DeRidder, Louisiana

DeRidder was named for Ella de Ridder, the sister-in-law of a Dutch railroad financier, Jan de Goeijen (cf. De Queen, Arkansas).{{cite book|last=van der Sijs|first=Nicoline|title=The Influence of Dutch on the North American Languages|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qIsDdUSYJMIC&pg=PA102|year=2009|publisher=Amsterdam University Press|isbn=978-90-8964-124-3|page=102}} Her family originally came from the small town of Geldermalsen in the Netherlands, where she was one of 13 children. She ran away from home at an early age and was presumed dead by her family, who only later discovered that she had traveled to the United States. The town was named for her by her brother-in-law, who brought the first railroad to that area of Louisiana. Prior to that, the little town was known as Schovall. The first train line to serve DeRidder came in 1897. It was the Kansas City, Pittsburgh & Gulf Railroad, later called the Kansas City Southern and now Canadian Pacific Kansas City, CPKC.

The July 26, 1924, the DeRidder Enterprise stated: "The first house in DeRidder was made of logs and covered with board shingles, split by hand from the logs of the forest. It was constructed in 1893 and was the old homestead house of Calvin Shirley, who was the original owner of the land upon which the first business house and residence of DeRidder were built. Mr. Shirley homesteaded the {{convert|160|acre|km2}} which was later platted and became the original townsite of DeRidder."

According to Eva Stewart Frazar, whose family came to DeRidder near the turn of the century, "The largest pine in the world grew where DeRidder now stands - or so it is claimed by timber men who knew."

About the origin of the town, she says, "the Kansas City railroad was built from Kansas City to Port Arthur - and came right through here about 1896. By 1898 the trains were running. The post-office was named Miersburg for the postmaster whose name was Miers. The railroad workers had used this spot for a camping place for the workmen - and people wanted to get near the railroad - so {{convert|160|acre|km2}} of land was bought for the town site."

"Immediately following the purchase of the town site, a ramble of rough houses were hurriedly built out of rough lumber... By 1898 the town consisted of nearly 300 people and a number of shack homes and a sawmill. C. Landry and Mr. George Heard had a hotel. There were about 5 small stores, besides. West Brothers had a Rous Racket store on the east side of the track."

By this time DeRidder had a sawmill, and timber was the prime industry of the area. The longleaf pine was the primary tree used in the industry. In 1903, DeRidder was finally incorporated as a town.

In April 1904, a large portion of the business section of DeRidder was destroyed by fire. The cause was apparently arson. A grand jury collected enough evidence for this to indict George Smith, a gambler, with setting the fire. The man reportedly left town.

DeRidder's first bank opened in 1906. On October 15, 1912, DeRidder was voted the parish seat of Beauregard Parish. The Beauregard Parish Court House and the Beauregard Parish Jail (see below) were built in 1914.

In July 27, 2024, recent DeRidder mayor Misty Dawn Roberts Clanton, an independent who was first elected in 2018, resigned after being investigated for rape of a juvenile and would then be arrested five days later after turning herself in.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/08/03/louisiana-mayor-resigned-charged-rape-of-minor/74659275007/|title=Louisiana mayor who recently resigned now faces child sex crime charges|first=Mike|last=Snider|publisher=USA Today|date=August 3, 2024|accessdate=August 3, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://people.com/mistry-roberts-mayor-deridder-louisiana-resigned-charged-rape-minor-8689652|title=La. Mayor Resigned from Office. Days Later, She Was Arrested on Accusations She Raped Minor|first=Samira|last=Asma-Sadeque|publisher=People|date=August 2, 2024|accessdate=August 3, 2024}} The local fire chief was named to be the city's acting mayor.

DeRidder is located in northern Beauregard Parish. U.S. Route 171 leads south {{convert|48|mi}} to Lake Charles and north {{convert|15|mi}} to the entrance to Fort Johnson and {{convert|21|mi}} to Leesville. U.S. Route 190 leads south and east {{convert|49|mi}} to Kinder and west {{convert|52|mi}} to Jasper, Texas.

According to the United States Census Bureau, DeRidder has a total area of {{convert|23.9|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|23.7|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.2|km2|order=flip}}, or 0.96%, is water.

