Ponchatoula, Louisiana

Ponchatoula is a small city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,180 at the 2000 census. Ponchatoula is the "Strawberry Capital of the World". It is part of the Hammond Micropolitan Statistical Area. The current mayor is Bob Zabbia.

History

Ponchatoula was established as a mining camp in 1820, and incorporated as a town on February 12, 1861. William Akers was the city's first mayor, and is credited with founding the town, establishing it on land he purchased from the federal government in 1832. At the turn of the 20th century Ponchatoula changed its main export from lumber to commercial farming. Nearly every family farmed in some form. The main produce was the strawberry of which the town grew so much it earned the nickname "The Strawberry Capital" or "Strawberry Capital of The World". The families that were major farmers during this era that lasted for eighty years have their last names engraved on a large plaque in front of the city hall. During the 1980s the city's economy changed to tourism when farming stopped bringing enough money to sustain the town. The mayor at the time devised a plan to open antique shops where former businesses used to be. There are still about six of these shops open today.This also earned the town a second nickname being "The Antique City".