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314:"...these places, particularly the Mermentau and Calcasieu are the harbours and Dens of the most abandoned wretches of the human race... smugglers and Pirates who go about the coast of the Gulph (sic) of vessels of a small draught of water and rob and plunder without distinction every vessel of every nation they meet and are able to conquer and put to death every soul they find on board without respect of persons age or sex and then their unlawful plunder they carry all through the country and sell at a very low rate and find plenty of purchasers."
390:"For the last two weeks the streets of our town have been almost daily crowded with carts and wagons loaded with pieux, boards, and shingles coming from Pointe-aux-Loups and Mermento (sic). Never has there been such a crowd at one time, and so successively we counted eleven ox-wagons in one expedition in one day this week. Eight feet pieux are worth $ 12 per 100; six feet pieux, $ 6, and shingles, $ 6 per 1,000."
445:
The trains, however, did not solve all transportation problems for the area. Produce, lumber, and cattle had to be transported to the rail line. Capt. George W. Caldwell began carrying freight on the
Mermentau about 1890, eventually owning a fleet of small boats and 24 barges. The barges hauled rice,
327:
and the years immediately after it there were widespread reports of bushwhackers, robbers, and other fugitives hiding in the
Mermentau woods and tales of hidden treasures in the area. According to one of the stories, a man named Frank Quebedeaux once found an iron pot filled with coins. The cache had
806:
In the village, the population was spread out, with 28.8% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over,
406:
In 1891, a temporary chapel was built at another location. Property for the church in its present location was donated in 1889 by Jean Castex and Mrs. Marie U. Duhon, widow of
Aurelien Duhon. A larger church was built there, but in August 1900 it was blown off its foundation by a storm and damaged
802:
living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.02.
770:
of 2000, there were 721 people, 277 households, and 204 families residing in the village. The population density was 337.9 inhabitants per square mile (130.5/km). There were 344 housing units at an average density of 161.2 per square mile (62.2/km). The racial makeup of the village was 85.99%
465:
for a weekend trip to Lake Arthur. The boat was described as "a splendid sternwheel packet". The
Louisiana Press Association members and their wives, meeting in Crowley in 1894, were entertained on one such excursion. Fares were 50 cents one-way or 75 cents for a round-trip ticket.
373:
Victorin
Maignaud, another native of France, came to Mermentau in 1866 and opened a dry goods store. Maignaud operated the river ferry for some 40 years, was postmaster for 17 years, and eventually owned a store, hotel, sawmill, and rice mill.
292:
to Antoin Blanc for $ 100. Nementou is later mentioned as chief of a village on a river with the same name. Eventually, through a clerical error, Nementou became
Mementou and this was then corrupted into Mermentau through confusion with the
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began to visit
Mermentau in the 1860s. In 1871, Father Joseph Anthonioz had begun to gather lumber to build a chapel there, but it was never finished. The first church was built in 1882, next to the Maignaud Cemetery on what is now
446:
oil, cattle, cotton, wood, and general freight. Capt
Caldwell also operated a commissary on the river front and issued metal tokens in denominations of 5,10, 25 and 50 cents and $ 1. These became known as "Mermentau Money".
542:. The basin contains about 450,000 acres (1,820 km) of wetlands, consisting of 190,000 acres (770 km) of fresh marsh, 135,000 acres (546 km) of intermediate marsh, and 101,000 acres (409 km) of
311:
John
Landreth was a surveyor who was sent from Washington, D.C., in 1818 to look for timber in Acadiana that could be harvested for the use of building Navy ships. He kept a journal and had this to say:
347:(Oct. l, 1805) in which the British defeated French and Spanish fleets but during which Nelson was killed. Webb lived in an area that came to be known as Webb's Cove, near the junction of the
810:
The median income for a household in the village was $ 26,786, and the median income for a family was $ 31,250. Males had a median income of $ 32,917 versus $ 13,977 for females. The
304:
The
Mermentau area was once reputedly a refuge for smugglers. It was a crossing point for brave travelers on the Old Spanish Trail, but had such a bad reputation that until the
1082:
377:
Timber from the Mermentau area provided much of the building material and fencing used by the prairie settlers. The lumber was hauled by oxcart to places as far away as
531:, the village has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km), of which 2.1 square miles (5.5 km) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km) (7.39%) is water.
