Editing Sicily Island, Louisiana

{{redirect|Sicily Island|the island in Italy|Sicily}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                  = Sicily Island, Louisiana
| settlement_type       = Village
| image_skyline         = Sicily Island, LA, welcome sign IMG 0285.JPG
| imagesize             = 250px
| image_caption         = 
| image_map             = File:Catahoula Parish Louisiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sicily Island Highlighted.svg
| map_caption           = Location of Sicily Island in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.
| image_map1            = Louisiana in United States (US48).svg
| 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     = [[Catahoula Parish, Louisiana|Catahoula]]
<!-- Government -->
| established_title     = Founded
| established_date      = 
| founder               = 
| government_footnotes  = 
| government_type       = 
| governing_body        = 
| leader_title          = Mayor
<!-- 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|access-date=March 20, 2022|archive-date=April 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419173147/https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_22.txt|url-status=live}}</ref>
| area_total_km2        = 1.49
| area_total_sq_mi      = 0.57
| area_land_km2         = 1.49
| area_land_sq_mi       = 0.57
| area_water_km2        = 0.00
| area_water_sq_mi      = 0.00
<!-- Population ---->
| population_as_of      = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes  = 
| population_total      = 366
| population_density_km2 = 246.05
| population_density_sq_mi = 637.63
| population_demonym    = 
<!-- General information -->
| timezone1             = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset1           = -6
| timezone1_DST         = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST       = -5
| elevation_footnotes   = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft          = 72
| coordinates           = {{coord|31|50|58|N|91|39|35|W|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
| postal_code_type      = 
| postal_code           = 
| area_code             = [[Area code 318|318]]
| blank_name            = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info            = 22-70245
| blank1_name           = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info           = 2407545<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2407545}}</ref>
| website               = 
| footnotes             = 
}}
'''Sicily Island''' is a [[village (Louisiana)|village]] in [[Catahoula Parish, Louisiana]], United States. The population was 336 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://www.louisiana.gov/demographics-and-geography/| title=Census population counts Excel files: Parish; Place (i.e., city, town, village)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=May 10, 2022| archive-date=May 12, 2022| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512101155/https://www.louisiana.gov/demographics-and-geography/| url-status=live}}</ref>

