Alexandria, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
 Downtown | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname: Alex (typically pronounced Ellic) | |
 Location of Alexandria in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. | |
  Alexandria Location in Louisiana Show map of Louisiana Alexandria Location in the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:31°17′30″N92°28′12″W / 31.29167°N 92.47000°W /31.29167; -92.47000 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Rapides |
| Founded | 1785 (240 years ago) (1785) |
| Incorporated (town) | 1818 (207 years ago) (1818) |
| City Charter | 1882 (143 years ago) (1882) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jacques Roy |
| Area | |
• City | 29.18 sq mi (75.58 km2) |
| • Land | 28.49 sq mi (73.79 km2) |
| • Water | 0.69 sq mi (1.79 km2) |
| Elevation | 82 ft (25 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 45,275 |
| • Rank | RA: 1st LA: 9th |
| • Density | 1,589.1/sq mi (613.56/km2) |
| • Metro | 153,922 |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 71301-03, 06–07, 09, 11, 15 |
| Area code | 318 |
| Phone Number Prefixes | 201, 290, 308, 318, 420, 427, 441–443, 445, 448, 449, 473, 483, 484, 487, 542, 561, 619, 767, 769, 787, 880 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2403079[2] |
| Website | www |
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Alexandria is the ninth-largestcity in the state ofLouisiana and is theparish seat of and the largest city inRapides Parish,Louisiana, United States.[3] It lies on the south bank of theRed River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of theAlexandria metropolitan area (population 153,922) which encompasses all of Rapides andGrant parishes. Its neighboring city isPineville. In 2010, the population was 47,723, an increase of 3 percent from the 2000 census.[4]
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Located along the Red River, the city of Alexandria was originally home to a community which supported activities of the adjacent French trader outpost ofPost du Rapides. The area developed as an assemblage of traders,Caddo people, and merchants in the agricultural lands bordering the mostly unsettled areas to the north and providing a link from the south to theEl Camino Real and then larger settlement ofNatchitoches, the oldest permanent settlement in theLouisiana Purchase.
Alexander Fulton, abusinessman fromWashington County, nearPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, received a land grant from Spain in 1762, and the first organized settlement was made at some point in the 1780s. In 1805, Fulton and business partner Thomas Harris Maddox laid out the town plan and named the town in Fulton's honor.[5] The earliest deed that survives for an Alexandria resident is from June 24, 1801, when a William Cochren, who identifies himself as "Slave master of the Southern Americas", sold a tract of land across the Red River to a William Murrey.[6]
That same year, Fulton was appointedcoroner in Rapides Parish byterritorialGovernorWilliam C.C. Claiborne.[7] Alexandria was incorporated as a town in 1818 and received acity charter in 1832.[8]
In 1942, Alexandria was the site of the Lee Street Riot,[9] an incident ofracial violence that occurred between mostly civilians and military police. Witnesses state that as many as 20 people may have been killed, however the official report indicates that 3 soldiers were critically injured, and does not mention any deaths.[10]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 27.0 square miles (69.9 km2), of which 26.4 square miles (68.4 km2) is land and 0.6 square mile (1.5 km2) (2.15%) is water.
Alexandria is on a level plain in the center of the LouisianaLongleaf Pineforests, in which pine is interspersed with varioushardwoods. A number of smallbayous, such as Bayou Rapides, Bayou Robert, and Hynson Bayou, meander throughout the city. In the immediate vicinity of the city,cotton,sugar,alfalfa, and garden vegetables are cultivated.
