Mamou, Louisiana
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Mamou is a town in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,242 at the 2010 census,<ref name="Census 2010">Template:Cite web</ref> down from 3,566 in 2000.
Geography
[edit]Mamou is located in south-central Evangeline Parish. Louisiana Highway 13 follows the western border of the town, leading north Template:Convert to Reddell and south Template:Convert to Eunice. Ville Platte, the parish seat, is Template:Convert to the northeast.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Mamou has a total area of Template:Convert, all land.<ref name="Census 2010"/>
History
[edit]Many stories exist regarding the origin of the name "Mamou". One may have been the legendary Indian, Chief Mamou.Template:Citation needed It is certain that this vast prairie was known as "Mamou Prairie" as far back as the 18th century and that Anglo-Americans first called it "Mammouth Prairie" because of its immense size. When the French came, they called it "Mamou" for mammoth.<ref name="mamou.htm">mamou.htm</ref> "Mamou" is also a family name found in France.<ref name="neworleansproduction.com">neworleansproduction.com Template:Webarchive</ref>
Within this vast stretch of prairie, the town site of Mamou was platted in 1907 by Curley C. Duson of Eunice. He was president of the Mamou Town Site Company which opened an office on the corner of Seventh and Chestnut. Lot auctions were held weekly and lots were sold for $50. The original village covered one square mile. On January 11, 1911, Mamou was incorporated.<ref name="mamou.htm"/>
Cotton was the major crop for many years on the prairie. By 1915, the village boasted four cotton gins producing thousands of bales of cotton; however, the decline in the demand for cotton led local farmers toward the growing of rice that is now the major crop of the area.<ref name="neworleansproduction.com"/>
Demographics
[edit]| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,396 | 47.55% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,323 | 45.06% |
| Native American | 1 | 0.03% |
| Asian | 15 | 0.51% |
| Other/Mixed | 151 | 5.14% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 50 | 1.7% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,936 people, 1,128 households, and 615 families residing in the town.
Education
[edit]Public schools in Evangeline Parish are operated by the Evangeline Parish School Board. Three campuses serve the town of Mamou – Mamou Elementary School (Grades PK–4), Mamou Upper Elementary (Grades 5–8), and Mamou High School (Grades 9–12). Mamou Upper Elementary and Mamou High School are located on the same campus.
Culture
[edit]Mamou is located at the heart of Louisiana's Cajun country. The town is famous for its music and musicians, and bills itself as "The Cajun Music Capital of the World".<ref name="lsue.edu">lsue.edu Template:Webarchive</ref> Consequently, Mamou figures into a number of song titles (such as "'Tit Galop Pour Mamou," "Valse de Grand Mamou," "Mamou Two-Step," and "Mamou Hot Step") and lyrics such as "Somewhere Over China" by Jimmy Buffett, as well as band names (such as Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys). Mamou is also home of the world-famous Fred's Lounge, which features live Cajun music every Saturday morning.<ref name="lsue.edu"/><ref>fredsociety.com Template:Webarchive</ref> Each year the town holds a Courir de Mardi Gras.
Notable people
[edit]- Danny Ardoin, Major League Baseball player
- Jacqueline Ceballos, feminist and activist
- Lewis Elliott Chaze, journalist and author
- Austin Deculus, professional football player in the NFL
- Chris Duhon, professional basketball player
- Drastik, Hip-hop artist
- Malcolm Frank, former NFL and CFL defensive back
- Mayeus Lafleur, Cajun musician
- Barry Manuel, Major League Baseball, Louisiana State University All-American
- Jimmy C. Newman, singer
- Steve Riley, Cajun and zydeco accordionist, singer, and bandleader
- Keith Sonnier, visual artist<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref>