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50-601: Bogalusa ( / ˌ b oʊ ɡ ə ˈ l uː s ə / BOH -gə- LOO -sə ) is a city in Washington Parish, Louisiana , United States. The population was 12,232 at the 2010 census . In the 2020 census the city reported a population of 10,659. It is the principal city of the Bogalusa Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Washington Parish and is also part of the larger New Orleans–Metairie–Hammond combined statistical area . The name of
100-540: A YMCA and YWCA , schools, and other services within a year, opening facilities in 1907. To access the timber and transport processed lumber from the mill to markets, the company built the New Orleans Great Northern Railroad , connecting Bogalusa to the port of New Orleans. Well before World War II, the virgin forest was harvested. Great Southern Lumber Company closed the sawmill in 1938. Its paper mill and chemical operations continued. Gradually in
150-605: A car through the black neighborhoods before burning his body in a bonfire. Industrial workers of both races arrived in the company town for employment from the early 20th century onwards. Following their return from World War II , African-American veterans faced significant challenges due to racial discrimination and violence in Louisiana and the broader South. They contended with the enduring legacy of Jim Crow laws , state-enforced segregation , and systemic disenfranchisement and political exclusion, issues that had persisted since
200-411: A chemical plant also run by Gaylord was built next to the mill. Crown-Zellerbach acquired Gaylord's operations in 1955. The paper mill and chemical operations continued to anchor the city's economy. At its peak in 1960, the city had more than 21,000 residents. In 1985 Crown-Zellerbach was split up but the timber industry continued. In 1919 workers went on strike, triggering the largest labor strife at
250-852: A mayor and a council of seven members, five of whom are elected from the respective districts and two are elected at-large, all serving four-year terms. Bogalusa is home to the 205th Engineer Battalion of the Louisiana Army National Guard , which is part of the 225th Engineer Brigade headquartered in Pineville, Louisiana , at the Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville . Bogalusa operates its own public school system, Bogalusa City Schools , consisting of seven elementary schools , one junior high and one high school . As of 2020 there are over 3600 students enrolled and almost 230 teachers working for
300-468: A median income of $ 27,964 versus $ 17,709 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $ 12,915. About 19.40% of families and 24.70% of the population were below the poverty line , including 32.20% of those under age 18 and 20.40% of those age 65 or over. Washington Parish has the second highest level of poverty in the state after Orleans Parish . Washington Parish is currently known for its agriculture, particularly watermelons . Through much of
350-532: A million board feet (2400 m) of lumber each day. With the virgin pine forest cleared, the sawmill closed in 1938 during the Great Depression . An attempt to keep the sawmill open with California redwood proved too costly, and the mill was closed. It was replaced by the Bogalusa Paper Company (a subsidiary of Great Southern). In 1937 Bogalusa Paper Company merged with Gaylord Container Corporation;
400-625: A notable target, experiencing a cross burning in his yard by the Klan, a stark manifestation of the Klan's efforts to silence advocates for equality and justice. Determined to fight for their rights, Bob Hicks , Charles Sims , A.Z. Young , and others had taken leadership of the (all-black) Bogalusa Civic and Voters' League . On February 21, 1965, with the help of three activists from the Deacons for Defense and Justice based in Jonesboro, Louisiana , they founded
450-503: A paper mill and chemical businesses in the area. The local business passed through several hands as the lumber and related industries restructured through the late 20th century. In the 21st century, Temple-Inland Corporation is the largest employer in the parish. Students residing outside of Ward 4 , most of the parish, attend Washington Parish School System . Students within Ward 4 attend Bogalusa City Schools . The Bogalusa district serves
500-598: A series of racially motivated attacks that occurred on November 22, 1919, resulting in the deaths of four labor organizers. These attacks took place in Bogalusa, Louisiana , United States, and were orchestrated by the white paramilitary group known as the Self-Preservation and Loyalty League (SPLL). The SPLL received support from the owners of the Great Southern Lumber Company, a major logging corporation, with
550-596: A victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 17. Within Louisiana, more than 92% of the communities have a lower crime rate than Bogalusa. Bogalusa's economy has been linked to lumbering and its byproducts since the city's founding by the Great Southern Lumber Company chartered in 1902 by the Goodyears of Buffalo, New York . The sawmill was, for many years, the largest in the world. A paper mill
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#1732851895948600-588: Is a parish located in the interior southeast corner of the U.S. state of Louisiana , one of the Florida Parishes . As of the 2020 census , the population was 45,463. Its parish seat is Franklinton . Its largest city is Bogalusa . The parish was founded in 1819. Washington Parish comprises the Bogalusa , LA Micropolitan Statistical Area , which is included in the New Orleans - Metairie - Hammond , LA- MS Combined Statistical Area . Washington Parish
