Ruston is a small city in and the parish seat of

Lincoln Parish, Louisiana Lincoln Parish (French language, French: ''Paroisse de Lincoln'') is a Parish (administrative division), parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 48,396. The parish w ...

, United States. The 2020 population was 22,166. Ruston is near the eastern border of the

Ark-La-Tex The Ark-La-Tex (a portmanteau of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas; also stylized as Arklatex or ArkLaTex) is a socio-economic region where the Southern United States, Southern U.S. states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas join together. ...

region and is the home of

Louisiana Tech University Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech, La. Tech, or simply Tech) is a public university, public research university in Ruston, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and Carnegie Classification of Institu ...

. Ruston is the principal city of the Ruston micropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Lincoln Parish.

History

During the

Reconstruction Era The Reconstruction era was a period in History of the United States, US history that followed the American Civil War (1861-65) and was dominated by the legal, social, and political challenges of the Abolitionism in the United States, abol ...

following the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, word soon reached the young

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...

near what is now Ruston, that the Vicksburg, Shreveport, and Pacific Railroad would begin to run across north

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 ...

, linking the

Deep South The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion of the Southern United States. The term is used to describe the states which were most economically dependent on Plantation complexes in the Southern United States, plant ...

with the West (the current operator is Canadian Pacific Kansas City). Robert Edwin Russ, the Lincoln Parish

sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

from 1877–1880, donated to the town and the area was eventually known as Ruston in his honor. In 1883, commercial and residential lots were created and sold for $375 apiece; and soon the sawing of

lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...

and clacking of hammers could be heard throughout the area.

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

was the parish seat of Lincoln Parish from its creation in 1873 until 1884, when a parish-wide vote moved it to the new town of Ruston. As the town began to take shape, new churches, businesses, civic organizations and schools were being established.

Cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...

farming fueled the economy. In 1900 a second railroad, running north and south, was built through Ruston (the operator before the tracks were removed was

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad The original Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P RW, sometimes called ''Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway'') was an American Class I railroad. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock. At ...

). This brought even more business and industry to the area and the population continued to provide a foundation for the local economy. By the time the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, Ruston was established as a center for learning, a place of civic pride, and as an area of economic prosperity throughout the region. In 1938 Ruston received national attention when an African-American teenager named R.C. Williams was lynched in one of the most brutal attacks of its type in many years. The 19 year old Williams was accused by a mob of vigilantes of killing a white man and assaulting a white woman, although it was later determined to be highly unlikely that Williams was guilty of these, or any other crimes. The vigilantes captured Williams and after torturing him with red-hot pokers (castration was also suspected) and shooting him numerous times, he was hung from a tree. Although a local sheriff tried to stop the mob, they then threatened the sheriff's life, and the lynching continued. A grand jury of all white men later cleared all of the perpetrators of any wrongdoing. The crime had a significant and long lasting impact on state and national politics, and can be directly related to the rise of segregationist demagoguery in the south. Ruston grew steadily during the post-World War II years. The GI Bill of Rights sent war veterans to college, helped to fuel the local economy, brought growth to the two local universities,

and nearby historically black Grambling State University, and new families moved into Lincoln Parish. By the middle 1960s, Interstate 20 passed through the northern part of Ruston. This major interstate highway made Ruston more easily accessible, much as the railroad had done a century earlier. In the 1980s, the state of Louisiana economy declined as the oil industry went into a

recession In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction that occurs when there is a period of broad decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be tr ...

. Ruston, however, continued growing steadily because of the rapid expansion of Louisiana Tech. The city also had its centennial celebration during this decade, and emphasis was placed on revitalizing the historic downtown district. A joint effort between the city and the Louisiana Main Street Program and the Louisiana Department of Historic Preservation brought forth beautification projects to rehabilitate the downtown district, and helped draw the community closer to its roots. More than fifteen buildings have been placed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. The city has a new general aviation

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...

to serve existing business and industry, and the

timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of harvesting animal products such as meat, Eggs as food, eggs or feathers. The practice of animal husbandry, raising poultry is known as poultry farming. These birds are most typ ...

and

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...

industries continue to expand. The Arkansas Southern Railroad Company (ASRR), that became the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway (CRI&P), built a station named Chautauqua, north of Ruston that became part of the town.

