Convent, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
 Barges in theMississippi River near Convent | |
  Convent, Louisiana Location of Convent in Louisiana | |
| Coordinates:30°01′15″N90°49′47″W / 30.02083°N 90.82972°W /30.02083; -90.82972 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | St. James |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.33 sq mi (13.81 km2) |
| • Land | 3.89 sq mi (10.07 km2) |
| • Water | 1.44 sq mi (3.74 km2) |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 483 |
| • Density | 124.2/sq mi (47.97/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code | 70723 |
| Area code | 225 |
| FIPS code | 22-17180 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2583534[2] |
Convent (French:Couvent) is acensus-designated place in and theparish seat ofSt. James Parish,Louisiana, United States.[3] It has been the parish seat since 1869. It is part of theNew Orleans metropolitan area .
As of the2010 census, its population was 711.[4] The 2018 median household income was $52,292 above the state's average.[5]
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The area now known as Convent was originally settled between 1722 and 1739 and calledBaron.[6] The town’s name derives from theConvent of the Sacred Heart, established in 1825 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart, who operated a girls’ school until 1932.[7]
St. Michael Parish, founded in 1809, is among the oldest Catholic parishes in Louisiana. The present church, built in 1833 and enlarged in the 1870s, features Romanesque and Gothic architectural elements and includes a Lourdes Grotto constructed in 1876.[8] The church and its associated historic district are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[9]
Jefferson College, chartered in 1831 and opened in 1834, operated under several names before closing in 1928. The campus was occupied by Union troops during the Civil War and later donated to the Marist Fathers. In 1931, it became theManresa House of Retreats, a Jesuit retreat center that remains active today.[10] The main building, rebuilt after an 1842 fire, is an example of Greek Revival architecture.[11]
The community’s history is closely tied to sugar plantation culture, and records indicate that both the convent and college relied on enslaved labor during the antebellum period.[12]
OnFebruary 23, 2016, an EF-3 tornado struck the area, causing severe damage at the Sugar Hill RV Park, killing two people and injuring dozens.[13]
Convent is located on the east bank of the Mississippi River inSt. James Parish, Louisiana, at30°01′15″N90°49′47″W / 30.02083°N 90.82972°W /30.02083; -90.82972. The census-designated place covers 5.33 square miles (13.8 km2), of which 3.89 square miles (10.1 km2) is land and 1.44 square miles (3.7 km2) is water.[14] Its average elevation is about 16 feet (4.9 m) above sea level.[15]
Convent lies approximately 35 miles (56 km) west ofNew Orleans and 35 miles (56 km) southeast ofBaton Rouge, accessible viaLouisiana Highway 44 andLouisiana Highway 3125.[16] The area has ahumid subtropical climate, typical of southern Louisiana.[17]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 711 | — | |
| 2020 | 483 | −32.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[18] 2010[19] 2020[20] | |||
Convent first appeared as acensus designated place in the2010 U.S. census.[21]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010[19] | Pop 2020[20] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 226 | 203 | 31.79% | 42.03% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 467 | 255 | 65.68% | 52.80% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1 | 2 | 0.14% | 0.41% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 2 | 0 | 0.28% | 0.00% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 6 | 6 | 0.84% | 1.24% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9 | 17 | 1.27% | 3.52% |
| Total | 711 | 483 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
At the 2010 census, it had a population of 711; in 2020, its population declined to 483.
Convent’s economy has historically centered onpetrochemical and heavy industry along theMississippi River. The most notable facility was theShell Convent Refinery, which processed up to239,000 barrels per day of crude oil and employed over1,000 workers.[22] In 2020, Shell permanently closed the refinery after failing to find a buyer, citing market conditions and its shift towardrenewable energy.[23]
Shell plans to repurpose the 4,400-acre site into arenewable fuels complex producingsustainable aviation fuel andrenewable diesel, with construction targeted for 2025–2028.[24] Other major employers includeNucor Steel Louisiana,Occidental Chemical, and cement producers such asHolcim, supporting the region’s petrochemical and construction sectors.[25]
Municipalities and communities ofSt. James Parish, Louisiana,United States | ||
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| Towns |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated community | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent parish or parishes | |
| International | |
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| National | |
