Tallulah, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Tallulah is a city in and the parish seat of Madison Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. The population was 9,189 at the 2000 census. Tallulah is the principal city of the Tallulah Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Madison Parish.
The Madison Parish Sheriff's office operates the Steve Hoyle Rehabilitation Center in Tallulah.
During the American Civil War
, Union
gunboats in Lake Providence
headed south to Tallulah, where they burned the depot of the Vicksburg, Shreveport, and Texas Railroad and captured Confederate
supplies awaiting shipment to Indian Territory
. The Confederates in Tallulah offered no resistance. Numerous potential Confederate troops in the area were turned down for enlistment because of a lack of weapons.
Tallulah was the first city in the United States to have an indoor shopping mall. A businessman built Bloom's Arcade in 1925, in the style of European arcades. It was one hall with stores on either side much like the ones today. The hall opened into the street on both ends. This landmark is still in Tallulah on U.S. Route 80
, although no longer in use.
Tallulah is thought to be the place where Delta Air Lines
got its early beginnings. An agricultural experiment station first used airplanes to spray pesticides to control cotton pests. Built in the late 1920s by Standard Oil Company, the building housed a U.S Experimental Station in the early 1920s that began flying mail for the US Post Office. It soon started a flying service which evolved into Delta Air Lines.
Madison Parish claims the title of birthplace of Delta Air Lines, and the original airport building, Scott's Field, still stands near Tallulah. It is listed on the ational Register of Historic Places.
On April 24, 2010, an EF4 tornado touched down near Tallulah, causing numerous injuries. The tornado also damaged a tanker in a chemical plant causing a small nitrogen leak. The tornado continued on the ground across the Mississippi River. As the tornado gained strength, it struck Yazoo
, Holmes
, and Choctaw
counties in Mississippi, causing 10 fatalities and extensive destruction. Significant damage to an industrial plant with injuries, trapped people and destroyed homes were reported in Madison Parish near the Louisiana-Mississippi state line. There were fifty-four tornadoes reported that day.
, a soldier in the American Revolution
. Later serving as governor of Tennessee, he is the namesake of Sevierville
, Tennessee
.
George Washington Sevier, Sr. (1858–1925), the father of Andrew L. Sevier, was a member of the Madison Parish Police Jury and served as the parish tax assessor from 1891 to 1916. Andrew Leonard Sevier, Sr.
(1894-1962) was a member of the Louisiana State Senate
from 1932 until his death in 1962. His wife Irene Newman Jordan Sevier served the rest of his term.
Andrew Jackson Sevier, Jr. (1922-1995), served as sheriff
of Madison Parish.
A cousin of the senior Andrew L. Sevier, Henry Clay "Happy" Sevier, Sr., was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from 1932 to 1952. James D. Sevier, Sr., and his son, James Sevier, Jr., held the office of tax assessor for more than four decades. Except for the years 1887 to 1890, there was at least one member of the Sevier family in public office for the 122 years preceding 2005.
L. Mason Spencer, husband of Rosa Sevier Spencer, represented Madison Parish in the Louisiana House and planned to run for governor of Louisiana in 1935 but withdrew his candidacy, and victory went to Richard Leche of New Orleans
.
Among the political leaders from this family were William Putnam "Buck" Sevier, Jr., a banker, town alderman, and mayor
of Tallulah, who served from 1946 until his retirement in 1974. Buck Sevier holds the record at 28 years of the longest-serving mayor in Louisiana.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 9,189 people, 3,016 households, and 2,078 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,396.0 people per square mile (1,309.2/km²). There were 3,226 housing units at an average density of 1,192.2 per square mile (459.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 23.22% White, 74.79% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races
, and 1.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.12% of the population.
There were 3,016 households out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.4% were married couples
living together, 30.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.49.
In the city the population was spread out with 37.6% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $17,142, and the median income for a family was $20,100. Males had a median income of $22,346 versus $14,679 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $8,324. About 35.7% of families and 43.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 59.2% of those under age 18 and 25.2% of those age 65 or over.
Madison Parish, Louisiana
-National protected areas:* Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge * Vicksburg National Military Park -Demographics:-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 9,189 at the 2000 census. Tallulah is the principal city of the Tallulah Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Madison Parish.
