Watson, Louisiana

Watson, Louisiana
Census-designated place
Watson Auto Parts and Hardware
Community Center
Active post office
Pentecostals of Watson
Live Oak Church
Watson is located in Louisiana
Watson
Watson
Location in Louisiana
Watson is located in the United States
Watson
Watson
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 30°34′33″N 90°57′11″W / 30.57583°N 90.95306°W / 30.57583; -90.95306
CountryUnited States
StateLouisiana
ParishLivingston
Area
[1]
 • Total
0.96 sq mi (2.48 km2)
 • Land0.96 sq mi (2.48 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
69 ft (21 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
956
 • Density996.8/sq mi (384.85/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code
70786 (PO Box)
70706 (residences)
Area code225
FIPS code22-80010

Watson (also known locally as Live Oak) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, Watson had a population of 956.[2][3] The community is in the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Watson Post Office was established on February 20, 1894, by George W. Watson.[4] The first Live Oak School was a one-room cypress schoolhouse built in 1895 on land donated by Rev. Joel Ott. The school was expanded with new buildings and locations. As of 2014, Live Oak High School operates from a newer two-story building on Louisiana Highway 16.[5] The former high school campus (near its original site across from Live Oak Hardware) was demolished to create the Live Oak Junior High.[6]

Live Oak Church at the town's main intersection began as Live Oak Methodist Church. The first church was destroyed during the American Civil War. According to the church history, shortly after Union soldiers burned the original building, residents W.C. Newsom, Huff Jones, George Nesom, J.B. Easterly and James Chandler hand cut the lumber to lay a new foundation. In 1893, pastor J.P. Haney from the Methodist Mississippi Conference oversaw construction of a frame church that served the congregation until 1950.[7] Two larger church buildings were built adjacent to the original Live Oak Methodist Church (now demolished). In 2022, Live Oak Church voted to break away from the United Methodist Church after the denomination began ordaining LGBTQ clergy.[8]

Since Watson is unincorporated, Watson's ZIP code of 70786 is available only to post office box recipients. All other residences and businesses use a mailing address for Denham Springs.

Geography

Watson is located in northwest Livingston Parish at 30°34′30″N 90°57′10″W / 30.57500°N 90.95278°W / 30.57500; -90.95278 (30.575, -90.953).[9] The village is north of Denham Springs and is situated around the intersection of Range Road (LA 16) and Springfield Road (LA 1019). LA 16 forms the western border of the CDP; the highway leads south 6 miles (10 km) to Denham Springs and northeast 32 miles (51 km) to Amite City. Watson sits at an elevation of 65 feet (20 m).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Watson CDP has an area of 0.97 square miles (2.5 km2), all of it recorded as land.[10]

Climate

Watson is located in a humid, subtropical region. The mild, short, wet, and somewhat warm winters are followed by long, hot, humid, and fairly wet summers.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
20101,047—
2020956−8.7%
2024 (est.)1,35741.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]

Watson was first listed as a census designated place in the 2010 U.S. census.[12]

Education

Watson is within the Livingston Parish Public Schools system and is served by:

  • Live Oak High School
  • Live Oak Junior High School
  • Live Oak Middle School
  • Live Oak Elementary (Watson)
  • North Live Oak Elementary
  • South Live Oak Elementary

References

  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  2. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
  3. ^ "Discover Watson, Louisiana". LEDC.
  4. ^ "Watson". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved April 11, 2025. Watson - First official post office established near this site, February 20, 1894. Named after first postmaster, George W. Watson, whose family owned land that is now the center of Watson. - Watson Bicentennial Committee 1976
  5. ^ "About". Live Oak High School. 2014.
  6. ^ "Old Live Oak High being demolished to make room for new Junior High". WAFB. February 18, 2014.
  7. ^ Livingston Parish American Revolution Bicentennial Committee (1976). "Watson". The Free State: A History and Place-names Study of Livingston Parish. In cooperation with the Livingston Parish Police Jury and the Louisiana American Revolution Bicentennial Commission. The Committee.
  8. ^ Smith, Peter (October 10, 2022). "United Methodists are breaking up in a slow-motion schism". The Advocate. Associated Press.
  9. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  10. ^ "U.S. Gazetteer Files: 2019: Places: Louisiana". U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  11. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  12. ^ "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Louisiana" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2024.
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