St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
St. John the Baptist Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state
of Louisiana
.
The parish seat is Edgard
, an unincorporated area
and the unofficial parish captial is LaPlace
, an unincorporated area
. St. John the Baptist is one of the original 19 parishes in Louisiana. In 2010, its population was 45,924.
St. John the Baptist Parish is part of the New Orleans
–Metairie
–Kenner
Metropolitan Statistical Area
as well as the New Orleans–Metairie–Bogalusa
Combined Statistical Area
.
This was considered part of the German Coast
in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, named for numerous German migrants who settled in the 1720s. On January 8, 1811, the largest slave insurrection in US history, known as the German Coast Uprising
, started here. It was short-lived, but more than 200 slaves gathered from plantations along the river and marched through St. Charles Parish toward New Orleans.
The parish includes three nationally significant examples of 19th century plantation architecture: Evergreen Plantation, Whitney Plantation Historic District
, and San Francisco Plantation House
.
and Wallace
, which cover primarily agricultural land. Rows of sugar cane cover the fields. On the east bank of the river are the towns of LaPlace
, Reserve, Lions, Garyville
and Mt. Airy each a thriving, bustling community with industries along the river, including a chemical plant, sugar refinery, grain elevators and an oil refinery. However, a ninth and tenth communities which was settled on the northern arm of the Parish between Lake Maurepas
and Lake Pontchartrain
just north of LaPlace it is now abandoned, these two communities were named Ruddock
& Frenier; But the residents of the parish still refer to this area as Ruddock & Frenier. St. John Parish has no incorporated areas.
operates public schools in the parish.
Public Elementary/Middle Schools:
Private Elementary/Middle Schools: Archdiocese of New Orleans run Schools
Public High Schools:
Private High Schools: Archdiocese of New Orleans run School
Election Results
Parish President
Sheriff
http://www.gachgs.com/. The parish was established in the early 1720s by a group of German colonists. Many families established towns around the Mississippi River in the areas now known as Lucy, Garyville, and Reserve. The area was under the French regime until 1768, when France ceded Louisiana to the Spanish after the Seven Years' War
.
Around this time period, many Acadians, people of French descent, began arriving in south Louisiana due to being expelled by the British
from what is now Nova Scotia
, when the British were victorious in the Seven Years War and took over French territory in Canada
. The first Acadian village was established in what is now Wallace. The German and French cultures thrived alongside one another, but French
came to be the dominant language. They developed a culture known as Cajun
.
The early settlers in the area received land grants from the Spanish or French governments, depending upon which country owned the territory at the time of application. These grants generally included some narrow frontage on the river for access to transportation of goods to and from New Orleans and world markets. The remaining property extended away from the river deeply into the wetlands. This was a French style of property allotment.
Most transportation was done by boat, mainly on the bayous and lakes, but the Mississippi River as well, for decades into the 19th century. St. John, with its fertile land being nine feet above sea level, proved to be an excellent settlement for farming and agriculture. In the late 18th century, planters
began to invest more in labor-intensive sugar cane cultivation and processing, increasing their demand for slave labor. Sugar production meant prosperity for the planters and New Orleans.
With the sugar wealth, some wealthy planters built elaborate houses and outbuildings. Three survive in St. John parish; each is recognized for its national architectural and historic significance. On the west bank are the major complex of house and outbuildings designated Whitney Plantation Historic District
and the National Historic Landmark
(NHL) of Evergreen Plantation. San Francisco Plantation House
, also a designated NHL, is on the east bank. San Francisco and Evergreen plantations are open to the public for tours. The Whitney plantation house is planned for renovation. Whitney and Evergreen plantations are both included among the first 26 sites on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail
.
In January 1811, the German Coast Uprising
started in this parish. It was the largest slave insurrection in US history, but it was short-lived. The slaves killed two whites, but suffered 96 deaths among their forces at the hands of the militia and quick trials afterward. They attacked five plantations and burned three houses to the ground. Charles Deslondes, a mulatto slave from Haiti
, was one of the leaders of the insurrection. He and his followers were influenced by the ideals and promises of the French
and Haitian revolutions
. He gathered more than 200 slaves from plantations along the way, marching into St. Charles Parish toward New Orleans before meeting much resistance. Unable to get the arms they had planned on, the slaves were defeated by well-armed informal and territorial militias. During these confrontations and executions after brief trials, Deslondes and ninety-five slaves were killed. Decades before the American Civil War
and emancipation
, their actions expressed the people's deep desire for freedom.
