Springhill, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Springhill is a city in northern Webster Parish
, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,439 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Minden
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
More recent mayors included Ed Shultz (1942-1954), Charles E. McConnell (1954–1958), Jesse L. Boucher
(1958–1962), James Allen (1962–1974), M. A. Gleason, Jr. (1974–1978), Johnny D. Herrington (1978–1986 and 1995–2006), a brother-in-law of Boucher, James Curtis Smith (1987–1994), and Carroll Breaux, who assumed office on January 1, 2007. Breaux, an Independent, is the first non-Democrat
to serve as Springhill mayor. He unseated Herrington, 973-782, in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on September 30, 2006.
The 1979 film Five Days from Home, which was directed by and starred George Peppard
, was filmed primarily in Springhill. Peppard's third wife, Sherry Boucher
, is a Springhill native.
The most significant local economic force, however, was the establishment of a massive pulp paper mill in 1937 by International Paper Company. The construction of the paper mill greatly expanded the regional economic importance of Springhill and further cemented ties to the timber industry. Though technically within the town of Cullen
just south of Springhill, the facility was regionally known as the "Springhill paper mill." The later addition of a wood products plant and container (box) plant by International Paper further established Springhill as one of the most important manufacturing and processing centers in northern Louisiana. In 1979, International Paper closed the paper mill, which along with a significant general downturn in the petroleum industry had a significant effect on the economy. Though the paper mill closed, International Paper maintained its wood products and container producing facilities continuing IP's presence in the area. During 2006-2007, IP sold the wood products plant to its main rival, Georgia Pacific, and liquidated its significant land holdings in the Springhill area. The container division (box plant) remains the last remnant of International Paper's presence.
Meanwhile, Tucker Lumber Company is a new sawmill, crosstie trimming, and end-plate plant located in the northern part of Springhill.
There has been an expansion of the retail and service industries and improvement in the municipal infrastructure
. There was, for instance, a revitalization of Main Street with aesthetic improvements, new businesses, and renovation of the Webster Parish Library branch.
A formerly abandoned grocery store was converted into the Frank Anthony Community Activity Center, which hosts community events and concerts by such music icons as Willie Nelson
and Springhill native Joe Stampley
.
The former campus of the Georgia Howell Elementary School, which was built in 1956, has been closed due to unsafe building conditions. The students of those schools are now at Browning or Brown Middle.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.3 km²), of which, 6.2 square miles (16.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.80%) is water.
was 872.9 people per square mile (337.1/km²). There were 2,551 housing units at an average density of 409.4 per square mile (158.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.49% White, 25.13% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races
, and 0.66% from two or more races. 0.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 2,258 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,102, and the median income for a family was $35,540. Males had a median income of $29,757 versus $17,750 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,447. About 14.6% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.6% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.
Webster Parish, Louisiana
Webster Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Minden. In 2010, its population was 41,207....
, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,439 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Minden
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Webster Parish was first permanently settled about 1818 near Overton south of Minden. According to genealogical findings, William Farmer, Samuel Monzingo, J. A. Byrnes, and Joseph Murrell were the first settlers in the area. These settlers formed an area that was initially referred to informally as "Piney Woods." In 1894, though still unincorporated, what would eventually become Springhill took the name "Barefoot, Louisiana" on the notions of a Mrs. Maxwell, who assigned the name based on her observations that many men in the community went to work without shoes. The town that is today Springhill was finally incorporated in 1902. The first mayor was N.B. Taylor, who followed a year thereafter by B.D. Wilson. Peter Modisette was the mayor from 1914-1925.More recent mayors included Ed Shultz (1942-1954), Charles E. McConnell (1954–1958), Jesse L. Boucher
Jesse L. Boucher
Jesse L. Boucher was a north Louisiana insurance agency owner and large-scale real estate developer who also served from 1958-1962 as the mayor of his native Springhill in northern Webster Parish....
