Pineville, Louisiana

	City of Pineville
	City
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Rapides
Elevation	118 ft (36 m)
Coordinates	31°20′20″N 92°24′45″W / 31.33889°N 92.4125°W
Area	12.1 sq mi (31.3 km2)
- land	11.5 sq mi (30 km2)
- water	0.6 sq mi (2 km2), 4.96%
Population	13,829 (2000)
Density	1,204.8 / sq mi (465.2 / km2)
Mayor	Clarence R. Fields
Timezone	CST (UTC-6)
- summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code	318
	Location of Pineville in Louisiana
	Location of Louisiana in the United States
	Website: http://www.pineville.net

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Coordinates: 31°20′20″N 92°24′45″W / 31.33889°N 92.4125°W

Pineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is adjacent to the city of Alexandria, and is part of that city's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,829 at the 2000 census.

The Central Louisiana State Hospital, the Pinecrest Supports and Services Center, the Huey P. Long Memorial Hospital, and the Alexandria Veterans Administration Medical Center are located in Pineville. Pineville is also home to several large non-government employers including Baker Manufacturing Inc., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Co., Crest Operations, LLC, and Dresser Industrial Valve, Inc.

[edit] Geography

Pineville is located at 31°20′20″N 92°24′45″W / 31.33889°N 92.4125°W / 31.33889; -92.4125 (31.338781, -92.412485)^[1].

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.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^[2] 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.

[edit] 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.

The former Pineville City Hall building now houses the only museum in Louisiana dedicated to municipal government

Old Town Hall Museum "is the only museum in the entire state of Louisiana dedicated to municipal government."^[3]

[edit] 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 and Military Academy and was located near Pineville. The first session began on January 2, 1860, with General William Tecumseh Sherman of Ohio as LSU president.LSU Quickfacts

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.".^[4]

In 1906, the Southern Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College opened in Pineville.

[edit] Government and infrastructure

The Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center is located on the property of Camp Beauregard and in Pineville.^[5]^[6]

The United States Postal Service operates the Pineville Post Office.^[7]

[edit] National Guard

Pineville has Camp Beauregard located adjacent to the city operated by the Louisiana Army National Guard. It is the headquarters location for the 225th Engineer Brigade one of the largest Engineer units in the US Army.

[edit] Notable people from Pineville

Grave of Reverend Jim Spencer in Forest Lawn Memorial Park

Fred H. Baden - mayor from 1970 to 1998
Claybrook Cottingham - president of Louisiana College from 1910 to 1941; the Cottingham Expressway on U.S. Route 167 is named in his honor.
Rick L. Farrar - former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Clarence R. Fields - first African American mayor of Pineville, first elected 1999; former president of the Louisiana Municipal Association; reelected without opposition in 2010
Faith Ford - actress
P. Elmo Futrell, Jr. - mayor of Pineville, 1962–1966
Justin Gaston - Actor, model, and singer who was also a contestant on Nashville Star.
Henry E. Hardtner - lumber magnate, state legislator, and forestry conservationist, born in Pineville in 1870
Chris Hazel - member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
George E. Hearn - Louisiana College psychology professor; member of the Pineville City Council
L. B. Henry - former Rapides Parish Police Jury President; police juror, 1956–1960 and 1968–1992
Anjanette Kirkland - track and field athlete
Mitchell Tellarico - current LSU athlete, Pineville resident from 1991-2009
Rashard Lewis - professional basketball player with the Washington Wizards
Joe McPherson - Louisiana State Senator, since relocated to Woodworth in south Rapides Parish
Gertrude Nelson - African American nurse and college administrator
Devon O'Day - radio personality
Don Shows - former football coach at Pineville High School; at West Monroe, he has led his teams to seven state championships.
Floyd W. Smith, Jr. (1932–2010) - mayor from 1966 to 1970
Thomas J. "Brother Jim" Spencer -- pastor of Kingsville Baptist Church from 1976 until his death in 2006
Tommy Tenney- evangelist and author
Buddy Tudor - General contractor and real estate developer, who built numerous buildings in the Alexandria-Pineville community
Henry Wiggins - decorated African American U.S. Army major and chairman of the Mass Communication Department at Southern University in Baton Rouge
Randy Wiggins - first Republican from Rapides Parish elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives since Reconstruction; served, 1996–2000.
Robert J. Pete - Command Chaplain US Navy Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, LA
Jean Paul "J.P." D'Albor - Attorney and Leadership Iberia XIII graduate (New Iberia, LA)

[edit] Pineville gallery

Welcoming sign to Pineville from Jackson Street Bridge in Alexandria
Buhlow Lake hosts boat races and other recreational events. The O.K. Allen Bridge atop the Red River is in the background.
Entrance to Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College in Pineville
Pineville City Hall was completed in 1974 during the administration of Mayor Fred Baden.
First Baptist Church of Pineville is located across the street from City Hall.
Main Street in Pineville near the Community Center
A glimpse of the large Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Pineville
Peaceful pond at Greenwood Memorial Park
Mt. Olivet Episcopal Chapel and Cemetery in Pineville
Kingsville Baptist Church off U.S. Highway 165, pastored by Thomas James Spencer from 1976 to 2006
Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery across from Kingsville Baptist Church
Kees Park off Louisiana Highway 28 East in Pineville
Procter and Gamble plant off U.S. Highway 165 in north Pineville