As the families of the settlement grew, their need for education for their children grew also. Before the Civil War
, typically planters would hire tutors, often college graduates from the North
, who would live with the family for an extended period of time, typically two years. The tutor would teach all of the planter's children, and sometimes the family would arrange for neighborhood children to join the classes as well. In 1869, following the Civil War, families wanting French
instruction founded private schools to continue their culture. This was when the Reconstruction legislature established public schools for the first time in the state. The first high schools at Edgard and Reserve were built in 1909. Children traveled to the schools by horse-drawn buses or by train.
St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana is located on the Mississippi River
approximately 130 miles (209.2 km) upriver from the Gulf of Mexico
and 30 miles (48.3 km) upriver from the City of New Orleans. The area, known as the River Region, has an abundance of natural resources and a mild "Sunbelt" climate. The average monthly temperature in New Orleans ranges from 55.1° in January to 83.7° in July, and rainfall averages 53.2² per year with monthly averages running from 2.52² in October to 7.17² in July. The New Orleans/River Region contains a good supply of raw materials, which has helped Louisiana maintain a high rank in the United States in the production of natural gas, petroleum, sulphur, salt, and fur pelts. High silica sands, lime, clays, timber, seafood, and various agricultural products are also produced in abundance.
St. John the Baptist Parish is bisected by the Mississippi River. Though the River actually separates the Parish into northern and southern parts, the former is still referred to as the "east bank" and the latter as the "west bank". The Mississippi provides an important transportation corridor which supports the heavy industry located in the area.
St. John the Baptist Parish is bordered by St. Charles Parish and Lake Pontchartrain
to the east, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas
to the north, Lafourche Parish and Lac des Allemands
to the south, and St. James Parish to the west. It is one of four parishes which comprise the "River Parishes", in addition St. John Parish is the heart of the "River Parish". . This section of the state, also consisting of St. James, Ascension and St. Charles Parishes, makes up the area along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. All of these parishes are home to at least one major chemical and/or petroleum processing facility, the primary sources of employment in the region.
St. John the Baptist Parish contains approximately 239 square miles (619 km²) of land area, a large percentage of which consists of either open water or wetlands. The wetlands are currently protected by federal law and development is limited to what is permitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and/or the Federal Wildlife and Fisheries Department.
Higher ground in the parish is found in an alluvial plain
which generally borders the Mississippi River on both sides. Soil deposits from the Mississippi's annual flooding created a rich and fertile area which has historically been intensively farmed (sugar cane, soybeans, feed corn, and occasional cotton). This fact, and the natural transportation corridor supplied by the river, resulted in the creation of numerous farms and plantations along the lower Mississippi Valley.
Many of these plantations were merely large tracts of land with modest or average-sized homes and outbuildings found on the higher ground. Several, however, were improved with palatial mansions. Three of the larger homes have survived in St. John Parish, as noted in the History above.
The higher ground along the banks was used to grow crops, while the wetlands were valued for their abundant timber, hunting and fishing. For years development in the River Parishes was limited to those areas that were high and less prone to flood
ing. Until the existing levees and pump systems were built, however, few places were truly safe from high water. Even today, most of the parish is considered a flood hazard area (as per FEMA Flood Maps).
East Bank - The primary artery on the east bank of St. John Parish is Airline Highway (U.S. Highway 61). This five-lane, asphalt-paved road was once the predominant route linking Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Though it is still heavily traveled, much of the New Orleans-Baton Rouge traffic has been diverted to Interstate 10, located in the northern part of the parish. Interstate 10, a divided, controlled-access highway, has two interchanges in St. John Parish; one at Belle Terre Boulevard and the second at U.S. Highway 51/Interstate 55, both in LaPlace. Both Belle Terre Boulevard and Highway 51 intersect Airline Highway approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of Interstate 10.