The climate ishumid subtropical with some continental influence in the winter. Summers are consistently hot and humid, whereas winters are mild, with occasional cold snaps. On average, the first freeze occurs in early to mid November and the last freeze occurs in early to mid March. The area receives plentiful rainfall year-round, with thunderstorms possible throughout the year. Some storms can be severe, especially during the spring months. According to 'Cities Ranked and Rated' (Bert Sperling and Peter Sander), Alexandria reports an average of 69 days per year with thunder reported, which is nearly double the national average. Snowfall is rare, with measurable snow having occurred 27 times since 1895. The heaviest snowfall event took place February 12–13, 1960, when 9.1" of snow fell.[11][12][13]
Tropical storms and hurricanes affect Alexandria from time to time, but rarely cause severe damage, unlike areas closer to the coast. In September 2005,Hurricane Rita moved inland and affected Alexandria and surrounding areas, causing widespread power outages and damaging the roofs of some structures. The most recent hurricane,Gustav in 2008, caused widespread flooding, knocked over trees and power lines leading to power outages, and damaged structures. Some low-lying Alexandria neighborhoods had substantial flooding from Gustav, leaving several feet of water in houses.
| Climate data for Alexandria, Louisiana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1892–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 87 (31) | 88 (31) | 93 (34) | 98 (37) | 99 (37) | 106 (41) | 109 (43) | 110 (43) | 109 (43) | 98 (37) | 89 (32) | 85 (29) | 110 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 75.9 (24.4) | 78.9 (26.1) | 83.7 (28.7) | 86.9 (30.5) | 91.9 (33.3) | 96.4 (35.8) | 98.9 (37.2) | 99.6 (37.6) | 96.8 (36.0) | 90.6 (32.6) | 83.4 (28.6) | 78.4 (25.8) | 100.6 (38.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 58.5 (14.7) | 62.6 (17.0) | 69.6 (20.9) | 76.3 (24.6) | 83.3 (28.5) | 89.3 (31.8) | 91.7 (33.2) | 92.4 (33.6) | 88.1 (31.2) | 79.0 (26.1) | 68.2 (20.1) | 60.5 (15.8) | 76.6 (24.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 48.5 (9.2) | 52.2 (11.2) | 59.2 (15.1) | 65.8 (18.8) | 73.8 (23.2) | 80.2 (26.8) | 82.6 (28.1) | 82.7 (28.2) | 78.1 (25.6) | 67.8 (19.9) | 57.3 (14.1) | 50.5 (10.3) | 66.6 (19.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 38.5 (3.6) | 41.8 (5.4) | 48.8 (9.3) | 55.4 (13.0) | 64.3 (17.9) | 71.0 (21.7) | 73.6 (23.1) | 73.1 (22.8) | 68.0 (20.0) | 56.6 (13.7) | 46.4 (8.0) | 40.4 (4.7) | 56.5 (13.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 24.5 (−4.2) | 28.9 (−1.7) | 33.0 (0.6) | 41.5 (5.3) | 52.3 (11.3) | 63.2 (17.3) | 69.0 (20.6) | 67.2 (19.6) | 55.5 (13.1) | 41.6 (5.3) | 31.8 (−0.1) | 27.0 (−2.8) | 21.9 (−5.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 4 (−16) | 3 (−16) | 22 (−6) | 31 (−1) | 38 (3) | 50 (10) | 57 (14) | 55 (13) | 40 (4) | 27 (−3) | 20 (−7) | 7 (−14) | 3 (−16) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 6.13 (156) | 5.13 (130) | 5.18 (132) | 5.44 (138) | 4.58 (116) | 5.29 (134) | 4.55 (116) | 4.30 (109) | 3.98 (101) | 4.89 (124) | 5.45 (138) | 5.98 (152) | 60.90 (1,547) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.3 (0.76) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.4 (1.0) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 9.4 | 8.4 | 8.0 | 6.6 | 7.2 | 9.4 | 8.7 | 8.2 | 6.3 | 6.0 | 6.9 | 8.8 | 93.9 |
| Source:NOAA[14][15] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 814 | — | |
| 1850 | 672 | −17.4% | |
| 1860 | 1,461 | 117.4% | |
| 1870 | 1,218 | −16.6% | |
| 1880 | 1,800 | 47.8% | |
| 1890 | 2,861 | 58.9% | |
| 1900 | 5,648 | 97.4% | |
| 1910 | 11,213 | 98.5% | |
| 1920 | 17,510 | 56.2% | |
| 1930 | 23,025 | 31.5% | |
| 1940 | 27,066 | 17.6% | |
| 1950 | 34,913 | 29.0% | |
| 1960 | 40,279 | 15.4% | |
| 1970 | 41,811 | 3.8% | |
| 1980 | 51,648 | 23.5% | |
| 1990 | 49,188 | −4.8% | |
| 2000 | 46,342 | −5.8% | |
| 2010 | 47,723 | 3.0% | |
