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LaPlace, Louisiana

Coordinates: 30°04′30″N 90°29′06″W / 30.07500°N 90.48500°W / 30.07500; -90.48500
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LaPlace, Louisiana
Census-designated place
U.S. Highway 61 (Airline Highway) at U.S. Highway 51 intersection in LaPlace
U.S. Highway 61 (Airline Highway) at U.S. Highway 51 intersection in LaPlace
LaPlace, Louisiana is located in Louisiana
LaPlace, Louisiana
LaPlace, Louisiana
Location of La Place in Louisiana
Coordinates: 30°04′30″N 90°29′06″W / 30.07500°N 90.48500°W / 30.07500; -90.48500
CountryUnited States
StateLouisiana
ParishSt. John the Baptist
Area
[1]
 • Total
22.05 sq mi (57.11 km2)
 • Land20.89 sq mi (54.12 km2)
 • Water1.16 sq mi (2.99 km2)
Elevation
10 ft (3 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
28,841
 • Density1,380.28/sq mi (532.92/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
70068
Area code985
FIPS code22-42030
WebsiteOfficial website

LaPlace (/ləˈplɑːs/ lə-PLAHSS) is a census-designated place (CDP) in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States, situated along the east bank of the Mississippi River, in the New Orleans metropolitan area. In 2020, it had a population of 28,841.[2]

LaPlace is the southern terminus of Interstate 55, where it joins with Interstate 10, and of US 51, where it terminates at the junction with US 61. LaPlace is located 25 miles (40 km) west of New Orleans.

History

[edit]

Pre-European

[edit]

The Chitimacha lived in the region prior to the arrival of European colonists. The tribe’s lands once encompassed the entire Atchafalaya Basin, westward to Lafayette, southward to the Gulf of Mexico and eastward to the New Orleans area. The Chitimacha tribe currently resides on a reservation in St. Mary Parish.

European colonization

[edit]
A 1775 map of the German Coast with Colapissas, north of Carlstein, indicating the location of present-day LaPlace.[3]

Present-day LaPlace was settled by German immigrants in the early 18th century during Louisiana's French colonial period, as part of a larger settlement on the bank of the Mississippi called Karlstein.[4] Karlstein was one of the four settlements collectively known as the "German Coast" (French: la Côte des Allemands), having been populated by German-speaking immigrants since 1721.[5] French and Acadians intermarried with the Germans, and the area came to be known as Bonnet Carré (French for "square bonnet").[4][5] The name Bonnet Carré was inspired by the right-angle turn of the Mississippi river near the settlement and its resemblance to a square bonnet.[6]

1811 Slave Revolt

[edit]

Manual Andry built Woodland plantation in 1793 and forced enslaved people to cultivate sugarcane[7] there. The amount of money he stole from their forced labor was sizable. Severe violence was inflicted on the enslaved people, as had been common in Haiti (and had led to a successful slave rebellion there).

The former Andry Plantation House, now the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House, is where the revolt began.

In early January 1811, slaves at Woodland Plantation and several nearby plantations attempted the German Coast Uprising.[8] A group of 200-500 slaves armed with guns, axes, and cane knives set out from LaPlace to conquer New Orleans and gain freedom for themselves and others.[9] Local white "militia" men crushed the rebellion within three days, and nearly 100 slaves were either killed in battle, slaughtered by pursuing militia, or executed after summary trials by planter tribunals.[9] Although more slaves may have participated in the Black Seminole rebellion in 1836 and the whole of the Second Seminole War, this is now considered the largest slave rebellion.[10][11]

Post-Civil War developments

[edit]

In 1879, pharmacist, planter, and patent medicine purveyor[12] Basile Laplace arrived from New Orleans and established a large plantation in Bonnet Carré. In 1883, he allowed the New Orleans and Baton Rouge Railroad to cut through his land.[4][12] The settlement's railroad depot was named after Laplace, then the post office, and eventually the town itself.[4][6]

In the 1920s, Woodland Plantation was bought by the Montegut family, but the most famous person born there may have been Kid Ory, who was born in an outbuilding and later led a successful New Orleans jazz band.[7]

Weather events

[edit]
F4 damage to a destroyed home in LaPlace, Louisiana.

