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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Mayson Foster, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 11 August 20251 source
City of Hammond
Company typeCity
IndustryMunicipal government
Founded1818
Headquarters
Hammond
,
United States
Area served
Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana

Hammond stands as the most populous city within Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States, positioned to the east of Baton Rouge and northwest of New Orleans. According to the 2010 U.S. census, its population was 20,019, with estimates rising to 21,359 by 2020.

Home to Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond functions as the central city of the Hammond Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the entirety of Tangipahoa Parish. Additionally, it forms part of the Baton Rouge-Hammond combined statistical area.[1]

19th century

The city derives its name from Peter Hammond (1798–1870), a Swedish immigrant who became the area’s first European settler around 1818. Previously a sailor detained by British forces during the Napoleonic Wars, Hammond escaped captivity and ultimately established residence northwest of Lake Pontchartrain. He acquired land to create a plantation that produced masts, charcoal, and maritime supplies destined for New Orleans, transporting these goods by oxcart to the Natalbany River at Springfield. Prior to the Civil War, Hammond owned at least 30 enslaved African Americans but suffered significant financial losses after Union troops raided his estate.

The arrival of the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad in 1854—later known as the Illinois Central Railroad and currently part of Canadian National Railway—transformed the settlement into a commercial and transportation nexus. This railroad junction was originally referred to as Hammond's Crossing.

Throughout the Civil War period, Hammond emerged as a manufacturing center for Confederate Army footwear. Businessman Charles Emery Cate acquired land in 1860 and established facilities including a shoe factory, tannery, and sawmill. Cate also planned the town’s street grid along the railroad corridor, naming several streets after his sons; Cate Street commemorates him personally.

Following the war, light industry and commerce grew steadily. By the late 1800s, Hammond had become an important railway stop for travelers journeying between northern cities and New Orleans, particularly those seeking refuge from seasonal yellow fever epidemics. The city later gained recognition as a major strawberry shipping point, earning the moniker "Strawberry Capital of America," which is honored by a state historical marker located downtown.

20th and 21st centuries

In the 1920s, David William Thomas managed a weekly newspaper in Hammond before assuming office as mayor of Minden in 1936.

The Hammond Daily Courier was founded in 1932 by Hodding Carter but ceased operations after his departure in 1939. Carter subsequently received a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the Civil Rights Movement.

The Tangipahoa Parish Library’s Hammond branch opened its doors in 1944. Since 1959, The Daily Star has served as the city’s primary daily newspaper.

During World War II, Hammond Airport (now Hammond Northshore Regional Airport) functioned as a detention facility for German prisoners of war. The U.S. Army also operated a 15,216-acre bombing and gunnery range east of Hammond; in the early 2000s, the Army Corps of Engineers conducted searches there to locate any unexploded ordnance.

Currently, Interstates 12 and 55 intersect within Hammond’s limits. The local airport maintains a lengthy runway that acts as an alternate landing site for Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The city is also a key training location for the Louisiana Army National Guard and hosts the Louisiana Air National Guard’s 236th Combat Communications Squadron.

Approximately 15 miles south lies Port Manchac, which provides both rail and highway connections to Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf of Mexico. This extensive multimodal transportation infrastructure has shifted Hammond’s economic focus from its strawberry heritage toward becoming a logistics hub featuring numerous warehouses and serving as a distribution center for Walmart alongside other major corporations. Southeastern Louisiana University offers Louisiana’s sole academic program in supply chain management.

In 1953, John Desmond established Hammond’s inaugural architectural practice and later served as chief architect for the Tangipahoa Parish School Board before relocating to Baton Rouge.

Cultural highlights include the Tangipahoa African American Heritage Museum, which is part of the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. During the 1990s, Southeastern Louisiana University restored the historic Columbia Theatre—originally built in 1928—transforming it into a $5.6 million cultural venue situated downtown.

On August 29, 2021, Hurricane Ida directly impacted Hammond with its eastern eyewall passing over the city, bringing more than a foot of rainfall accompanied by intense flash flooding and substantial wind damage.

Geography

Per data from the United States Census Bureau, the city spans a total area of , with land comprising almost the entire region and water bodies accounting for only 0.08%.

Climate

Hammond is characterized by hot and humid summers alongside winters that range from mild to cool. This climate falls under the humid subtropical climate category (Cfa) according to the Köppen climate classification.

Demographics

Racial Breakdown of Hammond in 2020
Race Population Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 8,584 43.83%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 8,865 45.27%
Native American 62 0.32%
Asian 327 1.67%
Pacific Islander 6 0.03%
Other/Mixed 693 3.54%
Hispanic or Latino 1,047 5.35%

According to the 2020 United States census, Hammond's population stood at 19,584 individuals, encompassing 6,871 households and 3,972 family units.

Education

Established in 1925 by educator Linus A. Sims, Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) serves as a prominent regional institution and ranks among Hammond’s primary employers. The city also accommodates Northshore Technical Community College along with two vocational schools—Petra College and Compass Career College—that specialize in allied health and medical certification programs.

Public education is managed by the Tangipahoa Parish School System, which includes Hammond High Magnet School, Hammond Junior High, Eastside Elementary, Westside Elementary, SLU Laboratory School, and Crystal Academy, an alternative education facility. Catholic schooling options are provided through Holy Ghost Catholic School and Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. Other private institutions available are Trafton Academy and Oaks Montessori School.