| 2020 | 45,275 | −5.1% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 43,133 | [16] | −4.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[17] | Pop 2010[18] | Pop 2020[19] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 19,486 | 17,872 | 16,537 | 42.05% | 37.45% | 36.53% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 25,291 | 27,210 | 24,745 | 54.57% | 57.02% | 54.65% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 112 | 171 | 156 | 0.24% | 0.36% | 0.34% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 567 | 872 | 977 | 1.22% | 1.83% | 2.16% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 15 | 4 | 14 | 0.03% | 0.01% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 36 | 75 | 162 | 0.08% | 0.16% | 0.36% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 379 | 670 | 1,409 | 0.82% | 1.40% | 3.11% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 456 | 849 | 1,275 | 0.98% | 1.78% | 2.82% |
| Total | 46,342 | 47,723 | 45,275 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 45,275 people, 17,920 households, and 10,933 families residing in the city.
As of thecensus[20] of 2010, there were 47,723 people, 17,816 households, and 11,722 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,754.6/sq mi (677.5/km2). There were 19,806 housing units at an average density of 749.9 per square mile (289.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 38.32%[21]White, 57.25%[21]Black, 1.25%Native American, 1.85% Asian, 0.14%Pacific Islander, 1.03% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. 6.98% of the population wereHispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 17,816 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% were married couples living together, 23.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,097, and the median income for a family was $31,978. Males had a median income of $29,456 versus $20,154 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $16,242. About 23.2% of families and 27.4% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 37.7% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.
Like many other southern cities, the largest single church denomination in the Alexandria area isSouthern Baptist. Large congregations include theEmmanuel Baptist Church and Calvary Baptist Church. Alexandria is the headquarters of theLouisiana Baptist Convention. Alexandria also has a significant number ofMethodists,Presbyterians,Episcopalians, andPentecostals.
A significantCatholic population is also present,[22] a result of the large CatholicAcadian French population which resides in and around Alexandria, many from neighboringAvoyelles Parish. Alexandria is the headquarters for theDiocese of Alexandria.
Alexandria has a small, though activeJewish community which dates back to the mid-19th century. Jews have held positions in local government, civic organizations, education, and medicine. At one time, many large businesses in the downtown were Jewish-owned. The Jewish community in Alexandria maintains twosynagogues, which are approximately two blocks apart:Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim (Reform) andB'nai Israel Traditional Synagogue (Conservative).
Though Alexandria is north of theCajun cultural area, the city recognizesMardi Gras as an official holiday. The annual Mardi Gras Krewes Parade – occurring on the Sunday before Mardi Gras – on Texas Avenue is a major cultural festivity in the area. It is featured as a family-oriented event, and parade goers can enjoy over 20 New Orleans style floats, high school and college marching bands, as well as appearances by local celebrities. In addition to the main Sunday parade, the College Cheerleaders & Classic Cars Parade, which was established in 2008, takes place downtown on the Friday before Mardi Gras, the Children's Parade takes place downtown on the Saturday before Mardi Gras, and the Krewe of Provine Parade is held onFat Tuesday, processing along Coliseum Boulevard. All the events are organized by the Alexandria Mardi Gras Association (AMGA). The Krewe Parade can attract from 120,000 to 150,000; the Children's parade, up to 40,000 to 50,000, and the College Cheerleaders & Classic Cars, about 5,000 to 15,000 people.[23]
An annual three-day festival is held in downtown Alexandria around late April and early May. The festival, established in 2013, was created around a former successful stand-alone event, the Louisiana Dragon Boat Races.[24] It features the race and other former stand-alone events such as Dinner on the Bricks and the ArtWalk (now Art Fête) along with various booth venues, food, and live music, as well as the Kids Fête and Classic Car Fête.
