Bastrop, Louisiana

Bastrop was founded by Felipe Enrique Neri, Baron de Bastrop, a Dutch businessman accused as an embezzler. He had fled to the then Spanish colony of Louisiana to escape prosecution and became involved in various land deals. In New Spain, he falsely claimed to be a nobleman. He received a large grant of land, provided that he could settle 450 families on it over the next several years. However, he was unable to do this, and so lost the grant. Afterwards, he moved to Texas, where he claimed to oppose the sale of Louisiana to the United States and became a minor government official. He proved instrumental in Moses Austin's plan (and later, that of his son, Stephen F. Austin) to bring American colonists to what was then northern Mexico.

Bastrop formally incorporated in 1857, and is the commercial and industrial center of Morehouse Parish. In the 19th century, it was notable as the western edge of the great North Louisiana swamp, but more favorable terrain resulted in the antebellum rail line connecting to Monroe, further to the south.

Bastrop was a Confederate stronghold during the American Civil War until January 1865, when 3,000 cavalrymen led by Colonel Embury D. Osband of the 3rd United States Colored Cavalry Regiment, embarked from Memphis, Tennessee, for northeastern Louisiana.John D. Winters, The Civil War in Louisiana, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1963, {{ISBN|0-8071-0834-0}}, pp. 413–414

During the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, Bastrop was the site of a relief camp for refugees. During World War II, it was the site of a German prisoner-of-war camp.

Bastrop is the parish seat of Morehouse Parish and is within an area marketed to tourists as the Sportsman's Paradise Region of Louisiana. It is a Main Street Community and has received Transportation Enhancement funding for improvements in its historic district.{{Cite web|title=Preserve America {{!}} Advisory Council on Historic Preservation|url=https://www.achp.gov/preserve-america|access-date=2021-10-28|website=www.achp.gov}}

Celebrations and concerts are held in the historic downtown at the restored 1914 Morehouse Parish Courthouse and Rose Theater. Bastrop is home to the Snyder Museum and Creative Arts Center, housed in the circa 1929 home of a local family. Volunteers lead heritage appreciation tours for children and interpret the history of the parish using local artifacts.

File:Town of Bastrop, Louisiana.jpg

Bastrop is located in western Morehouse Parish, at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 425 and U.S. Highway 165 (Madison Avenue).

According to the United States Census Bureau, Bastrop has a total area of {{convert|8.59|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land.

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| collapsed = yes

| single line = yes

| location = Bastrop, Louisiana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–1900, 1921–1925, 1935–present)

