Empire, Louisiana

Seafood production

Empire, along with Venice, is the third largest seafood port in the United States by weight and value(Landings by Port Ranked by Pounds, NOAA, 2016). Some two thousand boats home port from Empire. Species landed include oysters, shrimp, menhaden, and other types of fin fish. During the BP oil spill, seafood landings came to a halt. Oyster landings did not resume for an entire year. Under the Coast 2050 plan, a 50,000 cfs freshwater diversion is proposed at Empire, which threatens the livelihood of the fishermen and the supporting businesses by drastically altering the salinity in the surrounding marshes.

Hurricane Katrina

During the afternoon of August 28, 2005, Hurricane Katrina approached the northern coastline of the Gulf of Mexico, generating tropical force winds along coastal areas of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. At 6:10 a.m., on August 29, 2005, Katrina made landfall just a few miles southeast of Empire, at Buras-Triumph. Many shrimp and oyster boats were grounded along the roads and levees near Empire. On the morning of August 29, the eye of the storm passed over Empire. The area was entirely flooded, causing dozens of boats that had popped their moorings to settle near the southern foot of the Empire High Rise Bridge. As a result, all traffic coming into or out of southern Plaquemines Parish was routed over the draw bridge on Parish Highway 11 (the old alignment of Louisiana Highway 23). Many notable businesses such as Tom's Place Oyster Bar and The Delta Marina were destroyed.

Geography

Empire is located at (29.398586, -89.608501) and has an elevation of 3 ft.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.6 sqmi, of which 5.2 sqmi is land and 2.4 sqmi (31.49%) is water.

Education

It is in the Plaquemines Parish School Board school district.

South Plaquemines High School is in the CDP.

Plaquemines Parish is in the service area of Nunez Community College.

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Empire first appeared as a census designated place the 1990 U.S. census.

In 2000, the CDP's population was 2,211; and by 2010, its population declined to 993. At the 2020 census, its population was 905.

References

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
2. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
3. "2020 Race and Population Totals".
4. (2011-02-12). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
5. (2007-10-25). "US Board on Geographic Names". [[United States Geological Survey]].
6. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Plaquemines Parish, LA". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
7. "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Empire CDP, LA". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
8. "Our Colleges". [[Louisiana's Technical and Community Colleges]].
9. "Decennial Census by Decade".
10. (1950). "1950 Census of Population - Louisiana - Table 7 - Population of all incorporated places and of unincorporated places of 1,000 or more: 1950 and 1940".
11. (1960). "1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Louisiana - Table 8 - Population of All Incorporated Places and Unincorporated Places of 1,000 or More: 1940 to 1960".
12. (1970). "1970 Census of Population - Louisiana - Characteristics of the Population - Table 6. Population of Places: 1970 and 1960".
13. (1980). "1980 Census of Population - Louisiana - Table 14 - Summary of General Characteristics".
14. (1990). "1990 Census of Population - Louisiana - Table 1. Summary of General Characteristics of Persons: 1990".
15. (2000). "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Louisiana". United States Census Bureau.
16. "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Louisiana".
17. "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Empire CDP, Louisiana".
18. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Empire CDP, Louisiana".
19. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Empire CDP, Louisiana".