An annual three day festival held in downtown Alexandria around early December. Launched in 2015, the festival first year drew about double the anticipated crowd of 15,000.[24] The festival, like the Alex River Fête, feature booth venues, food, and live music but also features an ice rink. In January 2017, the Alex Winter Fête was voted Festival of the Year by the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association.[25]
Begun in the late 1980s, Cenlabration[26] was one of the largest festivals in Central Louisiana (Cenla). The name comes from Central Louisiana ("LA") Celebration, and reflects local culture and heritage, as well as serving as a means of celebratingLabor Day as the end of summer.
As many as three stages support a particular type of music, includingCajun and zydeco, blues and jazz, andCountry music. In addition there are arts and crafts booths for local artists to sell their wares. In the Children's Village, children can participate in arts and crafts, listen to storytellers, play games with clowns, or watch a play. The festival has plenty of carnival rides available as well. Cenlabration ends with a large fireworks display.
The festival ran for 20 years until cancellation due to finances. The city ended its annual support of $40,000 because of budget constraints.[24]
In 2002, representatives of local government, businesses, organizations, and community formed the nonprofit organization River Cities Cultural Alliance, Inc. to promote tourism and the arts through a celebration of Central Louisiana's diverse cultural heritage. The nonprofit served to organize and put on RiverFest: Heritage and Arts on the Red. More than ten thousand festival-goers attending the event.
RiverFest was held in downtown Alexandria and on the Alexandria andPineville levees. The festival features the work of visual artists from across the South, food booths exemplifying southern cuisine, a variety of children's activities, three outdoor stages with a wide range of music, dance, and theatrical performances, and a literary component with readings and panel discussions by Louisiana authors and scholars.
RiverFest was canceled in 2007.
An annual barbecue festival launched in 2006, the festival was held on the levee near downtown Alexandria and was well known for its big-name entertainment. The event was cancelled in 2012 due to its high cost and the city deciding against continued support of $100,000 annually.[24]
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TheAlexandria Museum of Art was founded in 1977 and occupies an historic Rapides Bank Building on the banks of the Red River. The building was built c. 1898 and is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places. The museum opened to the public in March 1998. In 1998, the Alexandria Museum of Art expanded and constructed its grand foyer and offices as an annex to the Rapides Bank Building. In 1999, the Alexandria Museum of Art was honored as an Outstanding Arts Organization in the Louisiana Governor's Arts Awards. In 2007, the Alexandria Museum of Art entered into a collaborative endeavor agreement with Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA). The Alexandria Museum of Art now also serves as a downtown campus for LSUA classes, and is host to multidisciplinary community events, including concerts and recitals, lectures, yoga classes, Second Saturday Markets, and Museum Afterhours.
TheLouisiana History Museum is located downtown on the bottom floor of the former library. A small facility, it showcases the history of all Louisiana, with emphasis on the central portion of the state, Rapides Parish, and Alexandria. Major exhibit areas concernNative Americans, Louisiana geography, politics, health care, farming, and the impact of war.
The T.R.E.E. House Children's Museum andArna Bontemps African American Museum are located within the Cultural Arts District.