| Jan record high F = 84

| Feb record high F = 87

| Mar record high F = 93

| Apr record high F = 94

| May record high F = 101

| Jun record high F = 108

| Jul record high F = 108

| Aug record high F = 107

| Sep record high F = 110

| Oct record high F = 100

| Nov record high F = 89

| Dec record high F = 89

| Jan high F = 53.8

| Feb high F = 58.2

| Mar high F = 66.9

| Apr high F = 74.3

| May high F = 81.0

| Jun high F = 88.0

| Jul high F = 90.6

| Aug high F = 90.6

| Sep high F = 86.3

| Oct high F = 76.2

| Nov high F = 64.4

| Dec high F = 56.2

| year high F = 73.9

| Jan mean F = 43.8

| Feb mean F = 47.5

| Mar mean F = 55.2

| Apr mean F = 62.9

| May mean F = 71.0

| Jun mean F = 78.4

| Jul mean F = 81.1

| Aug mean F = 80.5

| Sep mean F = 75.2

| Oct mean F = 64.2

| Nov mean F = 53.3

| Dec mean F = 46.2

| year mean F = 63.3

| Jan low F = 33.9

| Feb low F = 36.8

| Mar low F = 43.6

| Apr low F = 51.5

| May low F = 61.0

| Jun low F = 68.7

| Jul low F = 71.5

| Aug low F = 70.3

| Sep low F = 64.1

| Oct low F = 52.3

| Nov low F = 42.1

| Dec low F = 36.3

| year low F = 52.7

| Jan record low F = 4

| Feb record low F = -12

| Mar record low F = 15

| Apr record low F = 28

| May record low F = 39

| Jun record low F = 48

| Jul record low F = 54

| Aug record low F = 51

| Sep record low F = 37

| Oct record low F = 21

| Nov record low F = 18

| Dec record low F = 3

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 5.72

| Feb precipitation inch = 4.91

| Mar precipitation inch = 4.94

| Apr precipitation inch = 6.14

| May precipitation inch = 5.21

| Jun precipitation inch = 4.13

| Jul precipitation inch = 4.58

| Aug precipitation inch = 4.68

| Sep precipitation inch = 3.41

| Oct precipitation inch = 5.11

| Nov precipitation inch = 4.37

| Dec precipitation inch = 5.19

| year precipitation inch = 58.39

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 10.3

| Feb precipitation days = 8.5

| Mar precipitation days = 8.8

| Apr precipitation days = 7.3

| May precipitation days = 9.0

| Jun precipitation days = 8.3

| Jul precipitation days = 7.9

| Aug precipitation days = 6.5

| Sep precipitation days = 5.8

| Oct precipitation days = 6.5

| Nov precipitation days = 8.3

| Dec precipitation days = 8.6

| year precipitation days = 95.8

| source = NOAA{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=jan

|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = October 18, 2023}}{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00160537&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = October 18, 2023}}

}}

{{US Census population

|1860= 481

|1870= 521

|1880= 822

|1900= 787

|1910= 854

|1920= 1216

|1930= 5121

|1940= 6626

|1950= 12769

|1960= 15193

|1970= 14713

|1980= 15527

|1990= 13916

|2000= 12988

|2010= 11365

|2020= 9691

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015|df=mdy}}

}}

{| class="wikitable"

|+Bastrop racial makeup as of 2020

!Race

!Num.

!Perc.

|-

|White

|1,928

|19.9%

|-

|Black or African American

|7,345

|75.8%

|-

|Native American

|24

|0.2%

|-

|Asian

|29

|0.3%

|-

|Other/Mixed

|365

|3.8%

|-

|Hispanic or Latino

|97

|1.0%

|}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,691 people, 3,834 households, and 2,273 families residing in the city.

In 2008, International Paper Company, the largest area employer, ceased operations of its Bastrop mill.Greg Hilburn, [http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20081213/NEWS01/812130312 "Jindal visits region"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816120554/http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20081213/NEWS01/812130312 |date=August 16, 2014 }}, The Monroe News-Star, December 13, 2008Greg Hilburn, [http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20081122/NEWS01/811220310&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL "Bastrop mill closes; 550 lose jobs"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816203310/http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20081122/NEWS01/811220310%26referrer%3DFRONTPAGECAROUSEL|date=August 16, 2014}}, Monroe News Star, November 22, 2008, p. 1Greg Hilburn, [http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20081125/NEWS01/811250309&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL "Jindal: Bastrop is a top priority: State will do all it can to prop up community"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816210041/http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20081125/NEWS01/811250309%26referrer%3DFRONTPAGECAROUSEL |date=August 16, 2014 }}, Monroe News Star, November 25, 2008

In 2009, poultry processor Pilgrim's Pride closed multiple facilities in the area, which impacted the economy of Bastrop.{{cite web |url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20090301/NEWS05/903010307&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL |title=Greg Hilburn and Robbie Evans, "Pilgrim's Pride decision a bombshell: Sites closing in Arcadia, Athens, Choudrant, Farmerville |work=Shreveport Times |access-date=March 1, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113004519/http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20090301/NEWS05/903010307%26referrer%3DFRONTPAGECAROUSEL |archive-date=November 13, 2014 |df=mdy-all }} DG Foods opened a poultry processing plant at Bastrop in 2011.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

In 2015, a wood pellet facility opened in Bastrop, employing 64 people.{{cite web|url=http://draxbiomass.com/news-media/news-updates/ |title=News & Updates | Drax BioMassDrax BioMass |access-date=2014-01-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219081227/http://draxbiomass.com/news-media/news-updates/ |archive-date=February 19, 2014 |df=mdy }}http://www.thepineywoods.com/PelletsJan13.html/{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The 1023rd Engineer Company (Vertical) of the 528th Engineer Battalion of the 225th Engineer Brigade is located in Bastrop.

