New Llano is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in Vernon 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 population was 2,504 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Fort Johnson South Micropolitan Statistical Area. Originally known as Stables, the town was renamed when 200 members of the whites-only socialist commune

Llano del Rio Llano del Rio was a Commune (intentional community), commune (or "colony") located in what is now Llano, California, east of Palmdale, California, Palmdale in the Antelope Valley, Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County. The colony wa ...

Cooperative Colony in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

relocated to this site in 1917, giving the town its present name.

History

The ''New Llano Cooperative Colony'' was founded in 1917 when Job Harriman relocated, with other commune members of the Llano del Rio colony, to 20,000 acres of cut-over land two miles south of Leesville after difficulties securing water at the California site and power struggles at the commune. The location chosen was the Gulf Lumber Company sawmill town named Stables. The mill had burned in 1913 and again in 1916. After the sawmill burnt for the second time, it was not rebuilt because the

stumpage Stumpage is the price a private firm pays for the right to harvest timber from a given land base. It is paid to the current owner of the land. Historically, the price was determined on a basis of the number of trees harvested, or "per stump". Cur ...

reserves were depleted. The land, was sold on contract to the Cooperative Colony. The colony attempted to achieve self-sufficiency through community ownership of a newspaper, broom factory, sawmill, ice plant, and sheet metal factory. There was also a school, infirmary, hospital, and recreational facilities. The colony closed in 1937. New Llano has developed a reputation as a "speed trap." Local media has covered allegations of predatory ticket-writing.

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 town has a total area of 1.0 square mile (2.5 km), all land.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,213 people, 934 households, and 591 families residing in the town.

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 2,415 people, 925 households, and 640 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,037 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 46.09%

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 ...

, 40.29%

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 ...

, 0.83% Native American, 3.77% Asian, 0.29%

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 ...

, 4.10% from other races, and 4.64% 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 8.57% of the population. There were 925 households, out of which 40.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.11. In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $35,417, and the median income for a family was $34,271. Males had a median income of $26,563 versus $20,500 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $15,902. About 13.5% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

American Utopia: A Brief History of Llano del Rio Cooperative Colony
Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB). {{authority control Towns in Louisiana Towns in Vernon Parish, Louisiana Utopian socialism Utopian communities in the United States Populated places established in 1917 1917 establishments in Louisiana Socialism in Louisiana