Goldonna, Louisiana

Goldonna, Louisiana
Village
New Goldonna Village Hall
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Natchitoches
Elevation	144 ft (43.9 m)
Coordinates	32°01′14″N 92°54′44″W / 32.02056°N 92.91222°WCoordinates: 32°01′14″N 92°54′44″W / 32.02056°N 92.91222°W
Area	11.0 sq mi (28.5 km^2)
- land	11.0 sq mi (28 km^2)
- water	0.0 sq mi (0 km^2), 0%
Population	430 (2010)
Timezone	CST (UTC-6)
- summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code	318
Location of Goldonna in Louisiana
Location of Louisiana in the United States

Goldonna is a village in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 457 at the 2000 census and 430 in 2010. All but sixteen of the residents are whites.^[1] It is part of the Natchitoches Micropolitan Statistical Area. South of Goldonna along Louisiana Highway 156, one may access Saline Bayou, popular for blackwater canoeing.

The village is the birthplace of the American romance author Patricia Maxwell, also known as Jennifer Blake, who resides in Quitman in Jackson Parish. Riley J. Wilson, a former U.S. representative from Louisiana's 5th congressional district who opposed Huey Pierce Long, Jr., was born in Goldonna.

The mayor of Goldonna is Verna Martin Bedgood, a Democrat. The police chief is Shaun Garner, a Republican. The three aldermen are Rodney Lynn Bedgood, a Democrat, and Ben and Daniel Dupree, both Republicans. All were elected in 2006 and unopposed in 2010.^[2]

The Goldonna Elementary School serves pre-kindergarten through grade 8. Pupils come from as far away as the village of Ashland to the west, where the defunct Ashland High School, closed in 1981.

Geography

Goldonna is located at 32°1′14″N 92°54′44″W / 32.02056°N 92.91222°W (32.020577, -92.912127).^[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 11.0 square miles (28 km²), all land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	260		—
1940	256		−1.5%
1950	364		42.2%
1960	292		−19.8%
1970	337		15.4%
1980	526		56.1%
1990	417		−20.7%
2000	457		9.6%
2010	430		−5.9%
Est. 2015	427	[4]	−0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]

As of the census^[6] of 2000, there were 457 people, 163 households, and 131 families residing in the village. The population density was 41.5 inhabitants per square mile (16.0/km²). There were 192 housing units at an average density of 17.4 per square mile (6.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.47% White, 0.66% Native American, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.

There were 163 households out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the village the population was spread out with 28.9% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $27,500, and the median income for a family was $32,656. Males had a median income of $26,875 versus $17,000 for females. The per capita income for the village was $12,207. About 20.2% of families and 23.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 32.0% of those age 65 or over.

Gallery

Louisiana Trails railroad car in Goldonna

Mural of Goldonna Family Church, located across from the United States Post Office

Goldonna Baptist Church is located across from Goldonna Elementary School; pastor Jason Womack (2013).

Goldonna Elementary School; high school students attend Lakeview Junior and Senior High near Campti.

References

1. "2010 Census Population of Goldonna, LA". censusviewer.com. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
2. "Graphical Election Results". electionresults.sos.louisiana.gov. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
3. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
4. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
5. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
6. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.