File:Morehouse Parish, LA, Library IMG 2810.JPG

A branch of the Morehouse Parish Public Library System is located in Bastrop.{{cite web | title = Bastrop Main Branch | publisher = Morehouse Parish Library | url = https://morehouseparishlibrary.com/bastrop | accessdate = November 5, 2023}}

Bastrop is governed by a mayor, Betty Alford-Olive, and a city council, which includes:{{cite web | title = Meet the Mayor | publisher = City of Bastrop | url = https://www.cityofbastrop.com/meet-mayor | accessdate = November 5, 2023}}{{cite web | title = City Council | publisher = City of Bastrop | url = https://www.cityofbastrop.com/city-council | accessdate = November 5, 2023}}

• Angela Moore, District A
• Charles Bradford, District B
• James Green, District C
• Darry Green, District D
• Howard Loche, District E

Image:Bastrop (LA) High School IMG 2828.JPG]]

Public schools located in Bastrop are operated by the Morehouse Parish School Board, and include:{{cite web | title = Home | publisher = Morehouse Parish School Board | url = https://www.mpsb.us/Home | accessdate = November 5, 2023}}

• Bastrop High School
• Beekman Charter School
• Morehouse Elementary School
• Morehouse Magnet School

Prairie View Academy is a private school in Bastrop serving kindergarten to grade 12.{{cite web | title = Prairie View Academy | publisher = Prairie View Academy | url = https://www.pvacademy.com/ | accessdate = November 5, 2023}}

Louisiana Delta Community College has a campus in Bastrop.{{cite web | title = Bastrop | publisher = Louisiana Delta Community College | url = https://www.ladelta.edu/campuses/bastrop | accessdate = November 5, 2023}}

In 2011, graduating senior Damon Fowler objected to prayer at the Bastrop High School graduation exercises, claiming a looming violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.{{cite news|last=Southwell|first=Zack|title=Prayer sparks controversy in Bastrop|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20110521/NEWS01/105210325|access-date=May 21, 2011|newspaper=The Star|date=May 21, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525010151/http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20110521/NEWS01/105210325|archive-date=May 25, 2011|df=mdy-all}} The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana asked the school not to include a prayer in the May 20 graduation. At the Thursday night rehearsal for the graduation, senior Sarah Barlow included a prayer that explicitly mentioned Jesus Christ, and during the graduation, student Laci Mattice led people in the Lord's Prayer before a moment of silence. The school says that Mattice was told not to include a prayer. Fowler stated that after his objections became public he was ostracized by other students.{{cite web|last=Lebo|first=Lauri|title=Student Says He's Ostracized for Objecting to Graduation Prayer|url=http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/laurilebo/4631/student_says_he%E2%80%99s_ostracized_for_objecting_to_graduation_prayer/|work=Religion Dispatches|date=May 20, 2011|access-date=May 20, 2011}}

File:Bastrop Daily Enterprise newspaper, Bastrop, LA IMG_2821.JPG

Bastrop and Morehouse Parish were until 2019 served by a daily newspaper, the Bastrop Daily Enterprise, which ceased operations because of financial and readership issues.

• Ronnie Coleman, professional bodybuilder
• Denzel Devall, college football player
• Bill Dickey, Major League Baseball catcher for the New York Yankees
• Michael Echols, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
• Stump Edington, Major League Baseball player who died in Bastrop
• David 'Bo' Ginn, state senator from Morehouse Parish from 1980 to 1988
• Luther E. Hall, governor of Louisiana
• Stacey Hawkins, United States Air Force major general
• Ed Head, Major League Baseball player who died in Bastrop
• Mable John, Motown Records singer born in Bastrop
• Jim Looney, NFL player
• Bob Love, NBA basketball player
• Calvin Natt, National Basketball Association player with the Denver Nuggets
• Kenny Natt, National Basketball Association drafted by Indiana Pacers in 1980
• Willie Parker, NFL and WFL player
• Rueben Randle, LSU Tigers football, wide receiver
• Shane Reynolds, Major League Baseball player{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=reynosh01|title = Shane Reynolds Stats|publisher= Baseball Almanac|access-date = February 2, 2013}}
• John Wesley Ryles, country music singer, born in Bastrop in 1950
• Talance Sawyer, played for the Minnesota Vikings; born in Bastrop
• Dylan Scott, country music singer-songwriter
• Pat Williams, NFL player (Minnesota Vikings)
• Hulon B. Whittington, Medal of Honor recipient

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Commons category|Bastrop, Louisiana}}

• {{Official website|www.cityofbastrop.com}}

{{Morehouse Parish, Louisiana}}

{{Louisiana parish seats}}

{{Louisiana}}

{{authority control}}

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Category:Cities in Louisiana

B

Category:Cities in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana

Category:1857 establishments in Louisiana