In the period between 1850 and 1883, the levee on the east bank of the Mississippi flooded several times.[13] In 1850, a flood created the Bonnet Carré Crevasse, a levee breach that was more than a mile wide.[13] Several major floods were exacerbated by this crevasse near LaPlace, and one resulted in severe flooding of New Orleans in 1871.[13] The breach was closed in 1883.[13]

In 1983, a violent F4 tornado devastated part of the town.

In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew spawned an F3 tornado that killed 2 people.

In 2012, about 5,000 houses were damaged by flooding in LaPlace during Hurricane Isaac.[14]

In February 2016 and again in March 2016, several tornadoes touched down in LaPlace, damaging hundreds of buildings and disrupting power.[15][16]

LaPlace was badly damaged by Hurricane Ida on August 29, 2021.[17]

Spelling

[edit]

Despite the spelling used for LaPlace's namesake, the St. John the Baptist Parish Police Jury decreed in 1971 that the official spelling of the town includes a capital letter "P".[18]

Andouille

[edit]
Andouille shop in LaPlace

Andouille, a smoked pork sausage that originated in France, is popular in LaPlace and elsewhere in Louisiana, but in the 1970s, then-Governor Edwin Edwards proclaimed LaPlace the "Official Andouille Capital of the World".[19] Since 1972, LaPlace has held an Andouille Festival every October.[19] On his program Feasting on Asphalt, TV chef Alton Brown visited LaPlace to sample its andouille.[20]

Industry

[edit]

The Port of South Louisiana is headquartered in LaPlace.[21] Other major employers in the region include Shell Chemical Company, DuPont, ADM Growmark, and ArcelorMittal (formerly Bayou Steel).[22]

Geography

[edit]

LaPlace is located at 30°4′30″N 90°29′6″W / 30.07500°N 90.48500°W / 30.07500; -90.48500 (30.075025, -90.484896)[23] and has an elevation of 10 feet (3.0 m).[24]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 22.7 square miles (59 km2), of which 21.5 square miles (56 km2) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) (5.29%) is water.

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
200027,684—
201029,8727.9%
202028,841−3.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[25]
LaPlace CDP, Louisiana – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[26] Pop 2010[27] Pop 2020[28] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 16,329 13,094 9,178 58.98% 43.83% 31.82%
Black or African American alone (NH) 9,814 14,176 15,633 35.45% 47.46% 54.20%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 79 91 73 0.29% 0.30% 0.25%
Asian alone (NH) 188 274 284 0.68% 0.92% 0.98%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 6 17 4 0.02% 0.06% 0.01%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 23 38 122 0.08% 0.13% 0.42%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 224 353 828 0.81% 1.18% 2.87%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1,021 1,829 2,719 3.69% 6.12% 9.43%
Total 27,684 29,872 28,841 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

At the 2010 United States census,[29] there were 29,872 people, 11,159 households, and 10,592 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,287.8 inhabitants per square mile (497.2/km2). There were 9,888 housing units at an average density of 460.0 per square mile (177.6/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 47.0% White, 47.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.11% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. The cultural groups for Hispanic or Latino, of any race, were 6.1% of the population. At the 2019 American Community Survey, there were 29,108 people living in the community,[30] and 28,841 at the 2020 U.S. census. In 2019, the racial and ethnic makeup of LaPlace was 52.1% Black and African American, 41.4% non-Hispanic white, 1.6% Asian, 2.9% some other race, and 2.0% two or more races.

In 2010, there were 9,171 households, out of which 44.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 16.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 31.2% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males. In 2019, the median age was 36.3.[30]

The median income for a household in the CDP was $45,103, and the median income for a family was $50,024 at the 2010 U.S. census. Males had a median income of $39,304 versus $23,277 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $17,090. About 9.9% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over. In 2019, the median household income increased to $53,253 and the poverty rate was 15.3%.

Education

[edit]

Public schools

[edit]

Source:[31]

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board, the school district for the entire parish,[32] operates public schools in LaPlace.