TheKent Plantation House in Alexandria, completed by 1800, was located on a Spanish land grant. It is the oldest standing structure in Central Louisiana, one of only two buildings in the city to survive the burning of 1864 by Union troops fleeing after having been defeated at theBattle of Mansfield inDeSoto Parish. The house has been moved from its original location but is still located on part of the first land grant. It is open for tours daily except Sundays at 9, 10, and 11 a.m. and 1, 2, and 3 p.m. The tour is led by costumed docents and includes the house furnished in period pieces, some belonging to the original family, and all nine outbuildings, including an 1840-50s sugar mill,blacksmith shop, barn, two slave cabins, open-hearth kitchen, and milk house.
The performing arts are centered in the Alexandria Cultural Arts District in the downtown. Located within a few blocks of each other are three performance venues: Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center, the Hearn Stage, and the Riverfront Amphitheater.
The Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center is the home of the Rapides Symphony Orchestra, which has performed in Alexandria since 1968. The center hosts the Performing Arts Series of the Arts Council of Central Louisiana, the Red River Chorale (an auditioned community chorus), and presentations of numerous local theater groups. The land for the center was donated byThe Alexandria Town Talk newspaper, owned by theGannett Company ofMcLean,Virginia.
Businesswoman Jacqueline Seagall Caplan (1935–2016) was the president of the Arts Council of Central Louisiana and the chairman of the group's executive committee when the Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center opened in 2004. She predicted that Coughlin-Saunders would in time "provide a place people can point to and say it's theirs. ... [Until now], we've never had a performing arts center where every type of performing art can come."[27]
The Hearn Stage is a black box theater for smaller productions. The Arts Council provides day-to-day management of both the Coughlin-Saunders Center and the Hearn Stage.[28]
The Riverfront Amphitheater hosts each April a "Jazz on the River" music festival, sponsored by the Arna Bontemps African American Museum. The Rapides Symphony holds an annual fall Pops concert in the amphitheater. In recent years, the amphitheater has welcomed musical guests in conjunction with the springtime Dragonboat Races sponsored by the Alexandria Museum of Art.
The spring and fall seasons also feature Downtown Rocks, a free outdoor concert series in nearby Fulton Park.
Alexandria was home to theAlexandria Aces, a summer college league baseball team. The Aces were champions in various leagues in 1997, 1998, 2006, and 2007. They played their home games atBringhurst Field. Due to lack of repairs on the stadium, combined with the aging of it caused interest in the team to drop, with much of the wooden stands being barricaded. The remaining games of the 2013 season were canceled in mid-July because of low attendance, which averaged fewer than two hundred per game.[29] The stadium's office and clubhouse were destroyed by a fire in 2014 and were subsequently torn down.[30] In 2017, it was decided that the stadium would become a green space, open to the public and welcome news to those concerned about the building's future. The scoreboard and outfield walls have been removed, but most of the stadium is still intact. In 1974, a Little League team from Alexandria won the Louisiana state championship.
Alexandria had a minor leagueice hockey team, theAlexandria Warthogs. They played their home games at theRapides Parish Coliseum.
A professional indoor football team, theLouisiana Rangers, played their home games at the Rapides Parish Coliseum. They played in the Central District of the Southern American Football League, and the Southern Conference of the National Indoor Football League (NIFL). The team was owned by a Lafayette business group before moving in 2003 toBeaumont,Texas.
Soccer has also become a growing interest in the area. The Crossroads Soccer Association has had multiple youth teams achieve success in various travel soccer leagues. One of the earliest teams to do so was the then- U-14 Crossroads Pride soccer team, winning the 2012 Louisiana Soccer Association State Cup.
Also run by Crossroads is Alexandria's first amateur soccer team, Central Louisiana FC (formerly called Pool Boys FC and Alexandria Pool Boys FC). They are a founding member of theGulf Coast Premier League, playing their games at Johnny Downs Sports Complex andLouisiana Christian University's Wildcat Stadium in neighboring Pineville. Central Louisiana FC runs both men's and women's amateur teams, as well as a developmental team that competes in the GCL2, the Gulf Coast Premier League's second division.
