A city of De Ridder is the parish seat of Beauregard Parish, in the US state of Louisiana. When of the 2000 nosecount, the city experienced a aggregate people of 9,808.

Geography
De Ridder is placed at 30°51'V" North, 93°17'25" West (Xxx.851419, -93.290230).

Based on data from a United States Census Bureau, the city has the number region of Xxii.One km² (8.5 mi²). Xxii.Cypher kilometer² (Eighter from decatur.Cinque mi²) of these are l& and Zero.Ii klick² (Zero.One mi²) of these are a lake. A number locality is Nought.70% a body of water.

History
DeRidder was known as for Ellthe DeRidder, a beautiful sister-around-law of a Dutch railroad moneyman. Her personal originally come from either a settlement of Geldermalsen in the Netherlands, where she was one of Thirteen toddlers. She ran out of personal at an early age, & was presumed dead by her personal (a deRidders) world health organization just recently found that she got traveled to the United States.

Before that a little town was referred to as Schovall & DeKidder. A number 1 trainside line to serve DeRidder come in 1897. It was a Pittsburgh & Gulf Railroad - later called the Kansas City Southern.

A July 26, 1924 DeRidder Enterprise declared: "The first house in DeRidder was made of logs and covered with board shingles, split by hand from the logs of the forest. It was constructed in 1893 and was the old homestead house of Calvin Shirley, who was the original owner of the land upon which the first business house and residence of DeRidder were built. Mr. Shirley homesteaded the 160 acres which was later platted and became the original townsite of DeRidder."

Based on data from Eva Stewart Frazar, whose personal come to DeRidder touching a turn of the century, "The largest pine in the world grew where DeRidder now stands - or so it is claimed by timber men who knew."

Just about a origin of the town, she says, "...the Kansas City railroad was built from Kansas City to Port Arthur - and came right through here about 1896. By 1898 the trains were running. The post-office was named Miersburg for the postmaster whose name was Miers. The railroad workers had used this spot for a camping place for the workmen - and people wanted to get near the railroad - so 160 acres (0.6 km²) of land was bought for the town site.

"Immediately as punishment the choose of the town places, a meander of rough out out houses were hastily built my of rough lumber... By 1898 the town consisted of about 300 humans & the total of hovel homes & a sawmill. C. Landry & Mr. George Heard got the hotel. There were astir Phoebe little places, besides. West Brothers got the Rous Racket store on the east side of the track."

By this time DeRidder had a sawmill, and timber was the prime industry of the area. The Longleaf Pine was the primary tree used in the industry. In 1903, DeRidder was finally incorporated as a town.

In April 1904, a large portion of the business section of DeRidder was destroyed by fire. The cause was apparently arson. A Grand Jury collected enough evidence for this to indict George Smith, a gambler, with setting the fire. The man reportedly left town.

DeRidder's first bank opened in 1906. On October 15, 1912, DeRidder was voted the parish seat of Beauregard Parish. The Beauregard Parish Court House and the Beauregard Parish Jail (see below) were built in 1914.

On November 14, 1947, a tornado hit the town. In less than 5 minutes 65 homes were "demolished".

The "Hanging Jail"

There are few jail structures more distinctive that than one in DeRidder. The Gothic-looking structure was made as a "Hanging Jailhouse". Characteristic of the collegiate Gothic architectural style are the shallow arches, dormer windows, and central tower. This style was popular with colleges, universities and churches. The iron bars in most of the windows give the structure an eerie appearance. Inside, there is a spiral staircase that leads up to three floors of jail cells. Another history-making fact is that each cell had a toilet, shower, lavatory and window. When the jail was in use, prisoners could often be seen waving from the barred windows.

It was built to house 50 or so prisoners, but held 13 in comfort. The walls are 13 to 21 in (0.3 to 0.5 m) thick, made of reinforced concrete with a blasted finish. The first floor has quarters for the jailer and his family. In the jail's basement, a long corridor leads to the courthouse next door.

Condemned persons were hanged by an apparatus at the top of the spiral staircase. Most of the prison cells afforded a clear view of the hanging area. In 1928, there was a famous double execution by hanging in the jail for two murderers.

This unique jail was used until 1982, when a court action forced it to close. However, on October 4, 1981 it was put on the National Register of Historic Places, along with several other buildings in DeRidder.

Demographics
As of the censusof 2000, there are 9,808 people, 3,819 households, and 2,616 families residing in the city. The population density is 446.0/km² (1,155.4/mi²). There are 4,454 housing units at an average density of 202.6/km² (524.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 60.81% White, 34.73% African American, 0.57% Native American, 1.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.57% from other races, and 1.88% from two or more races. 2.40% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 3,819 households out of which 33.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% are married couples living together, 16.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% are non-families. 28.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.48 and the average family size is 3.03.

In the city the population is spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 83.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $31,952, and the median income for a family is $39,384. Males have a median income of $36,388 versus $21,302 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,996. 18.0% of the population and 15.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 22.1% of those under the age of 18 and 18.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.