The Madison Parish Sheriff's office operates the Steve Hoyle Rehabilitation Center in Tallulah.
History
Tallulah got its name in an unusual way. When the railroad was expanding in the area, a widow who owned a large plantation became friendly with the contractor and persuaded him to change the route of the railroad to run through her plantation. After the railroad was built, she had nothing else to do with him. Feeling rejected, he named the water stop for an old girlfriend named Tallulah, instead of the plantation owner.During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
gunboats in Lake Providence
Lake Providence, Louisiana
Lake Providence is a town in and the parish seat of East Carroll Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,104 at the 2000 census.-Civil War:...
headed south to Tallulah, where they burned the depot of the Vicksburg, Shreveport, and Texas Railroad and captured Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
supplies awaiting shipment to Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
. The Confederates in Tallulah offered no resistance. Numerous potential Confederate troops in the area were turned down for enlistment because of a lack of weapons.
Tallulah was the first city in the United States to have an indoor shopping mall. A businessman built Bloom's Arcade in 1925, in the style of European arcades. It was one hall with stores on either side much like the ones today. The hall opened into the street on both ends. This landmark is still in Tallulah on U.S. Route 80
U.S. Route 80
U.S. Route 80 is an east–west United States highway, much of which was once part of the early auto trail known as the Dixie Overland Highway. As the "0" in the route number indicates, it was originally a cross-country route, from the Atlantic to the Pacific...
, although no longer in use.
Tallulah is thought to be the place where Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
got its early beginnings. An agricultural experiment station first used airplanes to spray pesticides to control cotton pests. Built in the late 1920s by Standard Oil Company, the building housed a U.S Experimental Station in the early 1920s that began flying mail for the US Post Office. It soon started a flying service which evolved into Delta Air Lines.
Madison Parish claims the title of birthplace of Delta Air Lines, and the original airport building, Scott's Field, still stands near Tallulah. It is listed on the ational Register of Historic Places.
On April 24, 2010, an EF4 tornado touched down near Tallulah, causing numerous injuries. The tornado also damaged a tanker in a chemical plant causing a small nitrogen leak. The tornado continued on the ground across the Mississippi River. As the tornado gained strength, it struck Yazoo
Yazoo County, Mississippi
-National protected area:*Hillside National Wildlife Refuge *Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge-History:The area which is now Yazoo County was acquired by the State of Mississippi from the Choctaw Indians in 1820. Yazoo County was established on January 21, 1823. It was the 19th county...
, Holmes
Holmes County, Mississippi
-National protected areas:*Hillside National Wildlife Refuge *Mathews Brake National Wildlife Refuge *Morgan Brake National Wildlife Refuge*Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:...
, and Choctaw
Choctaw County, Mississippi
-National protected areas:* Natchez Trace Parkway * Tombigbee National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,758 people, 3,686 households, and 2,668 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile . There were 4,249 housing units at an...
counties in Mississippi, causing 10 fatalities and extensive destruction. Significant damage to an industrial plant with injuries, trapped people and destroyed homes were reported in Madison Parish near the Louisiana-Mississippi state line. There were fifty-four tornadoes reported that day.
The Seviers of Tallulah
Tallulah and Madison Parish have been the center of numerous members of the prominent Sevier family, who claim descent from John SevierJohn Sevier
John Sevier served four years as the only governor of the State of Franklin and twelve years as Governor of Tennessee. As a U.S. Representative from Tennessee from 1811 until his death...
, a soldier in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. Later serving as governor of Tennessee, he is the namesake of Sevierville
Sevierville, Tennessee
Sevierville is a city in Sevier County, Tennessee, located in the Southeastern United States. Its population was 11,757 at the 2000 United States Census; in 2004 the estimated population was 14,101. Sevierville is the county seat of Sevier County, Tennessee....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
George Washington Sevier, Sr. (1858–1925), the father of Andrew L. Sevier, was a member of the Madison Parish Police Jury and served as the parish tax assessor from 1891 to 1916. Andrew Leonard Sevier, Sr.
