Homer, Louisiana

Last updated

Homer, Louisiana
Revised City Hall, Homer, LA IMG 6298.JPG
Homer City Hall (built 1928)
Claiborne Parish Louisiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Homer Highlighted.svg
Location of Homer in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana.
Louisiana in United States (US48).svg
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Coordinates: 32°47′24″N93°03′31″W / 32.79000°N 93.05861°W / 32.79000; -93.05861
CountryUnited States
StateLouisiana
Parish Claiborne
Named for Homer
Government
  MayorDanny "Roy" Lewis (D) elected December 6, 2014
Area
[1]
  Total4.66 sq mi (12.07 km2)
  Land4.65 sq mi (12.05 km2)
  Water0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
282 ft (86 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total2,747
  Density590.37/sq mi (227.93/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
  Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code
71040
Area code 318
FIPS code 22-35870
Website www.townofhomer.com
Downtown Homer is centered about the Claiborne Parish Courthouse, constructed in 1860. Downtown Homer, LA IMG 0860.JPG
Downtown Homer is centered about the Claiborne Parish Courthouse, constructed in 1860.
The Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum and the Homer Chamber of Commerce jointly occupy the building of the former Claiborne Hotel building. Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum, Homer, LA (revised) IMG 6315.JPG
The Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum and the Homer Chamber of Commerce jointly occupy the building of the former Claiborne Hotel building.

Homer is a town in and the parish seat of Claiborne Parish in northern Louisiana, United States. [2] Named for the Greek poet Homer, the town was laid out around the Courthouse Square in 1850 by Frank Vaughn. The present-day brick courthouse, built in the Greek Revival style of architecture, is one of only four pre-Civil War courthouses in Louisiana still in use. The building, completed in 1860, was accepted by the Claiborne Parish Police Jury on July 20, 1861, at a cost of $12,304.36, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The other courthouses are in St. Francisville, St. Martinville and Thibodaux.

Contents

History

Homer in 1935 Louisiana - Boyce through Kinder - NARA - 23940403 (cropped).jpg
Homer in 1935

The city was once the home of Homer College (also known as Homer Colored College), a private school for African American students active from 1855 until early 1880s and offered bachelor's degrees and masters degrees. [3] [4] [5] [6]

The Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum operates across from the parish courthouse in the former Claiborne Hotel (completed 1890). [7] The museum claims the oldest compressed bale of cotton in existence in the United States. This cotton display is believed to have been baled about 1930. [8] Adjacent to the cotton exhibit is the "Black Gold", a replica of an oilfield roughneck—a general laborer worker who loading and unloads cargo from crane baskets and keeps the drilling equipment clean—employed in the early 1930s by the Sinclair Oil and Gas Company. The exhibit has a recording which explains how a farm family, growing mostly cotton and corn faced great economic travail in Mississippi but relocated to Claiborne Parish to take advantage of the oil and natural gas boom. "Oil changed our lives forever. We owe a lot to the men, mud, and mules that made it happen," concludes the recorded message. In 1921, oil was discovered in Homer; in 1921, another strike followed in Haynesville in northern Claiborne Parish. The boom continued through the 1930s and brought many customers to the then booming Hotel Claiborne, which had been established in 1890 and declared a state historic site in 1984. [9]

Former Homer Mayor Alecia Smith was sentenced in 2017 after she pleaded guilty to two counts of malfeasance in office. She diverted Homer municipal funds to personal use and falsified public records. Her two five-year sentences were deferred, and she was instead placed on probation. She must pay a $1,000 fine and repay more than $6,000 to the municipality. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said that department will "not stand for corrupt public officials. ... The people of our state deserve better and should expect more out of those who are appointed or elected to serve." [10]

Geography

Homer is located at 32°47′24″N93°3′31″W / 32.79000°N 93.05861°W / 32.79000; -93.05861 (32.789863, -93.058633). [11]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.6 square miles (12 km2), of which 4.6 square miles (12 km2) is land and 0.22% is water.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1850 418
1860 1,451247.1%
1870 80−94.5%
1880 718797.5%
1890 1,13257.7%
1900 1,1572.2%
1910 1,85560.3%
1920 3,30578.2%
1930 2,909−12.0%
1940 3,49720.2%
1950 4,74935.8%
1960 4,665−1.8%
1970 4,483−3.9%
1980 4,307−3.9%
1990 4,152−3.6%
2000 3,788−8.8%
2010 3,237−14.5%
2020 2,747−15.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [12]

The population of Homer was 2,747 in 2020. [13]

Homer racial composition as of 2020 [13]
RaceNumberPercentage
White (non-Hispanic)70325.59%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)1,88468.58%
Native American 150.55%
Asian 140.51%
Other/Mixed 903.28%
Hispanic or Latino 411.49%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,747 people, 1,268 households, and 777 families residing in the town.

