Walker, Louisiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Walker, Louisiana
City
Nickname(s):  The Pine Tree Capital of the World
Location of Walker in Livingston Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Livingston
Area
• Total	6.62 sq mi (17.15 km2)
• Land	6.59 sq mi (17.08 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2)
Elevation	46 ft (14 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,374
• Density	966.64/sq mi (373.22/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	70785
Area code(s)	225
FIPS code	22-79240
Website	Official website: http://www.walker.la.us

Walker is a city in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. In 2020, about 6,374 people lived there. This makes Walker and Denham Springs the only places in the parish that are called cities.

History of Walker

The area that is now Walker was started in 1825. Michael Joseph Milton, Jr. and some enslaved people were the first to settle there. Michael Milton married Martha Clark Milton in 1832. They received 343 acres of land. This land was given to Michael for his service in the War of 1812.

The Milton family was one of the first families to settle in this area. They came from North Carolina and Virginia. Before coming to Louisiana, they lived in Alabama and Florida. They built their new community in the piney woods. This area was east of the Amite River and Denham Springs.

The government saw that the settlement was growing. So, they opened a post office there in 1856. It was first called Milton Old Field. Michael Milton became the postmaster in 1858. In 1890, the post office name changed. It was renamed after Dr. William Elliott Walker, M.D. He was a lawmaker from nearby Springfield. He also served as a lieutenant colonel in the Confederate States of America.

Walker officially became a city in 2011. This was announced by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal.

Geography of Walker

Walker is located at 30°29′22″N 90°51′46″W / 30.48944°N 90.86278°W / 30.48944; -90.86278. The United States Census Bureau says the city covers about 5.8 square miles (14.9 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

The city is about 20 miles east of Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge is the capital city of Louisiana.

People and Population in Walker

In 2020, there were 6,374 people living in Walker. There were 2,449 households and 1,557 families.

Most people in Walker are White, making up about 78.24% of the population. About 11.14% of the people are Black or African American. Other groups include Asian, Native American, and people of mixed races. About 4.55% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

In 2010, the city had 6,138 people. About 85.2% were White and 10.8% were African American. The population was spread out by age. About 29.8% were under 18 years old. About 9.6% were 65 years or older. The average age in Walker was 32 years.

The average income for a household in Walker was about $38,298. For families, the average income was about $43,750. About 9.6% of the people in Walker lived below the poverty line.

Education in Walker

Walker is part of the Livingston Parish Public Schools system. This includes Walker High School.

There is a special center in Walker called the Livingston Parish Literacy and Technology Center. It is named after two important people in Louisiana education. They are Sally Clausen, a former education commissioner, and her brother, Thomas G. Clausen, who was a state education superintendent.

Notable People from Walker

Many interesting people have connections to Walker:

• Jefferson D. Hughes, III, is a judge on the Louisiana Supreme Court. He has lived in Walker since 2013.
• Mike DeJean is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He grew up in Walker and went to Walker High School.
• Julie Cantrell is a best-selling writer and editor. She went to school in Walker from kindergarten through 12th grade.
• Brian Thomas Jr. is an American football wide receiver. He plays for the LSU Tigers.

See also

In Spanish: Walker (Luisiana) para niños