Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Harvey, Louisiana

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
- land
  
7.0 sq mi (18 km)

Area
  
19.42 km²

- summer (DST)
  
CDT (UTC-5)

Area code
  
504

Harvey, Louisiana httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

- water
  
0.5 sq mi (1 km), 6.67%

Parish
  
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana

Harvey is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. Harvey is on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, within the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 22,226 at the 2000 census.

Contents

Map of Harvey, LA, USA

Geography

Harvey is located east of the Intracoastal Canal on the Mississippi River, at coordinates 29°53′28″N 90°04′09″W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.0 square miles (18 km2), of which 6.7 sq mi (17 km2) is land and 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km2) (5.11%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 20,348 people, 7,878 households, and 5,806 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,329.7 people per square mile (1,284.7/km²). There were 8,601 housing units at an average density of 1,288.5 per square mile (497.1/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 30.42% White, 38.45% African American, 1.02% Native American, 15.80% Asian, 0.42% Pacific Islander, 5.04% from other races, and 2.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.34% of the population.

There were 7,878 households out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 21.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the CDP, the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,010, and the median income for a family was $34,221. Males had a median income of $31,961 versus $21,650 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $14,885. About 21.2% of families and 23.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.2% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

History

The original owner of the land was Jean-Baptiste d'Estrehan de Beaupre, royal treasurer and comptroller for the French Louisiana colony. His plantation slaves initially began digging the ditch that would become the Harvey Canal, from the banks of the Mississippi River to the back of Bayou Barataria. Years later, the German settlers who would commence the final widening of the ditch, with wooden shovels, were paid off by d'Estrehan in small land parcels located down river in Mechanicsham, now the city of Gretna. Jean Baptiste d'Estrehan would settle his home where the ditch met the river banks, naming the settlement Cosmopolite City.

Harvey was originally a company town at its founding, developed by Joseph Hale Harvey (born c. 1807). During this time, Joseph Harvey would rename Cosmopolite City for his family's surname. Harvey's wife, née Louise Destrehan (1827-1903), was a great-granddaughter of Jean Baptiste d'Estrehan, daughter of Nicolas Noel d'Estrehan and granddaughter of Jean Noel Destréhan. The two together began construction of the canal locks into the Mississippi. Their son, Horace Harvey (c.1860-1938), would carry on their development of the canal and its surroundings.

In 2003, Harvey resident Patrick O'Neal Kennedy was sentenced to death after being convicted of violently raping his eight-year-old stepdaughter.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in 2008, that the death penalty for rape constituted cruel and unusual punishment, in Kennedy v. Louisiana.

Education

Harvey's public schools are operated by the Jefferson Parish Public School System, which has its headquarters in Harvey.

Public high schools:

  • Helen Cox High School
  • West Jefferson High School
  • Some residents are zoned to Gretna Middle School in Gretna, and some are zoned to Marrero Middle School in Marrero.

    Woodland West Elementary School is in Harvey. Ella C. Pittman Elementary School is in Marrero, adjacent to Harvey and serving portions of Harvey. Other schools outside of Harvey serving portions: Gretna Park and McDonogh #26 in Gretna, Cox Elementary in Timberlane, Collins Elementary (formerly Ames) in Marrero. Woodmere Elementary in Woodmere is nearby, but its attendance zone does not cover the Harvey CDP.

    Public kindergartens:

  • Harvey Kindergarten Center
  • In regards to advanced studies academies, residents are zoned to the Gretna Academy.

    Previously Homedale Elementary in Harvey served portions of the city. In 2012 Homedale Elementary closed. A plan called for Homedale students to be rezoned to McDonogh 26 Elementary in Gretna.

    Private schools

  • St. Ville Academy for High School Preparation
  • Homedale School
  • St Rosalie Elementary School
  • Jefferson Parish Library operates the Jane O'Brien Chatelain West Bank Regional Library in Harvey. The 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) facility opened in 1990 and is the largest public library in the West Bank of Jefferson Parish.

    Notable residents

  • Patrick Connick, the District 84 Republican state representative, practices law in Marrero and resides in Harvey.
  • Girod Jackson, III, former state representative for District 87 in Jefferson Parish; contractor in Harvey
  • Patrick O'Neal Kennedy (plaintiff in Kennedy v. Louisiana)
  • Ebony Woodruff, African-American Democratic member since 2013 of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 87, resides in Harvey.Greg Monroe NBA player.
  • References

    Harvey, Louisiana Wikipedia