Interstate 55, a north-south route leading to Jackson, Mississippi
and beyond, intersects Interstate 10 in the northeastern sector of LaPlace. A third Interstate 10 interchange exists just west of the St. John Parish Line near Gramercy (St. James Parish).
River Road, also known as Jefferson Highway or Louisiana Highway 44, is a two-lane, asphalt-paved, winding highway which parallels the Mississippi River. Most of the heavy industry in the Parish fronts on this road.
West Bank - Most of the development on the west bank lies along Louisiana Highway 18 (the Great River Road), a two-lane, asphalt-paved highway which parallels the Mississippi River similarly to Highway 44 on the east bank. In addition to Louisiana 18, the west bank has Louisiana Highway 3127 or the River Parishes Highway, which is roughly equivalent to the east bank's Airline Highway in that it follows the Mississippi. It is not as winding nor as populated as River Road. Highway 3127 leads to Donaldsonville
upriver from St. John Parish. It is home of the "Sunshine Bridge" over the Mississippi River in Ascension Parish. This road has little development on either side and is generally surrounded by wetlands in St. John Parish.
Veterans Memorial Bridge or Gramercy Bridge - (Louisiana Highway 3213) This bridge originates on the east bank of St. James Parish near Gramercy/Lutcher and has access to I-10 and Airline Highway via Louisiana Highway 641. The foot of the bridge on the west bank is in St. John Parish near Wallace, with a tie-in to Louisiana Highway 3127 that opened June 18, 2008. The opening of this bridge has spurred the development hoped for along the west bank of St. John Parish. The Bridge is known as the "Bridge to No Were".
Access to the west bank of St. John Parish is also provided by a ferry crossing at Reserve/Edgard (currently not in operation as of 20 June 2010) and by the Hale Boggs Bridge over the Mississippi in St. Charles Parish.
of 2000, there were 43,044 people, 14,283 households, and 11,312 families residing in the parish. The population density
was 197 people per square mile (76/km²). There were 15,532 housing units at an average density of 71 per square mile (27/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 52.58% White
, 44.76% Black
or African American
, 0.26% Native American
, 0.53% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 0.86% from other races
, and 0.98% from two or more races. 2.86% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 14,283 households out of which 43.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.10% were married couples
living together, 18.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.80% were non-families. 17.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.38.
In the parish the population was spread out with 31.20% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 94.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.70 males.
The median income for a household in the parish was $39,456, and the median income for a family was $43,925. Males had a median income of $37,293 versus $22,323 for females. The per capita income
for the parish was $15,445. About 13.90% of families and 16.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.70% of those under age 18 and 17.80% of those age 65 or over.
Geology
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
.
The parish seat is Edgard
Edgard, Louisiana
Edgard is a census-designated place in and the parish seat of St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,637 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, an unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
and the unofficial parish captial is LaPlace
Laplace, Louisiana
LaPlace is a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the east bank of the Mississippi River in the New Orleans metropolitan area. The population is 32,134 at the 2010 census....
, an unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
. St. John the Baptist is one of the original 19 parishes in Louisiana. In 2010, its population was 45,924.
St. John the Baptist Parish is part of the New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
–Metairie
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
–Kenner
Kenner, Louisiana
Kenner is a city in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 66,702 at the 2010 census....
Metropolitan Statistical Area
New Orleans metropolitan area
New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner, or the Greater New Orleans Region is a metropolitan area designated by the United States Census encompassing seven parishes in the state of Louisiana, centering on the city of New Orleans...
as well as the New Orleans–Metairie–Bogalusa
Bogalusa, Louisiana
Bogalusa is a city in Washington Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 13,365 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Bogalusa Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Washington Parish and is also part of the larger New Orleans–Metairie–Bogalusa...
Combined Statistical Area
New Orleans-Metairie-Bogalusa combined statistical area
The New Orleans–Metairie–Bogalusa Combined Statistical Area is made up of eight parishes in southeastern Louisiana. The statistical area consists of the New Orleans Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Bogalusa Micropolitan Statistical Area...
.
