Lawtell is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. The name is a portmanteau of the names of its two founders: Lawler and Littell.[3]
Lawtell, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
  Lawtell, Louisiana  Lawtell, Louisiana | |
| Coordinates: 30°31′07″N 92°11′05″W / 30.51861°N 92.18472°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | St. Landry |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.15 sq mi (10.74 km2) |
| • Land | 4.15 sq mi (10.74 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 59 ft (18 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 1,066 |
| • Density | 257.05/sq mi (99.25/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 337 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1627458[2] |
State Representative Dustin Miller is a native of and a businessman in Lawtell.[4]
Geography edit
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the community has an area of 4.145 square miles (10.74 km2), all land.[5] U.S. Route 190 passes through the community.
Demographics edit
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,066 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] | |||
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,198 people living in the CDP. The racial makeup of the CDP was 49.6% Black, 45.1% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 1.2% from some other race and 1.4% from two or more races. 12.4% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Culture edit
Lawtell was home to Richard's Club, which opened in 1947. It was a venue of the Southern Chitlin' Circuit, particularly as a stop between New Orleans and Houston. Later it became a well known and historically significant zydeco venue.[7] In 2012, Dustin and Nichole Miller purchased the building and reopened it as a dancehall called Miller's Zydeco Hall of Fame. However, in 2017, the building burned down overnight due to arson.[8][9]
Notable people edit
- Calvin Carrière (1921-2002), Creole and zydeco fiddler
- Roy Carrier (1947-2010), zydeco accordionist
- Dustin Miller, Louisiana State Representative
References edit
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- ^ "Lawtell". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ D'Artois Leeper, Clare (2012). Louisiana Place Names: Popular, Unusual, and Forgotten Stories of Towns, Cities, Plantations, Bayous, and Even Some Cemeteries. LSU Press. ISBN 9780807147382.
- ^ Cheryl Devall (April 12, 2015). "Dustin Miller makes it four candidates for District 40". The Opelousas Daily World. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files - Places: Louisiana". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
- ^ Tisserand, Michael (1998). The kingdom of zydeco. New York: Arcade publ. ISBN 978-1-55970-418-2.
- ^ Fuselier, Herman (May 19, 2017). "Zydeco Hall of Fame now an empty lot". The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, Louisiana). Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
- ^ "Photos: Miller's Zydeco club, once host to legends like B.B. King, destroyed in fire overnight". The Acadiana Advocate. April 26, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
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