Crowley, Louisiana

Crowley (Local pronunciation: /ˈkræli/) is a city in, and the parish seat of, Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States.[3] The population was 13,265 at the 2010 census but 14,225 in 2000, a loss of nearly 1,000 people. It is 63.8 percent Non-Hispanic White.[4]

Crowley, Louisiana
City
City of Crowley
Downtown Crowley
Nickname(s): 
Rice Capital of America
Motto(s): 
Where Life Is Rice And Easy
Location of Crowley in Acadia Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Coordinates: 30°12′49″N 92°22′25″W
CountryUnited States
StateLouisiana
ParishAcadia
Incorporated1887
Government
 • MayorTim Monceaux
Police Chief A. "Jimmy" Broussard (D)
Area
 • Total5.85 sq mi (15.16 km2)
 • Land5.85 sq mi (15.15 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
20 ft (6 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total13,265
 • Estimate 
(2019)[2]
12,588
 • Density2,151.43/sq mi (830.64/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
70526
Area code(s)337
FIPS code22-18650
Websitecrowley-la.com

Crowley is the principal city of the Crowley Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Acadia Parish. It is also part of the larger Lafayette–Acadiana Combined Statistical Area.

History
Patrick Crowley

Crowley was founded in 1886[5] by C.C. Duson and W.W. Duson. Incorporated in 1887, W.W. Duson, General Manager of Southwest Louisiana Land Company, plotted and developed Crowley. W.W. Duson's daughter, Maime Duson, married Percy Lee Lawrence, who founded the First National Bank of Crowley. The 7-story building was once the tallest building between Houston and New Orleans. They lived with their three children, P.L. Jr., Pattee, and Jack at 219 East 2nd Street. The house is now on the historic register.

The town was named after Pat Crowley, an Irish railroad owner who brought the railroad depot to W.W. Duson's land.[6] Descendants of founder W.W. Duson continue to live in Crowley.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.9 square miles (13 km2), all land.

Crowley from the air

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1890420—
19004,214903.3%
19105,09921.0%
19206,10819.8%
19307,65625.3%
19409,52324.4%
195012,78434.2%
196015,61722.2%
197016,1043.1%
198016,036−0.4%
199013,983−12.8%
200014,2251.7%
201013,265−6.7%
2019 (est.)12,588[2]−5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 14,225 people, 5,294 households, and 3,668 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,895.1 people per square mile (1,118.6/km2). There were 5,904 housing units at an average density of 1,201.6 per square mile (464.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 67.83% White, 30.98% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.10% of the population.

There were 5,294 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 20.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% 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 3.13.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,495, and the median income for a family was $28,180. Males had a median income of $27,684 versus $19,706 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,734. About 24.3% of families and 28.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.1% of those under age 18 and 22.6% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Crowley is noted for its annual International Rice Festival.[9] Crowley has the nickname of "Rice Capital of America", because at one time it was a major center for rice harvesting and milling. Today, Crowley still has a number of rice mills and rice is the main crop of many local farmers. In addition, in recent years, crawfish farming has become increasingly popular.

Education

The Crowley High School "Fighting Gents" were State Division 3A Champs in the 1989 football season and had an 8-2 regular season.

Crowley is also the home of Notre Dame High School. Notre Dame is an Acadia-Parish-wide Catholic High School whose football program has won six state championships ( one under Coach Jerry Dill, one under his former assistant Ashton Cassedy, and four under present Hall-of-Fame Coach Louie Cook, who hired Dill at $1 a year as an assistant coach, until his death, one month after the school's 2015 State Championship season) and numerous District Champion titles, in addition to numerous state championships in other sports, such as men's baseball, women's softball (currently both the 2018 and 2019 State Champions, the latter of which followed an undefeated season), men's tennis, men's track & field (in its first year - Spring 1968), and women's volleyball.

Notable people


References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. "Crowley (city), Louisiana". quickfacts.census.gov. Archived from the original on December 4, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  5. Louisiana State Department of History & Culture. "Crowley Historical Marker".
  6. Leeper, Clare D'Artois (19 October 2012). Louisiana Place Names: Popular, Unusual, and Forgotten Stories of Towns, Cities, Plantations, Bayous, and Even Some Cemeteries. LSU Press. p. 76. ISBN 978-0-8071-4740-5.
  7. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  9. "History of the International Rice Festival". riceFestival.com. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  10. Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder by John E. Miller, page 100
  11. James and Angelina Wilder on www.liwfrontiergirl.com
  12. James Wilder on Find a Grave
  13. Angelina Wilder in Find a Grave
  14. Laura Ann Wilder Howard on Find a Grave
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