Bastrop, Louisiana

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Bastrop is a city in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is the parish seat of Morehouse Parish.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The population was 9,691 at the 2020 census,<ref name="Census 2020"/> down from 11,365 in 2010. The population of Bastrop is 76 percent African American.<ref name="Census 2020"/> It is included in the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area and is part of the Monroe–Ruston Combined Statistical Area.

History

Bastrop was founded by Felipe Enrique Neri, Baron de Bastrop, a Dutch businessman accused as an embezzler. He had fled to the then Spanish colony of Louisiana to escape prosecution and became involved in various land deals. In New Spain, he falsely claimed to be a nobleman. He received a large grant of land, provided that he could settle 450 families on it over the next several years. However, he was unable to do this, and so lost the grant. Afterwards, he moved to Texas, where he claimed to oppose the sale of Louisiana to the United States and became a minor government official. He proved instrumental in Moses Austin's plan (and later, that of his son, Stephen F. Austin) to bring American colonists to what was then northern Mexico.

Bastrop formally incorporated in 1857, and is the commercial and industrial center of Morehouse Parish. In the 19th century, it was notable as the western edge of the great North Louisiana swamp, but more favorable terrain resulted in the antebellum rail line connecting to Monroe, further to the south.

Bastrop was a Confederate stronghold during the American Civil War until January 1865, when 3,000 cavalrymen led by Colonel Embury D. Osband of the 3rd United States Colored Cavalry Regiment, embarked from Memphis, Tennessee, for northeastern Louisiana.<ref>John D. Winters, The Civil War in Louisiana, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1963, Template:ISBN, pp. 413–414</ref>

During the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, Bastrop was the site of a relief camp for refugees. During World War II, it was the site of a German prisoner-of-war camp.

Bastrop is the parish seat of Morehouse Parish and is within an area marketed to tourists as the Sportsman's Paradise Region of Louisiana. It is a Main Street Community and has received Transportation Enhancement funding for improvements in its historic district.<ref name="preserveamerica.gov">Template:Cite web</ref>

Celebrations and concerts are held in the historic downtown at the restored 1914 Morehouse Parish Courthouse and Rose Theater. Bastrop is home to the Snyder Museum and Creative Arts Center, housed in the circa 1929 home of a local family. Volunteers lead heritage appreciation tours for children and interpret the history of the parish using local artifacts.<ref name="preserveamerica.gov"/>

Geography

File:Town of Bastrop, Louisiana.jpg

Township 21 North, Range 6 East

Bastrop is located in western Morehouse Parish, at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 425 and U.S. Highway 165 (Madison Avenue).

According to the United States Census Bureau, Bastrop has a total area of Template:Convert, all of it land.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022"/>

Climate

Template:Weather box

Demographics

Template:US Census population

Bastrop racial makeup as of 2020<ref name="Census 2020"/>
Race	Num.	Perc.
White	1,928	19.9%
Black or African American	7,345	75.8%
Native American	24	0.2%
Asian	29	0.3%
Other/Mixed	365	3.8%
Hispanic or Latino	97	1.0%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,691 people, 3,834 households, and 2,273 families residing in the city.

Economy

In 2008, International Paper Company, the largest area employer, ceased operations of its Bastrop mill.<ref>Greg Hilburn, "Jindal visits region" Template:Webarchive, The Monroe News-Star, December 13, 2008</ref><ref>Greg Hilburn, "Bastrop mill closes; 550 lose jobs" Template:Webarchive, Monroe News Star, November 22, 2008, p. 1</ref><ref>Greg Hilburn, "Jindal: Bastrop is a top priority: State will do all it can to prop up community" Template:Webarchive, Monroe News Star, November 25, 2008</ref>

In 2009, poultry processor Pilgrim's Pride closed multiple facilities in the area, which impacted the economy of Bastrop.<ref name=pilpr>Template:Cite web</ref> DG Foods opened a poultry processing plant at Bastrop in 2011.Template:Citation needed

In 2015, a wood pellet facility opened in Bastrop, employing 64 people.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>http://www.thepineywoods.com/PelletsJan13.html/Template:Dead link</ref>

The 1023rd Engineer Company (Vertical) of the 528th Engineer Battalion of the 225th Engineer Brigade is located in Bastrop.

Arts and culture

File:Morehouse Parish, LA, Library IMG 2810.JPG

Morehouse Parish Library in Bastrop

A branch of the Morehouse Parish Public Library System is located in Bastrop.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Government

Bastrop is governed by a mayor, Betty Alford-Olive, and a city council, which includes:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Angela Moore, District A
Charles Bradford, District B
James Green, District C
Darry Green, District D
Howard Loche, District E

Education

File:Bastrop (LA) High School IMG 2828.JPG

Bastrop High School

Public schools

Public schools located in Bastrop are operated by the Morehouse Parish School Board, and include:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bastrop High School
Beekman Charter School
Morehouse Elementary School
Morehouse Magnet School

Private schools

Prairie View Academy is a private school in Bastrop serving kindergarten to grade 12.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Postsecondary schools

Louisiana Delta Community College has a campus in Bastrop.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bastrop High School prayer controversy

In 2011, graduating senior Damon Fowler objected to prayer at the Bastrop High School graduation exercises, claiming a looming violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.<ref name=Star>Template:Cite news</ref> The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana asked the school not to include a prayer in the May 20 graduation.<ref name=Star/> At the Thursday night rehearsal for the graduation, senior Sarah Barlow included a prayer that explicitly mentioned Jesus Christ, and during the graduation, student Laci Mattice led people in the Lord's Prayer before a moment of silence. The school says that Mattice was told not to include a prayer.<ref name=Star/> Fowler stated that after his objections became public he was ostracized by other students.<ref name=Lebo1>Template:Cite web</ref>

Media

File:Bastrop Daily Enterprise newspaper, Bastrop, LA IMG 2821.JPG

Bastrop Daily Enterprise newspaper office; closed in 2019

Bastrop and Morehouse Parish were until 2019 served by a daily newspaper, the Bastrop Daily Enterprise, which ceased operations because of financial and readership issues.