Winnfield, Louisiana
Winnfield, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Winnfield | |
 Location of Winnfield in Winn Parish, Louisiana | |
.svg) Location of Louisiana in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 31°55′30″N 92°37′55″W / 31.92500°N 92.63194°W[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Winn |
| Government | |
| • Type | City council/mayor |
| Area | |
• Total | 3.64 sq mi (9.43 km2) |
| • Land | 3.64 sq mi (9.43 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 144 ft (44 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 4,153 |
| • Density | 1,140.4/sq mi (440.32/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 71483 |
| Area code | 318 |
| FIPS code | 22-82460 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405767[1] |
| Website | Official website |
Winnfield is a small city in, and the parish seat of, Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, Winnfield had a population of 4,153.[3]
History
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When Winn Parish was officially formed by the state legislature in 1852, Winnfield was established as the parish seat.[4] During the Civil War, the area around Winnfield was the site of some minor skirmishes. Confederate forces defeated a Union detachment near Salsbury Bridge sent to destroy the Drake's Salt Works in the area.[citation needed]
Many Civil War bandits made the region their home. Among these were the West and Kimbrel clan.
Three Louisiana governors were Winnfield natives and grew up here: Huey Long, Oscar K. Allen and Earl Long. Huey Long became governor, U.S. Senator. He was assassinated in 1935. Oscar K. Allen was elected governor in 1932. Earl Long, "the Louisiana Longshot," served in a variety of state positions, said to be more than other Louisianan, including elective office.[citation needed] He was elected governor in 1939, 1948 and 1956. He was elected to Congress in 1960 but died before he could assume office.
Winnfield was a major producer of salt in the Civil War days; salt kettles used at Big Cedar and Drake's Salt Works furnished salt for the Confederate army. One still exists today in front of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame, turned into a fountain. The salt works was located on Saline Bayou.[5] Later the Cary Salt Works started an 840-foot deep mine west of Winnfield. The mine was used by the federal government in Project Coyboy Plowshare Program, Cowboy Event. Between December 1959 and March 1960 a series of high explosives were set off inside the Carry Salt Works in an unused portion of the mine.[6][7][8] The mine was later flooded by an underground river. The mine and all equipment inside were abandoned.
The rock quarry operated near or on top of the salt mine and produced limestone and gravel still operates today as Winn Rock.
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.6 km2), all land.
It is about a three hour traveling distance from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.[9]
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 133 | — | |
| 1910 | 2,925 | — | |
| 1920 | 2,975 | 1.7% | |
| 1930 | 3,721 | 25.1% | |
| 1940 | 4,512 | 21.3% | |
| 1950 | 5,629 | 24.8% | |
| 1960 | 7,022 | 24.7% | |
| 1970 | 7,142 | 1.7% | |
| 1980 | 7,311 | 2.4% | |
| 1990 | 6,138 | −16.0% | |
| 2000 | 5,749 | −6.3% | |
| 2010 | 4,840 | −15.8% | |
| 2020 | 4,153 | −14.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] | |||
Racial and ethnic composition
[edit]| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[11] | Pop 2010[12] | Pop 2020[13] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 2,732 | 2,165 | 1,636 | 47.52% | 44.73% | 39.39% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,857 | 2,432 | 2,210 | 49.70% | 50.25% | 53.21% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 21 | 27 | 18 | 0.37% | 0.56% | 0.43% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 9 | 17 | 4 | 0.16% | 0.35% | 0.10% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 | 6 | 14 | 0.00% | 0.12% | 0.34% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 64 | 66 | 143 | 1.11% | 1.36% | 3.44% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 66 | 125 | 128 | 1.15% | 2.58% | 3.08% |
| Total | 5,749 | 4,840 | 4,153 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020 census
[edit]As of the 2020 census, Winnfield had a population of 4,153. The median age was 37.8 years. 26.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.8% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 85.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 78.9 males age 18 and over.[14][15]
