Ponchatoula is a city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. ^{[1] [2]} The population was 5,180 at the 2000 census. Ponchatoula bills itself as "Strawberry Capital of the World". List of cities, towns, and villages in Louisiana, arranged in alphabetical order. ... Official language(s) de jure: none de facto: English & French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans [1] Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq mi (134,382 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 16  - Latitude 29°N to 33°N  - Longitude 89°W... Tangipahoa Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The metre (American English:meter) is a measure of length. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ...  CST or UTC-6 The Central Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time (UTC-6) and five hours during daylight saving time (UTC-5). ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7...  CST or UTC-6 The Central Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time (UTC-6) and five hours during daylight saving time (UTC-5). ... -12 | -11 | -10 | -9:30 | -9 | -8 | -7 | -6 | -5 | -4 | -3:30 | -3 | -2:30 | -2 | -1 | -0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Area code 985 is the telephone area code for southeastern Louisiana excluding New Orleans. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 331 × 303 pixelsFull resolution (331 × 303 pixel, file size: 12 KB, MIME type: image/png) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Donaldsonville, Louisiana Gonzales, Louisiana Sorrento, Louisiana... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Map_of_USA_LA.svg‎ File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Louisiana ... Tangipahoa Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. ... Official language(s) de jure: none de facto: English & French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans [1] Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq mi (134,382 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 16  - Latitude 29°N to 33°N  - Longitude 89°W... - Species 20+ species; see text The strawberry (Fragaria) is a genus of plants in the family Rosaceae, and the fruit of these plants. ...

Geography

Ponchatoula is located at 30°26′21″N, 90°26′33″W (30.439162, -90.442507)^GR1 and has an elevation of 26 feet (7.9 m)^GR3. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.9 km² (4.2 mi²), all land. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...

Ponchatoula is located along Interstate 55 and Highway 22, in a position that puts it an equal distance between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. In the early 1900s, Ponchatoula was one of only two ways to get to New Orleans by land, giving it the title of "Gateway to New Orleans." Interstate 55 (abbreviated I-55) is an interstate highway in the central United States. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Capitol Building Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana, a state of the United States of America. ... // Public flight demonstration of an airplane by Alberto Santos-Dumont in Paris, November 12, 1906. ...

History

Ponchatoula was established as a logging camp in 1820, and incorporated as a town on February 12, 1861. Ponchatoula is a name signifying "falling hair" or "hanging hair" or "flowing hair" from the Choctaw Pashi "hair" and itula or itola "to fall" or "to hang" or "flowing". The Indian name Ponchatoula means "flowing hair", arrived at by the Indians as a way of expressing the beauty of the location with much moss hanging from the trees. "Ponche" is an Indian word meaning location, an object, or a person [1]. 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar) // January 1 - Benito Juárez captures Mexico City January 2 - Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia dies and is succeeded by... For other uses, see Choctaw (disambiguation). ...

Tourism

Ponchatoula is a small town, but it has several tourist attractions. The old train depot has been converted into the Country Market, a series of booths for local craftsmen and artisans. Next door is the Art Car: a train car which has been turned into an art gallery for local painters. In the same block lives Ole' Hardhide, an alligator credited with "writing" a column in The Ponchatoula Times newspaper. The current Hardhide is the fourth by that name ^{[citation needed]}. Species Alligator mississippiensis Alligator sinensis An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. ...

Ponchatoula (upper center) is along I-55, south of Hammond, west of Mandeville.

Across Highway 22 from Hardhide is the Collinswood School Museum, a former one room schoolhouse which now has local artifacts and quilts on display. Between Collinswood and the tracks stands the Strawberry Train, which is a steam engine and single car which is roped off in such a way that children can safely climb into the engine and car. The Chamber of Commerce's office is located on Highway 22 at the railroad tracks and has information of these and other local sights both in Ponchatoula and in the surrounding area. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Interstate 55 is an interstate highway in the central United States. ... Hammond is the largest city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. ... Mandeville is a city located in St. ...

Demographics

As of the 2000 census^GR2, there were 5,180 people,^[2] 1,984 households, and 1,372 families residing in the city. The population density was 473.9/km² (1,226.7/mi²). There were 2,175 housing units at an average density of 199.0/km² (515.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 62.20% White, 36.83% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.15% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population. 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ...

There were 1,984 households out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 23.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% 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 3.16. “Spouse” redirects here. ...

In the city of Ponchatoula, the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $22,244, and the median income for a family was $29,583. Males had a median income of $30,285 versus $18,952 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,157. About 27.9% of families and 31.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.9% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over. The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the total population. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...

Events

Ponchatoula hosts the annual Strawberry Festival each April and the annual Oktoberfest each October. - Species 20+ species; see text The strawberry (Fragaria) is a genus of plants in the family Rosaceae, and the fruit of these plants. ...

Notable residents

• Lindsey Cardinale
• Marguerite Perrin
• Irma Thomas (raised)

Lindsey Michelle Cardinale (born February 5, 1985 in Hammond, Louisiana), is an American country singer and university student who was the twelfth-place finalist on the fourth season of American Idol in 2005. ... Perrin on Trading Spouses. ...

References

The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ...

External links

• City of Ponchatoula.