Mer Rouge, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mer Rouge, Louisiana
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Village
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Location of Mer Rouge in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana.
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Location of Louisiana in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Morehouse |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.18 sq mi (3.06 km2) |
| • Land | 1.17 sq mi (3.04 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 491 |
| • Density | 418.94/sq mi (161.69/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 318 |
| FIPS code | 22-49905 |
Mer Rouge is a village in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, United States. The name is French for "Red Sea". The population was 628 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bastrop Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
On February 3, 1865, near the end of the American Civil War, two squadrons of the Illinois cavalry attacked Mer Rouge and, according to the historian John D. Winters seized some horses, mules, while also freeing some enslaved African-Americans. They then "burned about 300,000 bushels of corn [and] some cotton" thus undermining the production power of the pro-slavery rebels.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 465 | — | |
| 1910 | 536 | 15.3% | |
| 1920 | 656 | 22.4% | |
| 1930 | 669 | 2.0% | |
| 1940 | 713 | 6.6% | |
| 1950 | 784 | 10.0% | |
| 1960 | 853 | 8.8% | |
| 1970 | 819 | −4.0% | |
| 1980 | 802 | −2.1% | |
| 1990 | 586 | −26.9% | |
| 2000 | 721 | 23.0% | |
| 2010 | 628 | −12.9% | |
| 2020 | 491 | −21.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the census of 2000, there were 956 people, 504 households, and 172 families residing in the village. The population density was 576.8 inhabitants per square mile (222.7/km2). There were 293 housing units at an average density of 234.4 per square mile (90.5/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 62.97% White, 36.48% African American, 0.28% Native American, and 0.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population.
There were 264 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 20.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 20.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 28.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $23,472, and the median income for a family was $27,273. Males had a median income of $26,833 versus $19,861 for females. The per capita income for the village was $12,759. About 29.7% of families and 39.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 51.7% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Lou Brock, former Major League Baseball player and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Ben Lilly, a famous big game hunter, once owned a farm located near Mer Rouge.
- Jamie Mayo, former mayor of Monroe, was born in Mer Rouge in 1957.
- Newt V. Mills, U.S. Representative from Louisiana's 5th congressional district, taught school in Mer Rouge from 1921 to 1932.
- Samuel W. Mitcham Jr., American writer of military history, was bon in Mer Rouge.
See also
In Spanish: Mer Rouge para niños
