Oil City, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Oil City is a town in Caddo Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. The population was 1,219 at the 2000 census. Oil City is located on Louisiana Highway 1
north of Caddo Lake. It is part of the Shreveport
–Bossier City
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
, who served for forty years on the Caddo Parish police jury (1933–1972 and again from 1979–1980 and as mayor of Vivian
from 1938–1946 and again from 1962-1966.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), of which 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (3.23%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,219 people, 480 households, and 311 families residing in the town. The population density
was 679.9 people per square mile (262.9/km²). There were 542 housing units at an average density of 302.3 per square mile (116.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 55.13% White, 44.05% African American, 0.08% Native American, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.
There were 480 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% were married couples
living together, 21.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the town the population was spread out with 32.2% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $19,375, and the median income for a family was $25,114. Males had a median income of $23,516 versus $15,667 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $9,697. About 28.8% of families and 35.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 48.1% of those under age 18 and 28.4% of those age 65 or over.
Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Caddo Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Shreveport; as of 2000, the population was 252,161...
, 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 1,219 at the 2000 census. Oil City is located on Louisiana Highway 1
Louisiana Highway 1
Louisiana Highway 1 is a state highway in Louisiana. At 436.20 miles , it is the longest numbered highway of any class in Louisiana. It runs diagonally across the state, connecting the oil and gas fields near the island of Grand Isle with the northwest corner of the state, north of Shreveport.The...
north of Caddo Lake. It is part of the 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....
–Bossier City
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area
The Shreveport-Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in northwestern Louisiana that covers three parishes – Caddo, Bossier, and De Soto. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 375,965...
.
History
The park in Oil City is named for Earl WilliamsonEarl Williamson
Earl Guyton Williamson, Sr. was a prominent businessman and politician in northern Caddo Parish, Louisiana, from the 1930s until the 1970s...
, who served for forty years on the Caddo Parish police jury (1933–1972 and again from 1979–1980 and as mayor of Vivian
Vivian, Louisiana
Vivian, is a town in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States and is home to the Red Bud Festival. The population was 4,031 at the 2000 census...
from 1938–1946 and again from 1962-1966.
Geography
Oil City is located at 32°44′32"N 93°58′28"W (32.742170, -93.974376).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 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), of which 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (3.23%) 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 1,219 people, 480 households, and 311 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 679.9 people per square mile (262.9/km²). There were 542 housing units at an average density of 302.3 per square mile (116.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 55.13% White, 44.05% African American, 0.08% Native American, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.
There were 480 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% 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, 21.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the town the population was spread out with 32.2% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $19,375, and the median income for a family was $25,114. Males had a median income of $23,516 versus $15,667 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 $9,697. About 28.8% of families and 35.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 48.1% of those under age 18 and 28.4% of those age 65 or over.
Culture
The Louisiana State Oil and Gas Museum, located in Oil City, was prompted by the late State Representative Roy Hopkins.Notable people
- Roy McArthur "Hoppy" HopkinsRoy M. HopkinsRoy McArthur Hopkins, known as Hoppy Hopkins , was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, having represented District 1 in northern Caddo Parish and two precincts in northern Bossier Parish from 1988 until his Thanksgiving Day death after a long illness of bone cancer...
(born 1943) served as a DemocratDemocratic 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...
in the Louisiana House of RepresentativesLouisiana State LegislatureThe Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1988 until his death in office in 2006. Hopkins was an Oil City automobile dealer.
- James Hollis "Jim" MorrisJim Morris (Louisiana politician)James Hollis Morris, known as Jim Morris is a businessman from Oil City in northern Caddo Parish, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. His District 1 encompasses the northern portions of both Caddo and neighboring Bossier Parish...
in 2007 succeeded Hopkins as a RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Louisiana House. Morris is in the oil and natural gasNatural gasNatural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
business.