Krotz Springs, Louisiana

Around the turn of the 20th century, an Ohio native, Charles William Krotz, bought {{convert|20000|acre|km2}} of woodland around the Atchafalaya Basin and set up a sawmill to trim the trees hauled out of the basin. The tiny settlement that grew up around the mill was called Latania (fan palm), after the bayou of the same name and the types of palm plants found in the area.

Thinking he was sitting on an untapped pool of oil, Krotz attempted to drill the first oil well in St. Landry Parish in 1900, but he struck water instead of oil, the result becoming known as Krotz’s spring. The spring was used to supply water for the developing sawmill town, and Krotz even bottled the water, selling it throughout the country.{{cite web |last1=Hartley |first1=Carola Lillie |title=A man named Krotz |url=https://eu.dailyworld.com/story/life/2017/06/30/man-named-krotz/440738001/ |publisher=Daily World |access-date=March 31, 2021}}

In 1909, a post office was established in the town, and the obvious choice of a name was Krotz Springs.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cajuntravel.com/towns/krotz_springs.cfm |title=www.cajuntravel.com "KROTZ SPRINGS" |access-date=September 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006131827/http://www.cajuntravel.com/towns/krotz_springs.cfm |archive-date=October 6, 2007 |url-status=dead }}

The Krotz Springs Bridge spanning the Atchafalaya River opened in 1928 and carried railroad and automobile traffic.{{Cite news |title=Atchafalaya River Bridge Opened |newspaper=The Rayne Tribute |date=July 7, 1928 |page=1}} It was superseded by other bridges at the same location in 1934, 1973, and 1988.{{Cite web |url=https://www.klfy.com/news/atchafalya-bridge-in-krotz-springs-renamed-on-wednesday/966454068 |title=Atchafalya Bridge in Krotz Springs renamed on Wednesday | KLFY |access-date=March 31, 2021 |archive-date=April 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415023120/http://www.klfy.com/news/atchafalya-bridge-in-krotz-springs-renamed-on-wednesday/966454068 |url-status=dead }}

Image:Krotz springs bridge.jpg

Robert A. Moran, a Democrat served as mayor from 1986 until his death in May 1987. On November 21, 1987, James Rasie Nall defeated Ina Moran (D) in a runoff election for mayor.St Landry Parish. Louisiana Secretary of State, Elections Division. November 21, 1987. Four years later, on October 6, 1990, Gary Soileau (D) defeated Larry Martinez, Sr. (D), in a landslide victory with 86 percent of the ballots cast.St Landry Parish. Louisiana Secretary of State, Elections Division. October 6, 1990. Soileau would remain mayor until he retired in 2010, when he was succeeded by Carroll Snyder, another Krotz Springs Democrat.St Landry Parish. Louisiana Secretary of State, Elections Division. October 2, 2010.

List of most Krotz Springs Mayors since 1917:

On the eastern border of Krotz Springs is Pointe Coupee Parish over the Atchafalaya River via U.S. Highway 190 while Opelousas, the St. Landry Parish seat, is located {{convert|20|mi}} west of Krotz Springs. The city of Baton Rouge is located {{convert|40|mi}} to the east.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|1.7|sqmi|km2}}, all land.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

{{US Census population

|1920= 247

|1930= 449

|1940= 630

|1950= 866

|1960= 1057

|1970= 1435

|1980= 1374

|1990= 1285

|2000= 1219

|2010= 1198

|2020= 904

|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|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}

}}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 904 people, 373 households, and 242 families residing in the town.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,198 people living in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 97.2% White, 0.2% Black, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian and 0.3% from two or more races. 1.5% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2000, there were 1,219 people, 490 households, and 339 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|705.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 562 housing units at an average density of {{convert|325.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 99.10% White, 0.25% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.08% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.

There were 490 households, out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $26,823, and the median income for a family was $31,842. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,914. About 17.5% of families and 22.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.6% of those under age 18 and 18.3% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2010, 77.39% of the population identified themselves as belonging to a faith community; of these 86.5% were Catholic, 9.4% were Southern Baptist and 2.4% were Churches of Christ.{{Cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/city/Krotz-Springs-Louisiana.html|title=Krotz Springs, Louisiana (LA 70750, 71353) profile: population, maps, real estate, averages, homes, statistics, relocation, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, moving, houses, news, sex offenders|website=www.city-data.com}}

According to the American Community Survey of 2010-2014, 82.2% of residents identify as having either French or French Canadian ancestry.{{Cite web|title=Louisiana French as First Ancestry Population Percentage City Rank Based on ACS 2010-2014 data|url=http://www.usa.com/rank/louisiana-state--french-as-first-ancestry-population-percentage--city-rank.htm?yr=9000&dis=&wist=&plow=&phigh=|access-date=March 12, 2021|website=www.usa.com}}

• 1966: The prison camp scenes in Nevada Smith, starring Steve McQueen, were filmed just west of Krotz Springs in the 2 O'Clock Bayou area.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060748/locations|title = Nevada Smith (1966) - IMDb|website = IMDb}}
• 1969: The final scene of Easy Rider, starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper, was filmed a few miles north of there,[{{Coord|30|45|39|N|91|45|51|W}}] in which the two main characters are shot by two local residents, David C. Billodeau and Johnny David, on Louisiana Highway 105.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064276/locations|title = Easy Rider (1969) - IMDb|website = IMDb}}
• 1998: In the film Out of Sight, starring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez, two of the main characters lose control of their vehicle coming down the Atchafalaya River Bridge on U.S. Route 190 Westbound.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120780/locations|title = Out of Sight (1998) - IMDb|website = IMDb}}

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{{Wikivoyage|Krotz Springs}}

{{St. Landry Parish, Louisiana}}

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Category:Towns in Louisiana

Category:Towns in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana

Category:Populated places established in 1909

Category:1909 establishments in Louisiana