Wisner, Louisiana

Wisner is a town in Franklin Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 964 at the 2010 census,[5] down from 1,140 in 2000.

Wisner, Louisiana
Town
Town of Wisner
Downtown Wisner
Location of Wisner in Franklin Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Coordinates: 31°58′52″N 91°39′21″W
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Franklin
Government
• Mayor	Allyn Luckett (D)[1][2]
Area [3]
• Total	0.80 sq mi (2.06 km^2)
• Land	0.80 sq mi (2.06 km^2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km^2)
Elevation	75 ft (23 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	964
• Estimate  (2019)[4]	900
• Density	1,130.65/sq mi (436.40/km^2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code(s)	318
FIPS code	22-82565

Wisner welcome sign

Pelican sculpture at Bill "Putt" Linder Park in Wisner

"Freedom Is Never Free" sign in Wisner

Grain elevator in Wisner

Franklin Parish branch library in Wisner

First Baptist Church of Wisner

Wisner was founded by Edward Wisner, a native of Athens, Michigan, whose family came from Switzerland and originally settled in Orange County, New York, in the early 1700s.[6][7]

The Holly Grove Colored Baptist Church in Wisner was established in the post-slavery period after the Civil War through the work of pastor Eldridge King David Swayzer. One of Swayzer's descendants, Frances Swayzer Conley, an English professor at Bossier Parish Community College in Bossier City and a resident of Shreveport, has written a pictorial family history entitled Home to Holly Grove: Cherishing Our Rich Heritage.[8]

Geography

Wisner is located in southern Franklin Parish at 31°58′52″N 91°39′21″W (31.981030, -91.655866),[9] along U.S. Route 425, which leads north 14 miles (23 km) to Winnsboro, the parish seat, and south 9 miles (14 km) to Sicily Island.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Wisner has a total area of 0.80 square miles (2.06 km²), all land.[5]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	692		—
1940	617		−10.8%
1950	738		19.6%
1960	1,254		69.9%
1970	1,339		6.8%
1980	1,424		6.3%
1990	1,153		−19.0%
2000	1,140		−1.1%
2010	964		−15.4%
2019 (est.)	900	[4]	−6.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 1,140 people, 398 households, and 280 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,435.7 people per square mile (557.2/km²). There were 456 housing units at an average density of 574.3 per square mile (222.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 63.33% White, 35.53% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.09% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.40% of the population.

There were 398 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 19.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $21,654, and the median income for a family was $23,929. Males had a median income of $25,938 versus $15,156 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,528. About 30.2% of families and 38.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 58.6% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

• J. C. Gilbert, farmer, rancher, and Louisiana state legislator from 1960 to 1976; born in Wisner, graduated from Wisner High School in 1940
• Wayne Watson - Contemporary Christian music artist

References

1. Mayor Allyn Luckett is listed among the state and local officials who have endorsed the reelection in 2014 of Democrat U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu.
2. "Landrieu's GOP Endorsements Pale In Comparison To 2008 Election". thehayride.com. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
3. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
5. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Wisner town, Louisiana". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
6. Hallowell, Christopher. People of the Bayou: Cajun Life in Lost America. Gretna, LA (2003), p. 54.
7. Wisner, George Franklin. The Wisners in America and Their Kindred: A Genealogical and Biographical History. Baltimore, Maryland (1918).
8. "Book signing at LA State Museum on July 7". northshreveport.ksla.com. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
9. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

• Wisner Progress Community Progress Site for Wisner, LA