(1958–1962), James Allen (1962–1974), M. A. Gleason, Jr. (1974–1978), Johnny D. Herrington (1978–1986 and 1995–2006), a brother-in-law of Boucher, James Curtis Smith (1987–1994), and Carroll Breaux, who assumed office on January 1, 2007. Breaux, an Independent, is the first non-Democrat
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...
to serve as Springhill mayor. He unseated Herrington, 973-782, in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on September 30, 2006.
The 1979 film Five Days from Home, which was directed by and starred George Peppard
George Peppard
George Peppard, Jr. was an American film and television actor.Peppard secured a major role when he starred alongside Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's , portrayed a character based on Howard Hughes in The Carpetbaggers , and played the title role of the millionaire sleuth Thomas Banacek in...
, was filmed primarily in Springhill. Peppard's third wife, Sherry Boucher
Sherry Boucher
Sherry Lynn Boucher, or Sherry Boucher-Lytle , is a former American actress who was once married to actor George Peppard. She is now a Realtor in Bossier Parish in northwestern Louisiana. She is a younger sister of actress Savannah Smith Boucher.Boucher was born in Springhill in northern Webster...
, is a Springhill native.
Timber industry
Springhill's close association with the timber industry began in 1896 with the arrival of the Pine Woods Lumber Company. The North Webster High School teams still use the name "Lumberjacks." Springhill prospered from timber and for a time was a boomtown. The Pine Woods Lumber Company went out of business during the Great Depression, and the population of Springhill dwindled. The Pine Woods Lumber Company facility was purchased by the Frost Lumber Company, which sold to Springhill Lumber Company. The Springhill Lumber Company later became Anthony Forest Products, which remained in Springhill until 1972.The most significant local economic force, however, was the establishment of a massive pulp paper mill in 1937 by International Paper Company. The construction of the paper mill greatly expanded the regional economic importance of Springhill and further cemented ties to the timber industry. Though technically within the town of Cullen
Cullen, Louisiana
Cullen is a town just south of Springhill in northern Webster Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,296 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Minden Micropolitan Statistical Area....
just south of Springhill, the facility was regionally known as the "Springhill paper mill." The later addition of a wood products plant and container (box) plant by International Paper further established Springhill as one of the most important manufacturing and processing centers in northern Louisiana. In 1979, International Paper closed the paper mill, which along with a significant general downturn in the petroleum industry had a significant effect on the economy. Though the paper mill closed, International Paper maintained its wood products and container producing facilities continuing IP's presence in the area. During 2006-2007, IP sold the wood products plant to its main rival, Georgia Pacific, and liquidated its significant land holdings in the Springhill area. The container division (box plant) remains the last remnant of International Paper's presence.
Meanwhile, Tucker Lumber Company is a new sawmill, crosstie trimming, and end-plate plant located in the northern part of Springhill.
Springhill today
Springhill has in recent years experienced a significant economic downturn. Georgia Pacific, after having purchased the plywood mill, has closed the plant. Another major employer, the Trane Company, which manufactures air-conditioning components, relocated to Mexico.There has been an expansion of the retail and service industries and improvement in the municipal infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
. There was, for instance, a revitalization of Main Street with aesthetic improvements, new businesses, and renovation of the Webster Parish Library branch.
A formerly abandoned grocery store was converted into the Frank Anthony Community Activity Center, which hosts community events and concerts by such music icons as Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
and Springhill native Joe Stampley
Joe Stampley
Joe Stampley is an American country music singer.-Biography:He was born to R.C. Stampley, Jr. , and Mary E. Stampley...
.
Education
Springhill has a state-of-the-art high school facility, North Webster High School. North Webster Parish High, formerly Springhill Jr/Sr High School, housed 7th-12th grade Springhill students before 2011. After budget cuts and consolidation, the school now enrolls 9th-12th graders from all of North Webster Parish. All Springhill Jr. High students now attend school in Sarepta at North Webster Jr. High. Elementary schools, Browning Elementary and Brown Middle, remained the same after consolidation. PK-5th grade Springhill students still attend these schools.The former campus of the Georgia Howell Elementary School, which was built in 1956, has been closed due to unsafe building conditions. The students of those schools are now at Browning or Brown Middle.
