Bastrop, Louisiana

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City of Bastrop
City
Motto : The City of Pride, Spirit and Progress
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Morehouse
Area	8.4 sq mi (21.8 km²)
- land	8.4 sq mi (21.8 km²)
- water	0.0 sq mi (0 km²), 0%
Center
- coordinates	32°46′40″N 91°54′54″W / 32.77778, -91.915Coordinates: 32°46′40″N 91°54′54″W / 32.77778, -91.915
- elevation	167 ft (50.9 m)
Population	12,988 (2000)
Density	1,543.9 /sq mi (596.1 /km²)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	71220
Area code	318
Location of Bastrop in Louisiana
Location of Louisiana in the United States

The city of Bastrop is the parish seat of Morehouse Parish, in the US state of Louisiana. The population was 12,988 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of and is included in the Bastrop, Louisiana Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Monroe-Bastrop, Louisiana Combined Statistical Area.

Bastrop is the birthplace of Motown Records singer Mable John, professional bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman, and former Major League Baseball players Bill Dickey and Shane Reynolds. Talance Sawyer was also born in Bastrop and later played for the Minnesota Vikings.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Government
4 Education
5 Associations
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Geography

Bastrop is located at 32°46′40″N, 91°54′54″W (32.777855, -91.914944)^[1].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.4 square miles (21.8 km²), all of it land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 12,988 people, 4,723 households, and 3,301 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,543.9 people per square mile (596.3/km²). There were 5,292 housing units at an average density of 629.1/sq mi (243.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 34.67% White, 64.50% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.04% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.

There were 4,723 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.0% were married couples living together, 28.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the city the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 82.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,418, and the median income for a family was $26,250. Males had a median income of $30,477 versus $15,813 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,769. About 29.6% of families and 35.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.2% of those under age 18 and 30.5% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

Bastrop is governed by a mayor and board of alderman. The present mayor is Clarence Hawkins, the first African-American to serve in the top municipal position in Bastrop history. J.D. DeBlieux, who spent his later years in the Bastrop area, was perhaps the first white politician in Louisiana to support the civil rights agenda.

The Bastrop City Hall and Police Station were designed by native son Hugh G. Parker (1934-2007), who overcame childhood polio to become a significant architect in Louisiana.

Bastrop and Morehouse Parish are represented in the Louisiana House of Representatives by a Republican, the retired farmer Sam Little, who won his seat in the November 17, 2007, general election by a margin of only nine votes over the Bastrop dentist, Buddy M. Quinn.