Nearby is Bringhurst Golf Course, popularly known as "the nation's oldest par-three course." A full-scale renovation was completed in mid-2010. In addition to Bringhurst, named for the late industrialist R.W. Bringhurst, Alexandria is home to four other golf courses: Oak Wing, The Links on the Bayou, at LSUA, and Alexandria Golf and Country Club.
Alexandria was also home to the Cenla Derby Dames, a roller derby team that operates under theWomen's Flat Track Derby Association. The Dames played their home games at the Rapides Parish Coliseum.
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Established March 17, 1883,The Alexandria Town Talk is a daily newspaper for Alexandria-Pineville and the thirteen parishes which comprise central Louisiana. The newspaper was owned by the family of the late Jane Wilson Smith andJoe D. Smith, Jr., until March 1996, when it was sold to Central Newspapers. In August 2000, theGannett Company acquired the Central Newspapers properties, includingThe Town Talk. The name of the paper on its inaugural issue was theAlexandria Daily Town Talk. Although it has since been shorted to the currentThe Town Talk, it is still frequently referred to by long-time residents as theDaily Town Talk.
Alexandria is served by local television stationsKALB-TV (NBC /CBS/The CW),WNTZ (Fox),KLAX-TV (ABC),KLPA (PBS/LPB), andKBCA (Heroes & Icons). KALB is the oldest television station in central Louisiana.
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TheAlexandria Zoological Park is a 33-acre (13 ha) zoo first opened to the public in 1926. Owned by the City of Alexandria and operated by the Division of Public Works, it is home to about 500 animals and includes an award-winning Louisiana Habitat exhibit. The zoo is accredited by theAssociation of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and takes part in about 20Species Survival Plans (SSP) as part of its conservation efforts.[47][48]
Cotile Lake is a man-madeimpoundment located in the uplands approximately 15 miles (24 km) west-northwest of Alexandria, Louisiana. The lake is approximately 1,775 acres (7 km2) in size and was completed in October 1965. The Louisiana Wild Life and Fisheries Commission stocked this impoundment with the proper species and number of game fish in 1965–66 shortly after its completion date. The recreational facilities include a large area cleared and zoned for swimming with complete bath house facilities nearby. There is awater skiing area that is cleared and snagged for safety of the skiers. The picnic and camping areas are modern and complete. There is also space available for campers.
Encompasses a 2,250-acre (9 km2) lake, 100 acres (0.4 km2) of developed recreation facilities and a 250 acres (1.0 km2) primitive camping area all within the Alexander State Forest. The lake, located in central Louisiana, was constructed as a joint venture of the Louisiana Forestry Commission, the Rapides Parish Police Jury, and the Lower West Red River Soil and Water Conservation District as a reservoir for agricultural irrigation in times of need and for recreation purposes.
The recreation area camping area contains 109 campsites with conventional full utility hookups, 3 beaches forswimming, bath houses, a boat launch, and 75 picnic sites. A covered pavilion within the developed area provides for groups up to 100 people. The recreation area is open year-round and operates on user fees.
Alexandria sits in the middle of theKisatchie National Forest. Ranger districts are north, northwest, west and southwest of the city. An abundance of large timberlands and forest nurseries, as well as lake and recreation areas, are within a short driving distance.
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Alexandria is home to both Headquarters and Company B of the 199th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB). The 199th BSB is the logistical component of the256th Infantry Brigade that served in Operation Iraqi Freedom from October 2004 until September 2005. The 199th BSB provides supply and transportation (Company A), medical (Company C) and maintenance (Company B) support and services that keep the 256th Brigade operational. The battalion also has units located inJonesboro,Winnfield,Colfax, andSt. Martinville, Louisiana.
Alexandria served as the home ofEngland Air Force Base from its origins as an emergency airstrip for Esler Regional Airport until its closure. England AFB was officially closed on December 15, 1992, pursuant to theDefense Base Closure and Realignment Act (Public Law 101–510) and recommendations of the Defense Secretary's Commission onBase Realignment and Closure.[49] The base now serves asAlexandria International Airport (see below).
