Choudrant, Louisiana

Choudrant is a village in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 845 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Choudrant, Louisiana
Village
Village of Choudrant
Choudrant High School
Motto(s):  Louisiana's Front Porch"[1]
Location of Choudrant in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Coordinates: 32°31′49″N 92°30′45″W
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Lincoln
Area [2]
• Total	4.28 sq mi (11.09 km^2)
• Land	4.23 sq mi (10.96 km^2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.13 km^2)
Elevation	157 ft (48 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	845
• Estimate  (2019)[3]	981
• Density	231.86/sq mi (89.52/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s)	318
FIPS code	22-15290
Website	Village of Choudrant, Louisiana

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.8 sq mi (4.7 km²), all land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1920	393		—
1930	394		0.3%
1940	438		11.2%
1950	395		−9.8%
1960	465		17.7%
1970	555		19.4%
1980	809		45.8%
1990	557		−31.1%
2000	582		4.5%
2010	845		45.2%
2019 (est.)	981	[3]	16.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]

Choudrant Village Hall

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 582 people, 234 households, and 167 families residing in the village. The population density was 318.9 per square mile (123.5/km²). There were 257 housing units at an average density of 140.8 per square mile (54.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 91.92% White, 6.53% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.03% from other races, and 0.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.

There were 234 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $37,321, and the median income for a family was $42,656. Males had a median income of $30,855 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the village was $15,726. About 4.0% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under the age of 18 and 10.0% of those 65 and older.

Economy

As a village, Choudrant has limited business opportunity. There are several "home grown" businesses within the village limits. Some of the more notable are Parnell's Station, Choudrant Mini Mart, and Choudrant Appliance. The most prominent of local businesses is Origin Bank, founded as the Bank of Choudrant. It has since grown to become one of the largest banks in both Lincoln Parish and the neighboring Ouachita Parish. Despite its growth though, the FDIC still recognizes the original Choudrant branch as its home office. Origin Bank also sponsored the Louisiana Peach Festival in Ruston until 2005, whence sponsorship was taken up by Squire Creek Country Club.

A Pilgrim's Pride poultry hatchery in Choudrant was marked for closure early in 2009, along with other company operations in nearby Arcadia in Bienville Parish, Athens in Claiborne Parish, and Farmerville in Union Parish. The closures cost this part of North Louisiana some 1,300 jobs.[6] Several weeks later, however, Pilgrim's Pride accepted an $80 million offer from Foster Farms of California to purchase the operations. In addition, to the 1,300 direct jobs in Farmerville, the purchase spares the small farms of some three hundred independent growers. Foster Farms put up $40 million and the State of Louisiana a matching $40 million. Foster Farms will further invest $10 million in capital improvements at the Farmerville plant, to be matched by the state, in an agreement announced by Governor Bobby Jindal.[7]

Government

Choudrant is served by four elected officials—a mayor and three village aldermen. Other public employees include a town clerk and a small police force. For many years, Choudrant was served by only one law enforcement officer, its police chief, but the force has grown in recent years adding additional officers and a canine unit. The Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office also provides law enforcement services as needed.

Fire protection in the Village is provided by the Choudrant Volunteer Fire Department.

Education

First Baptist Church of Choudrant

Choudrant is located within the fifth district of the Lincoln Parish School System. There are two schools within the Choudrant district—Choudrant Elementary and Choudrant High. The elementary school services between 400 and 450 students in grades K-6 while the high school contains approximately 350 students in grade levels 7-12. Both schools are well known as having high academic achievement under the state's school improvement plan and No Child Left Behind. The high school was rebuilt in 1937 after a fire and has had no substantive renovations or updates since that time. Choudrant Elementary was similarly rebuilt and expanded after a fire in the 1970s, but the student population had outgrown its walls. However, attempts to renovate the high school and rebuild the elementary school were halted in 2007 when citizens of the school district voted by a 2-1 majority against passage of a bond issue to fund such changes. The Tax later passed a couple years later. Since then the high school has been rebuilt and added an entire new wing, a new ag center and a new track.

Notable people

• Bill Bagwell, baseball player
• Milburn E. Calhoun, physician, philanthropist, and owner of Pelican Publishing Company of Gretna, is interred at Sibley Cemetery in Choudrant.[8]
• Jimmy Childress, Ruston High School state and national championship football coach, retired to Choudrant
• Jerry Huckaby, former U.S. Representative, has retired to Choudrant.
• John Rufo Younse, timber businessman[9]

References

1. "Village of Choudrant, Louisiana". Village of Choudrant, Louisiana. Archived from the original on March 10, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
2. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
3. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
4. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
6. "Greg Hilburn and Robbie Evans, "Pilgrim's Pride decision a bombshell: Sites closing in Arcadia, Athens, Choudrant, Farmerville". Shreveport Times. Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
7. Greg Hilburn (March 21, 2009). "Saved: 1,300 jobs". Monroe News Star. Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
8. Milburn E. Calhoun obituary, Monroe News Star, January 11, 2012
9. "A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography: "Younse, Dorothy Leola Nixon" (daughter-in-law of John R. Younse)". Louisiana Historical Association. Archived from the original on 2015-03-24. Retrieved April 21, 2015.

External links

• Village of Choudrant
• Choudrant Fire Department