Editing Duson, Louisiana

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Duson, Louisiana
| official_name            = Town of Duson
| settlement_type          = Town
| image_skyline            = Duson Welcome sign.jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = Downtown Duson
| image_map                = File:Acadia Parish Louisiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Duson Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 
| map_caption              = Location of Duson in Acadia and Lafayette Parishes, Louisiana.
| image_map1               = Louisiana in United States (US48).svg
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = Location of Louisiana in the United States
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = State
| subdivision_name1        = Louisiana
| subdivision_type2        = Parish
| subdivision_name2        = [[Acadia Parish, Louisiana|Acadia]], [[Lafayette Parish, Louisiana|Lafayette]]
<!-- Government -->
| established_title        = Founded
| established_date         = 
| founder                  = 
| named_for                = [[Cornelius C. Duson]]
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| governing_body           = 
| leader_party             = 
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = 
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| 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>
| area_total_km2           = 7.81
| area_total_sq_mi         = 3.02
| area_land_km2            = 7.79
| area_land_sq_mi          = 3.01
| area_water_km2           = 0.02
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 1326
| population_density_km2   = 170.21
| population_density_sq_mi = 440.82
| population_demonym       = 
<!-- General information -->
| timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset               = -6
| timezone_DST             = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset_DST           = -5
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 33
| coordinates              = {{coord|30|14|38|N|92|11|36|W|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes    = <ref name=gnis/>
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 70529<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zipdatamaps.com/70529|title=Duson LA ZIP Code|publisher=zipdatamaps.com|year=2023|access-date=June 16, 2023}}</ref>
| area_code                = [[Area code 337|337]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 22-22255
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2406407<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2406407}}</ref>
| website                  = {{URL|townofduson.com}}
| footnotes                = 
}}

'''Duson''' is a town in [[Acadia Parish, Louisiana|Acadia]] and [[Lafayette Parish, Louisiana|Lafayette]] [[parish]]es in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Louisiana]]. The town was named after [[Curley Duson]], a [[sheriff]] of [[St. Landry Parish]]. At the [[2010 United States census|2010 U.S. census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US2222255| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212182400/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US2222255| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Duson town, Louisiana| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=May 14, 2013}}</ref> the town had a population of 1,716; in 2020, at the [[Population Estimates Program|population estimates program]], its population was 1,761.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2010-2020|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/technical-documentation/research/evaluation-estimates/2020-evaluation-estimates/2010s-cities-and-towns-total.html|url-status=live|access-date=July 31, 2021|website=United States Census Bureau|language=EN-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527194407/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/technical-documentation/research/evaluation-estimates/2020-evaluation-estimates/2010s-cities-and-towns-total.html |archive-date=May 27, 2021 }}</ref> The Lafayette Parish portion of Duson is part of the [[Lafayette, Louisiana|Lafayette]] [[Lafayette, Louisiana metropolitan area|metropolitan statistical area]], while the Acadia Parish portion is part of the [[Crowley, Louisiana|Crowley]] [[Micropolitan Statistical Area|micropolitan statistical area]]. Duson also has a [[ghost town]] affiliated with it, a tiny neighborhood that was made but never finished. It is currently blocked off by the town's police.

==History==

[[Image:Duson ricemill.jpg|left|thumb|A typical cotton mill along the railroad in Duson]]Originally known as "Duson Station", the town was laid out by J.G. Parkerson, general manager of the Louisiana Western Railroad. By August 30, 1880, the railroad line from [[New Orleans]] to [[Houston]] was completed, and passenger and freight service began. It merged with the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]] in 1900. The village of Duson was incorporated on December 16, 1909, named after the land developer Curley Duson, and installed Adolph De Jean as the first mayor.

In 1927, St. Theresa Catholic Church was completed. [[Cotton]] farming was the main agriculture for the area. Three [[cotton gin]]s were in Duson until the mid-1960s. Fires destroyed two and the third was torn down.<ref>[http://www.townofduson.org/html/town_services1.html Jessie L. Stoute, "Duson History"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823043625/http://www.townofduson.org/html/town_services1.html |date=August 23, 2007 }}; Town of Duson</ref> After [[World War II]], small lots east of Duson were developed, with small houses using brick siding paper on the exterior.  Because of that, the area became known as "Paper Town."<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071003225654/http://www.carencrohighschool.org/LA_Studies/ParishSeries/LafayetteParish/Duson.htm www.carencrohighschool.org "Duson named for town-building promoters"]}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|7.2|sqkm|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.02|sqkm|disp=flip}}, or 0.32%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010" />

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1910= 120
|1920= 192
|1930= 396
|1940= 463
|1950= 707
|1960= 1033
|1970= 1199
|1980= 1253
|1990= 1465
|2000= 1672
|2010= 1716
|2020= 1326
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Duson racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2222255&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 28, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 743
| 56.03%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 354
| 26.7%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 4
| 0.3%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 6
| 0.45%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 77
| 5.81%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 142
| 10.71%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,326 people, 586 households, and 415 families residing in the town. At the 2019 [[American Community Survey]], the racial and ethnic makeup of the town was 56.7% [[Non-Hispanic whites|non-Hispanic white]], 38.0% [[African Americans|Black and African American]], 0.4% [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian or Alaska Native]], 1.0% [[Multiracial Americans|two or more races]], and 3.9% [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic and Latin American]] of any race.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2019 Demographic and Housing Estimates|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2222255&tid=ACSDP5Y2019.DP05&hidePreview=true|url-status=live|access-date=July 31, 2021|website=data.census.gov|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731155115/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2222255&tid=ACSDP5Y2019.DP05&hidePreview=true |archive-date=July 31, 2021 }}</ref> Of the population,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Geography Profile: Duson, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2222255|url-status=live|access-date=July 31, 2021|website=data.census.gov|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731155116/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2222255 |archive-date=July 31, 2021 }}</ref> 13.7% spoke a language other than [[English language|English]] at home, and the median age was 31.2. In 2019, the township had a median household income of $27,604 and males had a median income of $38,403 versus $26,029 for females.

At the [[2000 United States census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> there were 1,672 people, 644 households, and 452 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|651.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 724 housing units at an average density of {{convert|282.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 73.98% White, 25.24% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.06% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latin Americans of any race were 0.36% of the population.

There were 644 households, out of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 20.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $21,071, and the median income for a family was $24,886. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $15,476 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $10,520. About 27.5% of families and 31.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 42.7% of those under age 18 and 29.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Festivals==
Like many other towns and cities in the [[Acadiana]] region, Duson has a local [[Mardi Gras]] celebration that includes a parade through the town. Many residents of nearby [[Lafayette, Louisiana|Lafayette]], [[Scott, Louisiana|Scott]] and [[Rayne, Louisiana|Rayne]] will converge on the town, as most parades in the region are scheduled as to not occur simultaneously.

==Notable residents==
*[[Gladys Clark]], Cajun spinner and weaver
*[[Sheri Sam]], a WNBA veteran.
*[[Voorhies Trahan]], crawfish and rice farmer

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://townofduson.com/ Town of Duson official website]

{{Acadia Parish, Louisiana}}
{{Lafayette Parish, Louisiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1909]]
[[Category:Towns in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Towns in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Towns in Acadia Parish, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Towns in Lafayette metropolitan area, Louisiana]]
<!-- applies only to the Lafayette Parish portion of Duson -->
[[Category:Acadiana]]
[[Category:1909 establishments in Louisiana]]