Pollock, Louisiana

Pollock, Louisiana
Town
Town of Pollock
Motto:  "Growing for the Future" [1]
Location of Pollock in Grant Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Coordinates: 31°31′29″N92°24′32″W / 31.52472°N 92.40889°W / 31.52472; -92.40889
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Grant
Government
Area [2]
• Total	7.87 sq mi (20.37 km2)
• Land	7.84 sq mi (20.29 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)
Elevation	118 ft (36 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	394
• Rank	GR: 3rd
• Density	50.28/sq mi (19.41/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	318
FIPS code	22-61580
Website	www.pollockla.us

Pollock is a small town in Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 469 as of the 2010 census, ^[3] up from 376 in 2000. Pollock and southern Grant Parish have been experiencing residential and business growth in recent years. The population of Pollock increased between the 2000 and 2010 censuses as a result of the annexation of the land surrounding a federal prison, the United States Penitentiary, Pollock.^{[ citation needed ]}

History

The town proper that sprang up in 1892 around a sawmill was named in honor of the manager of the Big Creek Sawmill and Lumber Company, Captain James W. Pollock. ^[4]

Pollock was for many years a sundown town, a community that did not allow black people to be there after sundown. ^[5] Historian Herbert Aptheker reported a sign "Niggers stay out of Pollock" ^[5] at the town's boundary during World War II when he commanded a group of black soldiers nearby. ^[6] The town's official history notes "the few individuals of African descent" living in the Pollock area left soon after the Colfax massacre. ^[7] The Louisiana Almanac reported that as late as 1990, Pollock still had no black residents. ^{[8] [9]}

Geography

Pollock is located in southeastern Grant Parish at 31°31′29″N92°24′32″W / 31.52472°N 92.40889°W / 31.52472; -92.40889 (31.524760, -92.408866) ^[10] and has an elevation of 118 feet (36.0 m). ^[11] U.S. Route 165 is the main highway through the town, leading north 16 miles (26 km) to Georgetown and south 16 miles to Alexandria. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²), all land. ^[3]

Pollock is within Kisatchie National Forest. Stuart Lake Recreational Area, part of the national forest, is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) southwest of the center of town.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1900	637		—
1910	675		6.0%
1920	353		−47.7%
1930	376		6.5%
1940	317		−15.7%
1950	421		32.8%
1960	366		−13.1%
1970	341		−6.8%
1980	399		17.0%
1990	330		−17.3%
2000	376		13.9%
2010	469		24.7%
2020	394		−16.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [12]

As of the census ^[13] of 2000, there were 376 people, 157 households, and 108 families residing in the town. The population density was 298.7 inhabitants per square mile (115.3/km²). There were 204 housing units at an average density of 162.1 units per square mile (62.6 units/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.87% White, 0.27% Native American, 0.53% Asian, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.86% of the population.

There were 157 households, out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,625, and the median income for a family was $29,063. Males had a median income of $21,250 versus $28,125 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,134. About 20.5% of families and 22.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Federal Correctional Complex, Pollock, consisting of the United States Penitentiary, Pollock and Federal Correctional Institution, Pollock, is located nearby. ^{[14] [15]}

Education

Pollock residents are zoned to Grant Parish School Board schools.

Notable people

• Henry E. Hardtner, timber magnate and Louisiana legislator, was with his brother, Quintin Hardtner, benefactor of the Episcopal Camp Hardtner and Conference Center near Pollock.
• Swords Lee, timber owner from Pollock and Alexandria; former Grant Parish assessor and state representative ^[16]
• Charlton Lyons, pioneer of the modern Republican Party in Louisiana, was the principal of Pollock High School from 1917 to 1918. ^[17]
• Russ Springer, pitcher for 10 Major League baseball teams spanning 18 seasons from 1992 until 2010
• Ed Tarpley, district attorney for Grant Parish from 1991 to 1997; reared in Pollock; practices law in Alexandria

References

• United States portal

1. "Town of Pollock, Louisiana". Town of Pollock. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
2. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
3. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Pollock town, Louisiana". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 15, 2016.^{[ dead link ]}
4. "History of Pollock". Town of Pollock, Louisiana. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
5. "Showing Pollock in LA..." sundown.tougaloo.edu. Archived from the original on June 23, 2018.
6. Carlson, Peter (February 21, 2006). "When Signs Said 'Get Out' In 'Sundown Towns,' Racism in the Rearview Mirror". The Washington Post .
7. "History of Pollock".
8. @jbenton (February 14, 2019). "I thought I remembered this from when I was a kid, and thanks to the @internetarchive I now have proof: At least in…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
9. "Louisiana almanac, 1992-93". 1992.
10. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
11. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
12. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
14. "USP Pollock." Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved on May 29, 2010.
15. "USP Pollock Contact Information Archived 2010-05-27 at the Wayback Machine ." Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved on May 29, 2010.
16. "Col. Stephen R. Lee of Alexandria Dies at His Home Feb. 13: Industrial and Political Leader, Descendant of Famous Lees". Winnfield, Louisiana: Winnfield News-American. February 22, 1929. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
17. Lyons Family « The Lyons Family

External links

• Town of Pollock official website