Andrew L. Sevier
Andrew Leonard Sevier, Sr. , was an attorney from Tallulah, Louisiana, who served for thirty years from 1932 until his death as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate. He represented the 32nd District, which then included Madison, East Carroll, Tensas, and Concordia parishes...
(1894-1962) was a member of the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1932 until his death in 1962. His wife Irene Newman Jordan Sevier served the rest of his term.
Andrew Jackson Sevier, Jr. (1922-1995), served as sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Madison Parish.
A cousin of the senior Andrew L. Sevier, Henry Clay "Happy" Sevier, Sr., was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1932 to 1952. James D. Sevier, Sr., and his son, James Sevier, Jr., held the office of tax assessor for more than four decades. Except for the years 1887 to 1890, there was at least one member of the Sevier family in public office for the 122 years preceding 2005.
L. Mason Spencer, husband of Rosa Sevier Spencer, represented Madison Parish in the Louisiana House and planned to run for governor of Louisiana in 1935 but withdrew his candidacy, and victory went to Richard Leche of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
Among the political leaders from this family were William Putnam "Buck" Sevier, Jr., a banker, town alderman, and mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Tallulah, who served from 1946 until his retirement in 1974. Buck Sevier holds the record at 28 years of the longest-serving mayor in Louisiana.
Geography
Tallulah is located at 32°24′33"N 91°11′29"W (32.409047, -91.191306).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7 km²), all land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 9,189 people, 3,016 households, and 2,078 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,396.0 people per square mile (1,309.2/km²). There were 3,226 housing units at an average density of 1,192.2 per square mile (459.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 23.22% White, 74.79% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.12% of the population.
There were 3,016 households out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 30.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.49.
In the city the population was spread out with 37.6% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $17,142, and the median income for a family was $20,100. Males had a median income of $22,346 versus $14,679 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $8,324. About 35.7% of families and 43.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 59.2% of those under age 18 and 25.2% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
- Kate Stone Holmes, Civil War diarist, author of Brokenburn, A Civil-War Journel.
- Conway TwittyConway TwittyConway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
, Country and Western music star. Born Harold Jenkins. - Buddy CaldwellBuddy CaldwellJames David Caldwell, Sr., or Buddy Caldwell , is the Republican attorney general of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Prior to serving as attorney general, Caldwell was the district attorney for Madison, East Carroll, and Tensas parishes from 1979 to 2008...
, Louisiana Attorney General and former Madison, East Carroll, and Tensas parish district attorneyDistrict attorneyIn many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of... - Carl Otis Trimble, first African-American quarterback at Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
(LSU) - Jimmy "Cooch Eye" JonesJimmy Jones (basketball)James "Jimmy" Jones is an American former professional basketball player who was a six-time All-Star in the American Basketball Association .A 6'4" guard/forward, Jones attended Grambling State University....
, former National Basketball Association (NBA) player with the (Baltimore Bullets) - Anthony Lucas, former National Football League (NFL) wide receiver with the (Dallas Cowboys & Green Bay Packers)
- Joe OsbornJoe OsbornJoe Osborn is an American bass guitar virtuoso, notable for his work as a session musician in Los Angeles and Nashville during the period from the 1960s through the 1980s. Osborn's work is widely admired by fellow musicians.Osborn began his career working in local clubs, then played on a hit...
, musician - Bobby Howard, former American Football League (AFL) & National Football League (NFL) corner back with the San Diego Chargers (1967–1969 AFL, 1970–1974 NFL), the New England Patriots (1975–1977), and the Philadelphia Eagles (1978–1979)
- James Silas, former American professional basketball player. Was drafted in the fifth round of the 1972 National Basketball Association Draft by the Houston Rockets but played the majority of his career with the San Antonio Spurs in the ABA. Was known as "The Snake," "Captain Late," and "The Late Mr. Silas," the latter two referring to the fact that Silas seemed to play his best late in games. On February 28, 1984, Silas's #13 became the first number ever retired by the San Antonio Spurs.
- Maurice Ash Founder/President of Unified People Unified Purpose UpnUp Organization UpnUpNews
External links
- City of Tallulah
- Tallulah Progress Community Progress Site for Tallulah, LA