Editing Loachapoka, Alabama

{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Loachapoka, Alabama
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|website                  = 
|image_skyline            = LoachapokaDowntown2.JPG
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Loachapoka Town Hall (left) and Fred's Feed & Seed and Pickin’ Parlor (right)
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
|image_map                = File:Lee County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Loachapoka Highlighted 0143744.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Loachapoka in Lee County, Alabama
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Alabama|County]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alabama]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Lee County, Alabama|Lee]]
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_total         = 160
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|CST]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|CDT]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_ft             = 679
|coordinates              = {{coord|32|36|17|N|85|35|49|W|region:US-AL|display=inline}}
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|established_date         = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 2.97
|area_land_km2            = 2.95
|area_water_km2           = 0.02
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.15
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.14
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
|elevation_m              = 207
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 36865
|area_code                = [[Area code 334|334]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 01-43744
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0121934
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 140.60
|unit_pref = Imperial
|population_density_km2 = 54.27
|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_01.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|population_footnotes = 
}}
'''Loachapoka''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|l|oʊ|.|tʃ|ə|ˈ|p|oʊ|.|k|ə}} {{respell|LOH|chə|POH|kə}}) is a town in [[Lee County, Alabama|Lee County]], [[Alabama]], United States. It is located less than 1/2 mile west of [[Auburn, Alabama|Auburn]] and approximately {{convert|5|mi|0}} west of [[Auburn University]], in west-central Lee County.  The population was 180 as of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 Census]]. It is part of the [[Auburn metropolitan area, Alabama|Auburn metropolitan area]].

The name "Loachapoka" means "turtle killing place" in [[Creek language|Muskogee]], with ''locha'' meaning "turtle" and ''poga'' meaning "killing place".<ref>{{cite book |last=Read |first=William A. |date=1984 |title=Indian Place Names in Alabama |location=[[Tuscaloosa, Alabama|Tuscaloosa]] |publisher=The University of Alabama Press |page=41 |isbn=0-8173-0231-X }}</ref> In literature, Lochapoka was the destination of the colonists in [[James H. Street]]'s 1940 novel ''Oh, Promised Land''.

Loachapoka is the location of the first Rosenwald School.

== Government ==
Loachapoka is governed by a mayor and five town council members. However, in the most recent municipal election (2016), no incumbents submitted the qualifying paperwork to run for re-election. Therefore, the only citizen that did qualify for the ballot became mayor-elect, as per state law, and this was confirmed by the AL Director of Elections.<ref name="dropbox.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0gshwiy2t1dst7x/AAAFWAQ3mIo4bvg2D9erIcDSa?dl=0|title=Loachapoka Election Fraud Documentation|website=Dropbox|access-date=February 15, 2017}}</ref> When the mayor-elect brought the issue to light, several town, county and state officials worked together in a poorly hatched plan to improperly disqualify the only candidate to follow the law for qualification, as referenced in several newspaper articles and audio recordings of town hall meetings.<ref name="dropbox.com"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.oanow.com/news/lee_county/loachapoka-municipal-election-is-can-of-worms-as-no-candidates/article_ed8738ca-60f8-11e6-9724-a3dd9e45868c.html|title=Loachapoka municipal election is 'can of worms' as no candidates qualify for ballot|newspaper=Oanow.com|access-date=February 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.oanow.com/news/lee_county/questions-about-loachapoka-s-municipal-election-remain-unanswered/article_f7d211be-77c9-11e6-aa8b-6fcaaac8c3a5.html|title=Questions about Loachapoka's municipal election remain unanswered|newspaper=OANow.com|access-date=February 15, 2017}}</ref> The corruption portrayed in this series of events reflects a pattern of politics in Alabama that has been commonplace for many years, as reported in the Harvard Political Review.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://harvardpolitics.com/culture/the-alabamafication-of-america/|title=The Alabamafication of America - Harvard Political Review|date=February 14, 2017|newspaper=Harvard Political Review|access-date=February 15, 2017}}</ref>

==History==
Loachapoka was a [[Creek (people)|Creek Indian]] town for some decades prior to white settlement. In the last census prior to the [[Trail of Tears|Native removal]] to [[Oklahoma]], Loachapoka was found to have a population of 564. During the [[Creek War of 1836]], Loachapoka was a center of rebellion; the town was destroyed by a force of Alabama and Georgia militia and friendly Creeks on May 15, 1836.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ellisor |first=John T. |title=The Second Creek War: Interethnic Conflict and Collusion on a Collapsing Frontier |date=2010 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |pages=215}}</ref> Upon settlement by Euro-Americans, Loachapoka—temporarily renamed Ball's Fork—became the regional trade center, a position that was reinforced in 1845 when it became the easternmost point on the [[railroad]] to [[Montgomery, Alabama|Montgomery]]. Loachapoka's influence peaked in the early 1870s, when its population reached nearly 1,300. Within a few years, a collapse of trade due to the [[Panic of 1873]] and additional rail lines in the area sent Loachapoka into economic decline. Loachapoka roughly stabilized as a small farming community by the mid-20th century, and by the early 2000s (decade) had become a small-town suburb of [[Auburn, Alabama|Auburn]]. The mayor of Loachapoka is Zach Holmes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oanow.com/news/lee_county/loachapoka-mayor-zach-holmes-settles-in-following-unusual-election/article_b745c2f8-7b1f-11e7-b4cc-e3c4d05b106e.html |access-date=July 25, 2019|title=Loachapoka mayor Zach Holmes settles in following unusual election }}</ref>

==Culture==

Loachapoka was home to two fall festivals, both held on the same day each fall—the annual Syrup Sopping Day [to the south of Highway 14] and the Lee County Historical Fair [at Pioneer Park, to the north of Highway 14.] Many fairgoers were not aware that they were actually attending two celebrations of area history.  The Syrup Sop featured the making of syrup in traditional methods from [[sorghum]] and [[sugar cane|ribbon cane]].  The Historical Fair featured life in the 1850s in east central Alabama.  The two festivals were combined into one named Pioneer Day. Combined, the two events attract more than 20,000 people to Loachapoka annually.  Loachapoaka is the hometown of country music singer [[Freddie Hart (musician)|Freddie Hart]].