50:
1346:
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928:
59:
546:. A total of 104,380 acres (422 km) of marsh has converted to open water since 1932, a loss of 19 percent of the historical wetlands in the basin.
423:
and Mermentau. Some 150 convicts were at work on the stretch near Bayou Blanc. By the end of July the road was completed from Mermentau westward to the
73:
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in the parish in 1860. A sawmill was also built at the town about that time. The Mermentau post office was established on September 2, 1859.
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846:
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operated as a popular passenger and freight hauler on the Mermentau River, making round trips every other day from Mermentau to
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Jean Castex, a native of France, came to Mermentau around 1856. He opened a mercantile business in 1859 and later became one of
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reached Mermentau in 1880. In February of that year only 4 miles (6 km) of roadbed remained to be graded between
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There were 277 households, out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were
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366:'s leading merchants. He was also a cotton and rice farmer and built what may have been the first
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for the village was $ 11,408. About 25.0% of families and 26.4% of the population were below the
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attached were running a regular schedule from New Orleans to Houston by the end of September.
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Acadia Parish Library - Crowley Church Point Estherwood Evangeline Iota Mermentau Morse Rayne
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869:"Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Mermentau village, Louisiana"
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Indians once lived. Mermentau is especially known for where Captain James Campbell, pirate
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seaman who came in 1827. It is said that Webb was a member of the crew of Admiral
916:
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88:
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189:
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818:, including 31.3% of those under age 18 and 39.3% of those age 65 or over.
1297:‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent parish or parishes
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Today, arrow points can be found here and there at the places where the
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and elsewhere would take the train to Mermentau, then board the
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Mermentau achieved legal village status on November 11, 1899.
355:. Cornelius Duson McNaughton, who was running from the law in
1153:
485:'s most trusted lieutenant, stashed $ 9,000 in gold coins.
1039:
871:. U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from
308:
no one would go there to see how many people there were.
280:
In the last quarter of the 18th century, there was an
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was open for freight business. Passenger trains with
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One of the earliest known settlers was John Webb, an
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430:By the end of August 1880, the railroad line from
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917:Two Treasure Sites of Imperial Calcasieu Parish
261:, United States. The population was 661 at the
1076:
8:
407:beyond use. It was finally rebuilt in 1908.
1083:
1069:
1061:
955:"US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990"
929:"Mermentau, Arcadia Parish Clerk of Count"
795:of any race were 2.08% of the population.
553:
64:Location of Louisiana in the United States
31:
538:, Mermentau supplies freshwater for the
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332:trees that had grown close together.
288:. On April 16, 1784, he sold land on
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1347:Populated places established in 1827
1342:Villages in Acadia Parish, Louisiana
787:, and 0.69% from two or more races.
155:0.17 sq mi (0.44 km)
147:2.13 sq mi (5.52 km)
139:2.30 sq mi (5.96 km)
29:Village in Louisiana, United States
1091:Municipalities and communities of
1018:"Census of Population and Housing"
563:
25:
1352:1827 establishments in Louisiana
359:, joined Webb there about 1837.
58:
49:
1:
849:. United States Census Bureau
449:During the 1890s, the 96-ton
270:Micropolitan Statistical Area
981:"GulfBase - Mermentau River"
184:242.03/sq mi (93.47/km)
1044:United States Census Bureau
959:United States Census Bureau
847:"2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files"
529:United States Census Bureau
1368:
827:Acadia Parish School Board
417:Louisiana Western Railroad
403:. It burned down in 1886.
343:'s flagship at the famous
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524:(30.187845, -92.582786).
328:been hidden between four
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1094:Acadia Parish, Louisiana
493:Mermentau is located at
807:there were 95.1 males.
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290:Bayou Plaquemine Brule
1337:Villages in Louisiana
1157:
1040:"U.S. Census website"
899:May 25, 2007, at the
760:U.S. Decennial Census
555:Historical population
512:30.18778°N 92.58278°W
384:On May 18, 1872, the
353:Bayou Queue de Tortue
301:, which means "sea".
