Clarence, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Clarence is a village in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
, United States. The population was 499 at the 2010 census. It is located some seven miles east of the parish seat of Natchitoches
and is part of the Natchitoches Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Still owned by descendants of its founders, Grayson Barbeque, with a smokehouse
, is the best known business in Clarence. It is located on U.S. Highway 71 near the intersection with U.S. Highway 84, which leads to Winnfield
.
or the Natchez Trace
ran through the area as it crossed Louisiana into Texas to connect with the El Camino Real
.
Clarence Baptist
Church was founded by thirty charter members in 1945, but its sanctuary on Louisiana Highway 6
dates to the pre-World War I
era, having been the chapel
of the former Camp Claiborne
, a United States Army
facility near Alexandria
in Rapides Parish. The chapel was physically moved to Clarence in 1948, dedicated in 1949, bricked during the 1950s, and still serves as a worship center, having undergone complete remodeling in 2002. The balcony, now a storage area, was used by African American
troops who were segregated
in worship from white soldiers who used the pews of the lower tier. The church has a baptistry and maintains a parsonage across the highway. Since 2003, the pastor has been the Reverend Harry Bamburg, the 21st man to hold the position. Among previous pastors is William A. Poe (born 1926), formerly an historian
with Northwestern State University
in Natchitoches
who has retired to his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), all land.
, there were 499 people, 186 households and 136 families residing in the village. The population density
was 311.9 inhabitants per square mile (193.7/km²). There were 204 housing units at an average density of 127.5 per square mile (79.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 23.2% White, 75.2% African American, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.
There were 186 households of which 36% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples living together, 30.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 22% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.
Age distribution was 29.1% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 28% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.5 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.
At the 2000 census
The median household income was $25,278, and the median family income was $25,694. Males had a median income of $24,375 versus $17,841 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $13,360. About 27.9% of families and 28.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.9% of those under age 18 and 40.0% of those age 65 or over.
Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Natchitoches Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Natchitoches. As of 2000, the population was 39,080. This is the heart of the Cane River Louisiana Creole community...
, United States. The population was 499 at the 2010 census. It is located some seven miles east of the parish seat of Natchitoches
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
and is part of the Natchitoches Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Still owned by descendants of its founders, Grayson Barbeque, with a smokehouse
Smokehouse
A smokehouse is a building where meat or fish is cured with smoke. The finished product might be stored in the building, sometimes for a year or more.-History:...
, is the best known business in Clarence. It is located on U.S. Highway 71 near the intersection with U.S. Highway 84, which leads to Winnfield
Winnfield, Louisiana
Winnfield is a city in and the parish seat of Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census. It has long been associated with the Long faction of the Louisiana Democratic Party and was home to three governors of Louisiana.-Geography:Winnfield is located at ...
.
History
The Harrisonburg RoadHarrisonburg 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...
or the 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...
ran through the area as it crossed Louisiana into Texas to connect with the 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...
.
Clarence Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church was founded by thirty charter members in 1945, but its sanctuary on Louisiana Highway 6
Louisiana Highway 6
Louisiana Highway 6 is a state highway in Louisiana. It spans and serves Sabine Parish and Natchitoches Parish.-Route description:...
dates to the pre-World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
era, having been the chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
of the former Camp Claiborne
Camp Claiborne
Camp Claiborne was a U.S. Army military camp during World War II located in Rapides Parish in central Louisiana. The camp was under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Eighth Service Command, and included 23,000 acres ....
, a United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
facility near Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
in Rapides Parish. The chapel was physically moved to Clarence in 1948, dedicated in 1949, bricked during the 1950s, and still serves as a worship center, having undergone complete remodeling in 2002. The balcony, now a storage area, was used by African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
troops who were segregated
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
in worship from white soldiers who used the pews of the lower tier. The church has a baptistry and maintains a parsonage across the highway. Since 2003, the pastor has been the Reverend Harry Bamburg, the 21st man to hold the position. Among previous pastors is William A. Poe (born 1926), formerly an historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
with Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
in Natchitoches
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
who has retired to his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
.
Geography
Clarence is located at 31°49′13"N 93°1′44"W (31.820143, -93.028773).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 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), all land.
Demographics
At the 2010 census, there were 499 people, 186 households and 136 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 311.9 inhabitants per square mile (193.7/km²). There were 204 housing units at an average density of 127.5 per square mile (79.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 23.2% White, 75.2% African American, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.
There were 186 households of which 36% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples living together, 30.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 22% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.
Age distribution was 29.1% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 28% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.5 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.
At the 2000 census
2000 Census
The following countries conducted a census of the general population in 2000:* Costa Rica, the ninth federal census, conducted at irregular intervals* Indonesia* United States, the 22nd decennial federal census...
The median household income was $25,278, and the median family income was $25,694. Males had a median income of $24,375 versus $17,841 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 $13,360. About 27.9% of families and 28.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.9% of those under age 18 and 40.0% of those age 65 or over.