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 , of which is land and (0.44%) is water.

Climate

Demographics

According to the 2020 United States census, there were 22,166 people, 7,970 households, and 3,938 families residing in the city. In 2010, there were 21,859 people in the city; according to the census of 2000, there were 20,546 people, 7,621 households, and 4,244 families residing in the city with a population density of 1,136.4 people per square mile (438.8/km). In 2000, the racial makeup of the city was 56.94%

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 ...

, 38.92%

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 ...

, 0.17% Native American, 2.41% Asian, 0.02%

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 ...

, 0.63% from other races, and 0.90% 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 1.29% of the population. By 2020, the racial makeup of the city was 50.53% non-Hispanic white, 40% African American, 0.39% Native American, 2.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.13% two or more races, and 3.44% Hispanic or Latino of any race. According to the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $23,001, and the median income for a family was $37,394. Males had a median income of $33,408 versus $20,413 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 city was $14,573. About 22.1% of families and 32.1% 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 34.1% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over. At the publication of the 2020 census, the median household income grew to $34,554.

Arts and culture

Most cultural activities are offered through Louisiana Tech. Also there are shops downtown, chain restaurants in the city, and an eight-screen Celebrity Theater. Other university-based opportunities exist at Grambling (6 miles from Ruston) and Monroe (35 miles away). The Louisiana Tech University Arboretum interests many visitors. Early in 2007, the city initiated a blueprint for future growth and development of the Ruston area. Known as "Ruston 21", the plan will evaluate the assets of the community and the ways to achieve goals. It will look citywide at residential development and neighborhoods, recreation planning, transportation issues, economic development, infrastructure concerns, quality of life, and working collaboratively with Louisiana Tech University. Opened in 1928, the historic Dixie Theater serves as the visual and performing arts hub of Ruston as it houses the North Central Louisiana Arts Council, Piney Hills Gallery, Ruston Community Theatre, Ruston Civic Symphony Society, Troupe Dixie, independent film screenings, dance recitals, and music concerts. Celebrity Theatres, an eight-screen movie theater with digital projection and sound with 3D capabilities and stadium seating in all auditoriums, opened in Ruston in 2006. On campus at Louisiana Tech, Howard Auditorium and Stone Theatre serve as the university's home for the performing arts, and Louisiana Tech is home to two visual art galleries including the E. J. Bellocq Gallery and the Louisiana Tech Art Gallery. The Louisiana Military Museum features uniforms, weapons, flags, training gear, aircraft, and vehicles from nearly every conflict in United States history. Built in 1886, the Kidd-Davis house is home to the Lincoln Parish Museum, which exhibits early Ruston history. Located on Louisiana Tech's main campus, The Idea Place Math and Science Discovery Center offers many interactive science exhibits including a planetarium. Ruston is located in the heart of North Louisiana, known as the Sportsman's Paradise, where outdoor activities like hunting and fishing are popular for residents. Located on the Louisiana Tech campus, Garland Gregory Hideaway Park has a seven-acre lake for fishing and canoeing, walking/running trails, pavilions, grills, ropes course, and an 18-hole frisbee golf course. The North Louisiana Exhibition Center hosts rodeos, barrel races, horse and livestock shows, roping events, and antique car and tractor shows in Ruston. As home to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters of Conference USA, Ruston is a scene of major college sports. The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team plays at Joe Aillet Stadium and has won three national championships, won 25 conference championships, and played in 24 postseason games including nine major college bowl games. The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball and Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball teams play their games at the Thomas Assembly Center. The Dunkin' Dawgs have won 25 regular season conference championships, made seven NCAA Tournament appearances including one Sweet Sixteen, and nine NIT appearances. The Lady Techsters have won three national championships and 20 regular season conference championships; have competed in 13 Final Fours, 23 Sweet Sixteens, and 27 NCAA Tournaments; and have the second most wins all-time of any women's college basketball program. The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs baseball team plays at J. C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park, has won 21 regular season conference championships, and has participated in eight NCAA Tournaments.