650-753: Is no passenger rail to Bogalusa but the Bogalusa Bayou Railroad (BBAY) serves Bogalusa's International Paper plant connecting it northward with the Canadian National line in Mississippi . The Bogalusa Airport, officially named the George R. Carr Memorial Air Field is owned by the city. It is located north of the city. The Police Department employs 35 officers and 12 reserves. Washington Parish, Louisiana Washington Parish ( French : Paroisse de Washington ; Spanish : Parroquia de Washington )
700-487: Is one of the youngest towns in Louisiana. It was founded by Frank Henry Goodyear and Charles Waterhouse Goodyear , lumber barons of Buffalo, New York . In the early 1900s, the brothers bought hundreds of thousands of acres of virgin Longleaf pine forests in southeastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi for the timber and further their strategy to build railroad spurs to bring the wood to market. In 1902, they chartered
750-402: Is water. At the 2020 United States census , there were 45,463 people, 17,613 households, and 11,924 families residing in the parish. in 2000 there were 43,926 people, 16,467 households, and 11,642 families residing in the parish. The population density was 66 inhabitants per square mile (25/km ). There were 19,106 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile (11/km ). In 2000,
800-446: The B.B. "Sixty" Rayburn Correctional Center near the village of Varnado,LA. Bogalusa is home to the headquarters of the 205th Engineer Battalion of the 225th Engineer Brigade . Franklinton is the home of the 843rd Engineer Company. Geology 30°51′N 90°02′W / 30.85°N 90.04°W / 30.85; -90.04 Bogalusa sawmill killings William H. Sullivan The Bogalusa saw mill killings were
850-593: The Great Southern Lumber Company (1908–38) and built the first sawmill in what became Bogalusa, a company town built to support the mill. The sawmill was the largest in the world at the time. The Goodyear interests built the city of Bogalusa to house workers and supervisors, and associated infrastructure. They also built the Great Northern New Orleans Railroad to New Orleans to transport their lumber and products to market. The city, designed by architect Rathbone DeBuys of New Orleans and built from
900-633: The Great Southern Lumber Company , constructed a huge sawmill (the largest in the world at the time) in the middle of the forest, and developed Bogalusa, Louisiana , as a company mill town. In the early 20th century, there were numerous confrontations as workers attempted to unionize and companies hired private militia to suppress such activities. The company housing for workers was divided by Jim Crow custom and state laws on racial segregation into sections for "Americans" and another for "colored" and foreign workers. It also built housing for supervisors, and supporting facilities, such as several hotels, churches,
950-494: The 20th century, its economy was based on its timber and paper industry . In 1906, The Great Southern Lumber Company , founded by the Goodyear brothers from New York, purchased huge tracts of forest and established a sawmill in Bogalusa to harvest the local virgin pine forests. This company was the first to introduce reforestation in order to sustain the timber industry locally. Taken over by Crown Zellerbach , it later started
1000-595: The Central Trades Assembly and sought formal recognition from the sawmill in September 1919. In response, the company fired many union organizers and prohibited union members from buying goods at local stores. This led to a strike, and the company brought in Black strikebreakers from New Orleans, exacerbating racial tensions. The Bloody Bogalusa Massacre occurred on November 22, 1919, following years of labor struggles in
1050-541: The City of Bogalusa, Rio , and some unincorporated areas . Northshore Technical Community College is located in Bogalusa. The Washington Parish Government is a Home Rule Charter or "President-Council" form of Government. Its current President, elected at-large , is Richard N. Thomas, Jr. The seven council members are each elected from single-member districts . Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections operates
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#17328518959481100-511: The Great Southern Lumber Company was the largest sawmill in the world, yet its workers earned only 30 cents an hour, despite the company's significant profits during World War I. Racial tensions in Bogalusa were already high due to incidents like the lynching of Black veteran Lucius McCarty on August 31, 1919, following allegations of assaulting a white woman. McCarty was brutally killed, and his death further fueled racial animosity. Labor organizer Lum William worked to unite various unions into
1150-429: The age of 18 living with them, 49.30% were married couples living together, 17.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.09. In the parish the population was spread out, with 26.80% under
1200-405: The age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males. At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the parish was $ 24,264, and the median income for a family was $ 29,480. Males had
1250-524: The city derives from the Choctaw language term bogue lusa , which translates into English as "dark water or "smoky water". Located in an area of pine forests, in the early 20th century, this industrial city was developed as a company town , to provide worker housing and services in association with a Great Southern Lumber Company sawmill . In the late 1930s, this operation was replaced with paper mills and chemical operations. Incorporated in 1914, Bogalusa
