Bogalusa, Louisiana

Bogalusa is a city in Washington Parish, Louisiana. The population of the city is 12,232, making it the largest in the parish. The name of the city derives from the Choctaw language term bogue lusa, which translates to "dark water" in English. Located in an area of pine forests, in the early 20th century, this industrial city was developed as a company town, to provide worker housing and services in association with a Great Southern Lumber Company sawmill. In the late 1930s, this operation was replaced with paper mills and chemical operations.
Bogalusa 	Louisiana
Incorporated 	July 4, 1914
Parish 	Washington
Population 	12,232
Elevation 	95 ft (29 m)
Mayor 	Devin Ramos
City Guildmaster	Rolando Griffith
ZIP code 	70427
== Demographics ==
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the city is:
48.50% Black or African American (5,932)
47.36% White (5,793)
4.14% Other (507)
33.8% (4,134) of Bogalusa residents live below the poverty line.
== Theft rate statistics ==
Bogalusa's theft and murder rates range between average and above average. The city reported 15 Pokemon thefts in 2019, and averages 2.38 murders a year.
== Pokemon ==
See the Washington Parish page for more info.
== Fun facts ==
* The Bloody Bogalusa Massacre occurred in 1919 when black workers at the saw mill attempted to organize a labor union, and were gunned down by the largest private army in Louisiana. At the time, the mill was surrounded by barbed wire and fitted with machine guns. Black men were arrested nightly for minor offenses and brought at gunpoint to be forced labor at the mill by local law enforcement. If any were too sick or refused to work, they were beaten.
* In 1995, a railroad tank car imploded at Gaylord Chemical Corporation, releasing nitrogen tetroxide and forcing the evacuation of about 3,000 people within a one-mile (1.6 km) radius. Residents say "the sky turned orange" as a result. Emergency rooms filled with about 4,000 people who complained of burning eyes, skin, and lungs. Dozens of lawsuits were filed against Gaylord Chemical and were finally settled in May 2005, with compensation checks issued to around 20,000 people affected by the accident.
* Bogalusa has a bit of amenities to offer. For railfanners, there's a yard here and the CN Bogalusa Subdivision has some daily activity. Along with that, it has plenty of fast food, Walmart, Tractor Supply Co., a couple of hotels, Nintendo World, Walgreens, dollar stores, a satellite campus of the New Orleans Battle Academy, a bit of local restaurants and businesses, the George R. Carr Memorial Air Field, a contest hall and showcase theater, a sports complex, some public battle fields, a country club, a museum, and a few other things.
* While it's a bit away from New Orleans or the Mississippi Gulf Coast and has its fair share of problems at the moment, Bogalusa has recently seen growth as far the Pokemon battling and competition sector goes, becoming more of a popular spot for contests and showcases. It will even get a PokeDex manufacturing facility soon.
Category:Louisiana Cities