Harrisonburg, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Harrisonburg is a village in and the parish seat of Catahoula Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. The population was 746 at the 2000 census.
, which is located a fourth of a mile outside the village, was a Confederate
stronghold during the American Civil War
. In 1863, the fort successfully defended Harrisonburg from the attack of four Union
gunboats coming from the Black River to the Ouachita River
. After four days of bombardment, little damage was done, and the gunboats retired down river.
The village of Harrisonburg formerly staged reenactments at Fort Beauregard, also known as Fort Hill, but those ceremonies ended in the late 20th century.
Harrisonburg was once a trade capital because of its location on the Ouachita River, with easy access to the Mississippi River
and New Orleans. The Harrisonburg Road
ran through the area as it crossed Louisiana between Mississippi
's Natchez Trace
and Texas
' El Camino Real
.
Harrisonburg was considered for the new site of the Louisiana state capital when the legislature decided to move it from New Orleans after the Civil War.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²). 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (10.48%) is water.
of 2000, there were 746 people, 142 households, and 91 families residing in the village. The population density
was 792.5 inhabitants per square mile (306.4/km²). There were 157 housing units at an average density of 166.8 per square mile (64.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 43.43% White, 54.83% African American, 1.47% Asian, and 0.27% from two or more races.
There were 142 households out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were married couples
living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the village the population was spread out with 13.4% under the age of 18, 22.4% from 18 to 24, 42.5% from 25 to 44, 12.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 273.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 316.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $21,786, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $15,000 versus $14,167 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $6,242, making it the poorest census-designated place in the state. About 17.1% of families and 27.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 25.7% of those age 65 or over.
Catahoula Parish, Louisiana
Catahoula Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its seat is Harrisonburg, located on the Ouachita River, which forms the eastern boundary of the parish. In 2000, the population of the parish was 10,920.-Prehistory:...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 746 at the 2000 census.
History
Fort BeauregardFort Beauregard
Fort Beauregard, located half a mile north of the village of Harrisonburg, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, was one of four Confederate forts guarding the Ouachita River during the American Civil War...
, which is located a fourth of a mile outside the village, was a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
stronghold during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. In 1863, the fort successfully defended Harrisonburg from the attack of four Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
gunboats coming from the Black River to the Ouachita River
Ouachita River
The Ouachita River is a river that runs south and east through the U.S. states of Arkansas and Louisiana, joining the Tensas River to form the Black River near Jonesville, Louisiana.-Course:...
. After four days of bombardment, little damage was done, and the gunboats retired down river.
The village of Harrisonburg formerly staged reenactments at Fort Beauregard, also known as Fort Hill, but those ceremonies ended in the late 20th century.
Harrisonburg was once a trade capital because of its location on the Ouachita River, with easy access to the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and New Orleans. The Harrisonburg Road
Harrisonburg Road
The Harrisonburg Road was an old wagon train road in Louisiana which connected the Natchez Trace to the El Camino Real in Texas. In modern times the route has been called the Natchez Trace on some highway markers and the El Camino Real in other places, but the original name would have been the...
ran through the area as it crossed Louisiana between Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
's Natchez Trace
Natchez Trace
The Natchez Trace, also known as the "Old Natchez Trace", is a historical path that extends roughly from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
' El Camino Real
Old San Antonio Road
The Old San Antonio Road was a historic roadway located in the U.S. states of Texas and Louisiana. Parts of it were based on traditional Native American trails. Its Texas terminus was about southeast of Eagle Pass at the Rio Grande in Maverick County, and its northern terminus was at...
.
Harrisonburg was considered for the new site of the Louisiana state capital when the legislature decided to move it from New Orleans after the Civil War.
Geography
Harrisonburg is located at 31°46′20"N 91°49′39"W (31.772177, -91.827403).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²). 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (10.48%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 746 people, 142 households, and 91 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 792.5 inhabitants per square mile (306.4/km²). There were 157 housing units at an average density of 166.8 per square mile (64.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 43.43% White, 54.83% African American, 1.47% Asian, and 0.27% from two or more races.
There were 142 households out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the village the population was spread out with 13.4% under the age of 18, 22.4% from 18 to 24, 42.5% from 25 to 44, 12.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 273.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 316.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $21,786, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $15,000 versus $14,167 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $6,242, making it the poorest census-designated place in the state. About 17.1% of families and 27.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 25.7% of those age 65 or over.