1300-483: The city has a total area of 9.5 square miles (24.6 km), of which 9.5 square miles (24.6 km) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km) (0.52%) is covered by water. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Bogalusa has a humid subtropical climate , abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Bogalusa was 107 °F (41.7 °C) on June 20, 1936, while
1350-486: The city with winds of about 110 mph (175 km/h), downing numerous trees and power lines. Many buildings in Bogalusa were damaged from falling trees, and several were destroyed. Most of the houses, businesses, and other buildings suffered roof damage from the storm's ferocious winds. Some outlying areas of the city were without power for more than a month. According to the United States Census Bureau ,
1400-487: The coldest temperature recorded was 4 °F (−15.6 °C) on January 12, 1962. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 10,659 people, 4,874 households, and 2,923 families residing in the city. With a crime rate of 60 per one thousand residents, Bogalusa has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes- from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming
1450-484: The deployment of federal troops to restore order in Bogalusa. The Bogalusa saw mill killings were part of the American Red Summer of 1919, a period of civil unrest marked by attacks on Black communities and racial oppression in various U.S. cities and counties. These events, including the Bogalusa massacre, highlighted the challenges faced by Black labor organizers and the broader struggle for civil rights in
1500-595: The district. Northshore Technical Community College is located in Bogalusa. In 1930, it was the first trade school established in the state of Louisiana, and it is now a fully accredited community college. The local weekly newspaper is the Bogalusa Daily News . The city was home to one radio station, WBOX 920 AM & 92.9 FM Bogalusa is located at the juncture of Louisiana Highways [REDACTED] 10 running east–west and [REDACTED] 21 running north–south. Bogalusa connects to Bush, Louisiana There
1550-546: The enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , facing opposition from segments of the local population. The struggle against racial discrimination extended beyond black workers challenging the industrial class system. Local Ku Klux Klan members exerted their influence by intimidating civil rights activists. The situation escalated in 1964 with the passage of the Civil Rights Act , as whites intensified their opposition. Lou Major , publisher of Bogalusa Daily News , became
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1600-492: The evacuation of about 3,000 people within a one-mile (1.6 km) radius. Residents say "the sky turned orange" as a result. Emergency rooms filled with about 4,000 people who complained of burning eyes, skin, and lungs. Dozens of lawsuits were filed against Gaylord Chemical and were finally settled in May 2005, with compensation checks issued to around 20,000 people affected by the accident. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit
1650-644: The first affiliated chapter of that African-American self-defense organization. Other leaders of the Deacons were Bert Wyre, Aurilus “Reeves” Perkins, Sam Bonds, Fletcher Anderson, and others. They mobilized many war veterans within the black community to provide armed security to civil rights activists and their families. Expecting a violent summer, the State Police established an office in Bogalusa in February 1965. As explained by Seth Hague, ...the community came to embrace
1700-408: The goal of preventing union organization and the merger of Black and white labor organizations. The Great Southern Lumber Company, chartered by the Goodyear family in 1902, operated in southeastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi, primarily harvesting longleaf pine forests. Bogalusa, Louisiana, was developed as a company town, and the company's sawmill there began operation in 1908. At its peak,
1750-418: The ground up in less than a year, had several hotels, schools, a hospital, a YMCA and YWCA , churches of all faiths, and houses for the mill workers. The town was laid out with the "Mill Town" on the south side and "Commercial Town" on the north side, altogether there were four quadrants with racially segregated neighborhoods defined by the railroad running north–south and Bogue Lusa Creek running east–west. It
1800-401: The late 20th century, these operations declined. As jobs left, the population dropped in such industrial towns. Some people moved to new or emerging industries in New Orleans and other major cities. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the parish has a total area of 676 square miles (1,750 km ), of which 670 square miles (1,700 km ) is land and 6.4 square miles (17 km ) (0.9%)
1850-478: The militant rhetoric of the Jonesboro Deacons. Many violent conflicts ensued under this ideology and culminated in a climactic summer in 1965. Consequently, the black workers’ militancy threatened not only the power of the middle class blacks, but also the political and economic hegemony of the white power structure in Bogalusa. Except for a few noteworthy courtroom "victories" versus Crown-Zellerbach, threatening
1900-489: The power structure was virtually the struggle's only effect as the white power structure subsumed the militancy and rhetoric of the revolutionary Bogalusans." Two of the most notable murders of African Americans that took place in Bogalusa during the civil rights era were Oneal Moore , who was killed in 1965, the first black deputy sheriff hired for the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, and Clarence Triggs , who
