Gonzales is a city located in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 8,156. It has been called the "jambalaya capital of the world" and is famous for its annual Jambalaya Festival.
Gonzales is located at 30°13'38" North, 90°55'11" West (30.227128, -90.919771).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.8 km2 (8.4 mi2). 21.7 km2 (8.4 mi2) of it is land and 0.2 km2 (0.1 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 0.71% water.
As of the census of 2000, there are 8,156 people, 2,966 households, and 2,156 families residing in the city. The population density is 376.2/km2 (974.2/mi2). There are 3,332 housing units at an average density of 153.7/km2 (398.0/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 65.40% White, 31.25% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.64% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 3.62% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 2,966 households out of which 36.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% are married couples living together, 17.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% are non-families. 23.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.68 and the average family size is 3.18.
In the city the population is spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $38,173, and the median income for a family is $43,117. Males have a median income of $38,731 versus $22,168 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,690. 16.6% of the population and 14.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 23.6% of those under the age of 18 and 14.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Early settlers of the area which would eventually become Gonzales were, for the most part, of Spanish and French ancestry, settling amidst the Houma Indians who lived in the area. By 1851, the small settlement had only ten residents. A school was established in 1855 by Adlard Gautreaux for the children in the area. By 1886, the settlement had grown to where the citizens of the community elected "Big" Joseph Gonzales as their sheriff. Joseph's son, "Tee-Joe" Gonzales, opened a general store and post office in 1887. Because the post office was known as the Gonzales Post Office, a few years later the Railroad Commission ordered the local railroad to change the name of the community from Edenborn to Gonzales to match the post office name.
The railroad assisted in the growth of Gonzales. It was officially incorporated as a village in 1922 by then Louisiana Governor John Parker with Joseph Gonzales becoming the first mayor. The village continued to grow with the construction of Airline Highway, and Earl K. Long proclaimed Gonzales a town in 1952 during his term as governor. The first Jambalaya Festival was held in 1968, and Governor John J. McKeithen marked the occasion by proclaiming Gonzales the "jambalaya capitol of the world." Following the growth of industrial corporations in the area, the town finally became a city in 1977 following a proclamation by Governor Edwin Edwards.
Source:
GonzalesLouisiana.com
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