Zwolle, Louisiana
Zwolle | |
---|---|
CDT) | |
Zip Code | 71486 |
Area Code | 318 |
FIPS code | 22-83685 |
Zwolle (
History
The first inhabitants of the bowl-shaped area of land upon which the town of Zwolle is situated were the
Later, the area was colonized by Spain, which sent the earliest non-Indians to the territory. Las Cabezas, a Spanish mission church was built at Bayou Scie. Spanish soldiers and Native people intermarried over many generations, and Spanish was still spoken in the area until the 1970s. The town was originally called Vallecillo, which became the source of the name Bayou Scie.[3]
The first
On July 14, 1896, Teofilo “T.” Laroux, a community leader and descendant of the early families, donated 20 acres to the KCS for a railroad depot and town to be built. Paul M. Potts, a prominent cotton farmer donated an additional 22.05 acres on 10/15/1896. The Zwolle townsite was developed by the Arkansas Townsite Company and the official town charter was granted June 12, 1898. The original
The advent of the railroad brought new prosperity to the town and altered its destiny. Zwolle's strategic location made it possible for the small town to flourish as a transportation center for lumber, oil and cotton production. Though no longer a functioning railroad depot, it remains significant to the history and posterity of the town. On December 23, 1970, the depot was donated to the town of Zwolle by the KCS. The depot was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior on August 7, 1989.
Geography
Zwolle is located at 31°38′6″N 93°38′33″W / 31.63500°N 93.64250°W (31.635134, -93.642560).[6] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.5 km2), of which 3.2 square miles (8.4 km2) is land and 0.4 square mile (1.1 km2) (11.99%) is water.
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1900 | 276 | — | |
1910 | 973 | 252.5% | |
1920 | 909 | −6.6% | |
1930 | 1,264 | 39.1% | |
1940 | 1,500 | 18.7% | |
1950 | 1,555 | 3.7% | |
1960 | 1,326 | −14.7% | |
1970 | 2,169 | 63.6% | |
1980 | 2,602 | 20.0% | |
1990 | 1,779 | −31.6% | |
2000 | 1,783 | 0.2% | |
2010 | 1,759 | −1.3% | |
2020 | 1,638 | −6.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[7] |
2020 census
Race | Number | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic)
|
494 | 30.16% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
|
721 | 44.02% |
Native American
|
215 | 13.13% |
Asian
|
5 | 0.31% |
Pacific Islander
|
2 | 0.12% |
Other/Mixed
|
111 | 6.78% |
Latino
|
90 | 5.49% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,638 people, 696 households, and 415 families residing in the town.
2010 census
As of the
2000 census
As of the
There were 630 households, out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% were married couples living together, 27.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 35.5% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $15,843, and the median income for a family was $17,326. Males had a median income of $25,625 versus $14,922 for females. The
Education
Zwolle High School, Intermediate, and Zwolle Elementary School are combined into one building. The school has 1,500 students.
Culture
Zwolle Tamale Fiesta
The Zwolle Tamale Fiesta is the town's signature festival. The festival was founded in 1975 at the suggestion of Sabine Parish Tourist Commission member and Zwolle native Rogers P. Loupe. The fiesta celebrates the Native American and Spanish heritage and cultural influence rooted in the town's origins. [10] The fiesta takes its name from the tamale and alludes to the town's local notoriety for what is arguably a spicier version of the Mississippi Delta-style boiled tamale, which is believed to have been made in the area since the early 1700s.[11]
The festival is traditionally held on the 2nd weekend of October, kicking off on Thursday night and concluding on Sunday. Originally, the Zwolle High School campus hosted the festival. In the early 2000's, the town completed construction of the Zwolle Festival Grounds, after which The Fiesta relocated to the grounds and scaled back to conclude on Saturday night. Attractions include live music, cultural exhibitions, a parade, a ball, a small-scale carnival, a car show and a
Loggers and Forestry Festival
Founded in 1995, the Loggers and Forestry Festival pays tribute to workers in the community's horticulture industry - the cornerstone of the local economy. [12] Each year, A festival queen is decided by a pageant, and the oldest-living logger residing in the town is named the king.
The Loggers and Forestry festival is held at the Zwolle Festival Grounds and mirrors the Tamale Fiesta, including several of its signature events like the parade and mud bog. The festival is held between late April and early May. It is the town's second-largest local event.
Notable people
- Former Lieutenant Governor William J. "Bill" Dodd(1909-1991) graduated from Zwolle High School.
- Michael Cutright of the 1989 Denver Nuggets, played basketball at Zwolle High School and still resides in the area.[13]
See also
References
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-4556-1023-5.
- JSTOR 30027771.
- ^ "www.toledo-bend.com "A Look At Zwolle's Early History"". Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
- ^ www.zwollela.net "The Story of Zwolle Louisiana" Archived February 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ a b https://zwolletamalefiesta.com/ Tamale Fiesta Website
- ^ "The Zwolle Tamale Fiesta". Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- ^ "Zwolle Loggers and Forestry Festival | Toledo Bend Lake Country". toledobendlakecountry.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- ^ Consulting, Fine Line Websites & IT; Review, The Draft. "The Draft Review". The Draft Review. Retrieved May 17, 2020.