207: • Summer (
89:30.18778°N 92.58278°W
1315:United States portal
875:on February 12, 2020
394:Jesuit priests from
265:. It is part of the
181: • Density
163:7 ft (2 m)
36:Mermentau, Louisiana
987:on January 21, 2014
961:. February 12, 2011
935:on February 7, 2012
556:
534:Situated along the
517:30.18778; -92.58278
508: /
345:Battle of Trafalgar
94:30.18778; -92.58278
85: /
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829:serves Mermentau.
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306:Louisiana Purchase
173: • Total
152: • Water
136: • Total
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812:per capita income
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527:According to the
386:Opelousas Courier
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144: • Land
16:(Redirected from
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1099:United States
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364:Acadia Parish
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108:United States
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70:Coordinates:
61:
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33:
27:
19:
1284:Roberts Cove
1213:
1180:Church Point
1113:
1047:. Retrieved
1034:
1022:. Retrieved
1020:. Census.gov
1012:
1001:
989:. Retrieved
985:the original
975:
963:. Retrieved
949:
937:. Retrieved
933:the original
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889:
877:. Retrieved
873:the original
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851:. Retrieved
841:
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816:poverty line
809:
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550:Demographics
533:
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483:Jean Laffite
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396:Grand Coteau
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284:chief named
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26:
1269:Lyons Point
1256:communities
1109:Parish seat
1049:January 31,
785:other races
515: /
455:Lake Arthur
432:New Orleans
411:Later years
323:During the
263:2010 census
92: /
1331:Categories
1264:Evangeline
1209:Estherwood
833:References
766:As of the
503:92°34′58″W
500:30°11′16″N
368:cotton gin
168:Population
80:92°34′58″W
77:30°11′16″N
1293:Footnotes
1214:Mermentau
965:April 23,
939:August 3,
853:March 20,
822:Education
775:, 12.48%
489:Geography
421:Lafayette
379:Opelousas
325:Civil War
259:Louisiana
251:Mermentau
240:FIPS code
228:Area code
190:Time zone
160:Elevation
116:Louisiana
18:Mermentau
1201:Villages
991:June 18,
897:Archived
789:Hispanic
779:, 0.42%
440:sleepers
286:Nementou
244:22-49870
1274:Midland
1134:Crowley
1116:Crowley
1024:June 4,
879:May 14,
479:Atakapa
459:Crowley
436:Houston
401:Hwy. 90
337:English
282:Atakapa
276:History
267:Crowley
105:Country
43:Village
1279:Mowata
1237:Branch
1174:Basile
1139:Eunice
1126:Cities
793:Latino
768:census
755:−21.9%
680:114.4%
665:−47.5%
560:Census
427:line.
357:Quebec
295:French
125:Acadia
121:Parish
1252:Other
1219:Morse
1185:Duson
1166:Towns
1145:Rayne
773:White
740:−8.3%
725:−5.1%
710:−1.4%
650:11.4%
635:44.9%
605:12.7%
473:Today
463:Olive
451:Olive
425:Texas
330:copal
297:word
216:UTC-5
195:UTC-6
113:State
1242:Egan
1229:CDPs
1191:Iota
1051:2008
1026:2015
993:2007
967:2011
941:2023
881:2013
855:2022
746:2020
731:2010
716:2000
701:1990
695:7.7%
686:1980
671:1970
656:1960
641:1950
626:1940
620:8.2%
611:1930
596:1920
581:1910
569:Note
564:Pop.
415:The
351:and
131:Area
791:or
750:516
735:661
720:721
705:760
690:771
675:716
660:334
645:636
630:571
615:394
600:364
585:323
434:to
299:mer
233:337
220:CDT
209:DST
199:CST
176:516
1333::
1112::
1097:,
1042:.
957:.
907:^
574:%±
381:.
272:.
257:,
1187:‡
1176:‡
1141:‡
1084:e
1077:t
1070:v
1053:.
1028:.
995:.
969:.
943:.
883:.
857:.
590:—
222:)
218:(
211:)
201:)
197:(
20:)
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