Pineville, Louisiana

Original LSU in Pineville

Louisiana State University was founded by the Louisiana General Assembly in 1853. It was founded under the name Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy and was located near Pineville. The first session began on January 2, 1860, with General William Tecumseh Sherman of Ohio as superintendent.

The military opened for its fourth session in November 1862 with 112 students. Superintendent William A. Seay found the task of holding the cadets in class hopeless. According to historian John D. Winters of Louisiana Tech University:

The undisciplined young cadets with their enthusiasm for war were a continuous source of trouble. Around April 1, 1863, the cadets decided to close the school. They broke into the kitchen, smashed all the furniture, and seized all the cutlery, dishes, pots and pans, dumping them into the well. Most of the students then went home to volunteer. Professor Seay was able to keep a few students until April 23, when the excitement of the approach of Banks's army caused him to close the school and send the cadets home to fight."

Geography

Pineville is located at 31°20′20″N 92°24′45″W (31.338781, -92.412485).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.1 square miles (31.3 km²), of which 11.5 square miles (29.7 km²) is land and 0.6 square mile (1.6 km²) (4.97%) is water.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Pineville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,829 people, 4,994 households, and 3,121 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,204.8 people per square mile (465.1/km²). There were 5,448 housing units at an average density of 474.6 per square mile (183.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.57% White, 26.08% African American, 0.51% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.

There were 4,994 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of eighteen living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city, the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,159, and the median income for a family was $37,735. Males had a median income of $30,205 versus $21,154 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,969. About 14.3% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.

Museums

Pineville houses two unique museums. The Louisiana Maneuvers Museum provides insight into the huge maneuvers that prepared the United States for World War II and promoted the career of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, known for his organizational skills.

Old Town Hall Museum "is the only museum in the entire state of Louisiana dedicated to municipal government".

Government and infrastructure

The Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center was located on the property of Camp Beauregard and in Pineville. It closed in July 2012.

From 1939 to 2014, the former Huey P. Long Medical Center, a state charity hospital named for Governor and U.S. Senator Huey Pierce Long, Jr., operated on Main Street in Pineville. Officials are seeking to have the structure under the original name of Huey P. Long Memorial Hospital placed into the National Register of Historic Places. Mayor Clarence R. Fields was born at Huey P. Long in 1955.

National Guard

Located adjacent to the city is Camp Beauregard. Operated by the Louisiana Army National Guard, it is the headquarters of the 225th Engineer Brigade and is one of the largest engineer units in the US Army.

Education

In 1906, the Southern Baptist–affiliated Louisiana College opened in Pineville. Rapides Parish School Board operates public schools.

Liquor sales in restaurants

Until a special election held on October 19, 2013, Pineville had long been a fully dry city, with no alcohol available legally in the community. Voters in the 1980s maintained that stance in a referendum. The late Mayor Fred Baden was particularly known for his opposition to liquor sales. Clarence R. Fields, the first African-American mayor of Pineville, who has held his office since 1999, pushed for another referendum to permit the sale of liquor in restaurants. Nearly four years after Baden's death, the measure was roundly approved by voters in the special election, 1,849 (78 percent) to 515 (22 percent).

Liquor will become available in restaurants no sooner than January 1, 2014. Fields claims that allowing limited liquor sales, requested by area developers, will boost economic development, particularly along the riverfront. According to Fields, members of the clergy, including city council member Nathan Martin of the Christian Challenge Worship Center in Pineville, have joined the call for liquor sales: "We've had a lot of conversations with our religious community, and all of the ministers I have spoken with are favorable.".

The liquor referendum was authored by State Senator Rick Gallot. In the previous referendum in 1981, liquor sales in restaurants had not been one of the options available for consideration. Gallot's Senate Bill 116 allows cities within the population range of 13,500 to 16,500 to call for an election to permit restaurants to sell alcoholic beverages. The Pineville City Council then voted unanimously to place the referendum on the special election ballot.

Notable people