Napoleonville, Louisiana

Coordinates: 29°56′16″N 91°01′36″W / 29.93778°N 91.02667°W / 29.93778; -91.02667
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Napoleonville
Village of Napoleonville
St. Anne Catholic Church off St. Joseph St.
St. Anne Catholic Church off St. Joseph St.
Location of Napoleonville in Assumption Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Napoleonville in Assumption Parish, Louisiana.
Napoleonville is located in Louisiana
Napoleonville
Napoleonville
Napoleonville is located in the United States
Napoleonville
Napoleonville
Coordinates: 29°56′16″N 91°01′36″W / 29.93778°N 91.02667°W / 29.93778; -91.02667
Country United States
State Louisiana
ParishAssumption
Named forNapoleon Bonaparte
Government
 • MayorRon Animashaun (D)
Area
 • Total0.17 sq mi (0.44 km2)
 • Land0.17 sq mi (0.44 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total540
 • Density3,214.29/sq mi (1,237.47/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
70390
Area code985

Napoleonville, is a village and the parish seat of Assumption Parish, in the U.S. state of Louisiana.[2] The population was 660 at the 2010 census.[3] It is part of the Pierre Part Micropolitan Statistical Area. The village is best known as the location where the film Because of Winn-Dixie, based on Kate DiCamillo's Newbery Prize-winning novel, was shot. The book was set in (fictional) Naomi, Louisiana.

History[edit]

As early as 1807 the community that later became Napoleonville was known as "Canal". This canal extended west from Napoleonville to Lake Verret.[4] The village that later developed was named by a former French soldier who served under Napoleon Bonaparte. The French veteran, Pierre Charlet, is buried in the cemetery of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in the nearby community of Plattenville in Assumption Parish.[5]

The first permanent settlements in this region were made by the French and Spanish (including Isleños) about the middle of the 18th century along Bayou Lafourche, between the present towns of Donaldsonville and Napoleonville. From 1755 to 1785, the population was increased by the immigration of the exiled Acadians who settled in the area, clearing the land and building comfortable homes. The town was officially incorporated on March 11, 1878.[6]

Geography[edit]

Napoleonville is located at 29°56′16″N 91°1′36″W / 29.93778°N 91.02667°W / 29.93778; -91.02667 (29.937778, -91.026750).[7] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), all land.[3]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1880497
189072345.5%
190094530.7%
19101,20127.1%
19201,171−2.5%
19301,1800.8%
19401,30110.3%
19501,260−3.2%
19601,148−8.9%
19701,008−12.2%
1980829−17.8%
1990802−3.3%
2000686−14.5%
2010660−3.8%
2020540−18.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
Napoleonville racial composition as of 2020[9]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 84 15.56%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 428 79.26%
Native American 1 0.19%
Other/Mixed 12 2.22%
Hispanic or Latino 15 2.78%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 540 people, 229 households, and 137 families residing in the village.

Notable people[edit]

National Guard[edit]

The village is home to the 928th Sapper Company, a combat engineer unit of the 769th Engineer Battalion of the Louisiana Army National Guard which in turn is headquartered at Baton Rouge. Both of these units belong to the 225th Engineer Brigade headquartered at Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville near Pineville.

Twin towns[edit]

The town maintains twinning links with:

  • France Pontivy (Napoléonville in 1804), France since 1989

References[edit]

  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Napoleonville village, Louisiana". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
  4. ^ www.rootsweb.com "History of Assumption Parish" Archived 2005-02-13 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Simone de La Souchere Deléry, Napoleon's Soldiers in America (Pelican Publishing Company, 1950), pp. v, 110-11
  6. ^ www.lsuagcenter.com "The History of Assumption Parish" Archived 2006-10-17 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  8. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  9. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 28, 2021.