The northern section of the Green Acres subdivision, west of highway 171 on the extreme northwest side of DeRidder, extends into Vernon Parish. Another section of the city, running north along the east side highway 171, up to a parallel with Golden Lantern road, also extends into Vernon Parish.{{cite web|url=https://www.cityofderidder.org/DocumentCenter/View/882/2019-Zoning-Map|publisher=Meyer and Associates|access-date=2021-03-17|date=2019-08-27|title=Zoning map City of DeRidder, Louisiana Beauregard and Vernon Parishes }}{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/DeRidder,+LA+70634/@30.8843205,-93.3098964,13.74z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x863b084e98773bcf:0x5af6a67fe8cc9d22!8m2!3d30.8463055!4d-93.2890527|publisher=Google maps|access-date=2021-03-17|date=2021|title=DeRidder, Louisiana }} Water and sewage for Green Acres and Country Estates Subdivisions is provided by the independent Green Acres Water & Sewer District #1{{cite web|url=http://www.caldwellhousing.com/greenacres.htm|publisher=Caldwell Housing Corporation|access-date=2021-03-17|date=2021|title=DeRidder, Louisiana }}

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| collapsed = yes

| single line = yes

| location = DeRidder, Louisiana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1920–2016)

| Jan record high F = 89

| Feb record high F = 88

| Mar record high F = 92

| Apr record high F = 93

| May record high F = 97

| Jun record high F = 106

| Jul record high F = 105

| Aug record high F = 106

| Sep record high F = 109

| Oct record high F = 97

| Nov record high F = 90

| Dec record high F = 85

| year record high F =

| Jan high F = 60.9

| Feb high F = 64.7

| Mar high F = 72.1

| Apr high F = 78.2

| May high F = 84.7

| Jun high F = 90.5

| Jul high F = 91.7

| Aug high F = 92.5

| Sep high F = 88.7

| Oct high F = 79.9

| Nov high F = 70.1

| Dec high F = 62.3

| year high F = 78.0

| Jan mean F = 49.8

| Feb mean F = 53.6

| Mar mean F = 60.6

| Apr mean F = 66.7

| May mean F = 74.3

| Jun mean F = 80.4

| Jul mean F = 82.1

| Aug mean F = 82.4

| Sep mean F = 78.0

| Oct mean F = 68.3

| Nov mean F = 58.4

| Dec mean F = 51.4

| year mean F = 67.2

| Jan low F = 38.7

| Feb low F = 42.5

| Mar low F = 49.0

| Apr low F = 55.3

| May low F = 63.9

| Jun low F = 70.3

| Jul low F = 72.6

| Aug low F = 72.3

| Sep low F = 67.3

| Oct low F = 56.8

| Nov low F = 46.6

| Dec low F = 40.4

| year low F = 56.3

| Jan record low F = 9

| Feb record low F = 0

| Mar record low F = 20

| Apr record low F = 39

| May record low F = 42

| Jun record low F = 50

| Jul record low F = 56

| Aug record low F = 54

| Sep record low F = 40

| Oct record low F = 28

| Nov record low F = 20

| Dec record low F = 7

| year record low F =

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 6.36

| Feb precipitation inch = 4.63

| Mar precipitation inch = 4.89

| Apr precipitation inch = 5.19

| May precipitation inch = 5.06

| Jun precipitation inch = 5.81

| Jul precipitation inch = 4.91

| Aug precipitation inch = 5.01

| Sep precipitation inch = 5.36

| Oct precipitation inch = 5.03

| Nov precipitation inch = 5.49

| Dec precipitation inch = 6.35

| year precipitation inch = 64.09

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 8.9

| Feb precipitation days = 7.2

| Mar precipitation days = 7.8

| Apr precipitation days = 6.8

| May precipitation days = 6.5

| Jun precipitation days = 8.5

| Jul precipitation days = 8.6

| Aug precipitation days = 7.5

| Sep precipitation days = 6.2

| Oct precipitation days = 5.6

| Nov precipitation days = 6.9

| Dec precipitation days = 8.4

| year precipitation days = 88.9

| source = NOAA{{cite web

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

|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = November 2, 2023}}{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00162367&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 = November 2, 2023}}

}}

• Beauregard Regional Airport

Image:DeRidderJail.jpg

The building known as the "Old Beauregard Parish Jail" is a structure built in 1914 that is considered one of the most distinctive of its type in the US.{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}} The structure has the characteristics of the collegiate Gothic Revival architectural style, with shallow arches, dormer windows, and a central tower. This style was popular with colleges, universities, and churches. The iron bars in most of the windows give the structure an eerie appearance. Inside, there is a spiral staircase that leads up to three floors of jail cells. Another history-making fact is that each cell had a toilet, shower, lavatory and window. When the jail was in use, prisoners could often be seen waving from the barred windows.

It was built to house 50 or so prisoners, but held 13 in comfort. The walls are {{convert|13|to|21|in|m|abbr=on}} thick, made of reinforced concrete with a blasted finish. The first floor has quarters for the jailer and his family. In the jail's basement, a long corridor leads to the courthouse next door.

In 1928, there was a famous double execution by hanging in the jail for two murderers.Beauregard Parish Jail hanging referenced. These were the only recorded hangings in the jail. The prisoners were hanged by an apparatus at the top of the spiral staircase. After this the jail became known as "the hanging jail".

The jail was used until 1982, when a court action forced it to close. On October 4, 1981, it was put on the National Register of Historic Places, along with several other buildings in DeRidder.

