Norco, Louisiana

Etymology

The community of Norco was once called "Sellers," after a wealthy family there. In 1911, the land was purchased by an agent for Shell Oil, and the New Orleans Refining Company (NORCO) was established. The community's name was officially changed from Sellers to Norco sometime after 1926.

History

By the late 18th century, French and European colonial settlers had established numerous sugar cane plantations. They imported enslaved Africans as laborers. As sugar cane cultivation was highly labor-intensive, the slave population greatly outnumbered the ethnic Europeans in the colony, a circumstance that continued after the Louisiana Purchase by the United States in 1803.

On January 8, 1811, planters were alarmed by the German Coast Uprising led by Charles Deslondes, a free person of color from Haiti (formerly the French colony of Saint-Domingue). It was the largest slave uprising in US history, though it resulted in few white fatalities. Deslondes and his followers had been influenced by the ideas of the French and Haitian revolutions. In 1809–1810, French-speaking refugees from the Revolution immigrated by the thousands to New Orleans and Louisiana: white planters and their slaves, and free people of color, adding to the French Creole, African and free people of color populations.

Deslondes led followers to the plantation of Col. Manuel André, where they had hoped to seize stored arms, but those had been moved. The band traveled downriver, gathering more slaves for the insurrection as they marched. They were armed simply with hand tools and accompanied their progress by drums. More than 200 men participated in the uprising; they killed two white men on their march toward New Orleans. The alarm was raised, and both militia and regular troops were called out by Gov. William C.C. Claiborne to put down the short-lived revolt. The white militia and troops killed 95 slaves in total, many immediately and others in executions after quick trials.

Since 1995 members of the African American History Alliance of Louisiana have gathered annually at Norco in January to commemorate the events of the German Coast Uprising, when men of color reached for freedom decades before the American Civil War and emancipation. They have been joined by descendants of the insurgents.

In 1942, a Catholic church, Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, was founded.

In 2021, Hurricane Ida passed through the area, leaving the oil refineries/chemical plants spewing toxic chemicals through flaring.

Geography

Norco is located at (30.003753, -90.410824). The city is situated on the eastern edge of the large Bonnet Carré Spillway, which provides for an outlet from the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain during flooding of the river.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 3.4 sqmi, of which 3.0 sqmi is land and 0.4 sqmi (12.83%) is water.

"Diamond" is a part of Norco that spans about four blocks and it is 100% African American. The other neighborhood in Norco is 98% white.

Demographics

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

Norco first appeared as an unincorporated place in the 1960 U.S. census; and as a census designated place in the 1980 United States census.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,984 people, 1,201 households, and 750 families residing in the CDP.

Education

St. Charles Parish Public School System operates public schools, including:

• Norco Elementary K-3 School
• Norco Elementary 4-6 School
• Destrehan High School in Destrehan

Prior to 1969 Mary M. Bethune High School in Norco served area black students; that year it closed, with high school students moved to Destrehan High School.

Notable people

• Minor Hall, jazz drummer
• Tubby Hall, jazz drummer
• James Brown Humphrey, Musician, bandleader, and music instructor
• Damaris Johnson, NFL wide receiver/punt returner for the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans
• Jamall Johnson, NFL and CFL linebacker and actor
• Rondell Mealey, NFL running back for the Green Bay Packers
• Gregory A. Miller, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from St. Charles Parish, was reared in Norco.
• Ralph R. Miller, member of the Louisiana House from 1968 to 1980 and 1982 to 1992; father of Gregory A. Miller
• George T. Oubre, state senator from 1968 to 1972 for St. Charles, St. James, and St. John the Baptist parishes; candidate for state attorney general in December 1971, while residing in Norco
• Jeremy Parquet, NFL offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers
• Rusty Rebowe, NFL linebacker for the New Orleans Saints
• Tim Rebowe, Head football coach at Nicholls State University
• Darrington Sentimore, NFL defensive lineman for the Cincinnati Bengals
• Gary Smith, Jr., Louisiana state senator

In popular culture

• The eponymous video game NORCO takes place in the alternative future Norco and the surrounding area.

References

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
2. (2023). "Norco LA ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com.
3. {{Cite gnis. 2403339. Norco Census Designated Place
4. "2020 Race and Population Totals".
5. Lerner, Steve. (2005). "Diamond: A Struggle for Environmental Justice in Louisiana's Chemical Corridor". MIT Press.
6. Adam Rothman, ''Slave Country: American Expansion and the Origins of the Deep South'', Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2005, pp. 106-108
7. Adam Rothman, ''Slave Country: American Expansion and the Origins of the Deep South'', Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2005, p. 111
8. James W. Lowen, ''Lies Across America: What Our History Sites Get Wrong'', New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007, p. 192
9. "Sacred Heart of Jesus Church Norci, Louisiana-History".
10. (2021-08-31). "After Ida, Toxic Smoke From Shell's Norco Plant in Louisiana Creates Apocalyptic Landscape".
11. (2011-02-12). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
12. Lerner, Steve. (2006) Diamond: a struggle for environmental justice in Louisiana's chemical corridor. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT.
13. "Decennial Census by Decade".
14. (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".
15. (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".
16. (1970). "1970 Census of Population - Louisiana - Characteristics of the Population - Table 6. Population of Places: 1970 and 1960".
17. (1980). "1980 Census of Population - Louisiana - Table 14 - Summary of General Characteristics".
18. (1990). "1990 Census of Population - Louisiana - Table 1. Summary of General Characteristics of Persons: 1990".
19. (2000). "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Louisiana". United States Census Bureau.
20. "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Louisiana".
21. "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Norco CDP, Louisiana".
22. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Norco CDP, Louisiana".
23. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Norco CDP, Louisiana".
24. "Explore Census Data".
25. "[http://www.advanc-ed.org/oasis2/u/par/accreditation/summary/pdf;jsessionid=449D1177D21600830A086D4AB488AE5E?institutionId=6639 Destrehan High School]" ([https://archive.today/20161203034929/http://www.advanc-ed.org/oasis2/u/par/accreditation/summary/pdf;jsessionid=449D1177D21600830A086D4AB488AE5E?institutionId=6639 Archive]). [[AdvancED]]. p. 4. Retrieved on December 3, 2016. "The school pulls from the five communities which make up the East Bank of St. Charles Parish: Destrehan, Montz, New Sarpy, Norco, and St. Rose."
26. "[http://www.stcharles.k12.la.us/domain/128 About Our School]." [[Destrehan High School]]. Retrieved on December 3, 2016.
27. "Mary Sparacello, St. Charles Parish-based 56th Louisiana House district draws trio of hopefuls, September 28, 2011". [[New Orleans Times-Picayune]].
28. Price, Emily. (2022-05-10). "Norco review: A Deep South dystopia about mundane, corporate evils". The Washington Post.
29. (14 April 2022). "Norco is an unforgettable game about losing and finding religion".