Benton, Louisiana
| Benton, Louisiana | |
| Town | |
 Historic boyhood home in Benton of former Louisiana Speaker William Clark Hughes
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Bossier |
| Elevation | 207 ft (63.1 m) |
| Coordinates | 32°41′41″N 93°44′26″W / 32.69472°N 93.74056°W |
| Area | 1.9 sq mi (5 km2) |
| - land | 1.9 sq mi (5 km2) |
| - water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km2), 0% |
| Population | 2,035 (2000) |
| Density | 1,062.6 / sq mi (410.3 / km2) |
| Timezone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Postal code | 71006 |
| Area code | 318 |
  Location of Benton in Louisiana
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The town of Benton is the parish seat of Bossier Parish, in the US state of Louisiana. The population was 2,035 at the 2000 census. The larger Bossier City is located south of Benton. The town maintains several historical buildings, including primitive cabins, a one-room schoolhouse museum, and the boyhood home of William Clark Hughes, a former Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives in Benton Square located between the Bossier Parish School Board office and the First Baptist Church.
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[edit] History
On April 3, 1999, a powerful F4-rated tornado roared through portions of the town killing six people and injuring 90. A mobile home park located south of town and homes near the Palmetto Country Club were devastated. Neighborhoods affected included Haymeadow Trailer Park, Palmetto Park/Palmetto Place (adjacent to Palmetto Country Club), Bay Hills, Woodlake South, Twin Lake Community, and many other newer lakefront homes located around Cypress Lake.[1]
[edit] Geography
Benton is located at 32°41′41″N 93°44′26″W / 32.69472°N 93.74056°W (32.694607, -93.740595)[2].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), all of it land.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 2,035 people, 749 households, and 518 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,062.6 people per square mile (409.2/km²). There were 834 housing units at an average density of 435.5 per square mile (167.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 54.64% White, 42.16% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.25% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.10% of the population.
There were 749 households out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 23.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,708, and the median income for a family was $31,953. Males had a median income of $29,423 versus $18,472 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,289. About 20.0% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.1% of those under age 18 and 26.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Notable residents
- Robert E. "Bob" Barton, state representative from Bossier Parish, 1996-2000[4]
- Walter O. Bigby, state representative and judge, graduated from Benton High School.[5]
- Billy Bretherton, Entomologist and co-owner of Vexcon Inc, a pest control services company featured on the A&E series Billy the Exterminator.
- Albert Lee Doughty (1936-2011) was the retired county agent in Bossier Parish who served as the mayor of Benton from 2004 until his death. A native of Jena, Doughty graduated from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and Louisiana State University. In 2008, he was inducted into the 4-H Hall of Fame. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Benton. He was married for fifty-four years until his death to the former Dorothy Johnson, who survived him. The couple had four daughters and seven grandchildren.[6]
- Henry Warren Ogden, Virgina-born planter in Benton; former member of the United States House of Representatives for Louisiana's 4th congressional district and Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives
- Ford E. Stinson, former state representative, was a Benton native.[7]
[edit] Schools
Benton, Louisiana has three public schools: Benton Elementary School, Benton Middle School, and Benton High School.[8]
[edit] References
- ^ USA Today - 04 April 1999
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ U.S. Search, People Search and Background Check, Internet
- ^ "Louisiana State University e-yearbooks". e-yearbook.com. http://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/Louisiana_State_University_Gumbo_Yearbook/1951/Page_314.html. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
- ^ Albert Doughty obituary, Shreveport Times, September 10, 2011
- ^ "Social Security Death Index". rootsweb.ancestry.com. http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi. Retrieved July 20, 2009.
- ^ Local School Directory
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