Hornbeck, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Hornbeck is a town
in Vernon Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. The population was 435 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Polk South
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
(KCS) for $8,640. Structures necessary for servicing locomotives were constructed as well as a brick kiln to supply bricks for construction.
In 1897, the first Post Office
opened in the area with Walter Carey as the first postmaster
and later that same year he was succeeded by D.B. Pate.
The first public school in Hornbeck opened in 1898, with Miss Fannie Monk and W.L. Ford serving as the primary and grammar school teachers. The first secondary school opened in 1907 with G.S. Graybeal serving as its principal, then in 1910 the school became an affiliated high school.
On October 21, 1902, Governor William Wright Heard
issued a proclamation declaring that Section 16, Township 4, North Range 10 West was incorporated as Hornbeck; with W.M. Conerly appointed Mayor and G.G. Leach, W.L. Maddox and John Carter appointed Aldermen and W. Johnson became the Town Marshall.
Kansas City Southern Railroad
established a presence in Hornbeck with the construction of the roundhouse
, which allowed for the servicing of engines. The presence of the roundhouse contributed to making Hornbeck a significant junction between Port Arthur
, Texas and Shreveport
as well as providing an abundance of jobs and influencing the town’s growth. The early twentieth century was a prosperous time for Hornbeck with both the timber and railroad industries having an established presence in the area. Hornbeck became a bustling little town, with a bank, a newspaper, five hotels, five saloons and ten retail stores.
In 1912, KCS
decided to move the roundhouse
to Leesville
; this decision was disastrous for Hornbeck’s economy, with the town surviving on the timber, turpentine and farming industries for nearly two more decades. However, when the Great Depression
hit in late 1929 it caused the timber and turpentine industries to collapse and brought an abrupt end to Hornbeck’s prosperity.
In the 1940s the Department of War
established Camp Polk
and conducted what became known as the “Louisiana Maneuvers
.” The location of Camp Polk in Vernon Parish helped to stimulate Hornbeck’s economy as well as that of the entire region, especially Vernon Parish
.
In the 1960s, with the construction of Toledo Bend Reservoir
on the Sabine River, Hornbeck gained an asset and started promoting itself as the “Gateway” to Toledo Bend.
Today, Hornbeck has maintained modest growth, with its elected officials taking a pro-active approach to economic development. On October 21, 2002, Hornbeck celebrated its 100th Anniversary.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land.
(1924–2009), a Hornbeck businessman, was a member of the Louisiana State Senate
from 1964-1992. He succeeded his father, Charles M. Poston, Sr.
, who held the same seat from 1960-1964. Both were Democrats
.
Frank A. Howard
, a Hornbeck visionary and former Vernon Parish Sheriff, has been representing the 24th district in the Louisiana House of Representatives
since his election in 2007.
of 2000, there were 435 people, 181 households, and 121 families residing in the town. The population density
was 372.9 people per square mile (143.6/km²). There were 227 housing units at an average density of 194.6 per square mile (74.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.02% White, 2.30% African American, 2.07% Native American, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races
, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.
There were 181 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples
living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 80.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,446, and the median income for a family was $33,036. Males had a median income of $27,750 versus $17,000 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $11,237. About 13.2% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 29.9% of those age 65 or over.
. The first town government was appointed by Governor William Wright Heard
in 1902 and consisted of a Mayor, 3 Aldermen and a Town Marshall. Today Hornbeck's government (mayor-council system) consists of a Mayor, four councilmen and one councilwoman and a Chief of Police.
Under the mayor-council government, the mayor serves as the executive officer of the town. As the town's chief administrator and official representative, the mayor is responsible for the general management of the town and for seeing that all laws and ordinances are enforced via the Chief of Police.
headquartered in Leesville
and has been home to Hornbeck High School
, the only public school in the community, since 1898. In 1910 Hornbeck High School
became an affiliated high school, although on the school's crest it bares the date 1913.