Government and infrastructure

The United States Postal Service operates the Homer Post Office. [14] Zip Code: 71040

Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections operates the David Wade Correctional Center in an unincorporated section of Claiborne Parish near Homer. [15]

Education

Homer High School Homer, LA, High School IMG 2664.JPG
Homer High School

The Claiborne Parish School Board is the school district for the entire parish. [16] It operates Homer Elementary School, [17] Homer Junior High School, [18] and Homer High School. [19]

The Homer area is also served by Claiborne Academy, a privately funded K thru 12 school in an unincorporated area. [20] It has been serving the Claiborne Parish area since 1970, around the time public high schools were integrated. Many prominent citizens and local civic leaders in Homer and nearby Haynesville, are graduates of Claiborne Academy.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Homer has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. [21]

Climate data for Homer, Louisiana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °F (°C)83
(28)
85
(29)
90
(32)
93
(34)
98
(37)
102
(39)
105
(41)
107
(42)
109
(43)
100
(38)
88
(31)
82
(28)
109
(43)
Mean maximum °F (°C)73.8
(23.2)
76.6
(24.8)
82.4
(28.0)
86.0
(30.0)
89.9
(32.2)
94.3
(34.6)
97.8
(36.6)
98.8
(37.1)
95.9
(35.5)
88.8
(31.6)
80.3
(26.8)
75.3
(24.1)
99.3
(37.4)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)55.6
(13.1)
59.7
(15.4)
67.5
(19.7)
75.2
(24.0)
81.9
(27.7)
88.6
(31.4)
91.7
(33.2)
92.0
(33.3)
86.9
(30.5)
76.6
(24.8)
65.3
(18.5)
57.5
(14.2)
74.9
(23.8)
Daily mean °F (°C)43.8
(6.6)
47.5
(8.6)
54.6
(12.6)
62.2
(16.8)
70.4
(21.3)
77.5
(25.3)
80.8
(27.1)
80.5
(26.9)
74.7
(23.7)
63.4
(17.4)
52.8
(11.6)
45.8
(7.7)
62.8
(17.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)32.0
(0.0)
35.3
(1.8)
41.7
(5.4)
49.2
(9.6)
58.8
(14.9)
66.4
(19.1)
69.9
(21.1)
69.0
(20.6)
62.4
(16.9)
50.2
(10.1)
40.3
(4.6)
34.1
(1.2)
50.8
(10.4)
Mean minimum °F (°C)17.9
(−7.8)
23.1
(−4.9)
26.1
(−3.3)
34.4
(1.3)
45.2
(7.3)
58.1
(14.5)
64.1
(17.8)
62.1
(16.7)
49.7
(9.8)
36.1
(2.3)
26.4
(−3.1)
21.2
(−6.0)
15.9
(−8.9)
Record low °F (°C)−1
(−18)
0
(−18)
11
(−12)
27
(−3)
33
(1)
47
(8)
53
(12)
50
(10)
36
(2)
25
(−4)
15
(−9)
1
(−17)
−1
(−18)
Average precipitation inches (mm)5.15
(131)
5.26
(134)
5.68
(144)
5.89
(150)
4.74
(120)
4.04
(103)
4.02
(102)
3.28
(83)
3.73
(95)
4.64
(118)
4.64
(118)
5.92
(150)
56.99
(1,448)
Average snowfall inches (cm)0.3
(0.76)
0.3
(0.76)
0.1
(0.25)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.7
(1.77)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)9.69.39.88.18.78.58.16.76.17.08.39.799.9
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)0.00.20.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.2
Source: NOAA [22] [23]

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winn Parish, Louisiana</span> Parish in Louisiana, United States

Winn Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,755. Its seat and largest city is Winnfield. The parish was founded in 1852. It is last in alphabetical order of Louisiana's sixty-four parishes. Winn is separated from Natchitoches Parish along U.S. Highway 71 by Saline Bayou, the first blackwater protected waterway in the American South.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Webster Parish, Louisiana</span> Parish in Louisiana, United States

Webster Parish is a parish located in the northwestern section of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Minden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red River Parish, Louisiana</span> Parish in Louisiana, United States

Red River Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,620, making it the fourth-least populous parish in Louisiana. Its seat and most populous municipality is Coushatta. It is one of the newer parishes, created in 1871 by the state legislature from parts of Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Desoto and Natchitoches Parishes under Reconstruction. The plantation economy was based on cotton cultivation, highly dependent on enslaved African labor before the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln Parish, Louisiana</span> Parish in Louisiana, United States

Lincoln Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,396. The parish seat is Ruston. The parish was created on February 24, 1873, from parts of Bienville, Claiborne, Union, and Jackson parishes, and its boundaries have changed only once. This makes Lincoln Parish one of the Reconstruction parishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iberville Parish, Louisiana</span> Parish in Louisiana, United States

Iberville Parish is a parish located south of Baton Rouge in the U.S. state of Louisiana, formed in 1807. The parish seat is Plaquemine. The population was 30,241 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grant Parish, Louisiana</span> Parish in Louisiana, United States

Grant Parish is a parish located in the North Central portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,169. The parish seat is Colfax. The parish was founded in 1869 during the Reconstruction era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claiborne Parish, Louisiana</span> Parish in Louisiana, United States

Claiborne Parish is a parish located in the northwestern section of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish was formed in 1828, and was named for the first Louisiana governor, William C. C. Claiborne. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,170. The parish seat is Homer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bienville Parish, Louisiana</span> Parish in Louisiana, United States

