community is made up of people from many different backgrounds.
Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Waggaman as of 2020:
- About 64.62% of the people are Black or African American.
- About 23.41% are White.
- About 7.26% are Hispanic or Latino.
- Smaller percentages are Native American, Asian, or people of mixed races.
In 2019, the average income for a household in Waggaman was $46,075.
Education in Waggaman
The schools in Waggaman are part of the Jefferson Parish Public School System.
Most children living in Waggaman attend Cherbonnier K-8 School. This school serves students from kindergarten all the way through 8th grade. It used to be two separate schools, Norbert Rillieux Elementary School and Cherbonnier Elementary School, but they combined in 2012.
For high school, students from Waggaman go to L.W. Higgins High School in Marrero. If students want to attend advanced study programs, they are assigned to the Marrero Academy.
The Jefferson Parish Library also has a branch in Waggaman called the Live Oak Library. It's next to Thomas Jefferson Park and opened in 1989. The library building looks like a traditional Acadian style cottage.
Police and Fire Services
The community of Waggaman is kept safe by the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Department, which provides police services. Fire protection is handled by the Live Oak Manor Fire Department.
See also
In Spanish: Waggaman (Luisiana) para niños