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...
in Vernon Parish
Vernon Parish, Louisiana
Vernon Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Leesville and as of 2000, the population was 52,531....
, 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 435 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Polk South
Fort Polk South, Louisiana
Fort Polk South is a census-designated place in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 11,000 at the 2000 census.Fort Polk South is the larger principal city of the Fort Polk South-DeRidder CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Fort Polk South and DeRidder ...
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
As early as the 1830s people settled in the area now known as Hornbeck, but a town didn’t begin to form until 1897, when an agent for the Arkansas Town Site Company named F.A. Hornbeck purchased land along the Kansas City Southern RailroadKansas City Southern Railway
The Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states...
(KCS) for $8,640. Structures necessary for servicing locomotives were constructed as well as a brick kiln to supply bricks for construction.
In 1897, the first Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
opened in the area with Walter Carey as the first postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
and later that same year he was succeeded by D.B. Pate.
The first public school in Hornbeck opened in 1898, with Miss Fannie Monk and W.L. Ford serving as the primary and grammar school teachers. The first secondary school opened in 1907 with G.S. Graybeal serving as its principal, then in 1910 the school became an affiliated high school.
On October 21, 1902, Governor William Wright Heard
William Wright Heard
William Wright Heard was the 32nd Governor of Louisiana from 1900 to 1904.-Early life:Heard was educated in a local school in Union Parish. In years to come, he remembered the challenges of educating children that rural residents met...
issued a proclamation declaring that Section 16, Township 4, North Range 10 West was incorporated as Hornbeck; with W.M. Conerly appointed Mayor and G.G. Leach, W.L. Maddox and John Carter appointed Aldermen and W. Johnson became the Town Marshall.
Kansas City Southern Railroad
Kansas City Southern Railway
The Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states...
established a presence in Hornbeck with the construction of the roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
, which allowed for the servicing of engines. The presence of the roundhouse contributed to making Hornbeck a significant junction between Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
, Texas and Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
as well as providing an abundance of jobs and influencing the town’s growth. The early twentieth century was a prosperous time for Hornbeck with both the timber and railroad industries having an established presence in the area. Hornbeck became a bustling little town, with a bank, a newspaper, five hotels, five saloons and ten retail stores.
In 1912, KCS
Kansas City Southern Railway
The Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states...
decided to move the roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
to Leesville
Leesville, Louisiana
Leesville is a city in and the parish seat of Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 6,753 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Polk South Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to the Fort Polk U.S. Army installation...
; this decision was disastrous for Hornbeck’s economy, with the town surviving on the timber, turpentine and farming industries for nearly two more decades. However, when the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
hit in late 1929 it caused the timber and turpentine industries to collapse and brought an abrupt end to Hornbeck’s prosperity.
In the 1940s the Department of War
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
established Camp Polk
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
and conducted what became known as the “Louisiana Maneuvers
Louisiana Maneuvers
The Louisiana Maneuvers were a series of military exercises held all over north and west-central Louisiana, including Fort Polk, Camp Claiborne and Camp Livingston, in August and September 1941...
.” The location of Camp Polk in Vernon Parish helped to stimulate Hornbeck’s economy as well as that of the entire region, especially Vernon Parish
Vernon Parish, Louisiana
Vernon Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Leesville and as of 2000, the population was 52,531....
.
In the 1960s, with the construction of Toledo Bend Reservoir
Toledo Bend Reservoir
Toledo Bend Reservoir is a reservoir on the Sabine River between Texas and Louisiana. The lake has an area of 185,000 acres , the largest man-made body of water in Texas, the largest in the South, and the fifth largest in the United States. The dam is capable of generating 92 megawatts of...
on the Sabine River, Hornbeck gained an asset and started promoting itself as the “Gateway” to Toledo Bend.
Today, Hornbeck has maintained modest growth, with its elected officials taking a pro-active approach to economic development. On October 21, 2002, Hornbeck celebrated its 100th Anniversary.
