Editing Gueydan, Louisiana

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Gueydan, Louisiana
| official_name                   = Town of Gueydan
| settlement_type                 = Town
| image_skyline                   = ChrisLitherlandGueydan.jpg
| imagesize                       = 
| image_caption                   = 
| motto                           = "Duck Capital of America"<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.gueydan.org/ |title= The Town of Gueydan, Louisiana|publisher= The Town of Gueydan, Louisiana|access-date=August 26, 2012}}</ref>
| image_map                       = File:Vermilion Parish Louisiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Gueydan Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                         = 
| map_caption                     = Location of Gueydan in Vermilion 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               = [[Vermilion Parish, Louisiana|Vermilion]]
<!-- Government -->
| established_title               = Founded
| established_date                = 
| 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                  = 2.36
| area_total_sq_mi                = 0.91
| area_land_km2                   = 2.36
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 0.91
| area_water_km2                  = 0.00
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_total                = 1165
| population_density_km2          = 494.07
| population_density_sq_mi        = 1280.22
| 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                    = 7
| coordinates                     = {{coord|30|01|41|N|92|30|15|W|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes           = <ref name=gnis/>
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
| postal_code_type                = 
| postal_code                     = 
| area_code                       = [[Area code 337|337]]
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 22-32055
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info                     = 2406625<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2406625}}</ref>
| website                         = [http://www.gueydan.org/ The Town of Gueydan, Louisiana]
| footnotes                       = 
}}

'''Gueydan''' (local pronunciation [ge(ɪ)dɔ̃]) is a [[town]] in [[Vermilion Parish, Louisiana|Vermilion Parish]], [[Louisiana]], United States. The population was 1,398 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], down from 1,598 in [[2000 United States Census|2000]]. At the 2020 [[Population Estimates Program|population estimates program]], its population decreased to 1,328.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|publisher=United States Census Bureau|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|access-date=August 10, 2021|website=The United States Census Bureau|language=EN-US}}</ref> It is part of the [[Abbeville, Louisiana|Abbeville]] [[Micropolitan Statistical Area|micropolitan statistical area]].

==History==
{{unsourced|section|date=April 2025}}
[[Image:JPGueydan.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Jean Pierre Gueydan]]
For thousands of years, [[indigenous peoples]] lived along the waterways of Louisiana. They were able to hunt plentiful game and harvest fish from the rivers. In historic times, this area was inhabited by the [[Attakapa]] and [[Chitimacha]].

In the early 1860s, Jean Pierre Gueydan, (originally spelled "Guédon") the founder of the European-American town, lived in [[Abbeville, Louisiana]], about 30 miles east of present-day Gueydan.  As had the Attapaka and earlier [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|American Indian]] tribes, he often came to this area to hunt [[deer]], [[duck]]s, [[geese]], [[pheasant]], ''cache-cache'' ([[jack snipe]]), ''[[Scolopacidae|papabottes]]'', and other game. The area was a hunter's paradise.

In 1884, the brothers Jean-Pierre and François Gueydan purchased forty thousand acres (160&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of land described by surveyors as "sea marsh, unfit for cultivation", for twelve and one-half cents per [[acre]]. By 1896, a small portion of their purchase became known as the "Gueydan Pasture". It was chartered as a village when the population reached 250. Jean Pierre was considered the official founder of Gueydan, as by then he had purchased his brother's landholdings. In 1902, the settlement became the town of Gueydan. Many residents were involved in the cultivation of rice along the waterways, as the area's most important commodity crop.

Realizing the importance of a [[railroad]] to the [[rice]] farmers, Gueydan donated a section of land and extensive right-of-way to induce the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]] to build a branch line from [[Midland, Louisiana]]. Shortly after, he offered the first property lots for sale. Settlers began to arrive from other parts of the state and the rest of the country.