This was considered part of the German Coast
German Coast
The German Coast was a region of early Louisiana settlement located above New Orleans on the Mississippi River – specifically, from east to west, in St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and St. James parishes of present-day Acadiana. The four settlements along the coast were Karlstein, Hoffen,...
in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, named for numerous German migrants who settled in the 1720s. On January 8, 1811, the largest slave insurrection in US history, known as the German Coast Uprising
1811 German Coast Uprising
The 1811 German Coast Uprising was a slave revolt that took place in parts of the Territory of Orleans on January 8–10, 1811. The revolt took place on the east coast of the Mississippi River in what are now St. John the Baptist and St. Charles Parishes, Louisiana. While the slave insurgency was...
, started here. It was short-lived, but more than 200 slaves gathered from plantations along the river and marched through St. Charles Parish toward New Orleans.
The parish includes three nationally significant examples of 19th century plantation architecture: Evergreen Plantation, Whitney Plantation Historic District
Whitney Plantation Historic District
Whitney Plantation is preserved in Whitney Plantation Historic District near Wallace, Louisiana, in St. John the Baptist Parish.The French Creole raised-style main house built in 1803 is the most important in the state...
, and San Francisco Plantation House
San Francisco Plantation House
San Francisco Plantation House is a National Historic Landmark in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana.It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974.It is located about upriver of Reserve, Louisiana, on Louisiana Highway 144....
.
Communities
The whole of St. John Parish comprises eight communities. On the west bank of the river lie the sprawling towns of Lucy, EdgardEdgard, Louisiana
Edgard is a census-designated place in and the parish seat of St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,637 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Wallace
Wallace, Louisiana
Wallace is a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 570 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, which cover primarily agricultural land. Rows of sugar cane cover the fields. On the east bank of the river are the towns of LaPlace
Laplace, Louisiana
LaPlace is a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the east bank of the Mississippi River in the New Orleans metropolitan area. The population is 32,134 at the 2010 census....
, Reserve, Lions, Garyville
Garyville, Louisiana
Garyville is a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,775 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Mt. Airy each a thriving, bustling community with industries along the river, including a chemical plant, sugar refinery, grain elevators and an oil refinery. However, a ninth and tenth communities which was settled on the northern arm of the Parish between 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 Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
just north of LaPlace it is now abandoned, these two communities were named Ruddock
Ruddock, Louisiana
Ruddock is an ghost town in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States. Ruddock was located on an isthmus between Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain, north-northeast of LaPlace. Although the town was destroyed by a hurricane in 1915, it is still signed as an exit on Interstate 55 and...
& Frenier; But the residents of the parish still refer to this area as Ruddock & Frenier. St. John Parish has no incorporated areas.
Education
St. John the Baptist Parish School BoardSt. John the Baptist Parish School Board
St. John the Baptist Parish School Board is a school district headquartered in unincorporated St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States.It serves St. John the Baptist Parish.-High schools:** -K-8 schools:Zoned*** **...
operates public schools in the parish.
