Pineville is a city in Rapides Parish,

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. It is located across the Red River from the larger

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

, and is part of the Alexandria Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,555 at the 2010 census. It had been 13,829 in 2000; population hence grew by 5 percent over the preceding decade. The Central Louisiana State Hospital, the Pinecrest Supports and Services Center, the Huey P. Long Memorial Hospital (closed), the Alexandria Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Alexandria National Cemetery are all located in Pineville. The city is also home to several large non-government employers including Baker Manufacturing, Procter & Gamble, and Crest Industries.

History

Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...

was founded by the Louisiana General Assembly in 1853. It was founded under the name

Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy The Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy was the former name of the current university now known as Louisiana State University (LSU). The original legislation creating the Seminary of Learning of the State of Louisiana (''l' ...

and was located near Pineville. The first academic session began on January 2, 1860, with General

William Tecumseh Sherman William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a General officer, general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), earning recognit ...

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

as superintendent. Pineville was historically a "dry" city, with no alcohol legally available in the community. In a referendum held in the 1980s, voters continued to support a ban on alcohol. Mayor Clarence Fields, who took office in 1999, supported holding another referendum to permit the sale of liquor in restaurants. In a

special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

in 2013, voters approved liquor sales in restaurants.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of 12.1 square miles (31.3 km²), of which 11.5 square miles (29.7 km²) is land and 0.6 square mile (1.6 km²) (4.97%) is water.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot and humid summers and mild winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Pineville has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,384 people, 5,065 households, and 3,063 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,829 people, 4,994 households, and 3,121 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,448 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 69.57%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 26.08%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.51% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.09%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.30% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population. There were 4,994 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of eighteen living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.00. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $29,159, and the median income for a family was $37,735. Males had a median income of $30,205 versus $21,154 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,969. About 14.3% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Louisiana Maneuvers Museum is located at Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville. Old Town Hall Museum "is the only museum in the entire state of Louisiana dedicated to municipal government".

Education

In 1906, the

Southern Baptist The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestantism in the United States, Pr ...

–affiliated Louisiana College opened in Pineville. The Rapides Parish School Board operates public schools.

Infrastructure

The J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center was located at Camp Beauregard.Time in Prison
"
Archive
Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. 28/40. September 23, 2010.J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center
." Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. Retrieved on September 23, 2010. It closed in July 2012. From 1939 to 2014, the Huey P. Long Medical Center, a state charity hospital named former governor Huey Long, operated Pineville. The Curtis-Coleman Memorial Bridge, the replacement for the former O. K. Allen Bridge, named for former Governor Oscar K. Allen, links Alexandria and Pineville across the Red River. The bridge is named for one African-American politician, and William George "Willie" Goleman. Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville, formerly Camp Beauregard, in Pineville is operated by the Louisiana

Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG) is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Army. It is simultaneously part of two differen ...

. It is the headquarters of the 225th Engineer Brigade and is one of the largest engineer units in the

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

Media

Radio

Pineville is the second-most populous city of the Alexandria media market for radio.

Television

Pineville is part of the Alexandria

media market A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television station, television and radio broadcasting, ra ...

for television.

Notable people

* Joe W. Aguillard, president of Louisiana College from 2005 to 2014 * Rick Brewer, president of Louisiana College * Cody Ford, NFL player for the

Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...

* W. C. Friley, president of Louisiana College from 1909 to 1910 * Faith Ford, actress * Lawrence T. Fuglaar, state representative for Rapides Parish from 1948 to 1952 * Justin Gaston, actor, model, and singer who was also a contestant on '' Nashville Star''. * G. Earl Guinn, president of Louisiana College from 1951 to 1975 * Jeff Hall, state representative for District 26 in Rapides Parish * Henry E. Hardtner, lumber magnate, state legislator, and forestry conservationist * Ben F. Holt, state representative from Rapides Parish from 1956 to 1960 * Jay F. Honeycutt, director of

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

Kennedy Space Center The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC, originally known as the NASA Launch Operations Center), located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of the NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) ten NASA facilities#List of field c ...

from 1995-1997. * Anjanette Kirkland,

track and field Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...

athlete * Rory Lee, president of Louisiana College from 1997 to 2004 * Rashard Lewis, professional basketball player with the

Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...

* Jay Luneau, Louisiana State Senator * Robert L. Lynn, Louisiana College president from 1975 to 1997; now a poet in

Duluth Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...

, Georgia * Kenny Mixon, played football at Pineville High, LSU and with NFL. * Hugh Thompson Jr.,

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

major who played a role in ending the My Lai massacre in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

* Tommy Tenney, evangelist and author

References

External links

City of Pineville
{{authority control Cities in Alexandria metropolitan area, Louisiana Cities in Louisiana Cities in Rapides Parish, Louisiana Cities in the Central Louisiana