Peach Festival

Each June, Ruston hosts its annual Peach Festival, sponsored by the Squire Creek Country Club. Until the 1940s, most area peach farming had been done on a small-scale family basis. In 1947, area peach growers organized the Louisiana Fruit Growers Association and held the first festival four years later on June 27–28, 1951. On that occasion, Justin Wilson, the popular south Louisiana chef and Cajun humorist entertained the audience at Howard Auditorium on the Louisiana Tech campus. Then

State Senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

Dudley J. LeBlanc of

Abbeville Abbeville (; ; ) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of Ponthieu. Geography Location A ...

in Vermilion Parish, the promoter of the

patent medicine A patent medicine (sometimes called a proprietary medicine) is a non-prescription medicine or medicinal preparation that is typically protected and advertised by a trademark and trade name, and claimed to be effective against minor disorders a ...

known as Hadacol, was invited to crown the first Peach Festival Queen, Ann Colvin of Bernice in Union Parish."62nd Peach Festival in Ruston June 22", ''The Piney Woods Journal'', June 2012, pp. 15, 17-18 The festival sponsors races of 5K and 1M and a tennis tournament played on the Louisiana Tech courts.

Railroad Fest

Railroad Fest is an annual makers, music, and culture festival held in Downtown Ruston each April since 2017. The Makers Fair is held at the Historic Ruston Fire Station, and live music is performed at the amphitheater at Railroad Park.

Education

Primary and secondary education

Public schools are part of the Lincoln Parish School System. Eight of the twelve Lincoln Parish Schools are located in Ruston. Lincoln Parish Early Childhood Center operates the parish's preschool program in Ruston. Glen View Elementary School and Hillcrest Elementary School teach kindergarten through the second grade. Cypress Springs Elementary School and Ruston Elementary School teach third grade through fifth grade. I. A. Lewis School teaches only sixth grade, and Ruston Junior High School teaches seventh and eighth grades. Ruston High School teaches ninth through twelfth grades. Located on Louisiana Tech's campus in Ruston, A. E. Phillips Laboratory School offers kindergarten through eighth grade. Ruston is home to a few private schools. Cedar Creek School and Bethel Christian School are college preparatory schools that offer preschool through twelfth grade. New Living Word School also offers preschool through twelfth grade. Montessori School of Ruston offers preschool through eighth grade. Lorraine Nobles Howard Education Center, known as Howard School, is an alternative school for the residents of the Louisiana Methodist Children's Home in Ruston.

Higher education

, a national research university, dominates the city of Ruston, providing the city with its distinctive

college town A college town or university town is a town or city whose character is dominated by a college or university and their associated culture, often characterised by the student population making up 20 percent of the population of the community, bu ...

character. Grambling State University is located in nearby Grambling, only four miles west of the Louisiana Tech campus. Additionally,

Louisiana Delta Community College Louisiana Delta Community College is a public community college in Monroe, Louisiana. The college began offering classes in 2001. Louisiana Delta Community College has eight campuses (Bastrop, Louisiana, Bastrop, Jonesboro, Louisiana, Jonesboro, ...

has a branch campus located in Ruston.

Media

'' The Ruston Daily Leader'' is the newspaper serving Ruston and the rest of Lincoln Parish since 1894. ''The Daily Leader'' is published Sunday morning and Monday through Friday afternoons.

is served by several publications including '' The Tech Talk'', the independent Louisiana Tech

student newspaper A student publication is a media outlet such as a newspaper, magazine, television show, or radio station Graduate student journal, produced by students at an educational institution. These publications typically cover local and school-related new ...

that reports on local, state, and national issues in addition to campus news.

Radio

Ruston is the principal city of the Ruston media market for radio.

Television

Ruston is part of the Monroe media market for television.

Infrastructure

National Guard

The 527th Engineer Battalion (Triple Alpha) ("Anything, Anytime, Anywhere") is headquartered in Ruston. This battalion is part of the 225th Engineer Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard.

Health care

* Green Clinic * Northern Louisiana Medical Center * Ruston Regional Specialty Center

Law Enforcement

* Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office * Louisiana State Police * Ruston Police Department

Notable people

* Trace Adkins,

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

singer who attended Louisiana Tech * Leon Barmore, Hall of Fame NCAA basketball coach, played basketball at Ruston High School * Mary Black (activist), community activist and social worker * George W. Bond, president of Louisiana Tech University from 1929 to 1936 * Terry Bradshaw, member of the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...