The first [[irrigation]] [[pump]] in the state of Louisiana was built nearby at Primeaux Landing. This enabled water to be pumped to irrigate thousands of acres of rice. With the pump, the area grew as a producer of rice.  In the late 19th century, farmers recruited [[Italians|Italian]] [[immigrants]] as laborers, but they quickly left the role of farm workers. Some established local businesses, such as groceries, barber shops and tailors, in small towns across Louisiana.

The founder Jean Pierre Gueydan lived at his plantation, St. Bennette, about two miles south of the community.  In 1894 the plantation house was used to house the town's first school, which opened with 10 students.

The town of Gueydan suffered numerous near catastrophes. Fires in 1901, 1903, 1910, and 1927 caused extensive damage.  The worst tragedy was the [[Flood of 1940]]. After near-record rainfalls in August 1940, the entire town was inundated.  Locals still vividly recall the disaster.  The area had extensive flooding because it is nearly flat prairie, with an average elevation of only nine feet above the [[Gulf of Mexico]].  The elevation tends to be in the range of 5 to 12 feet.

The whole area was once low marshy land, now called [[wetlands]], subject to overflow by the waters of the nearby [[Mermentau River]]. This area was filled with trees and bushes that thrived in those conditions and could absorb much water during times of seasonal flooding. Developers created a modern system of canals for drainage purposes and irrigation as early as 1901, but these interfered with the natural processes of the wetlands.  Development of the town and rice culture further reduced the natural capacity of the wetlands to absorb flooding, as well as creating a built-up area of residences and businesses where flooding was a threat.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.9|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

===Climate===
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Gueydan has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=39361&cityname=Gueydan%2C+Louisiana%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Gueydan, Louisiana]</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 376
|1910= 1081
|1920= 1233
|1930= 1313
|1940= 1506
|1950= 2041
|1960= 2156
|1970= 1984
|1980= 1695
|1990= 1611
|2000= 1598
|2010= 1398
|2020= 1165
|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"
|+Gueydan racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2232055&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 29, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 965
| 82.83%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 157
| 13.48%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 20
| 1.72%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 23
| 1.97%
|}
At the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,165 people, 518 households, and 333 families residing in the town. At the [[2000 United States census|2000 U.S. 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 1,598 people, 644 households, and 416 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,874.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 724 housing units at an average density of {{convert|849.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 86.61% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 12.83% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.13% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.31% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.13% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.25% of the population.

There were 644 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,165, and the median income for a family was $32,039. Males had a median income of $25,682 versus $13,500 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $13,738. About 16.1% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 21.9% of those age 65 or over.

==Arts and culture==

===Duck festival===
The town is the site of the annual Duck Festival, which is held the weekend before [[Labor Day]]. It is officially recognized as the Duck Capital of America.<ref name="birds">{{cite web|url=http://www.epodunk.com/slogans/birds.html|title=Community slogans about birds|access-date=August 23, 2011|archive-date=January 10, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110093825/http://www.epodunk.com/slogans/birds.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Louisiana state championships for duck and goose calling are held in conjunction with the festival.

==Notable people==
*[[Nathan Abshire]], [[Cajun accordion]] player, was born in the area between Gueydan and Bayou Queue de Tortue.
*[[Iron Eyes Cody]] (Espera de Corti) actor who grew up here. 
*[[Bob Hensgens]], former mayor of Gueydan and state representative
*[[Jeannette Knoll]], associate justice of the [[Louisiana Supreme Court]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lasc.org/justices/knoll.asp|title=Justice Jeannett Theriot Knoll|publisher=lasc.org|date=October 18, 2013|access-date=October 18, 2013|archive-date=October 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019110250/http://www.lasc.org/justices/knoll.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[Frank Glasgow Tinker]], American volunteer fighter pilot during the [[Spanish Civil War]].

==References==
<references />

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.vermilion.org/ Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission]
* [http://www.vermilionhistorical.com/ Vermilion Historical Society]

{{Vermilion Parish, Louisiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Towns in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1902]]