Ferriday is a town in Concordia Parish, which borders the Mississippi River and is located on the central eastern border of Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,511 at the 2010 census. It is an African-American majority town.
Ferriday was integral to the promotion of blues music through Haney's Big House lounge in the African-American community. Almost every Delta Blues musician played at Haney's. The Delta Music Museum in the downtown historic district is open daily to visitors, many of whom come from out of state. It is located next to the restored Arcade Theater. The museum contains exhibits on Ferriday natives, some of whom were blues, rock, pop, and country musicians.
The town claims to have produced more famous people per square mile than any other in America. This statement intrigued author Elaine Dundy, who explored both celebrities and townsfolk in her book, Ferriday, Louisiana, published by E. P. Dutton in 1991.
Churches of several major denominations are located here, including a large Pentecostal congregation south of town on Louisiana Highway 15, as well as Baptist, Assembly of God, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Catholic.
Geography
Ferriday is situated on the west side of Lake Concordia and from Lake St. John, oxbow lakes noted for recreational and professional bass fishing.
U.S. Routes 84 and 425 pass through the center of Ferriday. US 84 leads west to Jonesville, and US 425 leads north to Clayton. The two highways jointly lead southeast to Natchez, Mississippi.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Ferriday has a total area of , all being land.
Climate
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,189 people, 1,354 households, and 885 families residing in the town.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,723 people, 1,350 households, and 918 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,220.7 people per square mile (855.6/km2). There were 1,498 housing units at an average density of 893.5 per square mile (344.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 74.89% African American, 24.09% White, 0.19% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.46% of the population.
There were 1,350 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.7% were married couples living together, 33.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 32.0% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 76.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $14,732, and the median income for a family was $18,636. Males had a median income of $23,654 versus $16,725 for females. The per capita income for the town was $8,767. About 40.7% of families and 47.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 70.2% of those under age 18 and 25.1% of those age 65 or over.
In 2010, Ferriday had the 15th-lowest median household income of all places in the United States with a population over 1,000.
Education
The Concordia Parish School Board serves Ferriday. Ferriday High School is located off LA 15. Its sports teams are known as the Trojans. To the right rear of the high school is the Concordia Parish Library.
The private Huntington High School, first established for all grades in 1970, was located in a middle-class residential area of the town. It is one of the "segregation academies", private schools founded by white parents who withdrew from the public system when its schools were desegregated. Bryant Hammett, a former State Representative, graduated from Huntington in 1974. Al Ater, later elected as Louisiana Secretary of State, was a graduate of the founding class. Publisher Sam Hanna was among its first directors. Huntington closed in 2010.
Founder and head of the board, Craig Jackson, established the Delta Charter School in 2013 in Huntington's buildings.
The Central Louisiana Technical Community College is located in Ferriday.
Notable people
Andy Anders, politician and farm equipment salesman in Ferriday; former state representative for Concordia Parish
Campbell Brown, NBC and CNN news correspondent
Brenham C. Crothers, (1905-1984), state senator from 1948 to 1952 and 1956 to 1960
Mickey Gilley (1936-2022), country musician and owner of Gilley's Nightclub in Pasadena, Texas
Dale Houston (1940–2007), whose single "I'm Leaving It Up To You" reached No. 1 in 1963
Jerry Lee Lewis, rock and roll pioneer, pianist
Howard K. Smith (1914-2002), CBS and ABC commentator and anchorman; Howard K. Smith: News and Comment (1962–1963)
Jimmy Lee Swaggart, evangelist; he was involved in sex scandals in the late 1980s and early 1990s which were revealed, but he never left his Ministries.
Photo gallery