Public Elementary/Middle Schools:
- Laplace Elementary/Middle in LaPlace, La
- Garyville-Mt. Airy Math and Science Magnet School in Garyville/Mt. Airy, La
- Fifth Ward Elementary School in Reserve, La
- East St. John Elementary in Reserve, La
- Emily C. Watkins Elementary/Middle in LaPlace, La
- John L. Ory Communications Magnet in LaPlace, La
- Lake Pontchartrain Elementary/Middle in LaPlace, La
- West St. John Elementary in Reserve, La
Private Elementary/Middle Schools: Archdiocese of New Orleans run Schools
- Ascension of Our Lord Catholic School in LaPlace, La
- St. Joan of Arc Catholic School in LaPlace, La
- St. Peter's Catholic School in Reserve, La
- Our Lady of Grace School in Reserve, La
- Reserve Christian in Reserve, La(Run by the Reserve Christian Church)
Public High Schools:
- East St. John High School in Reserve, La
- West St. John High School in Edgard, La
Private High Schools: Archdiocese of New Orleans run School
- Riverside Academy in Reserve, La K-12K-12K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
Not run by Archdiocese - St. Charles Catholic High School in LaPlace, La
Leadership
| Parish President: Natalie Robottom |
| Chief Administrative Officer: Theresa H. Rodgers |
| Council Chair: Ronnie Smith (future unknown) |
| Council Vice Chair: Cheryl Millet |
| Judge: Madeline Jasmine- Division "A" |
| Judge: Mary Hatard Becnel- Division "B" |
| Judge: J. Sterling Snowdy- Division "C" |
| District Attorney: Thomas F. Daley |
| Clerk of Court: Eliana DeFrancesch |
| Sheriff: Mike Tregre |
| Assessor: Whitney Joseph, Jr. |
| State Senators: "Jody" Amedee D-18 R Joel T. Chaisson D-19 D Louisiana Democratic Party The Louisiana Democratic Party is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of Louisiana. The party historically has been prominent in politics since before the American Civil War, but consolidated this power after Reconstruction as a result of the rise of the Solid South... |
| State Reps: Nickie Monica D-57 R Elton Aubert D-58 D Louisiana Democratic Party The Louisiana Democratic Party is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of Louisiana. The party historically has been prominent in politics since before the American Civil War, but consolidated this power after Reconstruction as a result of the rise of the Solid South... Gary L. Smith, Jr. D-56 D Louisiana Democratic Party The Louisiana Democratic Party is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of Louisiana. The party historically has been prominent in politics since before the American Civil War, but consolidated this power after Reconstruction as a result of the rise of the Solid South... |
| U.S. Senators: Mary Landrieu D Louisiana Democratic Party The Louisiana Democratic Party is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of Louisiana. The party historically has been prominent in politics since before the American Civil War, but consolidated this power after Reconstruction as a result of the rise of the Solid South... David Vitter R |
| U.S. Rep: Jeff Landry- 3rd District Louisiana's 3rd congressional district Louisiana's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district surrounds the southern tier of the Greater New Orleans Area. The district contains large portions of southeastern and south central Louisiana, including River Parishes and East Acadiana... R |
Election Results
Parish President
- Natalie Robottom (I)IncumbentThe incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
7,840 58% WINNER - Nickie Monica 5,608 38%
- Ronnie Smith 1,253 9%
Sheriff
- Mike Tregre 9,393 63% WINNER
- Wayne L. Jones (I)IncumbentThe incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
5,142 35% - Aaron Smith 288 2%
History
St. John the Baptist Parish was the second permanent settlement in Louisiana and considered part of the German CoastGerman Coast
The German Coast was a region of early Louisiana settlement located above New Orleans on the Mississippi River – specifically, from east to west, in St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and St. James parishes of present-day Acadiana. The four settlements along the coast were Karlstein, Hoffen,...
http://www.gachgs.com/. The parish was established in the early 1720s by a group of German colonists. Many families established towns around the Mississippi River in the areas now known as Lucy, Garyville, and Reserve. The area was under the French regime until 1768, when France ceded Louisiana to the Spanish after the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
.
Around this time period, many Acadians, people of French descent, began arriving in south Louisiana due to being expelled by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from what is now Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, when the British were victorious in the Seven Years War and took over French territory in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The first Acadian village was established in what is now Wallace. The German and French cultures thrived alongside one another, but French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
came to be the dominant language. They developed a culture known as Cajun
Cajun
Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
.
The early settlers in the area received land grants from the Spanish or French governments, depending upon which country owned the territory at the time of application. These grants generally included some narrow frontage on the river for access to transportation of goods to and from New Orleans and world markets. The remaining property extended away from the river deeply into the wetlands. This was a French style of property allotment.
Most transportation was done by boat, mainly on the bayous and lakes, but the Mississippi River as well, for decades into the 19th century. St. John, with its fertile land being nine feet above sea level, proved to be an excellent settlement for farming and agriculture. In the late 18th century, planters
Planters
Planters is an American snack food company, a division of Kraft Foods, best known for its processed nuts and for the Mr. Peanut icon that symbolizes them. Mr. Peanut was created by grade schooler Antonio Gentile for a 1916 contest to design the company's brand icon...
began to invest more in labor-intensive sugar cane cultivation and processing, increasing their demand for slave labor. Sugar production meant prosperity for the planters and New Orleans.