Geography
Springhill is located at 33°0′4"N 93°27′41"W (33.001234, -93.461448) and has an elevation of 292 feet (89 m).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 city has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.3 km²), of which, 6.2 square miles (16.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.80%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,439 people, 2,258 households, and 1,485 families residing in the city. 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 872.9 people per square mile (337.1/km²). There were 2,551 housing units at an average density of 409.4 per square mile (158.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.49% White, 25.13% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.26% 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 0.66% from two or more races. 0.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 2,258 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,102, and the median income for a family was $35,540. Males had a median income of $29,757 versus $17,750 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 city was $16,447. About 14.6% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.6% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.
Culture
- Springhill hosts an annual Lumberjack Festival, which includes log cutting contests, Louisiana food, live music, and a parade.
Notable people
- Trace AdkinsTrace AdkinsTracy Darrell "Trace" Adkins is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1996 with the album Dreamin' Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released seven more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations...
- Country music singer - Ron Riley - Guitar teacher and former radio personality for KBSF local radio, taught guitar to Trace Adkins, owner of Pro-Am Music Center, and author of "Short stories of life and other nonsense". http://www.ronaway.net/
- Drayton R. BoucherDrayton BoucherDrayton Rogers Boucher was a Louisiana state legislator from Springhill in northern Webster Parish, Louisiana, affiliated with the Long faction of state Democratic politics. Boucher represented Webster Parish for a single four-year term in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1936 to 1940...
- former member of 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...
and the Louisiana State SenateLouisiana 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 Springhill - Jesse L. BoucherJesse L. BoucherJesse L. Boucher was a north Louisiana insurance agency owner and large-scale real estate developer who also served from 1958-1962 as the mayor of his native Springhill in northern Webster Parish....
(1912–2004) - former Springhill mayor, insurance agent and developer - Savannah Smith BoucherSavannah Smith BoucherSavannah Smith Boucher is an American actress originally from Springhill in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana. Her younger sister, Sherry Boucher, is a former actress who was the third wife of the late actor George Peppard....
- actress - Sherry BoucherSherry BoucherSherry Lynn Boucher, or Sherry Boucher-Lytle , is a former American actress who was once married to actor George Peppard. She is now a Realtor in Bossier Parish in northwestern Louisiana. She is a younger sister of actress Savannah Smith Boucher.Boucher was born in Springhill in northern Webster...
- former Hollywood actress and Realtor in Bossier Parish; formerly married to George PeppardGeorge PeppardGeorge Peppard, Jr. was an American film and television actor.Peppard secured a major role when he starred alongside Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's , portrayed a character based on Howard Hughes in The Carpetbaggers , and played the title role of the millionaire sleuth Thomas Banacek in... - Shannen W. CoffinShannen W. CoffinShannen W. Coffin is an attorney for the Washington, D.C. law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP who until early November 2007 served as general counsel to American Vice President Dick Cheney. Coffin was previously at the Department of Justice, where he served as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the...
- Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
law school graduate who clerked on the federal bench. Former Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the United States. Resigned in October 2007 as General Counsel for the Office of the Vice President of the United StatesVice President of the United StatesThe Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
, Richard B. Cheney. - John David CrowJohn David CrowJohn David Crow was the Heisman Trophy winner and halfback from Texas A&M University in 1957...
- Winner of the 1957 Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. He played for eleven seasons in the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and played in four NFL Pro Bowls. He also served as athletic director of Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in College StationCollege Station, TexasCollege Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
. - Eugene Eason (1928–2007) - 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 of RepresentativesLouisiana House of RepresentativesThe 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...
from 1991–1992 and former member of the Springhill City Council. - Robert L. FryeRobert L. FryeRobert Lafayette Frye was an educator and politician from the U.S. state of Louisiana.-Early years and education:Frye was born to Jennings Bryan Frye, Sr...
