Kentwood, Louisiana

Kentwood is a rural town in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States, near the Mississippi state line. The population was 2,198 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hammond MSA. Kentwood is best known as the hometown of singer Britney Spears.

Kentwood, Louisiana
Town
Town of Kentwood
Kentwood residents observe a noontide Day of Prayer in front of the Town Hall in 2015
Motto:  "The Foyer of Louisiana"
Location of Kentwood in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Coordinates: 30°55′50″N 90°30′25″W[1]
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	Tangipahoa
Founded	1893
Area [2]
• Total	7.11 sq mi (18.42 km2)
• Land	7.11 sq mi (18.42 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation [1]	223 ft (68 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,145
• Density	301.69/sq mi (116.48/km2)
Time zone	UTC−06:00 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−05:00 (CDT)
ZIP code	70444[3]
Area code	985
FIPS code	22-39545
GNIS feature ID	2405939[1]

History

Amos Kent assisted in laying out the town. The Postmaster named the town in honor of Kent on February 29, 1888.^[4]

On August 30, 2012, damage was caused by pressure on the 2,300 foot Percy Quin dam, a dam on the Tangipahoa River north of Kentwood, as a result of Hurricane Isaac, led to Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal calling for a mandatory evacuation of the town due to fears of large-scale flooding from Lake Tangipahoa. The evacuation order, which was amended twice, was later rescinded as the dam held. The lake was drawn down so repairs could be made.^[5]

The 490-acre Lake Tangipahoa, which opened in 1939 and is located six miles south of McComb, Mississippi, was reopened in 2016. Repairs had been completed in 2014 and the lake restocked.^[6]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.9 square miles (18 km²), of which 6.9 square miles (18 km²) is land and 0.14% is water.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1900	1,313		—
1910	3,609		174.9%
1920	3,059		−15.2%
1930	1,726		−43.6%
1940	1,854		7.4%
1950	2,417		30.4%
1960	2,607		7.9%
1970	2,736		4.9%
1980	2,667		−2.5%
1990	2,468		−7.5%
2000	2,205		−10.7%
2010	2,198		−0.3%
2020	2,145		−2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]

Kentwood racial composition as of 2020^[8]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	414	19.3%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	1,642	76.55%
Native American	1	0.05%
Asian	4	0.19%
Other/Mixed	60	2.8%
Hispanic or Latino	24	1.12%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,145 people, 771 households, and 421 families residing in the town.

Education

Tangipahoa Parish School Board operates public schools:

• Kentwood High Magnet School (7-12)
• O. W. Dillon Memorial Elementary School (K-6)
• Chesbrough Elementary (K-5)
• Spring Creek Elementary (K-5)
• Jewel M. Sumner Middle and High School

Notable people

• Roger Ballard, country music singer-songwriter
• Stacy Head (born 1969), New Orleans elected official born in nearby Greensburg but associated with Kentwood
• Michael "Mike" Jackson (1969–2017), former National Football League wide receiver
• Little Brother Montgomery (1906–85), jazz pianist
• Paul Gayten (1920-1991), R&B pianist, songwriter, record producer
• Clay Shaw (1913–74), New Orleans businessman and the only person prosecuted in connection with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He was acquitted.
• Ann Alexander Smith, Louisiana educator
• Jackie Smith (born 1940), National Football League tight end and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Britney Spears (born 1981), singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress
• Collis Temple (born 1952), first African-American athlete at Louisiana State University

See also

• Camp Moore - a Confederate training base near Kentwood, now a museum.
• WEMX