According to Census ACS 1-year survey for 2016, the per capita income of Alexandria was $23,962. This is $1,702 lower than the Louisiana average for per capita income in the same period. That figure is at $31,128 nationally. The Alexandria workforce consists of about 55,000 residents.[50]Union Tank Car Company has recently located a plant northwest of Alexandria near the airport creating hundreds of jobs. Expansions at theProcter & Gamble plant and the construction of aPlastiPak plant in nearbyPineville have also created a number of new jobs for the area.Sundrop Fuels Inc., a Colorado-based biofuels start-up, plans to construct an over 1,200 acre plant just southwest of Alexandria in Rapides Station area. The facility will serve as the headquarters for the company because aside from the plant itself, Sundrop has also bought Cowboy Town, an abandon entertainment venue that sits inside the surrounding land that was purchased, to house their offices and their maintenance and fabrication operations.[51]
In 2007,Inc. Magazine rated Alexandria as the 77th best place in which to conduct business out of the 393 U.S. cities ranked, a significant increase from its ranking as No. 276 in 2006. Among other Louisiana cities, Alexandria ranked second, following onlyBaton Rouge, which ranked 59th nationally.[52]
Alexandria is home to two majorhospitals: Rapides Regional Medical Center, a former Baptist hospital is located downtown. Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital was opened in 1950 and is located at the corner of Masonic Drive and Texas Avenue. Both hospitals have undergone expansion.
Additionally, located just across the Red River in Pineville, the Veteran's Affairs Medical Center at Alexandria serves central Louisiana and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, in 2013, the state allocated $15 million to move the medical services long provided at no or minimal charge at the Huey P. Long Medical Center in Pineville to the former hospital at England Park at the site of the closed England Air Force Base.[53]
In the early 19th century, the Port of Alexandria brought goods to the area and shippedcotton and other local products to the rest of the country. Aferry connected the cities of Alexandria and Pineville until a bridge was built across the Red in 1900.
Today, Port facilities include: a 40-ton crane for off-loading, a 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) warehouse, 13,600-ton bulkfertilizer warehouse, a 3,400-ton bulk fertilizer dome structure and a 5,000-ton dome which was added in January 2005.
Thepetroleum off-loading facility includes two 55,000 bbl (8,700 m3) tanks, one 15,000 bbl (2,400 m3) tank capable of handling two barges and five truck off-loading simultaneously. There is also a general cargo dock with access to rail and a hopper barge unloading dock with conveyor system.
Today's modern facilities and the Port's central location with its connection to the Mississippi River provide excellent opportunities for importers and exporters.
Alexandria International Airport (AEX) is a regional airport, providing flights to Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Houston.[54] In 2006 a new-state-of-the-art passenger terminal was dedicated. Alexandria is served byAmerican andDelta.
Formerly known asEngland AFB until 1992, Alexandria International Airport additionally has numerous international charter airlines using the airport in the transport of military personnel attached to the United States Army base atFort Polk. A new military personnel terminal opened in 2007.
Following the Civil War, all public records in Alexandria had been destroyed. On September 29, 1868, the city was granted a new charter with a government consisting of a Mayor, Treasurer, and Justice of the Peace. Nine aldermen represented the four wards of the city – two from each ward and one elected at-large.
In 1912, theLawrason Act established Alexandria municipal government in a strong mayor format, where the mayor was also the Commissioner of Public Health and Safety (Police, Fire, Sanitation). There were separate Commissioners of Streets and Parks and Finance and Utilities, elected citywide. Those positions were discontinued in 1977.
Alexandria has a mayoral-council system of government. The Mayor serves as the executive branch of the local government.
The City Council serves as the legislative branch. The five districts of the city are represented on the council; in addition there are two council members elected to serve as at-large representatives of the city.
