Lockport, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Lockport is a town
on Bayou Lafourche
in Lafourche Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. The population was 2,624 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Houma
–Bayou Cane
–Thibodaux
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
At first the canal, completed in 1847, brought prosperity to the area. Three years later locks were completed at the point where the canal reached Bayou Lafourche. Shipping along the canal was brisk until 1868. After that time, part of the waterway was no longer in use. The crevasse of 1876 partially destroyed the locks. Today remnants of the brick bulwark are still visible under a blanket of weeds.
Lockport prospered in spite of the canal's failure as a business venture. In 1849 the first public school opened. It was a one-room affair in Scanian's Cooperage. In 1850 Holy Savoir Catholic Church was dedicated, and in 1879 an order of nuns established Holy Savoir School.
The Village of Lockport was incorporated in 1899, and a mayor and board of aldermen were named. At the turn of the century, the village boasted a post office, brick sidewalks, an iron bridge over the bayou, a newspaper, ice house, banks, hotels, liveries, blacksmith shop, clothing stores, grocery and general merchandise stores, and various other enterprises. The iron bridge created quite a stir among the populace. It joined Lockport to Rita, the settlement on the east bank of the bayou.
One of the worst calamities to touch the village occurred in 1916, when a disastrous fire destroyed a large part of the business area and several homes. As a result of this tragedy, a water tower was erected on Main Street near the present day Sheriff's Annex, where it stood until Hurricane Betsy destroyed it in 1965.
By 1948 Lockport's population had grown to the point where its status was changed from village to town. It's boundaries had been expanded, and later the site of the canal bridge was changed to fifth street, now Crescent Avenue. Highway 1 no longer ran along Main Street. Several businesses sprang up along the new route, and that area has become the business hub of the town.
Today Lockport is a progressive community, dependent upon a diversified economy, surrounded by industries such as shipbuilding, sugarcane farming, oil and gas exploration, cattle, fishing, and a variety of vegetable farms. Through the years Lockport has managed to retain its small town quality - a quality that welcomes visitors who travel along Bayou Lafourche, the longest street in the world
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), of which, 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (3.12%) is water.
of 2000, there were 2,624 people, 1,009 households, and 724 families residing in the town. The population density
was 4,221.0 people per square mile (1,634.1/km²). There were 1,063 housing units at an average density of 1,709.9 per square mile (662.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.73% White, 1.03% African American, 1.64% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.61% from other races
, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population.
There were 1,009 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $34,688, and the median income for a family was $40,288. Males had a median income of $37,151 versus $19,474 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,769. About 15.3% of families and 19.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.5% of those under age 18 and 22.8% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
on Bayou Lafourche
Bayou Lafourche
Bayou Lafourche, originally called Chetimachas River, is a bayou in southeastern Louisiana, United States, that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The first settlements of Acadians in southern Louisiana were near Bayou Lafourche and Bayou des Écores, which led to a close association of the bayou with...
in Lafourche Parish
Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
Lafourche Parish is a parish located in the south of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It was originally the northern part of Lafourche Interior Parish, which consisted of the present parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne. The parish seat is Thibodaux...
, 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 2,624 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Houma
Houma, Louisiana
Houma is a city in and the parish seat of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, and the largest principal city of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's powers of government have been absorbed by the parish, which is now run by the Terrebonne Parish...
–Bayou Cane
Bayou Cane, Louisiana
Bayou Cane is a census-designated place in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 17,046 at the 2000 census.Bayou Cane is a principal city of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Terrebonne and Lafourche...
–Thibodaux
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Thibodaux is a small city in and the parish seat of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the banks of Bayou Lafourche in the northwestern part of the parish. The population was 14,431 at the 2000 census. Thibodaux is a principal city of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux Metropolitan Area
The Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in the Acadiana region of southern Louisiana that covers two parishes - Lafourche and Terrebonne...
.
History
Lockport, founded in 1835, traces its history to Jacques Lamotte, who in 1790 owned a large tract of land along Bayou Lafourche. Lemotte sold a portion of the tract to Messrs. Mercier and Marcantel in 1814. In 1823 William Field purchased a parcel of the land and later donated 5 arpents of it on both banks of Bayou Lafourche to Barataria and Lafourche Canal Company. As part of the transaction, the company agreed to build a canal, which would link Bayou Terrebonne to New Orleans. Allou D'Hemecourt surveyed the area in 1835. His map bears the name Longueville. Eventually, the village's name would become Lockport.At first the canal, completed in 1847, brought prosperity to the area. Three years later locks were completed at the point where the canal reached Bayou Lafourche. Shipping along the canal was brisk until 1868. After that time, part of the waterway was no longer in use. The crevasse of 1876 partially destroyed the locks. Today remnants of the brick bulwark are still visible under a blanket of weeds.
Lockport prospered in spite of the canal's failure as a business venture. In 1849 the first public school opened. It was a one-room affair in Scanian's Cooperage. In 1850 Holy Savoir Catholic Church was dedicated, and in 1879 an order of nuns established Holy Savoir School.
The Village of Lockport was incorporated in 1899, and a mayor and board of aldermen were named. At the turn of the century, the village boasted a post office, brick sidewalks, an iron bridge over the bayou, a newspaper, ice house, banks, hotels, liveries, blacksmith shop, clothing stores, grocery and general merchandise stores, and various other enterprises. The iron bridge created quite a stir among the populace. It joined Lockport to Rita, the settlement on the east bank of the bayou.
One of the worst calamities to touch the village occurred in 1916, when a disastrous fire destroyed a large part of the business area and several homes. As a result of this tragedy, a water tower was erected on Main Street near the present day Sheriff's Annex, where it stood until Hurricane Betsy destroyed it in 1965.
By 1948 Lockport's population had grown to the point where its status was changed from village to town. It's boundaries had been expanded, and later the site of the canal bridge was changed to fifth street, now Crescent Avenue. Highway 1 no longer ran along Main Street. Several businesses sprang up along the new route, and that area has become the business hub of the town.
Today Lockport is a progressive community, dependent upon a diversified economy, surrounded by industries such as shipbuilding, sugarcane farming, oil and gas exploration, cattle, fishing, and a variety of vegetable farms. Through the years Lockport has managed to retain its small town quality - a quality that welcomes visitors who travel along Bayou Lafourche, the longest street in the world
Geography
Lockport is located at 29°38′33"N 90°32′24"W (29.642584, -90.539895).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 town has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), of which, 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (3.12%) 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 2,624 people, 1,009 households, and 724 families residing in the town. 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 4,221.0 people per square mile (1,634.1/km²). There were 1,063 housing units at an average density of 1,709.9 per square mile (662.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.73% White, 1.03% African American, 1.64% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.61% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population.
There were 1,009 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% 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, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $34,688, and the median income for a family was $40,288. Males had a median income of $37,151 versus $19,474 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 town was $15,769. About 15.3% of families and 19.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.5% of those under age 18 and 22.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable natives, residents, and appearances
- Jefferson DeBlanc, recipient of the Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, was born in Lockport.