Editing Fordoche, Louisiana

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                        = Fordoche, Louisiana
| official_name               = Town of Fordoche
| settlement_type             = Town
| image_skyline               = 
| imagesize                   = 
| image_caption               = 
| image_seal                  = Fordochelogo.png
| image_map                   = File:Pointe Coupee Parish Louisiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Fordoche Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                     = 
| map_caption                 = Location of Fordoche in Pointe Coupee Parish, 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           = [[Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana|Pointe Coupee]]
<!-- Government -->
| established_title           = Incorporated
| established_date            = 1961
| founder                     = 
| named_for                   = 
| 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              = 6.30
| area_total_sq_mi            = 2.43
| area_land_km2               = 6.30
| area_land_sq_mi             = 2.43
| area_water_km2              = 0.00
| area_water_sq_mi            = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of            = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes        = 
| population_total            = 910
| population_density_km2      = 144.43
| population_density_sq_mi    = 374.02
| 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                = 26
| coordinates                 = {{coord|30|35|43|N|91|37|34|W|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes       = <ref name=gnis/>
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
| postal_code_type            = ZIP Code
| postal_code                 = 70732
| area_code                   = [[Area code 225|225]]
| blank_name                  = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank_info                  = 2406504<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2406504}}</ref>
| blank1_name                 = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank1_info                 = 22-26280
| website                     = {{URL|https://www.fordoche.org/}}
| footnotes                   = 
}}

'''Fordoche''' (pronounced four-DOASH) is a town in [[Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana|Pointe Coupee Parish]], [[Louisiana]], United States. The population was 928 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]]. It is part of the [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]] [[Baton Rouge metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
In 1854, the first post office was established at Fordoche, with Thomas Farrar designated as its first postmaster.  There are two conflicting stories about how the town's name was derived.  One story suggests that it received its name from a Caddo Indian word meaning "wild animal lair" (i.e., the bed of a wild beast) and the other claims that it is named after a Louisiana French term for underbrush found in bayou bottom.<ref>Lockhart, John M. "Roadmap to the Westside", ''[http://www.riversidereader.com The Riverside Reader] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214003324/http://www.riversidereader.com/ |date=December 14, 2012 }}'', January 21, 2008, p. 1</ref>

At least two [[American Civil War]] battles were fought in and around Fordoche.  The [[Battle of Fordoche Bridge]] was fought in September 1863. Union troops were sent to prevent the Confederacy from operating in the upper [[Atchafalaya River|Atchafalaya]] but the [[Confederate States Army|Confederates]] were successful in driving back the [[Union Army|Union forces]].

In May 1864, the Confederates were again victorious over the Union troops at the "Skirmish on Bayou Fordoche Road".<ref>[http://www.pcchamber.org/fordoche.htm Pointe Coupee: Fordoche<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225061631/http://www.pcchamber.org/fordoche.htm |date=December 25, 2007 }}</ref>

The area saw an influx of Italian immigrants after 1890.

Fordoche is the most recently incorporated community in Pointe Coupee Parish. It was incorporated as a village in 1961 and became a town in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/geographic/boundary_changes/index.html |title=Boundary Changes |work=Geographic Change Notes: Louisiana |publisher=Population Division, United States Census Bureau |date=May 19, 2006 |accessdate=October 24, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100806133317/http://www.census.gov/popest/geographic/boundary_changes/index.html |archivedate=August 6, 2010 }}</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|2.4|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

=== Major highways ===
*[[Louisiana Highway 77]]
*[[Louisiana Highway 81]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1970= 488
|1980= 676
|1990= 869
|2000= 933
|2010= 928
|2020= 910
|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|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 933 people, 341 households, and 285 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|383.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 361 housing units at an average density of {{convert|148.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 90.68% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 8.57% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.11% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 0.64% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.75% of the population.

There were 341 households, out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.4% were non-families. 13.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,364, and the median income for a family was $40,313. Males had a median income of $32,400 versus $21,146 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $15,223. About 12.1% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 20.3% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana}}

==External link==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070702052015/http://www.novoprint.com/PointeCoupee/ZMap1.html Fordoche Interactive Map]


{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Towns in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Baton Rouge metropolitan area]]