Ruston, Louisiana
Population: 20,456
Located in Lincoln Parish
Ruston, Louisiana, Parish seat of Lincoln Parish, is located in the North central part of the state about 35 miles south of Arkansas. Ask anyone what the population is and you get a blank look and the answer that it probably is about 20,000. The confusion arises from the practice of counting the students enrolled in Louisiana Tech University as part of the population. Enrollment at the university fluctuates but probably stays close to 6500 resident students. Ruston sprang to life in 1884 as a complete village when the Vicksburg, Shreveport, and Pacific Railroad completed laying its tracks across North Louisiana. Merchants from nearby communities built tents and temporary shelters and supplied food, clothing, and hardware to the railroad and to the construction crew. It seemed there was profit to be gained by locating near the railroad and they persuaded property owner, Robert E. Russ to supply a town site. Surveyors for the railroad laid out the streets. Numbers drawn from a hat assigned the town lots which were sold for $375 each. The business district emerged and Russ Town was founded. Cotton was the basic industry, with farmers hauling the cotton to Ruston to be ginned and compressed. The railroad hauled the bales to market. The town slowly grew. Like most rural communities of the last century, Ruston citizens had aspirations for cultural improvement. A Chatauqua society brought in speakers, musicians, and religious leaders. Churches became social as well as religious centers. Ruston College was founded and taught modern and classical languages, math, and science. After ten years of existence, a state college was located at Ruston and has served as the economic basis for the town. Cotton disappeared from the economy but natural gas and oil were exploited and served to sustain the economic well being of the area. Peaches have been added as a cash crop and give the area a reason to hold an annual peach festival. Ruston is a conservative town but with public ownership of the utilities, also has strong ties to Populism. Local ownership of the main businesses is gradually being replaced with national chains and absentee owners. The small daily newspaper belongs to a Florida family. Negotiations are underway to sell part or all of the local hospital. The railroad station is gone, but Interstate highway 20 furnishes access to the larger cities in the state. Ruston is becoming a retirement community. Several lakes provide fishing opportunities. A nine hole golf course supplies recreation for many. The surrounding forests are full of deer, wild turkeys, and game birds. There is little likelihood of significant growth, but stability can be an asset. Courtesy of Ruston.com
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