, attended Louisiana Tech * Kix Brooks, country music singer, who attended Louisiana Tech. * P.J. Brown, retired NBA player, attended Louisiana Tech * Mary Elizabeth Talbot Busbee, the First Lady of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

from 1975 to 1983, was born and reared in Ruston. * John R. Conniff, educator, president of Louisiana Tech from 1926 to 1928 * Martie Cordaro, president and general manager of the Omaha Storm Chasers baseball club * Fred Dean, NFL Hall of Famer, attended Ruston High * Clarence Faulk, newspaper publisher, radio broadcaster, businessman * Tim Floyd, NCAA and NBA basketball coach, attended Louisiana Tech * Vic Frazier, MLB pitcher during the 1930s * W. C. Friley, founder of Ruston College in the late 1880s, a forerunner of Louisiana Tech * Ralph Garr, Baseball player and member of the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame * Andy Hamilton, NFL player * Aaron Holiday, NBA player for the

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...

* Will Cullen Hart, indie rock musician, visual artist * Sonja Hogg, founding coach of the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters * Bert Jones, former NFL quarterback, attended Ruston High School * Dub Jones, former NFL halfback, attended Ruston High School * Karl Malone, Basketball Hall of Famer, attended Louisiana Tech * Jeff Mangum, indie rock musician, attended Ruston High School * Monica Maxwell, former WNBA player, played in two Final Fours for the Lady Techsters * Luke McCown, former NFL quarterback, attended Louisiana Tech * Garnie W. McGinty, Louisiana historian * Alice Cary McKinney, President, Louisiana State Woman's Christian Temperance Union * Paul Millsap, retired NBA player, attended Louisiana Tech * Ryan Moats, athlete, attended Louisiana Tech *

Kim Mulkey Kimberly Duane Mulkey (born May 17, 1962) is an American college basketball coach and former player. Since 2021, she has been the head coach for Louisiana State University's LSU Tigers women's basketball, women's basketball team. A Pan-American ...

, head women's basketball coach of LSU Tigers * Virgil Orr, former state representative; Louisiana Tech vice president * Joe Raymond Peace, former football coach of Louisiana Tech Bulldogs * Arthur T. Prescott, educator and president of Louisiana Tech University * Patrick Ramsey, former NFL quarterback, attended Ruston High School * Willie Roaf, NFL Hall of Fame player, attended Louisiana Tech * Kramer Robertson, current MLB player for St. Louis Cardinals * Phil Robertson, hunter and reality TV star who attended Louisiana Tech * Scotty Robertson, high school, college, and professional basketball coach * W. C. Robinson, mathematics professor and president of Louisiana Tech *

Robert Schneider Robert Peter Schneider (born March 9, 1971) is an American musician and mathematician. He is the lead singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer of rock/pop band the Apples in Stereo and has produced and performed on albums by Neutral Milk ...

, Indie rock musician, member of the Elephant Six Collective * Josh Scobee, current NFL player, attended Louisiana Tech * John Simoneaux, blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist, graduate of LA Tech * Mickey Slaughter, former NFL quarterback and later coached for Louisiana Tech * Polly Smith, photographer * George Stone, former National League pitcher * Scotty Thurman, former basketball player, attended Ruston High School * A. L. Williams, retired football coach * Kyle Williams, former NFL player, attended Ruston High School * Clint Williamson, US Ambassador and White House policy official * John D. Winters, historian of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

* Kenny Wright, former NFL defensive back * Prof Sister Natalia Zotov, cosmologist specializing in gravity waves

In popular culture

* The longstanding Dixie Theater in Ruston is featured in a 1999 article in the publication '' North Louisiana History''. *Social media personality Logan Paul acted as "mayor" of Ruston for two days for his online streaming show ''Logan Paul VS...''

References

External links

City of Ruston

Ruston-Lincoln Convention And Visitors Bureau
{{authority control Cities in Louisiana Cities in the Ark-La-Tex Cities in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana Parish seats in Louisiana Cities in Ruston micropolitan area County seats in the Ark-La-Tex 1885 establishments in Louisiana