In 2018, only 74% of Hammond residents had completed high school, placing the city in the lowest national quartile; college degree attainment was at a mere 20%. Local schools generally rank in the lower half across the state. During the 2020-2021 school year, TPPS enrolled roughly 19,500 students and operated with an annual budget of $219 million.

Sports, parks, and recreation

The sports teams of the Southeastern Louisiana Lions compete at various facilities throughout Hammond.

Chappapeela Sports Park accommodates activities such as football, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, and volleyball.

Among public parks are Cate Square, Zemurray Park—which features a public swimming pool—North Oaks, Mooney Avenue Park, Clarke Park, Martin Luther King Park, Jackson Park, and Hammond Dreamland Park. Recreational offerings include youth sports programs and adult leagues for flag football, basketball, kickball, and volleyball, as well as classes like Line Dancing, Zumba fitness sessions, and crafting workshops.

Media

While overlapping with media markets from Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Hammond supports its own local media outlets:

  • Action News 17 available on Charter Communications Channel 197 with online streaming
  • The Daily Star newspaper
  • Radio stations including KSLU FM 90.9 (operated by Southeastern Louisiana University), WZEN-LP FM 107.9, WFPR AM 1400, WHMD FM 107.1 ("Kajun Radio"), and WTGG FM 96.5

Government and Infrastructure

The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice maintains a regional branch located in Hammond.

The United States Postal Service operates the Hammond Post Office at 105 NW Railroad Avenue.

Law Enforcement and Crime

Hammond's law enforcement is managed by five distinct agencies:

The main office of the Hammond Police Department is situated at 120 S Oak Street. Crime data for the city can be accessed via the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) database.

Hammond has consistently faced elevated crime levels. Louisiana holds the distinction of being the most violent state in the nation, with Hammond ranking as the fifth most violent city in Louisiana when considering crimes per capita.

Crime Rates (per 100,000): US Average vs. Hammond, Louisiana

Year US Violent Crime Hammond Violent Crime US Property Crime Hammond Property Crime Note
2006 264 1,393 317 1,737
2007 1,985 1,342
2008 252 1,124 302 1,469
2009 238 1,139 285 1,550
2010 223 846 276 1,333
2011 214 848 273 1,261
2012 214 881 267 1,331
2013 204 679 250 1,282
2014 200 612 230 1,102
2015 208 535 221 953
2016 216 775 216 1,019

Health Care

Several medical facilities are located in Hammond, including North Oaks Medical Center positioned along U.S. Route 51 Business between Hammond and Ponchatoula. North Oaks ranks among Louisiana’s largest hospitals and serves as a clinical partner for Southeastern Louisiana University's College of Nursing & Health Sciences.

Transportation

Hammond enjoys a comprehensive transportation network encompassing railways, highways, and air travel.

Passenger Rail

The daily Amtrak City of New Orleans trains traveling northbound and southbound make stops in Hammond, accommodating approximately 15,000 passengers each year, many commuting to or from Baton Rouge. The town’s historic Queen Anne-style train station, built in 1912 and centrally located, underwent renovation in 2008 with an ADA-compliant platform added soon thereafter.

Highways

Hammond’s economic vitality is partly due to its location at the crossroads of two major interstate highways:

  • Interstate 12 runs between Baton Rouge and Slidell and serves as a less congested alternative to Interstate 10 through New Orleans.
  • Interstate 55, extending from LaPlace to Chicago via cities such as Jackson, Memphis, and St. Louis, passes directly through Hammond.

The city lies roughly 40 miles from Baton Rouge, 46 miles from New Orleans, 89 miles from Gulfport in Mississippi, and 125 miles from Jackson, Mississippi.

Two U.S. highways also serve the area:

  • U.S. Route 51 (Morrison Boulevard) branches off from I-55 between Hammond and Ponchatoula and runs north along the western edge of the city. U.S. 51 Business follows the original path through downtown before rejoining U.S. 51.
  • U.S. Route 190 (Thomas Street / Morris Avenue) runs parallel to I-12 and passes through both commercial and historic downtown districts.

Additional state highways servicing Hammond include LA 443 (Morris Road), LA 1040 (Chauvin Drive), LA 1064 (Natalbany Road), LA 1065 (North Cherry Street), LA 1249 (Pumpkin Center Road), LA 3158 (Airport Road), and LA 3234 (University Avenue), which provides access to Southeastern Louisiana University.

Airport

The Hammond Northshore Regional Airport boasts a runway capable of handling the Concorde (1976–2003) and functions as an alternate facility for Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. It is home to the largest contingent of the Louisiana Army National Guard as well as the 236th Combat Communications Squadron of the Louisiana Air National Guard. Although it does not offer scheduled passenger flights, the airport accommodates charter services and corporate aviation operations.

Notable people

In popular media

  • The city of Hammond was utilized as the filming location for season one of the NBC drama In the Heat of the Night in 1988, starring Carroll O'Connor. This series was based on the 1967 film sharing its title.
  • "Hammond Song," composed by Maggie Roche of The Roches, expresses her experience relocating to Hammond after becoming disenchanted with her music career.

See also

External links

  1. ↑ Van Leuven, Andrew J. (2023-08-04). "Recent Changes to U.S. Metropolitan and Micropolitan Areas". Andrew J. Van Leuven, Ph.D. Retrieved 2024-01-11.

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