File:DeRidder Historic District and buildings IMGA0661.JPG

In 1983 Washington, Second, Stewart, and Port streets were added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Beauregard Parish as the DeRidder Commercial Historic District.{{Cite web|url=https://www.crt.state.la.us/downloads/Cultural-Districts/All_Applications/DeRidder_Application.pdf|title=Wayback Machine|website=www.crt.state.la.us}}

{{US Census population

|1910= 2100

|1920= 3535

|1930= 3747

|1940= 3750

|1950= 5799

|1960= 7188

|1970= 8030

|1980= 10337

|1990= 9868

|2000= 9808

|2010= 10578

|2020= 9852

|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}}

}}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,852 people, 3,838 households, and 2,510 families residing in the city.

As of the census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2000, there were 9,808 people, 3,819 households, and 2,616 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,155.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 4,454 housing units at an average density of {{convert|524.7|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 60.81% White, 34.73% African American, 0.57% Native American, 1.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.57% from other races, and 1.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.40% of the population.

There were 3,819 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city of DeRidder, the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,952, and the median income for a family was $39,384. Males had a median income of $36,388 versus $21,302 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,996. About 15.0% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.1% of those under age 18 and 18.2% of those age 65 or over.

Beauregard Parish School Board operates local public schools.

For the city of DeRidder these schools are:

• Grades 9–12 DeRidder High School{{Cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725092036/http://www.beau.k12.la.us/dhs/index.htm|title=DeRidder High School|date=July 25, 2009|website=web.archive.org}} (DeRidder)
• Grades 6–8 [https://web.archive.org/web/20090604192135/http://beau.k12.la.us/djhs/index.htm DeRidder Junior High School] (DeRidder)
• Grades 4 & 5 [https://web.archive.org/web/20090725092040/http://www.beau.k12.la.us/pwe/first.htm Pine Wood Elementary School] (DeRidder)
• Grades 2 & 3 [https://web.archive.org/web/20090621092305/http://beau.k12.la.us/ce/Index.htm G. W. Carver Elementary School] (DeRidder)
• PreK - 1st Grade [https://web.archive.org/web/20090616143038/http://www.beau.k12.la.us/krh/Index.htm K. R. Hanchey Elementary School] (DeRidder)

The Beauregard Daily News, a daily newspaper, is based in DeRidder.

• Bert A. Adams, state representative from Vernon Parish from 1956 to 1968;{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf |title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2016: Vernon Parish |publisher=house.louisiana.gov |access-date=October 22, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006105414/http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf |archive-date=October 6, 2014 }} born in DeRidder in 1916{{cite web|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/vernon/obits/ldl03.txt|title=Bert Adams|date=February 5, 2003|publisher=usgwarchives.net|access-date=October 22, 2014}}
• Joe W. Aguillard, president of Louisiana College in Pineville 2005 - 2014
• Mel Branch, college/professional football player – LSU/Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs/Miami Dolphins
• Chris Cagle, collegiate and professional football player in College Football Hall of Fame
• Chris Cagle, country music singer
• Jerry DeWitt, former Pentecostal minister and current leader of the American atheism movement
• Deshazor Everett, college/professional football player – Texas A&M/Washington Redskins
• Rusty Hamer, former child actor who committed suicide in DeRidder in 1990
• Gilbert Franklin Hennigan, former Louisiana state senator
• Johnny Jones, college basketball head coach at University of North Texas and LSU
• Michael Mayes, former NFL player
• Michael Sanders, college/NBA basketball player – UCLA/Kansas City Kings/Cleveland Cavaliers
• Elijah Stewart (born 1995), basketball player for the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Tim Temple, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner{{Cite web|url=https://www.weeklycitizen.com/story/business/2019/05/30/candidate-spotlight-tim-temple/5028110007/|title=Candidate Spotlight: Tim Temple|first=Greg |last=Fischer|work=Gonzales Weekly Citizen|date=May 30, 2019|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}
• Charles Emery Tooke, Jr., state senator for DeSoto and Caddo parishes, 1948 to 1956
• Jennifer Weiner, author

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|DeRidder, Louisiana}}

• {{Official website|http://www.cityofderidder.org|City of DeRidder official website}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20041213161531/http://www.beau.lib.la.us/history/BPHistry/ Beauregard Parish History]
• Historic DeRidder: Downtown Walking Tour, a pamphlet published by the Beauregard Tourist Commission (June 2000).

{{Beauregard Parish, Louisiana}}

{{Vernon Parish, Louisiana}}

{{Louisiana parish seats}}

{{Louisiana}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deridder, Louisiana}}

Category:Cities in Louisiana

Category:Parish seats in Louisiana

Category:Cities in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana

Category:Cities in Vernon Parish, Louisiana

Category:Cities in the Central Louisiana