Editing Lutcher, Louisiana

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Lutcher
| official_name                   = Town of Lutcher
| native_name                     = 
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| other_name                      = 
| settlement_type                 = Town
| image_skyline                   = 
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| etymology                       = 
| nickname                        = 
| motto                           = “Go Bulldogs!”
| anthem                          = 
| image_map                       = File:St. James Parish Louisiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Lutcher Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                         = 
| map_alt                         = 
| map_caption                     = Location of Lutcher in St. James Parish, Louisiana.  
| image_map1                      = Louisiana in United States (US48).svg
| mapsize1                        = 
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| map_caption1                    = Location of Louisiana in the United States
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| coordinates                     = {{coord|30|02|56|N|90|41|59|W|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint                   = 
| coordinates_footnotes           = 
| grid_name                       = 
| grid_position                   = 
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type1               = State
| subdivision_name1               = [[Louisiana]]
| subdivision_type2               = Parish
| subdivision_name2               = [[St. James Parish, Louisiana|St. James]]
| subdivision_type3               = 
| subdivision_name3               = 
| subdivision_type4               = 
| subdivision_name4               = 
| established_title               = Founded
| established_date                = 
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| extinct_title                   = 
| extinct_date                    = 
| founder                         = 
| named_for                       = [[Henry J. Lutcher]]
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| 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                  = 8.82
| area_total_sq_mi                = 3.40
| area_land_km2                   = 8.73
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 3.37
| area_water_km2                  = 0.09
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.03
| area_water_percent              = 
| area_metro_footnotes            = 
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| elevation_footnotes             = 
| elevation_m                     = 
| elevation_ft                    = 16
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| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_total                = 3133
| pop_est_as_of                   = 
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| population_est                  = 
| population_rank                 = 
| population_density_km2          = 358.86
| population_density_sq_mi        = 929.40
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| timezone1                       = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset1                     = -6
| timezone1_DST                   = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST                 = -5
| timezone2                       = 
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| postal_code_type                = 
| postal_code                     = 70071
| postal2_code_type               = 
| postal2_code                    = 
| area_code_type                  = 
| area_code                       = [[Area code 225|225]]
| geocode                         = 
| iso_code                        = 
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 22-46720
| blank1_name                     = 
| blank1_info                     = 
| blank2_name                     = 
| blank2_info                     = 
| blank_name_sec2                 = 
| blank_info_sec2                 = 
| blank1_name_sec2                = 
| blank1_info_sec2                = 
| blank2_name_sec2                = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2                = 
| website                         = 
| footnotes                       = 
}}

'''Lutcher''' is a [[town]] in [[St. James Parish, Louisiana|St. James Parish]], [[Louisiana]], United States, on the east bank of the [[Mississippi River]]. It is part of the [[New Orleans Metropolitan Area]] . The population was 3,559 at the [[2010 United States census|2010 U.S. census]],<ref name="census2010">{{cite web|url=http://censusviewer.com/city/LA/Lutcher|title=Lutcher, LA Population|work=Census Viewer 
 
|accessdate=January 2, 2018}}</ref> and 3,127 at the 2020 [[Population Estimates Program|population estimates program]].<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|access-date=July 17, 2021|website=The United States Census Bureau|language=EN-US}}</ref>

==History==
Lutcher was established as a [[sawmill]] town, named after [[Henry J. Lutcher]] who was a sawmill operator and businessman. Lutcher is also where [[James Mather (politician)|James Mather]] and his family established a sugar plantation, and where Mather died in 1821.<ref>{{cite web
|title=James Mather, Lutcher Historical Marker
|author=Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism
|url=http://www.stoppingpoints.com/louisiana/St.-James/James+Mather.html
}}</ref> The Bank of Lutcher was organized by George H. Jones, M. D., son of Dr. [[John Welch Jones]].<ref name="jones">[http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/stjames/bios/jonesgh.txt George H. Jones, M. D.] In: Alcée Fortier, editor. ''Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons'', 1914.</ref>

Starting in the late 1800s, [[Christmas bonfires]] are built along the [[Mississippi River]] levee near Lutcher.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 10, 2020|title=Pandemic cancels St. James Christmas Eve bonfire celebration|url=https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-mississippi-river-louisiana-christmas-277fea9d17fc7651e9e35c12ef4344fc|access-date=April 6, 2021|website=AP NEWS}}</ref> This tradition has often occurred on [[Christmas Eve]] and it says that the bonfires are made to light a path for [[Santa Claus|Papa Noel]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Louisiana Christmas Tradition: Bonfires on the Levee|url=https://www.louisianatravel.com/blog/louisiana-christmas-tradition-bonfires-levee|access-date=April 6, 2021|website=Louisiana Official Travel and Tourism Information|language=en}}</ref>

On August 29, 2005, Lutcher sustained damage from [[Hurricane Katrina]]. On the same day sixteen years later, the town sustained significant damage from [[Hurricane Ida]].