The Alexandria Court has a limited jurisdiction, consisting of the citizens of Wards 1, 2 and 8 inRapides Parish. Within those boundaries the court has the power to hear and decide both criminal and civil cases, rule in civil cases and hand down judgment for punishment in criminal cases.
From 1913 to 1993, Alexandria served as the seat ofLouisiana's Eighth Congressional district. ADemocratic seat, it was held by theLong family for nearly half of its existence, from 1953 to 1987, broken only by the two terms ofHarold B. McSween and three terms ofRepublicanClyde Holloway ofForest Hill. The seat was removed after the 1990 census indicated Louisiana no longer had the population to support it. The district was split among theFourth,Fifth andSixth Congressional districts. Alexandria is now in the Fifth district and was represented from 2003 to 2013 byRodney Alexander, a Democrat-turned-Republican. From November 2013 to January 2015 the representative isVance McAllister ofOuachita Parish. Since March 2021, the Fifth has been represented byJulia Letlow ofStart inRichland Parish.
Situated south of the city,Louisiana State University at Alexandria (LSUA) is a regional campus of the state's flagship university system,Louisiana State University. From its establishment in 1959, the campus offered only two-year degrees; students seeking baccalaureate degrees had to commute or move to the main campus inBaton Rouge in order to gain a four-year degree. After 1976, students could either commute or telecommute in order to attend upper-level courses, including graduate classes. In 2002, following approval by the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors and theLouisianaBoard of Regents the Louisiana Legislature passed legislation allowing LSUA to offer baccalaureate degrees.
A four-year degree is also attainable throughSouthern Baptist-affiliatedLouisiana Christian University in Pineville, founded in 1906.
Two ofCentral Louisiana Technical Community College's campuses, including its main campus and administration, are located in Alexandria.
Rapides Parish School Board operates public schools.
Alexandria has three public high schools:Bolton High School,Alexandria Senior High School, andPeabody Magnet High School. In addition, there are two private high schools: the Roman CatholicHoly Savior Menard Central High School, and Grace Christian.
Alexandria serves as the crossroads ofLouisiana. To reach eitherShreveport orMonroe from the southern portion of the state, the easiest method of travel takes the driver through Alexandria. Likewise, if a visitor is to head from the northern portion of the state to theCajun portions of the state (Lake Charles andLafayette), or the greater metropolitan areas of eitherBaton Rouge orNew Orleans, the easiest method of travel involves driving downInterstate 49 through Alexandria.
In addition toI-49, travelers can follow Louisiana 1 up to Alexandria from Baton Rouge and points south. Also, Highway 167 could be taken from Opelousas north to Ruston, crossing through Alexandria at one of the few bridges over the Red River in central Louisiana. Highways 165 and 71 also link Alexandria and points south with the northern and southern portions of the state via the Curtis-Coleman bridge.
There are talks about a 50-80 mile, 4 lane beltway to encircle Alexandria and Pineville, and an East-West Interstate (I14) connecting Natchez, MS and Jasper, TX called the Gulf Coast Strategic Highway. As of now, they are in the planning stages of development.[55]
Three road bridges cross the Red River in the Alexandria area. They are:
Former bridges include:
There are two railroad bridges over the Red River in Alexandria. One is located near the Buhlow area north of the OK Allen bridge. The other is south of the Purple Heart Memorial Bridge.
Regional mass transit is handled by ATRANS (Alexandria Transportation Authority).
For those leaving or arriving at the city by bus,Greyhound Lines has a terminal downtown.
Alexandria is served by theAlexandria International Airport and theEsler Regional Airport in Pineville.
Alexandria does not haveAmtrak service, nor a commuter rail system. TheKansas City Southern (Southern Belle) and theMissouri Pacific (since absorbed byUnion Pacific) (Louisiana Eagle andLouisiana Daylight) operated train stations in the area in the early part of the 20th century but passenger services ended in the 1960s and the stations have closed.
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