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Kentwood is a rural town in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States, near the Mississippi state line. As of the 2020 census, Kentwood had a population of 2,145.[4] It is part of the Hammond MSA. Kentwood is best known as the hometown of singer Britney Spears.
Kentwood, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
| Town of Kentwood | |
 Kentwood residents observe a noontide Day of Prayer in front of the Town Hall in 2015 | |
| Motto: "The Foyer of Louisiana" | |
 Location of Kentwood in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. | |
.svg) Location of Louisiana in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 30°55′50″N 90°30′25″W / 30.93056°N 90.50694°W[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Tangipahoa |
| Founded | 1893 |
| Area | |
• Total | 7.11 sq mi (18.42 km2) |
| • Land | 7.11 sq mi (18.42 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0039 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 223 ft (68 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 2,145 |
| • Density | 301.7/sq mi (116.48/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−05:00 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 70444[3] |
| Area code | 985 |
| FIPS code | 22-39545 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405939[1] |
History
editAmos Kent assisted in laying out the town. The Postmaster named the town in honor of Kent on February 29, 1888.[5]
On August 30, 2012, damage was caused by pressure on the 2,300 foot Percy Quin dam, a dam on the Tangipahoa River north of Kentwood, as a result of Hurricane Isaac, led to Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal calling for a mandatory evacuation of the town due to fears of large-scale flooding from Lake Tangipahoa. The evacuation order, which was amended twice, was later rescinded as the dam held. The lake was drawn down so repairs could be made.[6]
The 490-acre Lake Tangipahoa, which opened in 1939 and is located six miles south of McComb, Mississippi, was reopened in 2016. Repairs had been completed in 2014 and the lake restocked.[7]
Geography
editAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.9 square miles (18 km2), of which 6.9 square miles (18 km2) is land and 0.14% is water.
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 1,313 | — | |
| 1910 | 3,609 | 174.9% | |
| 1920 | 3,059 | −15.2% | |
| 1930 | 1,726 | −43.6% | |
| 1940 | 1,854 | 7.4% | |
| 1950 | 2,417 | 30.4% | |
| 1960 | 2,607 | 7.9% | |
| 1970 | 2,736 | 4.9% | |
| 1980 | 2,667 | −2.5% | |
| 1990 | 2,468 | −7.5% | |
| 2000 | 2,205 | −10.7% | |
| 2010 | 2,198 | −0.3% | |
| 2020 | 2,145 | −2.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 414 | 19.3% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,642 | 76.55% |
| Native American | 1 | 0.05% |
| Asian | 4 | 0.19% |
| Other/Mixed | 60 | 2.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 24 | 1.12% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,145 people, 771 households, and 421 families residing in the town.
Education
editTangipahoa Parish School Board operates public schools:
- Kentwood High Magnet School (7-12)
- O. W. Dillon Memorial Elementary School (K-6)
- Chesbrough Elementary (K-5)
- Spring Creek Elementary (K-5)
- Jewel M. Sumner Middle and High School
Notable people
edit- Roger Ballard, country music singer-songwriter
- Little Brother Montgomery (1906–85), jazz pianist
- Clay Shaw (1913–74), New Orleans businessman and the only person prosecuted in connection with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He was acquitted.
- Paul Gayten (1920-1991), R&B pianist, songwriter, record producer
- Jackie Smith (born 1940), National Football League tight end and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Collis Temple (born 1952), first African-American athlete at Louisiana State University
- Stacy Head (born 1969), New Orleans elected official born in nearby Greensburg but associated with Kentwood
- Michael "Mike" Jackson (1969–2017), former National Football League wide receiver
- Ann Alexander Smith, Louisiana educator
- Britney Spears (born 1981), singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress
See also
edit- Camp Moore - a Confederate training base near Kentwood, now a museum.
- WEMX
References
edit- 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Kentwood, Louisiana
- ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- ↑ "Kentwood LA ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com. 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Kentwood History". Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ↑ "Percy Quin's Lake Tangipahoa drained after Tropical Storm Isaac". August 31, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ↑ "Lake Tangipahoa (Percy Quin State Park)". Retrieved July 7, 2024.
- ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 28, 2021.