Saline, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Saline is a village in southeastern Bienville Parish, Louisiana
, United States. The population was 296 at the 2000 census. Saline is pronounced: (Suh-leen).
Jamie Fair
, a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from 1980–1984, resides between Saline and Castor
off Louisiana Highway 9
.
Former Second Judicial District Court Judge David T. Caldwell
(1925–1993), based in Jonesboro
, was born in Saline and graduated from Saline High School in 1942.
A branch of Sabine State Bank operates in Saline.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all land.
Saline looks like a step back into the past with buildings all of which have been there for about 30 years. The main road that runs through Saline is where all the businesses are located. The rest of the area is like one big neighborhood.
The biggest attraction to Saline is the Mill Creek Reservoir. Usually misnamed as Saline Lake, it is the biggest, easiest to access and safest body of water in Bienville Parish. The waters are fairly deep and were long ago cleared of trees and tree stumps, making it ideal for boating, skiing, knee-boarding and other water activities. The only danger in the area is the spillway which is a tower that raises about 50 feet (15 m) off the water. It has a ladder that goes to the top and some people climb it to jump off—but it is very unsafe and has claimed lives.
Saline has several Baptist
congregations, including Old Saline Baptist, whose original pastor was George Washington Baines
, maternal great-grandfather of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
. Within Saline is the Magnolia Baptist Church. Several miles east of Saline off Louisiana Highway 155 is Carolina Baptist Church. All three rural
churches have accompanying cemeteries.
was 249.9 inhabitants per square mile (96.9/km²). There were 133 housing units at an average density of 112.3 per square mile (43.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 74.66% White, 25.00% African American, and 0.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.69% of the population.
There were 111 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $26,500, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $26,458 versus $16,719 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $11,364. About 17.3% of families and 21.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 17.2% of those sixty five or over.
, Saline hosts a heavily-attended Watermelon Festival each summer. The schedule of events includes a parade in which the Miss Watermelon Pageant winner rides on her own float. She is selected prior to the festival. A band plays mostly Country music
throughout the day, and dancing is available. Contests include watermelon eating, watermelon rolling, and seed spitting.
starring Paul Newman
. The store from which Newman, as Earl K. Long, buys boots is an actual business in Saline. The year the movie was set for production coincided with Saline's largest ever Watermelon Festival, which included a petting zoo
.
Saline has one school, a modern structure that houses elementary, middle, and high school
buildings.
Bienville Parish, Louisiana
Bienville Parish is a parish located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Arcadia and as of the 2000 census, the population is 15,752....
, United States. The population was 296 at the 2000 census. Saline is pronounced: (Suh-leen).
Jamie Fair
Jamie Fair
James Hartwell Fair, Jr., known as Jamie Fair , is a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Bienville Parish in north Louisiana. A Democrat, Fair resides off Louisiana Highway 9 between Castor and Saline. He served in the state House for a single term from 1980-1984.Fair was...
, a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The 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 1980–1984, resides between Saline and Castor
Castor, Louisiana
Castor is a village in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 209 at the 2000 census. It was established in 1900. The name "Castor" refers to the genus Castoridae beaver....
off Louisiana Highway 9
Louisiana Highway 9
Louisiana Highway 9 is a state highway that serves Natchitoches Parish, Bienville Parish, and Claiborne Parish in north Louisiana. It spans , running a north–south route.-Route description:...
.
Former Second Judicial District Court Judge David T. Caldwell
David T. Caldwell
David T. Caldwell was a Second Judicial District Court judge based in Jonesboro, the seat of Jackson Parish in north Louisiana. He was initially appointed to his position on January 31, 1970, by Governor John J. McKeithen to succeed Judge P.E. Brown, who had reached the mandatory retirement age...
(1925–1993), based in Jonesboro
Jonesboro, Louisiana
Jonesboro is a town in and the parish seat of Jackson Parish in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 3,914 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, was born in Saline and graduated from Saline High School in 1942.
Geography
Saline is located at 32°9′51"N 92°58′38"W (32.164170, -92.977127).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 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all land.
Saline looks like a step back into the past with buildings all of which have been there for about 30 years. The main road that runs through Saline is where all the businesses are located. The rest of the area is like one big neighborhood.
The biggest attraction to Saline is the Mill Creek Reservoir. Usually misnamed as Saline Lake, it is the biggest, easiest to access and safest body of water in Bienville Parish. The waters are fairly deep and were long ago cleared of trees and tree stumps, making it ideal for boating, skiing, knee-boarding and other water activities. The only danger in the area is the spillway which is a tower that raises about 50 feet (15 m) off the water. It has a ladder that goes to the top and some people climb it to jump off—but it is very unsafe and has claimed lives.
Churches and cemeteries
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...
congregations, including Old Saline Baptist, whose original pastor was George Washington Baines
George Washington Baines
George Washington Baines, Sr. , a maternal great-grandfather of U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson , was a Baptist clergyman in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas who served briefly as natural science professor and President of Baylor University at its first location in Independence in Washington...
, maternal great-grandfather of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
. Within Saline is the Magnolia Baptist Church. Several miles east of Saline off Louisiana Highway 155 is Carolina Baptist Church. All three rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
churches have accompanying cemeteries.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 296 people, 111 households, and 85 families residing in the village. The population densityPopulation 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 249.9 inhabitants per square mile (96.9/km²). There were 133 housing units at an average density of 112.3 per square mile (43.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 74.66% White, 25.00% African American, and 0.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.69% of the population.
There were 111 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $26,500, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $26,458 versus $16,719 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 $11,364. About 17.3% of families and 21.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 17.2% of those sixty five or over.
Arts and culture
Like the larger Hope, ArkansasHope, Arkansas
Hope is a small city in Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2008 United States Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 10,378...
, Saline hosts a heavily-attended Watermelon Festival each summer. The schedule of events includes a parade in which the Miss Watermelon Pageant winner rides on her own float. She is selected prior to the festival. A band plays mostly Country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
throughout the day, and dancing is available. Contests include watermelon eating, watermelon rolling, and seed spitting.
Media
A portion of Saline is featured in the film BlazeBlaze (film)
Blaze is a 1989 film written and directed by Ron Shelton. Based on the 1974 memoir Blaze Starr: My Life as Told to Huey Perry by Blaze Starr and Huey Perry, the film stars Paul Newman as Earl Long and Lolita Davidovich as Blaze Starr, with Starr herself appearing in a cameo.-Plot:The movie tells...
starring Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
. The store from which Newman, as Earl K. Long, buys boots is an actual business in Saline. The year the movie was set for production coincided with Saline's largest ever Watermelon Festival, which included a petting zoo
Petting zoo
A petting zoo features a combination of domestic animals and some wild species that are docile enough to touch and feed. In addition to independent petting zoos, also called children's farms or petting farms, many general zoos contain a petting zoo...
.
Education
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
buildings.