Winnfield, Louisiana

Stores in Winnfield, 1904

Courthouse, 1904

Winnfield City Hall

This restored railroad depot in downtown Winnfield houses the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame, with many of the exhibits dedicated to the Long family

Bank of Winnfield

Since the 1960s, Flurry's Pharmacy has operated in the oldest brick building at 101 E. Main Street in downtown Winnfield[3]

First Baptist Church in downtown Winnfield

Winnfield Senior High School is located on a wooded lot off U.S. Highway 167 in north Winnfield

When Winn Parish was officially formed by the state legislature in 1852, Winnfield was established as the parish seat. During the Civil War, the area around Winnfield was the site of some minor skirmishes. Confederate forces defeated a Union detachment near Salsbury Bridge sent to destroy the Drake's Salt Works in the area.

Many Civil War bandits made the region their home. Among these were the West and Kimbrel clan.

Three Louisiana governors were Winnfield natives and grew up here: Huey Long, Oscar K. Allen and Earl Long. Huey Long became governor, U.S. Senator. He was assassinated in 1935. Oscar K. Allen was elected governor in 1932. Earl Long, "the Louisiana Longshot," served in a variety of state positions, said to be more than other Louisianan, including elective office. He was elected governor in 1939, 1948 and 1956. He was elected to Congress in 1960 but died before he could assume office.

Winnfield was a major producer of salt in the Civil War days; salt kettles used at Big Cedar and Drake's Salt Works furnished salt for the Confederate army. One still exists today in front of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame, turned into a fountain. The salt works was located on Saline Bayou.[4] Later the Cary Salt Works started an 840 ft deep mine west of Winnfield. The mine was used by the federal government in Project Coyboy Plowshare Program, Cowboy Event. Between Dec 1959 and March 1960 a series of high explosives were set off inside the Carry Salt Works in an unused portion of the mine.[5][6][7] The mine later was flooded by an underground river. The mine and all equipment inside was abandoned.

The rock quarry operated near or on top of the salt mine and produced limestone and gravel still operates today as Winn Rock.

Winnfield has an elevation of 128 feet (39.0 m).[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.6 km²), all land. North and west of Winnfield, Saline Bayou, a National Wild and Scenic Rivers System waterway, offers blackwater canoeing as well as fishing.

Winnfield is about a three-hour driving distance from Baton Rouge.[9]

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,153 people, 1,967 households, and 1,173 families residing in the city.

As of 2014, according to Bauer, Walmart, Winn Correctional Center, and the area lumber mill offer the majority of the jobs in the Winnfield area; because of the poverty in the area residents are willing to take low-paying jobs at Winn Correctional Center despite the danger present there.[12]

• Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame

• Uncle Earl's Hog Dog Trials – a yearly bay dog event
• Louisiana Forest Festival

• Oscar K. Allen, Governor of Louisiana[2]
• George Washington Bolton, businessman and patriarch of the Bolton family of Alexandria; lived in Winnfield in the latter 1860s
• Harley Bozeman, tree farmer, politician, historian, confidant of Huey and Earl Long[13]
• P. J. Brown, professional basketball player
• Earl K. Long, Governor of Louisiana[2]
• Huey Pierce Long Jr., Governor of Louisiana, senator from Louisiana[2]
• William Jay Smith, Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress between 1968 and 1970
• Anthony Thomas, professional American football player
• Thomas D. Milling, Brigadier General, United States Air Force
• Dick Merrill, aviator
• Preston Powell, professional football player
• John Burrows, professional baseball player
• Jack Wallace (catcher), professional baseball player, minor league manager
• Gillis William Long, U. S. Congressman
• Speedy Long, U. S. Congressman, attended high-school in Winnfield
• A. Leonard AllenU. S. Congressman

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Winnfield, Louisiana.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Winnfield.

• Official website