Schools in the LaPlace census-designated place:[33]

  • Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School (K-8 school)
    • It was originally named the Glade School. The initial 22-acre (8.9 ha) facility first began operations in 1989 and had a cost of $6 million. Of all of the school district's schools, it had the highest number of students at the time, which exceeded 1,300. In 2005 the school received its next name and had changes in its mascot and school colors. In 2012 Hurricane Isaac damaged the facility. The planned replacement facility is a smaller size than the previous one.[34] In 2014 the estimated cost of the next facility was $22,500,000, and the projected opening year was 2017. Yeates & Yeates Architects was chosen as the architectural firm.[35]
  • Laplace Elementary School
  • John L. Ory Communications Magnet Elementary School
  • Emily C. Watkins Elementary School
    • It opened in 2009.[36] It was originally supposed to open in 2008, but its opening was delayed.[37] By 2011, the school had perennial issues with its HVAC system.[38] In that period, the school had to have colder than planned temperatures to avoid mold and mildew issues.[39]
  • St. John Special Education

Schools in other unincorporated areas with LaPlace postal addresses:

  • East St. John Preparatory Academy (formerly East St. John Elementary School) (Reserve CDP,[40] LaPlace postal address[41]) - The Times-Picayune describes the school as being in LaPlace. It had a fire in 2015, and its 65,000-square-foot (6,000 m2) replacement facility opened in 2018.[42] It became a 5-8 school only in 2017.[43] In 2025 East St. John Preparatory School is to be renamed Fifth Ward Preparatory School, as the former Fifth Ward Elementary School in Reserve will close that year.[44]

Prior to 2017,[43] the following schools had attendance boundaries including sections of the LaPlace CDP: East St. John, LaPlace, Lake Ponchartrain, and Watkins elementary schools.[45]

East St. John High School is in Reserve CDP.

Other schools:

  • St. John STEM Magnet Program (Reserve postal address)

Private and parochial schools

[edit]

Source:[31]

Private schools in LaPlace CDP include the following Catholic schools (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans)

These two non-Catholic Christian private schools are in Reserve CDP:

  • Liberty Christian Academy
  • Riverside Academy

List of movie and television appearances

[edit]

Notable people

[edit]

Media

[edit]

Cable and Internet services in LaPlace are provided by Reserve Telecommunications.

