West Monroe, Louisiana

2025-10-20T23:06:38Z

2607:FB92:905:6717:B498:3A86:5CDF:EDD: /* History */

{{Redirect|West Monroe|the community in Michigan|West Monroe, Michigan|the town in New York|West Monroe, New York}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = West Monroe, Louisiana
| settlement_type = [[List of cities in Louisiana|City]]
| image_skyline = Historic district, West Monroe, LA IMG 0114.JPG
| image_caption = Cottonport Historic District (2010)
| image_map = File:Ouachita Parish Louisiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas West Monroe Highlighted.svg
| map_caption = Location of West Monroe in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.
| image_map1 = Louisiana in United States (US48).svg
| map_caption1 = Location of Louisiana in the United States

| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Louisiana
| subdivision_type2 = Parish
| subdivision_name2 = [[Ouachita Parish, Louisiana|Ouachita]]

| established_title = Founded 1883
| named_for =
| government_footnotes =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| leader_party =
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Staci Albritton Mitchell{{cn|date=March 2025}}

| 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|accessdate=March 20, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2 = 21.53
| area_total_sq_mi = 8.31
| area_land_km2 = 20.79
| area_land_sq_mi = 8.03
| area_water_km2 = 0.74
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.29

| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes =
| population_total = 13103
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = 630.35
| population_density_sq_mi = 1632.57
| population_demonym =

| 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 = 82
| coordinates = {{coord|32|30|05|N|92|08|31|W|display=inline,title}}

| postal_code_type =
| postal_code = 71291, 71292
| area_code = [[Area code 318|318]]
| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info = 22-80955
| blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info = 2405712<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2405712}}</ref>
| website = [https://www.cityofwestmonroe.com/]
}}

'''West Monroe''' is the second largest city in [[Ouachita Parish, Louisiana]], United States. As of the [[2020 United States census]], its population was 13,103. It is situated on the [[Ouachita River]], across from the neighboring city of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. The two cities are often referred to as the [[twin cities|Twin Cities]] of northeast Louisiana.

==History==
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 officially was 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.antiquealleyshops.org/about.php|title=Antique Alley}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of 8.0 square miles (20.6 km{{sup|2}}), of which 7.7 square miles (20.0 km{{sup|2}}) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.6 km{{sup|2}}) (3.14%) is water.

West Monroe is a separate municipality from [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1890= 447
|1900= 775
|1910= 1127
|1920= 2240
|1930= 6566
|1940= 8560
|1950= 10302
|1960= 15215
|1970= 14868
|1980= 14993
|1990= 14096
|2000= 13250
|2010= 13065
|2020= 13103
|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}}</ref>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+West Monroe racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2280955&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-29|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 7,082
| 54.05%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 4,607
| 35.16%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 27
| 0.21%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 116
| 0.89%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 6
| 0.05%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 521
| 3.98%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 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.

West Monroe is part of the [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]] [[Monroe, Louisiana metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].{{clear left}}

==Government==
[[File:West Monroe, LA, City Hall IMG_0128.JPG|thumb|right|West Monroe City Hall (2010)]]
The current mayor is Staci Albritton Mitchell, who has served since 2018.

A 2013 "Community Impressions" report complimented the green spaces, including the [[Kiroli Park|Kiroli]] and Restoration parks, and Antique Alley as important assets to the West Monroe community.
According to long-term Mayor [[Dave Norris (Louisiana politician)|Dave Norris]], the study confirms "the value of many of the projects we've focused on to enhance quality of life."<ref name=wmstudy>{{cite news|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20130427/NEWS01/304270327/Consultants-West-Monroe-clean-vibrant-growing-?nclick_check=1|title=Greg Hilburn, "Consultants: 'West Monroe clean, vibrant, growing'"|newspaper=[[The News-Star|Monroe News-Star]]|access-date=April 27, 2013}}</ref> 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 (TV channel)|A&E]] [[reality show|reality]] [[television series]], ''[[Duck Dynasty]]''.<ref name=wmstudy/> 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."<ref name=wmstudy/>

===National Guard===
1022nd Engineer Company (Vertical) of the 527th Engineer Battalion of the [[225th Engineer Brigade]] is located in West Monroe.

==Education==
[[Ouachita Parish School System]] is the area school district.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st22_la/schooldistrict_maps/c22073_ouachita/DC20SD_C22073.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Ouachita Parish, LA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|pages=12-13, 19 (PDF pp. 13-14, 20/31)|access-date=2025-01-04}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st22_la/schooldistrict_maps/c22073_ouachita/DC20SD_C22073_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

== Media ==

=== Radio ===
West Monroe is the second most populous city of the Monroe media market for radio.
{{Monroe Radio}}

=== Television ===
West Monroe is part of the Monroe [[media market]] for television.
{{Monroe TV}}

==Notable people==
{{Div col|colwidth=45em}}
*[[Donnie Copeland]], Republican member of the [[Arkansas House of Representatives]], 2015 to 2017<ref>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/119091/donnie-copeland#.VxVrh4-cH3w|title=Donnie Copeland's Biography|publisher=[[Project Vote Smart]]|access-date=April 18, 2016}}</ref>
*[[Clarence Faulk]], publisher, broadcaster, businessman in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]], born in West Monroe in 1909
*[[William C. Feazel]], [[oil]]man, interim U.S. Senator and member of the [[Louisiana State Legislature|Louisiana House of Representatives]]
*[[Bruce Fowler (tenor)|Bruce Fowler]], opera singer
*[[Andy Griggs]], country singer
*[[Kevin Gordon (musician)|Kevin Gordon]], Americana singer/songwriter
*[[James D. Halsell]], [[astronaut]]; space shuttle pilot
*[[Dixon Hearne]], author
*[[Alton Hardy Howard]], co-founder of [[Howard Brothers Discount Stores]]
*[[Bradie James]], [[NFL]] linebacker for the [[Dallas Cowboys]]
*[[Rickey Minor]], music director, composer and music producer
*[[William Norris III]] (1936-2016), city, district, and circuit court judge
*[[Webb Pierce]], [[Country Music Hall of Fame]] member
*[[Cassidy Riley]], professional wrestler for [[WWE]]
*[[Phil Robertson]], Duck Dynasty star and founder of [[Duck Commander]]
*[[Kay Robertson]], Duck Dynasty star
*[[Sadie Robertson]], Duck Dynasty star
*[[Si Robertson]], Duck Dynasty star
*[[Willie Robertson]], Duck Dynasty star
*[[Jase Robertson]], Duck Dynasty star
*[[Korie Robertson]], Duck Dynasty star
*[[Bill Russell]], professional [[basketball]] player
*[[Andrew Whitworth]], [[NFL]] offensive tackle
{{Div col end}}


==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://www.cityofwestmonroe.com/ City of West Monroe]
* [http://www.monroe-westmonroe.org/ Monroe-West Monroe Convention & Visitors Bureau]
* [http://www.westmonroe.com/community/history.php West Monroe history]

{{Ouachita Parish, Louisiana}}
{{Louisiana}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:West Monroe, Louisiana|*]]
[[Category:Cities in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Cities in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Cities in North Louisiana]]
[[Category:Louisiana populated places on the Ouachita River]]

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West Monroe, Louisiana