Robeline

History

The first European settlement in the area became known as Los Adaes, which served as the capital of Spanish Texas for over 50 years, from 1721 to 1773. The Spanish settlement was established at a strategic location on the border with French Louisiana to counter the growing French settlement of Natchitoches. France ceded the area to Spain in 1763 after the French and Indian War, and ten years later, Spain abandoned the settlement. Spain ceded Spanish Louisiana to France by treaty in 1800, which sold it to the United States in 1803 through the Louisiana Purchase. The historic Keegan House, built in 1850 on the Elzey plantation, is located in Robeline. During 1870–1917, a railroad was built through Robeline and Marthaville, Louisiana. The town became rich with resources and money, but the railroad was abandoned in 1960, and Robeline declined. It now has a convenience store, dollar store, several churches, and considerable wilderness. In the 1880s, Robeline had a weekly newspaper, the Robeline Reporter. According to a 2007 report, Robeline was named one of the ten worst speed traps in the state of Louisiana. Robeline made 85.73 percent of its revenue, an average of roughly $1,517 per capita population, from fines and forfeitures in the 2005 fiscal year.

Geography

Robeline is located at (31.690873, -93.304233). According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.0 square miles (2.6 km), all land.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Provencal Elementary & Junior High School
  Elementary · Provencal · 467 students · 14.6:1 ratio
• Marthaville Elementary & Junior High School
  Elementary · Marthaville · 220 students · 10.5:1 ratio