Benton, Louisiana
Benton is a town in, and the parish seat of, Bossier Parish, in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 2,048 in 2020.[2] The town is named for 19th century U.S. Senator Thomas Hart Benton, a Democrat from Missouri and an ally of U.S. President Andrew Jackson.[3]
Benton, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Town of Benton | |
 | |
 Location of Benton in Bossier Parish, Louisiana. | |
.svg.png.webp) Location of Louisiana in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 32°41′41″N 93°44′26″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Bossier |
| Government | |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.52 sq mi (6.53 km2) |
| • Land | 2.52 sq mi (6.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 207 ft (63 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 2,048 |
| • Rank | BO: 3rd |
| • Density | 813.99/sq mi (314.29/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code | 71006 |
| Area code | 318 |
| FIPS code | 22-06925 |
| Website | Benton, Louisiana |
History
On April 3, 1999, a powerful F4 tornado roared through portions of the town killing six people and injuring 90. A mobile home park located south of town and homes near the Palmetto Country Club were devastated. Neighborhoods affected included Haymeadow Trailer Park, Palmetto Park/Palmetto Place (adjacent to the country club), Bay Hills, Woodlake South, Twin Lake Community, and many other newer lakefront homes located around Cypress Lake. The population of Benton lakefront area nearly doubled between 2004 and 2008.[4]
Geography
Benton is located at 32°41′41″N 93°44′26″W (32.694607, -93.740595).[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), all land.
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 402 | — | |
| 1940 | 519 | 29.1% | |
| 1950 | 741 | 42.8% | |
| 1960 | 1,336 | 80.3% | |
| 1970 | 1,493 | 11.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,864 | 24.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,047 | 9.8% | |
| 2000 | 2,035 | −0.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,948 | −4.3% | |
| 2020 | 2,048 | 5.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,083 | 52.88% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 719 | 35.11% |
| Native American | 11 | 0.54% |
| Asian | 26 | 1.27% |
| Other/Mixed | 116 | 5.66% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 93 | 4.54% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,048 people, 850 households, and 516 families residing in the town.[2]
Education
Benton has six public schools: Benton Elementary School, Legacy Elementary School, Kingston Elementary, Benton Intermediate School, Benton Middle School, and Benton High School.[7]
Notable people
- Robert E. "Bob" Barton, state representative from Bossier Parish, 1996-2000[8]
- Walter O. Bigby, state representative and judge, graduated from Benton High School.[9]
- Billy Bretherton, Entomologist and co-owner of Vexcon Inc, a pest control services company featured on the A&E series Billy the Exterminator.
- Dewey E. Burchett, Jr., state court judge from 1988 to 2008, born in Shreveport but resided in Benton[10]
- Jesse C. Deen, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Benton, 1972 to 1988[11]
- Larry Deen, sheriff of Bossier Parish from 1988 to 2012
- Mike Johnson, 56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives since 2023; Republican member of the United States Congress from the 4th Congressional District; constitutional attorney in Benton[12]
- J. A. W. Lowry, Bossier Parish politician in the late 19th century; died in Benton in 1899[13]
- George Nattin, Jr., businessman and LSU Tigers basketball player, 1959-1962[14]
- Henry Warren Ogden, Virginia-born planter in Benton; former member of the United States House of Representatives for Louisiana's 4th congressional district and Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives
- Ford E. Stinson, former state representative, was a Benton native.[15]
- Jeff R. Thompson, former state representative for Bossier Parish, 2012-2014; judge of Division B of the 26th Judicial District Court in Benton
References
- "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
- "Kay McMahan, "Bossier Parish, LA, Towns"". usgwarchives.net. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
- USA Today - 04 April 1999
- "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- Local School Directory
- U.S. Search, People Search and Background Check, Internet
- "Louisiana State University e-yearbooks". e-yearbook.com. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
- "Dewey E. Burchett, Jr". The Shreveport Times. November 22, 2009. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- "Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2016 (Bossier and Webster parishes)" (PDF). house.louisiana.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2014. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
- "Mike Johnson State Representative". mikejohnsonlouisiana.com. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
- ""John A. W. Lowry of Bossier Parish, Louisiana" in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana". Chicago and Nashville, Tennessee: Southern Publishing Company. 1890. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Jimmy Watson (September 30, 2014). "LSU basketball great George Nattin Jr. loved his golf". The Shreveport Times. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- "Social Security Death Index". rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved July 20, 2009.
Municipalities and communities of Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
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| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent parish or parishes | |
