Winnfield, Louisiana

Winnfield is a small city in, and the parish seat of, Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census, and 4,840 in 2010. Three governors of the state of Louisiana were from Winnfield: Huey Long, Earl K. Long, and Oscar K. Allen.

History


When Winn Parish was officially formed by the state legislature in 1852, Winnfield was established as the parish seat. During the Civil War, the area around Winnfield was the site of some minor skirmishes. Confederate forces defeated a Union detachment near Salsbury Bridge sent to destroy the Drake's Salt Works in the area.

Many Civil War bandits made the region their home. Among these were the West and Kimbrel clan.

Three Louisiana governors were Winnfield natives and grew up here: Huey Long, Oscar K. Allen and Earl Long. Huey Long became governor, U.S. Senator. He was assassinated in 1935. Oscar K. Allen was elected governor in 1932. Earl Long, "the Louisiana Longshot," served in a variety of state positions, said to be more than other Louisianan, including elective office. He was elected governor in 1939, 1948 and 1956. He was elected to Congress in 1960 but died before he could assume office.

Winnfield was a major producer of salt in the Civil War days; salt kettles used at Big Cedar and Drake's Salt Works furnished salt for the Confederate army. One still exists today in front of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame, turned into a fountain. The salt works was located on Saline Bayou. Later the Cary Salt Works started an 840 ft deep mine west of Winnfield. The mine was used by the federal government in Project Coyboy Plowshare Program, Cowboy Event. Between Dec 1959 and March 1960 a series of high explosives were set off inside the Carry Salt Works in an unused portion of the mine. The mine later was flooded by an underground river. The mine and all equipment inside was abandoned.

The rock quarry operated near or on top of the salt mine and produced limestone and gravel still operates today as Winn Rock.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.6 km2), all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,153 people, 1,967 households, and 1,173 families residing in the city.

Economy


, according to Bauer, Walmart, Winn Correctional Center, and the area lumber mill offer the majority of the jobs in the Winnfield area; because of the poverty in the area residents are willing to take low-paying jobs at Winn Correctional Center despite the danger present there.

Museums

 * Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame

Annual events

 * Uncle Earl's Hog Dog Trials – a yearly bay dog event
 * Louisiana Forest Festival

Public schools
Winn Parish School Board operates local public schools, which include:
 * Winnfield Senior High School (9–12)
 * Winnfield Middle School (5–8)
 * Winnfield Primary School (K–4)

Higher education

 * Central Louisiana Technical Community College — Huey P. Long campus

Newspaper

 * Winn Parish Enterprise
 * Winn Parish Journal
 * The Piney Woods Journal

TV

 * KCDH-LP Cable only

Radio

 * KVCL-FM - country music

Notable people

 * A. Leonard Allen, U. S. Congressman
 * Oscar K. Allen, Governor of Louisiana
 * George Washington Bolton, businessman and patriarch of the Bolton family of Alexandria; lived in Winnfield in the latter 1860s
 * Harley Bozeman, tree farmer, politician, historian, confidant of Huey and Earl Long
 * P. J. Brown, professional basketball player
 * John Burrows, professional baseball player
 * Randy Fenoli, fashion designer, star of Say Yes to the Dress andRandy to the Rescue
 * Earl K. Long, Governor of Louisiana
 * Gillis William Long, U. S. Congressman
 * Huey Pierce Long Jr., Governor of Louisiana, senator from Louisiana
 * Speedy Long, U. S. Congressman, attended high school in Winnfield
 * Dick Merrill, aviator
 * Thomas D. Milling, Brigadier General, United States Air Force
 * Preston Powell, professional football player
 * William Jay Smith, Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress between 1968 and 1970
 * Anthony Thomas, professional American football player
 * Jack Wallace (catcher), professional baseball player, minor league manager