Springfield, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Springfield is a town in Livingston Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. The population was 395 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.
The town's name comes from the numerous artesian springs in the area.
The ZIP Code of Springfield is 70462.
, Ponchatoula Creek
joins the Natalbany and increases its flow. Via the Natalbany, Lake Maurepas
, and Lake Ponchartrain, and Bayou Saint John
, Springfield had access to New Orleans by water; similarly, at the time (prior to the damming of the channel by levee
s) along the Amite River
and Mississippi River
, Bayou Manchac
provided shallow-water access between Springfield and Baton Rouge. By 1810 Springfield was one of the areas of interest in the rebellion against Spain
to produce the Republic of West Florida. Springfield was the seat of Livingston Parish on the incorporation of the Republic of West Florida into the State of Louisiana in 1810. As of 2010 the old courthouse still stands, a two-story building in Springfield's southeast quadrant. It was here, in the early part of the 19th century, that Peter av Hammerdal (Peter Hammond), eponym of Hammond, Louisiana
, came to do business on transporting merchandise to oceangoing vessels in New Orleans. The 1854 completion of the New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern Railroad
(now the Canadian National Railway
)—which went through Hammond
, Ponchatoula
, and Manchac
—bypassed Springfield and deprived it of its logistical role. When Tangipahoa Parish was formed partly from Livingston Parish in 1870, Springfield was no longer a central location in Livingston parish, but sat along the new border between Livingston and Tangipahoa Parishes.
of 2000, there were 395 people, 162 households, and 115 families residing in the town. The population density
was 282.4 people per square mile (108.9/km²). There were 185 housing units at an average density of 132.3 per square mile (51.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.20% White, 2.03% African American, 0.25% Asian, and 1.52% from two or more races.
There were 162 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples
living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 101.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $28,125, and the median income for a family was $48,750. Males had a median income of $35,536 versus $21,667 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $17,075. About 19.0% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.2% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
system.
Springfield is served by:
Livingston Parish, Louisiana
Livingston Parish Is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its parish seat is Livingston. As of 2010, its population was 128,026....
, 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 395 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Baton Rouge metropolitan area
The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is a sprawling area consisting of nine parishes in Louisiana, anchored by the city of Baton Rouge...
.
Geography
Springfield is located at 30°25′45"N 90°32′53"W (30.429173, -90.548065).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 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.
The town's name comes from the numerous artesian springs in the area.
The ZIP Code of Springfield is 70462.
History
Springfield began in the 17th century at one of the northernmost points considered to be navigable on the Natalbany River. Between Springfield and Lake MaurepasLake Maurepas
Lake Maurepas is located in southeastern Louisiana approximately halfway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge directly west of Lake Pontchartrain.-Namesake:...
, Ponchatoula Creek
Ponchatoula Creek
Ponchatoula Creek is a tributary of the Natalbany River in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. The two waterways join where a section of the Natalbany forms the boundary between Tangipahoa Parish and Livingston Parish. Ponchatoula Creek originates west of Old US Highway 51, north of Independence...
joins the Natalbany and increases its flow. Via the Natalbany, Lake Maurepas
Lake Maurepas
Lake Maurepas is located in southeastern Louisiana approximately halfway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge directly west of Lake Pontchartrain.-Namesake:...
, and Lake Ponchartrain, and Bayou Saint John
Bayou St. John
Bayou St. John is a bayou within the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.The Bayou as a natural feature drained the swampy land of a good portion of what was to become New Orleans into Lake Pontchartrain...
, Springfield had access to New Orleans by water; similarly, at the time (prior to the damming of the channel by levee
Levee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
s) along the Amite River
Amite River
The Amite River is a tributary of Lake Maurepas in Mississippi and Louisiana in the United States. It is about long. It starts as two forks in southwestern Mississippi and flows south through Louisiana, passing Greater Baton Rouge, to Lake Maurepas. The lower of the river is navigable...
and Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, Bayou Manchac
Bayou Manchac
Bayou Manchac is an bayou in southeast Louisiana. This bayou was once a very important waterway linking the Mississippi River to the Amite River.-Exploration:...
provided shallow-water access between Springfield and Baton Rouge. By 1810 Springfield was one of the areas of interest in the rebellion against Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to produce the Republic of West Florida. Springfield was the seat of Livingston Parish on the incorporation of the Republic of West Florida into the State of Louisiana in 1810. As of 2010 the old courthouse still stands, a two-story building in Springfield's southeast quadrant. It was here, in the early part of the 19th century, that Peter av Hammerdal (Peter Hammond), eponym of Hammond, Louisiana
Hammond, Louisiana
Hammond is the largest city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,049 at the 2009 census. It is home to Southeastern Louisiana University...
, came to do business on transporting merchandise to oceangoing vessels in New Orleans. The 1854 completion of the New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
(now the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
)—which went through Hammond
Hammond, Louisiana
Hammond is the largest city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,049 at the 2009 census. It is home to Southeastern Louisiana University...
, Ponchatoula
Ponchatoula, Louisiana
Ponchatoula is a city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,180 at the 2000 census. Ponchatoula calls itself the "Strawberry Capital of the World". It is part of the Hammond Micropolitan Statistical Area. The current mayor is Bob Zabbia.-Geography:Ponchatoula is...
, and Manchac
Manchac, Louisiana
Manchac is a small unincorporated community in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Hammond Micropolitan Statistical Area....
—bypassed Springfield and deprived it of its logistical role. When Tangipahoa Parish was formed partly from Livingston Parish in 1870, Springfield was no longer a central location in Livingston parish, but sat along the new border between Livingston and Tangipahoa Parishes.
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 395 people, 162 households, and 115 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 282.4 people per square mile (108.9/km²). There were 185 housing units at an average density of 132.3 per square mile (51.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.20% White, 2.03% African American, 0.25% Asian, and 1.52% from two or more races.
There were 162 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% 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, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 101.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $28,125, and the median income for a family was $48,750. Males had a median income of $35,536 versus $21,667 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 $17,075. About 19.0% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.2% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Springfield is within the Livingston Parish Public SchoolsLivingston Parish Public Schools
Livingston Parish Public Schools is a school district headquartered in Livingston, Louisiana, United States with 42 schools and over 24,000 students enrolled for the 2008 - 2009 school year....
system.
Springfield is served by:
- Springfield Elementary School
- Springfield Junior High School
- Springfield High School