1950-536: The racial and ethnic makeup of the parish was 67.42% White , 31.53% Black or African American , 0.23% Native American , 0.17% Asian , 0.11% from other races , and 0.54% from two or more races; 0.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. By 2020, its makeup was 65.08% non-Hispanic white, 28.06% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 3.11% other or multiracial, and 3.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2000, there were 16,467 households, out of which 32.70% had children under
2000-431: The timber industry. The Bogalusa sawmill was the world's largest, and labor demands for better wages were met with arrests of Black men for minor offenses, forcing them into forced labor at the mill. Sol Dacus, the head of the Black union, was defended by white union members, resulting in a confrontation. The Great Southern Lumber Company deployed its private militia, consisting of 150 deputies, against unrest. A riot signal
2050-486: The town's Great Southern Lumber Company , the largest sawmill in the world. Company owners supported a white militia group and brought in Black strikebreakers, increasing racial tension. Events culminated in the Bogalusa sawmill killings which saw four union men killed. On August 31, 1919, Black veteran Lucius McCarty was accused of assaulting a white woman and a mob of some 1,500 people seized McCarty and shot him more than 1,000 times. The mob then dragged his corpse behind
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2100-500: The turn of the 20th century. During the civil rights era , African-American employees at Crown Zellerbach in Bogalusa campaigned for equal employment opportunities, including access to all job positions and advancements into supervisory roles. This push for equality met resistance from white coworkers. Additionally, the African-American community advocated for the integration of public facilities in Bogalusa, particularly following
2150-454: Was acquired by International Paper headquartered in Memphis, TN and the mill came under new ownership. The Bogalusa mill still operates as a corrugated fiberboard plant making boxes and shipping containers. As of 2019 the plant remains the city's largest employer with 425 people. However production is much less than the 1960s with only two machines now in operation. The city charter designates
2200-405: Was added in 1918. By 1938, the Goodyear family's mill had clear cut all the virgin longleaf yellow pine within hundreds of miles of Bogalusa and after an unprofitable effort to import redwood from California, their sawmill operations at the Great Southern Lumber Company also ended. Bogalusa's industry then shifted to paper milling as Goodyear's sawmill passed onto Gaylord Container Corporation which
2250-483: Was called the "Magic City" in praise of its rapid construction. The manager of Great Southern Lumber Company was William H. Sullivan . As sawmill manager, he acted as town boss when the city was built. After Bogalusa was incorporated as a city on July 4, 1914, Sullivan was elected as mayor by white voters (blacks had been disenfranchised), and repeatedly re-elected, serving until his death on June 26, 1929. The Great Southern Lumber Company's sprawling sawmill produced up to
2300-599: Was formed in 1819 by splitting off from St. Tammany Parish . Franklinton was designated as the parish seat on February 10, 1821. Washington Parish is the most northeasterly of what are called the Florida Parishes . Great Britain took over control of this French territory east of the Mississippi River in 1763 after defeating France in the Seven Years' War . But France had also ceded some territory to Spain. This area
2350-494: Was killed in 1966. With changes in the lumber industry, through the late 20th century, after 1960, a steady decline in industrial operations, jobs, and associated population of the town occurred. By 2015, the population was estimated at slightly less than 12,000, more than 40% below the high in 1960. These conditions have made it more difficult for remaining residents. In 1995, a railroad tank car imploded at Gaylord Chemical Corporation , releasing nitrogen tetroxide and forcing
2400-416: Was sounded, leading to the attempted arrest of J. P. Bouchillon and Stanley O’Rourke, who were carrying shotguns. Conflicting accounts exist regarding who fired first, but the incident resulted in the deaths of four white unionists, including Bouchillon, O'Rourke, Lem Williams, and carpenter Thomas Gaines, along with two Black men. This event marked a significant setback for labor unionization efforts and led to
2450-652: Was then bought by Crown Zellerbach in 1955. By the mid 1960s the mill was producing some 1300 tons of paper daily with four machines. Georgia Pacific acquired the mill in 1986. Its brown paper successor owned the Bogalusa mill until 2002 when Gaylord was acquired by Temple-Inland Corporation, the area's largest employer. The spill-over of industrial products into the Pearl River in August 2011 resulted in Federal fines of over one million dollars. The following year, 2012, Temple-Inland
2500-700: Was under contention, and English and American settlers tried to set up an independent state here in 1810. The United States annexed the territory, later settling with Spain in a treaty. Through much of this period, the French influence remained strong in the region, especially in its former colonial cities. This area was rural and forested with virgin longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris L.) In the early 20th century, entrepreneurial brothers Frank and Charles W. Goodyear , already successful businessmen from Buffalo, New York , purchased hundreds of thousands of acres of forest in this area and in southwestern Mississippi. They established
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