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
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	14,555 (2010)
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

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 14,555 at the 2010 census. It had been 13,829 in 2000; population hence grew by 5 percent over the preceding decade.

The Central Louisiana State Hospital, the Pinecrest Supports and Services Center, the Huey P. Long Memorial Hospital, the Alexandria Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Alexandria National Cemetery are all 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.

Prohibition under challenge

Pineville has 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. Now, Clarence R. Fields, the first African American mayor of predominantly white Pineville, who has held his office since 1999, is seeking to permit the sale of liquor in restaurants. Fields claims that allowing limited liquor sales will increase 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," said Fields.

Another liquor referendum is scheduled for October 19, 2013, under terms of a bill offered by State Senator Rick Gallot, which also passed the Louisiana House and was signed into law on June 10 by Governor Bobby Jindal. In the previous referendum, liquor sales in restaurants only 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 referendum carries the unanimous consent of the Pineville City Council.

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.

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.

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."

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."

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

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.

The United States Postal Service operates the Pineville Post Office.

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

Rapides Parish School Board operates public schools.

Notable people from Pineville

• 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
• 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
• Rashard Lewis - professional basketball player with the Miami Heat
• 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
• Tommy Tenney- evangelist and author
• Buddy Tudor - General contractor and real estate developer, who built numerous buildings in the Alexandria-Pineville community
• Simon W. Tudor - Educator, Louisiana College trustee, businessman who founded Tudor Construction Company
• Henry Wiggins - decorated African American U.S. Army major and chairman of the Mass Communication Department at Southern University in Baton Rouge^{[citation needed]}
• Jerome Wiggins- decorated African American U.S Army Command Sergeant Major and nephew of Henry Wiggins^{[citation needed]}
• Randy Wiggins - first Republican from Rapides Parish elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives since Reconstruction; served, 1996–2000.
• Joshua Joy Dara- pastor of Zion Hill Family Church, which has the largest congregation in the community.^{[citation needed]}

Pineville gallery

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  Welcoming sign to Pineville from Jackson Street Bridge in Alexandria

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  Buhlow Lake hosts boat races and other recreational events. The O.K. Allen Bridge atop the Red River is in the background.

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  Entrance to Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College in Pineville

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  Pineville City Hall was completed in 1974 during the administration of Mayor Fred Baden.

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  First Baptist Church of Pineville is located across the street from City Hall.

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  Main Street in Pineville near the Community Center

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  A glimpse of the large Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Pineville

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  Peaceful pond at Greenwood Memorial Park

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  Mt. Olivet Episcopal Chapel and Cemetery in Pineville; former Mayor Fred Baden is interred there.

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  Kingsville Baptist Church off U.S. Highway 165

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  Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery across from Kingsville Baptist Church

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  Kees Park off Louisiana Highway 28 East in Pineville

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  Procter and Gamble plant off U.S. Highway 165 in north Pineville

External links

• City of Pineville