With the sugar wealth, some wealthy planters built elaborate houses and outbuildings. Three survive in St. John parish; each is recognized for its national architectural and historic significance. On the west bank are the major complex of house and outbuildings designated Whitney Plantation Historic District
Whitney Plantation Historic District
Whitney Plantation is preserved in Whitney Plantation Historic District near Wallace, Louisiana, in St. John the Baptist Parish.The French Creole raised-style main house built in 1803 is the most important in the state...
and the National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
(NHL) of Evergreen Plantation. San Francisco Plantation House
San Francisco Plantation House
San Francisco Plantation House is a National Historic Landmark in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana.It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974.It is located about upriver of Reserve, Louisiana, on Louisiana Highway 144....
, also a designated NHL, is on the east bank. San Francisco and Evergreen plantations are open to the public for tours. The Whitney plantation house is planned for renovation. Whitney and Evergreen plantations are both included among the first 26 sites on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail
Louisiana African American Heritage Trail
Louisiana African American Heritage Trail is a cultural heritage trail with 26 sites designated in 2008 by the state of Louisiana, from New Orleans along the Mississippi River to Baton Rouge and Shreveport, with sites in small towns and plantations also included. In New Orleans several sites are...
.
In January 1811, the German Coast Uprising
1811 German Coast Uprising
The 1811 German Coast Uprising was a slave revolt that took place in parts of the Territory of Orleans on January 8–10, 1811. The revolt took place on the east coast of the Mississippi River in what are now St. John the Baptist and St. Charles Parishes, Louisiana. While the slave insurgency was...
started in this parish. It was the largest slave insurrection in US history, but it was short-lived. The slaves killed two whites, but suffered 96 deaths among their forces at the hands of the militia and quick trials afterward. They attacked five plantations and burned three houses to the ground. Charles Deslondes, a mulatto slave from Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, was one of the leaders of the insurrection. He and his followers were influenced by the ideals and promises of the French
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and Haitian revolutions
Haitian Revolution
The Haitian Revolution was a period of conflict in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, which culminated in the elimination of slavery there and the founding of the Haitian republic...
. He gathered more than 200 slaves from plantations along the way, marching into St. Charles Parish toward New Orleans before meeting much resistance. Unable to get the arms they had planned on, the slaves were defeated by well-armed informal and territorial militias. During these confrontations and executions after brief trials, Deslondes and ninety-five slaves were killed. Decades before the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and emancipation
Emancipation
Emancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse foaled in 1979...
, their actions expressed the people's deep desire for freedom.
As the families of the settlement grew, their need for education for their children grew also. Before the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, typically planters would hire tutors, often college graduates from the North
The North
The North may refer to:* a geographical section of the world * the wealthy and technologically advanced nations of the world, as contrasted with the nations comprising the South...
, who would live with the family for an extended period of time, typically two years. The tutor would teach all of the planter's children, and sometimes the family would arrange for neighborhood children to join the classes as well. In 1869, following the Civil War, families wanting French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
instruction founded private schools to continue their culture. This was when the Reconstruction legislature established public schools for the first time in the state. The first high schools at Edgard and Reserve were built in 1909. Children traveled to the schools by horse-drawn buses or by train.
Geography
The parish has a total area of 348 square miles (901 km²), of which, 219 square miles (567 km²) of it is land and 129 square miles (334 km²) of it (37.07%) is water.St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana is located on the 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...
approximately 130 miles (209.2 km) upriver from the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and 30 miles (48.3 km) upriver from the City of New Orleans. The area, known as the River Region, has an abundance of natural resources and a mild "Sunbelt" climate. The average monthly temperature in New Orleans ranges from 55.1° in January to 83.7° in July, and rainfall averages 53.2² per year with monthly averages running from 2.52² in October to 7.17² in July. The New Orleans/River Region contains a good supply of raw materials, which has helped Louisiana maintain a high rank in the United States in the production of natural gas, petroleum, sulphur, salt, and fur pelts. High silica sands, lime, clays, timber, seafood, and various agricultural products are also produced in abundance.