Geography
Hornbeck is located at 31°19′33"N 93°23′45"W (31.325937, -93.395945).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 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land.
Notable Natives
Bryan A. PostonBryan A. Poston
Bryan Anthony Poston, Sr. was a businessman in Hornbeck, Louisiana, who served as a Democrat in the Louisiana State Senate from 1964 to 1992. He succeeded his father, Charles M. Poston, Sr., a one-term senator from 1960 to 1964.Poston was born in rural Benson in southern De Soto Parish to Charles...
(1924–2009), a Hornbeck businessman, was a member of the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Senate
The Louisiana State Senate is the upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana. All Senators serve four year terms and are assigned multiple committees to work on. The Republicans control the State Senate following a Special Election Victory in District 26 by Jonathan W. Perry...
from 1964-1992. He succeeded his father, Charles M. Poston, Sr.
Charles M. Poston
Charles M. Poston, Sr. , was a railroad employee from Hornbeck, a small town in Vernon Parish in western Louisiana, who served a single term from 1960 to 1964 as a Democratic state senator from what is now District 30...
, who held the same seat from 1960-1964. Both were Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Frank A. Howard
Frank A. Howard
Frank A. Howard, also known as Frankie Howard , is a former sheriff of Vernon Parish in western Louisiana, who has been since 2008 a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 24, which includes De Soto, Red River, Sabine, and Vernon parishes.Howard studied in the...
, a Hornbeck visionary and former Vernon Parish Sheriff, has been representing the 24th district in the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of...
since his election in 2007.
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 435 people, 181 households, and 121 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 372.9 people per square mile (143.6/km²). There were 227 housing units at an average density of 194.6 per square mile (74.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.02% White, 2.30% African American, 2.07% Native American, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 0.23% 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 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.
There were 181 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% 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, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 80.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,446, and the median income for a family was $33,036. Males had a median income of $27,750 versus $17,000 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 $11,237. About 13.2% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 29.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Founded in 1897 and incorporated in 1902, Hornbeck is the northernmost community in Vernon ParishVernon Parish, Louisiana
Vernon Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Leesville and as of 2000, the population was 52,531....
. The first town government was appointed by Governor William Wright Heard
William Wright Heard
William Wright Heard was the 32nd Governor of Louisiana from 1900 to 1904.-Early life:Heard was educated in a local school in Union Parish. In years to come, he remembered the challenges of educating children that rural residents met...
in 1902 and consisted of a Mayor, 3 Aldermen and a Town Marshall. Today Hornbeck's government (mayor-council system) consists of a Mayor, four councilmen and one councilwoman and a Chief of Police.
Under the mayor-council government, the mayor serves as the executive officer of the town. As the town's chief administrator and official representative, the mayor is responsible for the general management of the town and for seeing that all laws and ordinances are enforced via the Chief of Police.
Education
Hornbeck is a part of the Vernon Parish School DistrictVernon Parish School Board
Vernon Parish School Board is a school district headquartered in Leesville, Louisiana, United States.The district serves all of Vernon Parish.-PK-12 schools:* Evans High School * Hicks High School...
headquartered in Leesville
Leesville, Louisiana
Leesville is a city in and the parish seat of Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 6,753 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Polk South Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to the Fort Polk U.S. Army installation...
and has been home to Hornbeck High School
Hornbeck High School
Hornbeck High School is a school located in Hornbeck, Louisiana, United States. The PK-12 school is a part of the Vernon Parish School District headquartered in Leesville and has been home to Hornbeck High School, the only public school in the community, since 1898. In 1910 Hornbeck High School...
, the only public school in the community, since 1898. In 1910 Hornbeck High School
Hornbeck High School
Hornbeck High School is a school located in Hornbeck, Louisiana, United States. The PK-12 school is a part of the Vernon Parish School District headquartered in Leesville and has been home to Hornbeck High School, the only public school in the community, since 1898. In 1910 Hornbeck High School...
became an affiliated high school, although on the school's crest it bares the date 1913.