- Republican nominee for state education superintendent in 1972, retired to Springhill, where he died in 2011. - John Willard "Jack" Montgomery, Sr.Jack Montgomery (Louisiana politician)John Willard Montgomery, Sr., known as Jack Montgomery , is an attorney in private practice in the small city of Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, who served in the 26th District of the Louisiana State Senate for a single four-year term from 1968—1972...
- DemocraticDemocratic 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...
member of the Louisiana State SenateLouisiana 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 1968–1972; preceded by and succeeded by Harold MontgomeryHarold MontgomeryA. Harold Montgomery, Sr. , was an agricultural businessman and a Louisiana state senator, who is remembered as an outspoken conservative within his state's dominant Democratic Party...
, no relation. - Danny D. Scott (1929–2007) - Publisher of Springhill Press-News Journal and the Plain Dealing Post in Plain DealingPlain Dealing, LouisianaPlain Dealing is a town in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States best known as the birthplace of former U.S. Representative Joe D. Waggonner, Jr. The population was 1,071 at the 2000 census...
in Bossier Parish. Scott made the Press-News Journal a central printing location for some forty area publications. He was the youngest president in history of the Louisiana Press Association and served on committees for the National Newspaper Association. He graduated from Springhill High School and Southern Arkansas UniversitySouthern Arkansas UniversitySouthern Arkansas University is a public four-year institution located in Magnolia, the seat of Columbia County in Arkansas, United States, not far from the Louisiana state line.-Location:Southern Arkansas University is located in Magnolia, which, as of the census...
. - Joe StampleyJoe StampleyJoe Stampley is an American country music singer.-Biography:He was born to R.C. Stampley, Jr. , and Mary E. Stampley...
- Country musicCountry musicCountry 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...
artist who headed the former "The Uniques" and was part of a duo with Moe BandyMoe BandyMarion Franklin Bandy, Jr.–better known professionally as Moe Bandy– is a country music singer...
. In 1976, Stampley had eight singles which charted in Billboard Magazine and was awarded "Billboard's Single Artist of the Year". - John Milton Stephens (1966–2009) - 1st Rd. 17th pick of the 1988 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. 1988 NFL Offensive Rookie Of The Year and member of the Northwestern State University Football Hall Of Fame.
- Duval Cortez Wimberly, Sr. (1917–2007) - a prisoner of war from 1944-1945 in Germany. He was liberated by the RussiansRussiansThe Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and then escaped on May 9, 1945. He was subsequently an officer of American Ex-Prisoners of WarAmerican Ex-Prisoners of WarPrisoners of War is a service organization that aims to assist the surviving U.S. military prisoner of war , particularly those who are elderly and those who have medical problems. Based in Arlington, Texas, the American Ex-Prisoners of War was founded in 1942. It received a congressional charter...
, an organization based in Arlington, TexasArlington, TexasArlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
, chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1942. Wimberly, a graduate of Northwestern State UniversityNorthwestern State UniversityNorthwestern 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 NatchitochesNatchitoches, LouisianaNatchitoches 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 Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge, was principal of four Webster Parish schools during his career as an educator. - Jimmy Terrell Wynne, Author, born at Swan Clinic on January 11, 1946; parents, Kennie (1900–1979) and Gladys Lee Wynn (1909–1985); graduated from Texas Tech UniversityTexas Tech UniversityTexas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
in LubbockLubbock, TexasLubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, participated in the second National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration in Lubbock, along with the late Elmer KeltonElmer KeltonElmer Stephen Kelton was an American journalist and writer, known particularly for his Western novels.-Biography:...
, Max Evans, and Barry CorbinBarry CorbinLeonard Barrie Corbin, known as Barry Corbin , is an American actor with more than one hundred film, television and video game credits.-Early life:...
. - John Corey WhaleyJohn Corey WhaleyJohn Corey Whaley is an American young adult author of realistic literary fiction. His first novel, Where Things Come Back, was published by Simon & Schuster's Atheneum Books for Young Readers on May 3, 2011.- Early life :...
- Author of young adult literary fiction. His debut novel, Where Things Come Back, was published by Simon and Schuster in May 2011.