Editing Charenton, Louisiana

{{use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Charenton, Louisiana
| native_name             = 
| other_name              = 
| settlement_type         = [[Census-designated place]]
| image_skyline           = 
| image_caption           = 
| image_flag              = 
| image_shield            = 
| motto                   = 
| nickname                = 
| etymology               = 
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = United States
| subdivision_type1       = State
| subdivision_name1       = Louisiana
| subdivision_type2       = Parish
| subdivision_name2       = [[St. Mary Parish, Louisiana|St. Mary]]
| subdivision_type3       = 
| subdivision_name3       = 
| image_map               = 
| map_caption             = 
| pushpin_map             = Louisiana
| pushpin_relief          = 
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location of Charenton in Louisiana 
| coordinates             = {{coord|29|53|01.47|N|91|31|37.78|W|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
| established_title       = 
| established_date        = 
| area_footnotes          = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_22.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 20, 2022}}</ref>
| dunam_link              = 
| area_total_km2          = 13.51
| area_total_sq_mi        = 5.22
| area_land_sq_mi         = 4.97
| area_water_sq_mi        = 0.25
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_m             = 
| elevation_ft            = 13
| population_as_of        = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes    = 
| population_total        = 1699
| population_density_km2  = 132.07
| population_density_sq_mi = 342.06
| population_demonym      = 
| timezone1               = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset1             = -6
| timezone1_DST           = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = -5
| timezone2               =  
| utc_offset2             = 
| timezone2_DST           = 
| utc_offset2_DST         = 
| postal_code_type        = 
| postal_code             = 
| area_code_type          =  
| area_code               = [[Area code 337|337]]
| geocode                 = 
| iso_code                = 
| website                 = {{URL|http://www.chitimacha.gov/}}
| footnotes               = 
|blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info = 22-14310
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_land_km2 = 12.86
|area_water_km2 = 0.65
}}
'''Charenton''' (historically {{langx|fr|Lieu-des-Chetimachas}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thecajuns.com/oldnew.htm|title=Cajun and Cajuns: Genealogy site for Cajun, Acadian and Louisiana genealogy, history and culture|website=www.thecajuns.com}}</ref>) is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[St. Mary Parish, Louisiana|St. Mary Parish]], [[Louisiana]], United States. The population was 1,903 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US2214310| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200210232342/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US2214310| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 10, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Charenton CDP, Louisiana| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=March 29, 2013}}</ref> It is part of the [[Morgan City, Louisiana|Morgan City]] [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]].

== History ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2024}}
Charenton is home to one community of [[Chitimacha]] people. In 1855, the Chitimacha were seriously reduced by [[yellow fever]] that struck the region. In 1881, the [[Chitimacha]] were located on Grand Lake or [[Lake Fausse]]. The census of 1900 listed six families of Chitimacha, with a total of 55 people. During this period, the Chitimacha's land base had continued to decline as reservation land was divided again and again among members unable to pay the annual taxes. As a result, the land was sold. A court divided the last {{convert|505|acre|km2}} of the reservation in 1903, but attorney's fees claimed {{convert|280|acre|km2}} of it two years later. Answering a plea from the Chitimacha women, Miss Sarah Avery McIlhenney purchased the land at a sheriff's sale in 1915 and immediately ceded it to the federal government who in turn placed the land in trust for the tribe. Federal recognition followed in 1917, and the Chitimacha became the only tribe in Louisiana to achieve such status. This new recognition and the land held in trust could not have come at a better time. [[World War I]] and the pressure it placed on oil companies led to exploration in the region and purchase of land there.

With their land secure, many Chitimacha found employment in the new Louisiana oil fields as drillers and foremen. Following the passage of the [[Indian Reorganization Act]] in 1934, the Chitimacha created a new tribal organization. Unfortunately, their small enrollment and success in finding work outside their reservation led to an attempt by the government to terminate their federal status in 1952. This move was ultimately defeated, and the Chitimacha, growing in number and organization, put into effect a constitution and bylaws in 1971 that remain in effect today.

The Chitimacha operate a museum, fish processing plant and school on the reservation. In addition, what began as a [[bingo (U.S.)|bingo]] operation grew into a lucrative casino that operates on the tribe's land in Charenton. Revenue from the Cypress Bayou casino has provided the Chitimacha with funds used to recover land historically part of the reservation. Consequently, land that had dwindled to just {{convert|260|acre|km2}} has now swelled to over a thousand acres (4&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}). The Chitimacha are an important part of Charenton's history as well as a major part of the current community.

==Geography==
Charenton is located at {{Coord|29|53|01.47|N|91|31|37.78|W|type:city}} (29.88436373442272,-91.5274459771368).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|13.5|km2|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|12.9|km2|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.6|km2|disp=flip}}, or 4.79%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|2020= 1699
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Charenton racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2214310&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-29|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 787
| 46.32%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 388
| 22.84%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 416
| 24.48%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 3
| 0.18%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 70
| 4.12%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 35
| 2.06%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,699 people, 665 households, and 414 families residing in the CDP.

==Education==
The Chitimacha Tribal School, a [[K-8 school]], is affiliated with the [[Bureau of Indian Education]] (BIE).<ref>{{cite web|url=
https://www.bie.edu/schools/directory/chitimacha-tribal-school|title=Chitimacha Tribal School|publisher=[[Bureau of Indian Education]]|accessdate=2021-08-03}}</ref> It is in Charenton.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chitimacha.gov/departments-services/tribal-school|title=Tribal School|publisher=Sovereign Nation of the Chitimacha|accessdate=2021-08-03|quote=Physical Address: 3613 Chitimacha Trail Charenton, LA 70523}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st22_la/place/p2214310_charenton/DC10BLK_P2214310_001.pdf See map of Charenton CDP]</ref>

In 1937 a two classroom public school building condemned by the [[St. Mary Parish School Board]] was moved to Charenton, and began serving the community as a 1-8 school; the student population went over 60. In 1968 the [[kindergarten]] was established. The [[Bureau of Indian Affairs]] (BIA) built a new school, which began operations in 1978, to replace the former facility. It had 38 in the 1978-1979 school year, but this went down to 29 in 1980-1981 and 22 in 1981-1982. In 1982 it got a funding cut due to [[Reaganomics]], which led to fears that the school could close.<ref>{{cite news|last=Stouff|first=Roger E.|title=Chitimacha Day School headed for extinction?|newspaper=[[St. Mary and Franklin Banner-Tribune]]|date=1982-04-01|volume=98|issue=92|page=1}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82770007/for-charenton-la/ Clipping] from [[Newspapers.com]].</ref>

St. Mary Parish School Board operates local public schools.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.chitimacha.gov/ Official website of the Chitimacha Nation]

{{St. Mary Parish, Louisiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Chitimacha]]