Bienville Parish is a parish located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 census, the population was 12,981. The parish seat and most populous municipality is Arcadia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athens, Louisiana</span> Village in Louisiana, United States

Athens is a village in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 249 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haynesville, Louisiana</span> Town in Louisiana, United States

Haynesville is a town in northern Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States, located just south of the Arkansas border. The population was 2,039 in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natchitoches, Louisiana</span> City in Louisiana, United States

Natchitoches, officially the City of Natchitoches, is a small city and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 18,039. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the indigenous Natchitoches people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pineville, Louisiana</span> City in Louisiana, United States

Pineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is located across the Red River from the larger Alexandria, and is part of the Alexandria Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,555 at the 2010 census. It had been 13,829 in 2000; population hence grew by 5 percent over the preceding decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coushatta, Louisiana</span> Town in Louisiana, United States

Coushatta is a town in, and the parish seat of, rural Red River Parish in north Louisiana, United States. It is situated on the east bank of the Red River. The community is approximately 45 miles south of Shreveport on U.S. Highway 71. The population, 2,299 at the 2000 census, is nearly two-thirds African American, most with long family histories in the area. The 2010 census, however, reported 1,964 residents, a decline of 335 persons, or nearly 15 percent during the course of the preceding decade. In 2020, its population was 1,752. The city is named after the Coushatta, a Native American nation indigenous to the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shongaloo, Louisiana</span> City in Louisiana, United States

Shongaloo is a village in Webster Parish, Louisiana, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claiborne Parish School Board</span> School district in Louisiana, United States

Claiborne Parish School Board is a school district headquartered in Homer, Louisiana, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claiborne Academy</span> Segregation academy near Haynesville, Louisiana

Claiborne Academy is a private, non-profit, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school located in unincorporated Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, between Haynesville and Homer. It was founded in 1969 as a segregation academy. Their nickname is the Rebels, the school newspaper is the Rebel Yell, and their school symbol is the Confederate battle flag.

David Wade Correctional Center (DWCC) is a Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections prison located in an unincorporated area of Claiborne Parish, between Homer and Haynesville, Louisiana. The prison is located near the Louisiana-Arkansas border.

Joseph Rush Wimberly, I, was at the turn of the 20th century successively a member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature from Arcadia, the seat of Bienville Parish in North Louisiana. He served two terms in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1900 to 1908. and a single term in the Louisiana State Senate from 1908 to 1912, representing Bienville and neighboring Claiborne parishes. Wimberly served on the Education committees of both houses during his 12-year tenure.

Larry G. Sale was a law enforcement officer from Claiborne Parish in north Louisiana considered to have been his state's most decorated soldier of World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum</span> United States historic place

The Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum is a museum of local history and culture housed in the former Claiborne Hotel at 519 South Main Street in Homer in Claiborne Parish in North Louisiana. The Homer Chamber of Commerce is headquartered inside the two-story museum, which is located across the historic town square from the Claiborne Parish Courthouse.

References

  1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "Louisiana Legislature". The Times-Picayune . February 6, 1855. p. 2. Retrieved September 13, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
  4. Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of Louisiana. Louisiana Supreme Court. State of Louisiana. 1867. p. 525.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. "Tech artists help with Homer mural". The News-Star. April 15, 2012. p. 13. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  6. "Many a College Has Come And Gone Here". The Times. November 2, 1996. p. 11. Retrieved September 13, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
  7. Beverly E. Smith, "Ford Museum Being Re-established in Homer," North Louisiana History , Vol. 14, Nos. 2-3 (Spring-Summer 1983), pp. 132–133
  8. Cotton exhibit, Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum, Homer, Louisiana
  9. "Black Gold" exhibit, Ford Memorial Museum
  10. "Former Mayor Avoids Jail in Malfeasance Trial". KEEL Radio in Shreveport. July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  11. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  12. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  13. 1 2 "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  14. "Post Office Location - HOMER Archived 2012-06-16 at the Wayback Machine ." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on October 2, 2010.
  15. "David Wade Corr. Center Archived 2011-01-27 at the Wayback Machine ." Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections . Accessed September 14, 2008.
  16. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Claiborne Parish, LA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved February 11, 2024. - Text list
  17. "Welcome to Homer Elementary School Archived 2011-07-25 at the Wayback Machine ." Claiborne Parish Schools. Retrieved on October 2, 2010.
  18. "Welcome to Homer Jr School Archived 2011-07-25 at the Wayback Machine ." Claiborne Parish Schools. Retrieved on October 2, 2010.
  19. "Welcome to Homer High School Archived 2011-07-25 at the Wayback Machine ." Claiborne Parish Schools. Retrieved on October 2, 2010.
  20. "image007.gif Archived 2011-06-27 at the Wayback Machine ." Claiborne Academy. Retrieved on October 2, 2010. "6741 Highway 19, Haynesville, LA 71038."
  21. Climate Summary for Homer, Louisiana
  22. "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  23. "Station: Homer 1N, LA". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  24. "Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812–2012" (PDF). house.louisiana.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 31, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2009.