Winnfield is a small city in, and the parish seat of, Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, Winnfield had a population of 4,153.

History

thumb|left|Stores in Winnfield, 1904

thumb|left|Courthouse, 1904

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-foot deep mine west of Winnfield. The mine was used by the federal government in Project Coyboy Plowshare Program, Cowboy Event. Between December 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 was later flooded by an underground river. The mine and all equipment inside were 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&nbsp;square miles (8.6&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), all land.

It is about a three hour traveling distance from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Winnfield city, Louisiana – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>

!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|-

|White alone (NH)

|2,732

|2,165

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,636

|47.52%

|44.73%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |39.39%

|-

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|2,857

|2,432

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,210

|49.70%

|50.25%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |53.21%

|-

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|21

|27

|style='background: #ffffe6; |18

|0.37%

|0.56%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.43%

|-

|Asian alone (NH)

|9

|17

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4

|0.16%

|0.35%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.10%

|-

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|0

|2

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0

|0.00%

|0.04%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%

|-

|Other race alone (NH)

|0

|6

|style='background: #ffffe6; |14

|0.00%

|0.12%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.34%

|-

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|64

|66

|style='background: #ffffe6; |143

|1.11%

|1.36%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.44%

|-

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|66

|125

|style='background: #ffffe6; |128

|1.15%

|2.58%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.08%

|-

|Total

|5,749

|4,840

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,153

|100.00%

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

|}

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Winnfield had a population of 4,153. The median age was 37.8 years. 26.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.8% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 85.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 78.9 males age 18 and over.

There were 1,693 households, including 1,173 families, in the city. Of all households, 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Married-couple households made up 24.7% of households, while 22.9% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present and 46.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Economy

thumb|Winnfield City Hall

, 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.

Arts and culture

Museums

  • Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame

Annual events

  • Uncle Earl's Hog Dog Trialsa yearly bay dog event
  • Louisiana Forest Festival

Education

Public schools

Winn Parish School Board operates local public schools, which include:

  • Winnfield Senior High School (912)
  • Winnfield Middle School (58)
  • Winnfield Primary School (K4)

Higher education

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

Media

Newspapers

  • The Piney Woods Journal
  • Winn Parish Enterprise
  • Winn Parish Journal

TV

  • KCDH-LP, cable only

Radio

  • KVCL-FM - country music

Infrastructure

Health Care

Winn Parish Medical Center is a 30-bed facility. it was founded in 1948.

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
  • 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