==Geography==
Sicily Island is located in northeastern Catahoula Parish. [[U.S. Route 425]] passes through the village, leading north {{convert|23|mi}} to [[Winnsboro, Louisiana|Winnsboro]] and southeast {{convert|30|mi}} to [[Natchez, Mississippi]]. [[Louisiana State Highway 8]] leads southwest {{convert|11|mi}} to [[Harrisonburg, Louisiana|Harrisonburg]], the Catahoula Parish seat.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Sicily Island has a total area of {{convert|1.49|km2|disp=flip}}, all land.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US2270245| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212180443/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US2270245| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Sicily Island village, Louisiana| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref> Despite its name, Sicily Island is not an island; instead, nearby lakes and rivers gave the area a shape early settlers considered reminiscent of the island of [[Sicily]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Louisiana's Sicily Island an Unadvertised Paradise|author=<!--not stated-->|agency=[[United Press International|UPI]]|date=August 24, 1963|work=Desert Sun|location=Palm Springs, California|volume=37|number=18|page=4|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=DS19630824.2.40&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1|via=California Digital Newspaper Collection|access-date=June 7, 2022|archive-date=October 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007033301/https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=DS19630824.2.40&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1|url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
In the early 1700s, the area that would become Sicily Island was the site of a [[Natchez people|Natchez]] settlement. In January 1731, towards the end of the [[Natchez revolt|Natchez Revolt]], French forces besieged the Natchez fort, compelling the surrender of 45 men and 450 women and children. Although the bulk of the Natchez leaders and warriors escaped, the siege marked the last major engagement of the war.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Steponaitis |first1=Vincas P. |last2=Prickett |first2=Brandon L. |date=2014 |title=The Natchez Fort at Sicily Island, Louisiana |url=http://rla.unc.edu/personal/vps/articles/Steponaitis%20%26%20Prickett%202017%20LaArch.pdf |journal=Louisiana Archaeology |issue=41 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427010831/http://rla.unc.edu/personal/vps/articles/Steponaitis%20%26%20Prickett%202017%20LaArch.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1881, a Jewish [[kibbutz|agricultural colony]] was created in Sicily Island with the support of the [[Am Olam]] organization and the [[Hebrew Emigrant Aid Society]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Green |first=David B. |date=December 17, 2013 |title=1881: Jews Fleeing Russia Found Proto-kibbutz in Louisiana |language=en |work=Haaretz |url=https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium-1881-proto-kibbutz-in-louisiana-1.5300912 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510170731/https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium-1881-proto-kibbutz-in-louisiana-1.5300912 |url-status=live }}</ref> The colony was mostly made up of immigrants from [[Kropyvnytskyi|Yelisavetgrad]] who were fleeing the [[Anti-Jewish pogroms in the Russian Empire|pogroms]] that began that same year. By 1882, the colony was completely disbanded as the [[Mississippi River floods#Flood of 1882|Mississippi River]] flooded, destroying most farms.<ref>[http://www.isjl.org/louisiana-sicily-island-encyclopedia.html "Sicily Island, Louisiana"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219022545/http://www.isjl.org/louisiana-sicily-island-encyclopedia.html |date=December 19, 2015 }}, ''Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities''</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1960= 761
|1970= 630
|1980= 691
|1990= 421
|2000= 453
|2010= 526
|2020= 366
|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|archive-date=July 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717060613/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Sicily Island, 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 – Sicily Island, Louisiana |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US2270245&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=[[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) – Sicily Island, Louisiana |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US2270245&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</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) – Sicily Island, Louisiana |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US2270245&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|203
|180
|style='background: #ffffe6; |96
|44.81%
|34.22%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |26.23%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|245
|336
|style='background: #ffffe6; |251
|54.08%
|63.88%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |68.58%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.55%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|0
|1
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[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
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.09%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|1
|7
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10
|0.22%
|1.33%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.73%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|4
|2
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3
|0.88%
|0.38%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.82%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''453'''
|'''526'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''366'''
|'''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|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709054630/https://www.census.gov/|url-status=live}}</ref> of 2000, there were 453 people, 197 households, and 110 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|790.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 245 housing units at an average density of {{convert|427.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 44.81% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 54.53% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.22% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.44% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.88% of the population.

There were 197 households, out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.0% were married couples living together, 19.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.7% were non-families. 41.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $14,783, and the median income for a family was $23,036. Males had a median income of $25,750 versus $14,821 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $11,972. About 45.5% of families and 47.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 61.6% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable people==
* [[Joe Raymond Peace]], football coach
* [[William S. Peck, Sr.]], member of the Louisiana House from 1920 to 1928
* [[Sonny Simmons]], [[jazz]] musician, born in Sicily Island in 1933

==Photo gallery==
<gallery class="center" widths="130px">
Image:Sicily Island, LA, Fire Department IMG 0292.JPG|Sicily Island Fire Department
Image:Catahoula Parish Library, Sicily Island IMG 0296.JPG|Catahoula Parish branch library in Sicily Island
Image:Sicily Island, LA, United Methodist Church IMG 0291.JPG|Sicily Island [[United Methodist Church]]
Image:First Baptist Church, Sicily Island, LA IMG 0297.JPG|First [[Baptist]] Church in Sicily Island
Image:Sicily Island, LA, State Bank IMG_0287.JPG|Sicily Island State Bank
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.sicilyislandla.com/ Sicily Island Progress] Community Progress Site for Sicily Island, LA

{{Commons category}}

{{Catahoula Parish, Louisiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Villages in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana]]