St. John the Baptist Parish is bisected by the Mississippi River. Though the River actually separates the Parish into northern and southern parts, the former is still referred to as the "east bank" and the latter as the "west bank". The Mississippi provides an important transportation corridor which supports the heavy industry located in the area.
St. John the Baptist Parish is bordered by St. Charles Parish and Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
to the east, Lake Pontchartrain and 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:...
to the north, Lafourche Parish and Lac des Allemands
Lac des allemands
Lac des Allemands is a lake located mostly in St. John the Baptist Parish and partly in Lafourche and St. Charles Parishes. It is west of New Orleans and is connected to Lake Salvador by the Bayou des Allemands...
to the south, and St. James Parish to the west. It is one of four parishes which comprise the "River Parishes", in addition St. John Parish is the heart of the "River Parish". . This section of the state, also consisting of St. James, Ascension and St. Charles Parishes, makes up the area along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. All of these parishes are home to at least one major chemical and/or petroleum processing facility, the primary sources of employment in the region.
St. John the Baptist Parish contains approximately 239 square miles (619 km²) of land area, a large percentage of which consists of either open water or wetlands. The wetlands are currently protected by federal law and development is limited to what is permitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and/or the Federal Wildlife and Fisheries Department.
Higher ground in the parish is found in an alluvial plain
Alluvial plain
An alluvial plain is a relatively flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms...
which generally borders the Mississippi River on both sides. Soil deposits from the Mississippi's annual flooding created a rich and fertile area which has historically been intensively farmed (sugar cane, soybeans, feed corn, and occasional cotton). This fact, and the natural transportation corridor supplied by the river, resulted in the creation of numerous farms and plantations along the lower Mississippi Valley.
Many of these plantations were merely large tracts of land with modest or average-sized homes and outbuildings found on the higher ground. Several, however, were improved with palatial mansions. Three of the larger homes have survived in St. John Parish, as noted in the History above.
The higher ground along the banks was used to grow crops, while the wetlands were valued for their abundant timber, hunting and fishing. For years development in the River Parishes was limited to those areas that were high and less prone to flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing. Until the existing levees and pump systems were built, however, few places were truly safe from high water. Even today, most of the parish is considered a flood hazard area (as per FEMA Flood Maps).
Major highways
Interstate 10
Interstate 55Interstate 55Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
U.S. Highway 51
U.S. Highway 61
Louisiana Highway 18Louisiana Highway 18Louisiana Highway 18 is a state highway in Louisiana that serves Ascension, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Charles, and Jefferson Parishes. Called the Great River Road, it runs from west to east, parallel to the west bank of the Mississippi River, running from Donaldsonville to Gretna. It...
Louisiana Highway 44
Louisiana Highway 3127Louisiana Highway 3127Louisiana Highway 3127 is a state highway in Louisiana that serves Ascension, St. James, St. John the Baptist, and St. Charles Parishes. It spans in a northwest to southeast direction. It parallels LA 18 along the west bank of the Mississippi River, providing a much shorter inland bypass of...
Louisiana Highway 3188Louisiana Highway 3188Louisiana Highway 3188 is a north–south state highway in Louisiana that serves St. John the Baptist Parish. It spans in a south to north direction. It is known locally as Belle Terre Boulevard.-Route description:...
Louisiana Highway 3213
East Bank - The primary artery on the east bank of St. John Parish is Airline Highway (U.S. Highway 61). This five-lane, asphalt-paved road was once the predominant route linking Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Though it is still heavily traveled, much of the New Orleans-Baton Rouge traffic has been diverted to Interstate 10, located in the northern part of the parish. Interstate 10, a divided, controlled-access highway, has two interchanges in St. John Parish; one at Belle Terre Boulevard and the second at U.S. Highway 51/Interstate 55, both in LaPlace. Both Belle Terre Boulevard and Highway 51 intersect Airline Highway approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of Interstate 10.
Interstate 55, a north-south route leading to Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
and beyond, intersects Interstate 10 in the northeastern sector of LaPlace. A third Interstate 10 interchange exists just west of the St. John Parish Line near Gramercy (St. James Parish).