There were 1,693 households, including 1,173 families, in the city. Of all households, 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Married-couple households made up 24.7% of households, while 22.9% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present and 46.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]
There were 2,085 housing units, of which 18.8% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.5%.[14]
99.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.4% lived in rural areas.[16]
Economy
[edit]
As of 2014[update], according to Bauer, Walmart, Winn Correctional Center, and the area lumber mill offer the majority of the jobs in the Winnfield area; because of the poverty in the area, residents are willing to take low-paying jobs at Winn Correctional Center despite the danger present there.[17]
Arts and culture
[edit]Museums
[edit]Annual events
[edit]- Uncle Earl's Hog Dog Trials – a yearly bay dog event
- Louisiana Forest Festival
Education
[edit]Public schools
[edit]Winn Parish School Board operates local public schools, which include:
- Winnfield Senior High School (9–12)
- Winnfield Middle School (5–8)
- Winnfield Primary School (K–4)
Higher education
[edit]- Central Louisiana Technical Community College — Huey P. Long campus
Media
[edit]Newspapers
[edit]- The Piney Woods Journal
- Winn Parish Enterprise
- Winn Parish Journal
TV
[edit]- KCDH-LP, cable only
Radio
[edit]- KVCL-FM - country music
Infrastructure
[edit]Health Care
[edit]Winn Parish Medical Center is a 30-bed facility. it was founded in 1948.[18]
Notable people
[edit]- A. Leonard Allen, U. S. Congressman
- Oscar K. Allen, governor of Louisiana[19]
- George Washington Bolton, businessman and patriarch of the Bolton family of Alexandria
- Harley Bozeman, tree farmer, politician, historian, confidant of Huey and Earl Long[20]
- P. J. Brown, professional basketball player
- John Burrows, professional baseball player
- Randy Fenoli, fashion designer, star of Say Yes to the Dress andRandy to the Rescue[21]
- Earl K. Long, governor of Louisiana[19]
- Gillis William Long, U. S. Congressman
- Huey Pierce Long Jr., governor of Louisiana, senator from Louisiana[19]
- Speedy Long, U. S. Congressman, attended high school in Winnfield
- Dick Merrill, aviator
- Thomas D. Milling, brigadier general, United States Air Force
- Preston Powell, professional football player
- William Jay Smith, Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress 1968–1970
- Anthony Thomas, professional football player
- Jack Wallace, professional baseball player, minor league manager
References
[edit]- ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Winnfield, Louisiana
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
- ^ "About Winn Parish | Winn Parish Police Jury". Retrieved May 2, 2026.
- ^ Davies, Greggory E. "1948 History of Winnfield, Winn Parish, LA". USGenWeb Archives.
- ^ Project Cowboy: Fracturing of rock salt by a contained high explosive. Ucrl ;6054. Lawrence Radiation Laboratory. 1960.
- ^ "Cowboy Trails. Phase I. Small-Scale Explosive Tests in Salt Domes. Part 1. Goals, Methods and Conclusions. Part 2. Experimental Program". November 19, 2015. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015.
- ^ "Project Coyboy - Coyboy Event - Project Plowboy WinnFreeNet.com". winnfield.winnfreenet.com.
- ^ Bauer, Shane (June 2016). "My four months as a private prison guard". Mother Jones. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Winnfield city, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Winnfield city, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Winnfield city, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ^ "My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard: Part One ." Mother Jones. June 23, 2016. Retrieved on July 2, 2016. About 2:50 through 3:20 of 4:30.
- ^ "WPMC Hospital". Winn Parish Medical Center. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
- ^ a b c "The City of Winnfield, Louisiana, Official website, Retrieved on February 10, 2009
- ^ Harley Bozeman obituary, Winn Parish Enterprise-News-American, May 20, 1971
- ^ Shanfelt, Eric (February 1, 2012). "Randy to the Rescue: TLC's Ultimage Bridal Event". New Orleans. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
External links
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Municipalities and communities of Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent parish or parishes | |
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