The Lee County Historical Society Museum is located in an 1845 [[general store]] in the Loachapoka historic district, located at "Pioneer Park," a six and-a-half-acre park of nine buildings and five gardens reminiscent of the 1850s in east central Alabama.

==Photo gallery==

<gallery>
File:Loachapoka, AL Town Hall.JPG|Loachapoka Town Hall
File:Loachapoka, AL Post Office (36865).JPG|The post office in Loachapoka ([[ZIP code]]: 36865)
File:Loachapoka, AL High School.JPG|[[Loachapoka High School]]
File:LeeCountyMuseum.JPG|A [[general store]] built in 1845 now serves as [http://www.leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/ The Lee County Historical Society] Museum
File:SyrupSoppingSign.JPG|The famous Syrup Sopping sign as seen from [[Alabama State Route 14]]
File:FredsFeedandSeedFacade.JPG|Fred's Feed & Seed, located in downtown Loachapoka, also serves as a music venue and "pickin' parlor." Fred's regularly features traditional barn dances on the first and third Thursdays of every month.
File:RuthPurdySpeakeHistoricSite2.JPG|The Loachapoka Historic District was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, Alabama|National Register of Historic Places]] on May 11, 1973.
File:RuthPurdySpeakeHistoricSite1.JPG|The Ruth Purdy Speake House and Historic Marker
File:TheRattlingGourdArtGallery.JPG|The now-defunct Rattling Gourd Gallery, Downtown Loachapoka
File:SaugahatcheeCreek.JPG|The Saugahatchee Creek, which runs through the area, serves as a popular [[swimming hole]] for locals during spring and summer months.
File:SaugahatcheeBridge.JPG|A span across The Saugahatchee Creek
</gallery>

==Geography==
Loachapoka is located at {{Coord|32|36|17|N|85|35|49|W|type:city}} (32.604844, -85.596890).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|1.2|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 408
|1890= 357
|1930= 360
|1970= 192
|1980= 335
|1990= 259
|2000= 165
|2010= 180
|2020= 160
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref><br>2013 Estimate<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2013/SUB-EST2013-3.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013|access-date=June 3, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522161634/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2013/SUB-EST2013-3.html|archive-date=May 22, 2014}}</ref>
}}

Loachapoka has appeared sporadically on census records.<ref>1870-2010 U.S. Censuses research on Lee County, Alabama communities</ref> It first appeared as a separate community on the 1880 U.S. Census and again in 1890. It did not appear in 1900–1920, although one source said it did incorporate in 1910 with 359 residents,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.syrupsopping.org/id1.html |title=History |access-date=February 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321093424/http://www.syrupsopping.org/id1.html |archive-date=March 21, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> but this is not corroborated by the census of that year. In 1930, it appeared again, citing it had been incorporated in 1926. However, it failed to appear again in 1940, presumably losing its charter during the 1930s. It did not reincorporate again until 1974.

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Loachapoka town, Alabama – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Loachapoka town, Alabama |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US0143744&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Loachapoka town, Alabama|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0143744&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Loachapoka town, Alabama|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0143744&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|63
|105
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 102
|38.18%
|58.33%
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 63.75%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|100
|67
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 42
|60.61%
|37.22%
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 26.25%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 0.00%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|1
|5
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 3
|0.61%
|2.78%
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 1.88%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 0.00%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)(NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 0.00%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|0
|1
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 5
|0.00%
|0.56%
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 3.13%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|1
|2
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 8
|0.61%
|1.11%
|style='background: #ffffe6;| 5.00%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''165'''
|'''180'''
|style='background: #ffffe6;| '''160'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6;|'''100.00%'''
|}

===2000 census===
As of the [[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> of 2000, there were 165 people, 69 households, and 46 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|140.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 77 housing units at an average density of {{convert|65.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 61.21% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 38.18% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], and 0.61% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]]. Additionally, 0.61% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 69 households, out of which 20.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.8% under the age of 18, 14.5% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,938, and the median income for a family was $33,571. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $28,500 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $14,477. About 9.5% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 18.5% of those under the age of eighteen and 20.0% of those 65 or over.

==Notable person==
*[[Freddie Hart]], [[country music]] singer and songwriter

==References==
<references />
*Historic Chattahoochee Commission (1978). ''Boom and Change''. Historic Marker, Loachapoka, Ala.
*Nunn, Alexander (Ed.) (1983). ''Lee County and Her Forebears''. Montgomery, Ala., Herff Jones. LCCCN 83-081693
*Schafer, Elizabeth. ''[http://www.soppin.org/syrup/poka.html Loachapoka, Alabama]''. Retrieved September 25, 2005.
*Wright, John Peavy (1969). ''Glimpses into the past from my Grandfather's Trunk''. Alexander City, Ala., Outlook Publishing Company, Inc. LCCCN 74-101331

==External links==
{{Coord|display=title|32.604844|-85.596890}}

{{Lee County, Alabama}}
{{Columbus Auburn Opelika}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Lee County, Alabama]]
[[Category:Towns in Alabama]]
[[Category:Columbus metropolitan area, Georgia]]
[[Category:Auburn metropolitan area, Alabama]]
[[Category:Alabama placenames of Native American origin]]