West Monroe, Louisiana
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Cottonport Historic District in West Monroe
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Location of West Monroe in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.
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Location of Louisiana in the United States
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| Coordinates: 32°30′39″N 92°08′24″W / 32.51083°N 92.14000°W / 32.51083; -92.14000 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Ouachita |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Staci Albritton Mitchell |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.31 sq mi (21.53 km2) |
| • Land | 8.03 sq mi (20.79 km2) |
| • Water | 0.29 sq mi (0.74 km2) |
| Elevation | 82 ft (25 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,103 |
| • Density | 1,632.57/sq mi (630.35/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 318 |
| FIPS code | 22-80955 |
| Website | [1] |
West Monroe is a city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is situated on the Ouachita River, across from the neighboring city of Monroe. The two cities are often referred to as the Twin Cities of northeast Louisiana. Its population was 13,065 at the 2010 census and it is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Originally laid out in 1837 as Byron by John Campbell at the foot of the ferry landing to Monroe, the town floundered and Campbell went bankrupt. The area was bought by Christopher Dabbs, a doctor from Virginia who submitted the plans for Cotton Port in 1854; it was officially recognized in 1859. It too languished until the arrival of the Vicksburg, Shreveport and Pacific Railway and the construction of the bridge over the Ouachita River. Cotton Port boomed as a river port and rail depot.[2]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.0 square miles (20.6 km2), of which 7.7 square miles (20.0 km2) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.6 km2) (3.14%) is water.
West Monroe is a separate municipality from Monroe.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 447 | — | |
| 1900 | 775 | 73.4% | |
| 1910 | 1,127 | 45.4% | |
| 1920 | 2,240 | 98.8% | |
| 1930 | 6,566 | 193.1% | |
| 1940 | 8,560 | 30.4% | |
| 1950 | 10,302 | 20.4% | |
| 1960 | 15,215 | 47.7% | |
| 1970 | 14,868 | −2.3% | |
| 1980 | 14,993 | 0.8% | |
| 1990 | 14,096 | −6.0% | |
| 2000 | 13,250 | −6.0% | |
| 2010 | 13,065 | −1.4% | |
| 2020 | 13,103 | 0.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[3] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 7,082 | 54.05% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4,607 | 35.16% |
| Native American | 27 | 0.21% |
| Asian | 116 | 0.89% |
| Pacific Islander | 6 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 521 | 3.98% |
| HispanicorLatino | 744 | 5.68% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 13,103 people, 5,616 households, and 2,636 families residing in the city.
The current mayor is Staci Albritton Mitchell, who has served since 2018.
A 2013 "Community Impressions" report complimented the green spaces, including the Kiroli and Restoration parks, and Antique Alley as important assets to the West Monroe community. According to long-term Mayor Dave Norris, the study confirms "the value of many of the projects we've focused on to enhance quality of life."[5] The report identifies situations in need of improvement, many of which have already been addressed, including insufficient or inaccurate signage to area attractions, brown water and the need to renovate certain wells, limited shopping opportunities for clothing, traffic problems on Thomas Road, and the failure to promote the popular phenomenon created from the West Monroe-based A&E reality television series, Duck Dynasty.[5] The consultants declared West Monroe and the general area west of the Ouachita River overall as "a clean, vibrant, growing friendly area ... [with] a small town atmosphere and yet ... many of the amenities and features of a [larger] city."[5]
1022nd Engineer Company (Vertical) of the 527th Engineer Battalion of the 225th Engineer Brigade is located in West Monroe.
West Monroe shares the radio market with Monroe
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Radio stations in the Monroe metropolitan area (Louisiana)
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Municipalities and communities of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States
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