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Greenwell Springs, Louisiana

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Coordinates: 30°34′47″N 90°59′39″W / 30.57972°N 90.99417°W / 30.57972; -90.99417
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Greenwell Springs
Area of Central
Former Unincorporated community
Greenwell Springs is located in Louisiana
Greenwell Springs
Greenwell Springs
Location of Greenwell Springs in Louisiana
Greenwell Springs is located in the United States
Greenwell Springs
Greenwell Springs
Greenwell Springs (the United States)
Coordinates: 30°34′47″N 90°59′39″W / 30.57972°N 90.99417°W / 30.57972; -90.99417[1]
CountryUnited States
StateLouisiana
ParishEast Baton Rouge
Elevation
[1]
53.84 ft (16.41 m)
Population
 (2007)
 • Total10,687
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
70739
Area code225

Greenwell Springs is an area of Central, Louisiana, United States, a city in the Baton Rouge metropolitan area.[2][3] It was previously distinct unincorporated community in East Baton Rouge Parish. The ZIP code for this area is 70739.

History

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In the 1850s, Robert W. Greenwell purchased land in the area of what is now known as Greenwell Springs, and began developing the area into a rural resort that was built around 10 medicinal springs. Despite the springs being in proximity to each other, each spring was said to have very different and distinct mineral properties from the others. This is thought to have indicated the springs each came from different levels beneath the ground.

The resort area became known as the Greenwell Springs Hotel, and was used during the Civil War as a headquarters and staging area by Confederate General John Breckinridge. Prior to the Battle of Baton Rouge in April 1862, Breckinridge's forces marched west to attack Union forces that had occupied the city. After the battle, Confederate forces retreated back to the Greenwell Springs Hotel and used it as a hospital for wounded troops. Both Union and Confederate troops were buried on the grounds of the hotel in unmarked graves. During the war, Robert W. Greenwell joined the Confederate Army, and served as a captain. He was the commander of the East Baton Rouge Guards, which was then Company F, 3rd Louisiana Cavalry, during the Battle of Port Hudson.

After the war, most of the resort village known as Greenwell Springs, as well as the Greenwell Springs Hotel, was torn down. The lumber from these buildings was used to help rebuild structures in Baton Rouge that had been damaged or destroyed during the war. In 1910, a new Greenwell Springs Hotel was built on the site of the old hotel. A new springhouse was built at the same time as the new hotel. A short time after construction was completed, the springs stopped flowing. The loss of the springs was believed to be because the mouths of the springs were opened too wide which resulted in a loss of water pressure. With the absence of the springs, the new hotel soon lost appeal and was closed down. In 1920, the Greenwell Springs Hotel burned down. The State of Louisiana later bought the property to use as a tuberculosis hospital and eventually as a mental hospital known as Greenwell Springs Hospital. It was during this time that the springs began to flow again.

In April 2005, the unincorporated community of Greenwell Springs became part of the territory of the newly incorporated city known as Central.[4]

It is the home of former Louisiana State Senator Gaston Gerald, a farmer/rancher in East Baton Rouge and Washington Parishes. Former State Representative Clif Richardson resides there.

Government and infrastructure

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The Central Fire Protection District #4 operates fire stations and provides fire-protection services.[3] Central Fire Station #33 is located within Greenwell Springs.[5]

The U.S. Postal Service operates the Greenwell Springs Post Office.[6]

Climate

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The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Greenwell Springs has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.[7]

Education

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The community is currently served by the Central Community School System,[8] including Bellingrath Hills Elementary School (PreK-Kindergarten), Tanglewood Elementary School (grades 1-2), Central Intermediate School (grades 3-5), Central Middle School (grades 6-8), and Central High School (9-12). Bellingrath Hills is within Greenwell Springs.[9]

The schools were acquired from the East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools in 2007.[10]

Prior to the acquisition:

  • Portions of the area were zoned to Bellingrath Hills Elementary School,[11] while others were zoned to Northeast Elementary School in Pride.[12]
  • Central Middle School and Northeast Middle School in Pride served sections[13]
  • Central High School and Northeast High School in Pride served sections[14]

A private Catholic K-8 school, St. Alphonsus Catholic School, is in Greenwell Springs.[15] It is under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge. Established in 1963 as a grade 1-4 school, its initial enrollment was 131.[16]

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Greenwell Springs, Louisiana". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. June 4, 1980. Retrieved June 29, 2008.
  2. ^ "Street Map Archived 2017-01-06 at the Wayback Machine." City of Central. Retrieved on January 6, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "CentralFireMap_2015.jpg[permanent dead link‍]." Central Fire Protection District #4. Retrieved on January 7, 2017. Indicates the position of Greenwell Springs
  4. ^ "A Timeline of Central City, Louisiana - Central Environmental Wiki".
  5. ^ "Station #33." Central Fire Protection District #4. Retrieved on January 7, 2017. "7019 Donnybrook Greenwell Springs LA 70739"
  6. ^ "Greenwell Springs." U.S. Postal Service. Retrieved on January 7, 2017. "22801 GREENWELL SPRINGS RD GREENWELL SPRINGS, LA 70739-9998"
  7. ^ Climate Summary for Greenwell Springs
  8. ^ "Central Community School System Map." East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools. January 12, 2007. Retrieved on January 6, 2017. See map in outline form Archived 2017-01-06 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Home. Bellingrath Hills Elementary School. Retrieved on January 7, 2017. "6612 Audusson Greenwell Springs, LA 70739"
  10. ^ "CENTRAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL BOARD v. EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD." Louisiana Court of Appeals. Retrieved on January 6, 2017. "The Central Community School Board shall begin actual operation of providing for the education of students within its jurisdiction on July 1, 2007. "Beginning on the date the school board begins actual operation of providing for the education of students and thereafter, ․ all lands, buildings, and improvements, facilities, and other property having title vested in the public and subject to management, administration, and control by the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board for public education purposes but located within the geographic boundaries of the Central community school system or used to provide student transportation services to such facilities, or both, shall be managed, administered, and controlled by the Central Community School Board." and "The four schools located in Central are:  Central High School[...]"
  11. ^ "mapselema-l.pdf." East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools. April 26, 2005. Retrieved on January 6, 2017. p. 4/26 has the map for Bellingrath Hills Elementary School.
  12. ^ "mapselemm-z.pdf." East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools. April 26, 2005. Retrieved on January 6, 2017. Northeast is on p. 5/23.
  13. ^ "mapsmiddle.pdf." East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools. April 26, 2005. Retrieved on January 6, 2017. p. 3/13 has the map for Central Middle School. Northeast Middle School is on page 8/13.
  14. ^ "mapshigh.pdf." East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools. April 26, 2005. Retrieved on January 6, 2017. p. 4/12 has the map for Central High School. Northeast is at 8/12.
  15. ^ Home. St. Alphonsus Catholic School Retrieved on January 8, 2017. "13940 Greenwell Springs Road | Greenwell Springs, LA | 70739"
  16. ^ "History". St. Alphonsus Catholic School. Retrieved April 21, 2020. In 1962 the mission was established as a new parish [...] Only one year after its inception, a parish school with 131 students in grades one to four was opened. - Logically this means the school opened in 1963
  17. ^ "Dalton W. Honoré". intelius.com. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  18. ^ Gyan, Joe Jr. (May 11, 2017). "Will Hayden, ex-'Sons of Guns star, sentenced to life in prison plus 40 years on Baton Rouge rape convictions". The Advocate (Louisiana). Retrieved May 14, 2017.
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