==Geography==
Lutcher is located at {{Coord|30|2|56|N|90|41|59|W|type:city}} (30.048867, -90.699744).<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=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 3.4 square miles (8.8&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), of which 3.4 square miles (8.7&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) (0.88%) is water. Lutcher is bordered by the [[Mississippi River]] and the town of [[Gramercy, Louisiana|Gramercy]]. Lutcher is approximately 36 miles west of New Orleans

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1920= 1700
|1930= 1481
|1940= 2167
|1950= 2198
|1960= 3274
|1970= 3911
|1980= 4730
|1990= 3907
|2000= 3735
|2010= 3559
|2020= 3133
|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>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Lutcher town, Louisiana – 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 – Lutcher town, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p004&g=160XX00US2246720&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</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) – Lutcher town, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US2246720&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) – Lutcher town, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US2246720&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|1,854
|1,634
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,405
|49.64%
|45.91%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |44.85%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|1,859
|1,861
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,623
|49.77%
|52.29%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |51.80%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|2
|3
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4
|0.05%
|0.08%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.13%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|1
|7
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8
|0.03%
|0.20%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.26%
|-
|[[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)
|0
|5
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9
|0.00%
|0.14%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.29%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|6
|33
|style='background: #ffffe6; |43
|0.16%
|0.93%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.37%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|13
|16
|style='background: #ffffe6; |41
|0.35%
|0.45%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.31%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''3,735'''
|'''3,559'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''3,133'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 3,133 people, 1,321 households, and 942 families residing in the town. At the 2019 [[American Community Survey]], the racial and ethnic makeup of Lutcher was 51.9% [[Non-Hispanic whites|non-Hispanic white]], 46.4% [[African Americans|Black and African American]], and 1.7% [[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=1600000US2246720&tid=ACSDP5Y2019.DP05&hidePreview=true|access-date=July 17, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref> The median household income from 2015 to 2019 was $44,347, and males had a median annual income of $52,589 versus $41,722 for females.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Geography Profile: Lutcher town, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2246720|access-date=July 17, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref> An estimated 11.2% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.

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]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 3,735 people, 1,252 households, and 986 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,107.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,368 housing units at an average density of {{convert|405.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 49.91% White, 49.77% African American, 0.05% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.03% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.05% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.19% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latin Americans of any race were 0.35% of the population.

There were 1,252 households, out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 19.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.33. In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the town was $34,167, and the median income for a family was $42,317. Males had a median income of $40,769 versus $22,257 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $15,129. About 21.1% of families and 23.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 31.2% of those under age 18 and 18.9% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
[[St. James Parish Public Schools]] operates public schools:
*[[Lutcher High School]] (7–12)

==Notable people==
* [[Roy Bourgeois]], human rights activist and laicized Catholic priest
* [[Randal Gaines]], former resident and member of the [[Louisiana House of Representatives]] for St. Charles and St. John the Baptist parishes
* [[David Jones (jazz musician)|David Jones]], jazz musician
* [[Jarvis Landry]], American football player
* [[Ron Landry]], lawyer and Louisiana state senator
* [[Henry J. Lutcher]], sawmiller
* [[James Mather (politician)|James Mather]], mayor of New Orleans
* [[Leon Roppolo]], early jazz clarinetist  
* [[Lionel Washington]], American football player and coach
* [[Lenny Webster]], former resident and former catcher for the [[Minnesota Twins]].

==See also==
*[[Christmas bonfires]]

==References==
<references />

{{St. James Parish, Louisiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Lutcher, Louisiana|*]]
[[Category:Towns in St. James Parish, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Towns in Louisiana]]
[[Category:New Orleans metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Louisiana populated places on the Mississippi River]]