River Road, also known as Jefferson Highway or Louisiana Highway 44, is a two-lane, asphalt-paved, winding highway which parallels the Mississippi River. Most of the heavy industry in the Parish fronts on this road.
West Bank - Most of the development on the west bank lies along Louisiana Highway 18 (the Great River Road), a two-lane, asphalt-paved highway which parallels the Mississippi River similarly to Highway 44 on the east bank. In addition to Louisiana 18, the west bank has Louisiana Highway 3127 or the River Parishes Highway, which is roughly equivalent to the east bank's Airline Highway in that it follows the Mississippi. It is not as winding nor as populated as River Road. Highway 3127 leads to Donaldsonville
Donaldsonville, Louisiana
Donaldsonville is a city in and the parish seat of Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the west bank of the Mississippi River. The population was 7,605 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Acadians began to settle in the area in...
upriver from St. John Parish. It is home of the "Sunshine Bridge" over the Mississippi River in Ascension Parish. This road has little development on either side and is generally surrounded by wetlands in St. John Parish.
Veterans Memorial Bridge or Gramercy Bridge - (Louisiana Highway 3213) This bridge originates on the east bank of St. James Parish near Gramercy/Lutcher and has access to I-10 and Airline Highway via Louisiana Highway 641. The foot of the bridge on the west bank is in St. John Parish near Wallace, with a tie-in to Louisiana Highway 3127 that opened June 18, 2008. The opening of this bridge has spurred the development hoped for along the west bank of St. John Parish. The Bridge is known as the "Bridge to No Were".
Access to the west bank of St. John Parish is also provided by a ferry crossing at Reserve/Edgard (currently not in operation as of 20 June 2010) and by the Hale Boggs Bridge over the Mississippi in St. Charles Parish.
Adjacent parishes
- Tangipahoa ParishTangipahoa Parish, LouisianaTangipahoa Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, one of the Florida Parishes. The parish seat is Amite City, but the major city is Hammond. As of 2006, the population was 113,137...
(north) - Lake PontchartrainLake PontchartrainLake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
(northeast) - St. Charles ParishSt. Charles Parish, LouisianaSt. Charles Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Hahnville. In 2010, its population was 52,780. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, this was part of the German Coast, an area along the Mississippi River settled by numerous German pioneers in the...
(southeast) - Lafourche ParishLafourche Parish, LouisianaLafourche Parish is a parish located in the south of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It was originally the northern part of Lafourche Interior Parish, which consisted of the present parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne. The parish seat is Thibodaux...
(south) - St. James Parish (west)
- Ascension ParishAscension Parish, LouisianaAscension Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the fastest growing parish in the state. Its population is 107,215 which is 39.9% greater than the 2000 census...
& Livingston ParishLivingston Parish, LouisianaLivingston 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....
(northwest)
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 43,044 people, 14,283 households, and 11,312 families residing in the parish. 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 197 people per square mile (76/km²). There were 15,532 housing units at an average density of 71 per square mile (27/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 52.58% White
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...
, 44.76% Black
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...
or African American
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...
, 0.26% Native American
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...
, 0.53% Asian
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...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
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...
, 0.86% 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 0.98% from two or more races. 2.86% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race.
There were 14,283 households out of which 43.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.10% 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, 18.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.80% were non-families. 17.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.38.
In the parish the population was spread out with 31.20% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 94.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.70 males.
The median income for a household in the parish was $39,456, and the median income for a family was $43,925. Males had a median income of $37,293 versus $22,323 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 parish was $15,445. About 13.90% of families and 16.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.70% of those under age 18 and 17.80% of those age 65 or over.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in St. John the Baptist Parish, LouisianaNational Register of Historic Places listings in St. John the Baptist Parish, LouisianaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States...
External links
- Parish government's website
- Parish Sheriff's website
- Parish District Attorney's website
- Parish Clerk of Court's website
- Parish Assessor's website
- Parish Public School's website
- Explore the History and Culture of Southeastern Louisiana, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
Geology
- McCulloh, R. P., P. V. Heinrich, and J. Snead, 2003, Ponchatoula 30 x 60 minute geologic quadrangle. Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.