Logansport, Louisiana

Logansport is a town in western DeSoto Parish adjacent to the Sabine River in western Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,555 at the 2010 census.[3] It is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Logansport, Louisiana
Town
Town of Logansport
Downtown Logansport
Location of Logansport in De Soto Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Coordinates: 31°58′29″N 93°59′51″W
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	DeSoto
Government
• Mayor	Judge Cordray
Area [1]
• Total	3.50 sq mi (9.05 km^2)
• Land	3.40 sq mi (8.80 km^2)
• Water	0.10 sq mi (0.26 km^2)
Elevation	213 ft (65 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	1,555
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	1,537
• Density	452.59/sq mi (174.73/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Zip Code	71049
Area code(s)	318
FIPS code	22-45040
Website	www.townoflogansport.com

N.J. Caraway Department Store in Logansport dates to 1907.

The Veterans Memorial in Logansport

Logansport High School off Louisiana State Highway 5

History

The area, long a disputed boundary even after the Louisiana Purchase, was part of a neutral territory negotiated by Gen. James Wilkinson and Lt. Col. Simón de Herrera on 6 November 1806.

The Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, that was not ratified until 1821, would have been a solution but in 1821 Mexico's independence reignited the dispute. Dr. Logan moved to the area in 1830 began practicing medicine in Louisiana and Texas. He chartered a ferry business in the area and it became known as Logan's Ferry.

Texas won independence in 1836, and the newly formed Republic of Texas agreed to the Adams–Onís Treaty, so the Sabine River became the international boundary. The survey crew began the demarcation process on 20 May 1840, at the Gulf of Mexico, and work was completed in 1841. Boundary markers were placed along the boundary, that included one in Logansport. This marker apparently is the only one surviving, meaning it is the only known international boundary marker in the United States. The Texas Annexation of 1845, ended nine years of the Sabine River international boundary.[4]

The name Logansport was given to the town when a post office was established 28 February 1848. There were few people living in the town prior to the arrival of the railroad. With the arrival of the railroad, there was an influx of gamblers and others of questionable character, along with the citizens of better repute. At one time Logansport had more saloons than grocery stores. The town began to grow and it was incorporated. The first election was held on 25 June 1887. In this election there were only 15 qualified voters listed. Elijah Price was elected mayor, along with five other trustees. Oil and gas were also a very important source of income for the early citizens of Logansport.

Geography

Logansport is located at 31°58′29″N 93°59′51″W (31.974785, −93.997471).[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.4 square miles (8.8 km²), of which 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²) (4.45%) is water.

The Logansport riverfront is an entrance off U.S. Highway 84 into Louisiana from Texas. It has a terraced landscape, veterans memorial, walking paths, gazebo, picnic tables, and a pavilion.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1890	281		—
1900	688		144.8%
1910	420		−39.0%
1920	632		50.5%
1930	1,040		64.6%
1940	1,222		17.5%
1950	1,270		3.9%
1960	1,371		8.0%
1970	1,330		−3.0%
1980	1,565		17.7%
1990	1,390		−11.2%
2000	1,630		17.3%
2010	1,555		−4.6%
2019 (est.)	1,537	[2]	−1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]

As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 1,555 people. The number of males, 703. The number of females, 852.[8] The population density was 506.4 people per square mile (195.4/km²). There were 787 housing units at an average density of 244.5 per square mile (94.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 57.42% White, 41.17% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.10% of the population.

There were 656 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% were married couples living together, 20.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,546, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $31,339 versus $22,083 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,695. About 28.0% of families and 31.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.9% of those under age 18 and 27.1% of those age 65 or over.

Media

Newspaper

The Toledo Bend Tribune, a local newspaper for Logansport closed in 2007. There is currently no local newspaper for the town. There is however a quarterly and popular (online and printed) magazine titled DeSoto Life, that covers all of DeSoto Parish. Desoto Life is owned and operated by Armstrong Enterprises USA, LLC who also owns iTOUR USA™, and Armstrong Productions.

The Light and Champion, a weekly newspaper across the river in Center, Texas, began distributing a free distribution product called The Merchandiser in March 2017, to stands at several locations in Logansport. The paper's Web site, www.lightandchampion.com, also has a dedicated menu tab for Logansport. The publications are owned by Moser Community Media out of Brenham, Texas.

Name	Serve
Town of Logansport newspaper	Town of Logansport

Government

The mayor of the town is Judge Cordray. The town clerk is Sharon Stewart. The town billing clerk is Terri Hamon. The town's occupational and property tax clerk is Lekia Henderson.[9]

Notable people

• Debbie Pace Silver is a world famous author and speaker on educational strategies for children of different learning styles.
• Glenn Derry (childhood) is Vice President of Special Effects for 21st Century Fox and invented the special effects technology for many Hollywood blockbusters.
• Larry Bagley is the Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 7, which includes Logansport.
• Richard "Richie" Burford is a former member of the state House for District 7 and a candidate for the District 38 seat in the Louisiana State Senate in the general election scheduled for 21 November 2015.
• J. Earl Downs, public safety commissioner in Shreveport, 1954 to 1962; educator and coach in Logansport in 1930s[10]
• John Spencer Hardy, a Logansport native and a lieutenant general during World War II, headed the United States Army Air Corps in the Mediterranean Sea. He spent his later years in Shreveport.[11]
• O. E. Price, born in Logansport in 1924, served as a municipal, district, and state appeal court judge from Bossier City[12]
• Elzadie Robinson, a classic female blues singer, was born in Logansport.[13] Music researchers Bob Eagle and Eric S. LeBlanc suggest that she was born Elzadie Wallace in 1897, although 1900 is also possible.[13]
• Country blues musician Ramblin' Thomas was born in Logansport.[14]

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. 24 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
3. "Logansport, Louisiana (LA 71049) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news, sex offenders". City-data.com. 13 October 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
4. "International Boundary Marker – Historical Sites & Places of Interest – About Logansport – Town of Logansport Louisiana". Townoflogansport.com. 13 April 1977. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 12 February 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
6. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
7. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 31 January 2008.
9. Bobbitt, James. "Town Hall". Townoflogansport.com. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
10. Minden, Louisiana, Herald, 30 July 1948
11. Obituary of John Spencer Hardy, Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, 3 May 2012
12. "O.E. Price obituary". Shreveport Times. 24 February 2006. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
13. Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues – A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. pp. 302–303. ISBN 978-0313344237.
14. Chadbourne, Eugene. "Ramblin' Thomas". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 January 2010.