See also

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to LaPlace, Louisiana.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  2. ^ "QuickFacts: LaPlace CDP, Louisiana". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  3. ^ "Course Of The River Mississippi, from the Balise to Fort Chartres. Ross, Lieut. 1775" rumsey.geogarage.com
  4. ^ a b c d Sternberg, Mary Ann (April 15, 2013). Along the River Road: Past and Present on Louisiana's Historic Byway. LSU Press. ISBN 9780807150627.
  5. ^ a b C, Merrill, Ellen (November 30, 2014). Germans of Louisiana. Pelican Publishing. ISBN 9781455604845.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ a b Leeper, Clare D'Artois (October 19, 2012). Louisiana Place Names: Popular, Unusual, and Forgotten Stories of Towns, Cities, Plantations, Bayous, and Even Some Cemeteries. LSU Press. ISBN 9780807147382.
  7. ^ a b HASSELLE, DELLA (February 25, 2016). "For sale: Plantation built in 1793, untouched since '04, complete with rich history, original beams, fireplaces". theadvocate.com.
  8. ^ Loewen, James W. (September 7, 2010). Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong. The New Press. ISBN 9781595586766.
  9. ^ a b Rasmussen, Daniel (January 4, 2011). American Uprising: The Untold Story of America's Largest Slave Revolt. Harper Collins. ISBN 9780062084354. german coast uprising.
  10. ^ Perkins, Andrea (February 11, 2014). "The forgotten rebellion of the Black Seminole Nation". People's World. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  11. ^ Fessenden, Marissa. "How a Nearly Successful Slave Revolt Was Intentionally Lost to History". smithsonianmag.com.
  12. ^ a b "For instance, you might not know that it was settled in the 1700s by German immigrants, or that it was named for French pharmacist Basile LaPlace, the successful manufacturer and purveyor of LaPlace's Indian Turnip Syrup. Or that the community was originally called Karlstein (an expansion of a settlement on the west side of the river), then Bonnet Carré. It wasn't called LaPlace until 1883 when Basil LaPlace gave the railroad right of way across his vast plantation and the train depot was given his name. " in: "LaPlace: More to the Andouille Capital than you probably know". NOLA.com. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  13. ^ a b c d Historic Names and Places on the Lower Mississippi River. USACE, Vicksburg District. June 1, 1977.
  14. ^ "Hurricane Isaac floodwaters take LaPlace and Slidell by surprise". NOLA.com. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  15. ^ "Here is the latest on the LaPlace tornado damage". NOLA.com. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  16. ^ Advocate, The. "Photos: Tornadoes leave jaw-dropping destruction in LaPlace". The Advocate. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  17. ^ "Ida Updates: Neighboring states send assistance to Louisiana". Associated Press News. August 30, 2021.
  18. ^ I-10 Reserve Relief Canal Turnaround and Interchange, St.John the Baptist Parish: Environmental Impact Statement. 1977.
  19. ^ a b "Why is LaPlace the andouille capital of the world?". WGNO. October 14, 2016. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  20. ^ Cook, Phaedra (March 28, 2016). "Family, Feasting, Asphalt and Inspiration — Or, Me and Mr. Brown". Houston Press. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  21. ^ Wilds, John; Dufour, Charles L.; Cowan, Walter G. (July 1, 1996). Louisiana, Yesterday and Today: A Historical Guide to the State. LSU Press. ISBN 9780807118931.
  22. ^ Daigle, Charles. "St. John the Baptist Parish". www.sjbparish.com. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  23. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  24. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  25. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  26. ^ "P004 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – LaPlace CDP, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau.
  27. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – LaPlace CDP, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau.
  28. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – LaPlace CDP, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau.
  29. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  30. ^ a b "Geography Profile: LaPlace CDP, Louisiana". data.census.gov. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  31. ^ a b "High Schools - LaPlace, LA - NOLA.com". NOLA.com. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  32. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: St. John the Baptist Parish, LA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 14, 2024. - Text list
  33. ^ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Laplace CDP, LA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 14, 2024. - Compare to school locations. Index of 2010 maps, Index of 2000 maps. For the 1990 census, parish index map and pages 11, 12, 13, and 16.
  34. ^ Bacon-Blood, Littice (June 5, 2015). "Lake Pontchartrain Elementary's predecessor was huge, flawed". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  35. ^ Bacon-Blood, Littice (November 12, 2014). "Architectural design approved for storm-damaged Lake Pontchartrain Elementary". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  36. ^ Barbier, Sandra (May 22, 2009). "New St. John Parish school deemed first-class". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  37. ^ Barbier, Sandra (June 2, 2008). "New St. John elementary may not open until 2009". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  38. ^ Boquet, Jennifer (August 4, 2011). "St. John School Board will tackle climate control problems at Emily C. Watkins Elementary". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  39. ^ Boquet, Jennifer (October 14, 2010). "HVAC problems lead to chilly temps at Emily C. Watkins Elementary". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  40. ^ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Reserve CDP, LA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. p. 2 (PDF p. 3/3). Retrieved December 14, 2024. - East St. John ES is on Ory Drive, shown here as in Reserve CDP. Index of 2010 maps, Index of 2000 maps. For the 1990 census, parish index map and pages 11, 12, 15, and 16.
  41. ^ "Home". East St. John Preparatory Academy. Retrieved December 14, 2024. 400 Ory Drive, LaPlace, LA 70068
  42. ^ "East St. John Prep rebounds from fire". The Advocate. August 15, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  43. ^ a b "School Profile". East St. John Preparatory Academy. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  44. ^ "School next to controversial Louisiana plant to close". Times Picayune. November 7, 2024. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  45. ^ "St. John School Enrollment Zones" (PDF). St. John the Baptist Parish School Board. Retrieved December 15, 2024. - linked from here - The map shows East St. John Preparatory Academy as still being an elementary and not a 5-8 school.
  46. ^ "Louisiana: Faucheux, Robert R. (Bobby)", Who's Who in American Politics, 2003-2004, 19th ed., Vol. 1 (Alabama-Montana) (Marquis Who's Who: New Providence, New Jersey, 2003), p. 778
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