Patterson, Louisiana
| Patterson, Louisiana | |
| City | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | St. Mary |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
| Coordinates | 29°41′33″N 91°18′24″W / 29.69250°N 91.30667°WCoordinates: 29°41′33″N 91°18′24″W / 29.69250°N 91.30667°W |
| Area | 6.5 km2 (2.5 sq mi) |
| - land | 6.5 km2 (2.5 sq mi) |
| - water | 0.0 km2 (0.0 sq mi), 0% |
| Population | 6,112 (2010) |
| Density | 935.8/km2 (2,423.7/sq mi) |
| Mayor | Rodney Grogan (D) |
| Timezone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Area code | 985 |
  Location of Patterson in Louisiana
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 Location of Louisiana in the United States
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Website: cityofpattersonla |
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Patterson is a small city in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 6,112 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Morgan City Micropolitan Statistical Area.
During the early 19th century, a group of Pennsylvania Dutchmen boarded a sailing vessel in New Orleans and ventured into the Bayou Teche. One of them, Hans Knight, decided to settle his family in what is now Patterson. The community was originally called Dutch Settlement, Dutch Prairie, and Dutch Town.
In 1832, Captain John Patterson, a trader from Indiana, settled there. He built a store and became a prominent citizen. The town was renamed Pattersonville after the captain successfully moved the post office to Dutch Settlement.
Pattersonville was incorporated in 1907 as the Town of Patterson.
James "Jimmy" Robert Wedell (March 31, 1900 - June 24, 1934) was a famous 1930s racing pilot and aircraft designer. Wedell broke the world record for land-plane speed in 1933 when he clocked 305.33 m.p.h. in a Wedell-Williams aircraft of his own design.[1] He won the Thompson Trophy air race in the same year. Wedell's company, the Wedell-Williams Air Service Corporation, won 14 "distinguished finishes" (top five) in the Thompson and Bendix Trophy races.[2]
James "Jimmie/Jimmy" Robert Wedell was born in Texas City on March 31, 1900 to Robert and Ida Wedell, who operated a tavern in the town. His brother Walter, born on November 14, 1901, was joined later by sisters, Elizabeth and Mary. With the sudden and premature death of both parents, the brothers were on their own from teen years on. The two brothers were both mechanically inclined, especially working with gasoline engines. Another major interest was aviation and flying.[2]
Wedell left school in the ninth grade to open the Black Star Garage behind the family home. He repaired cars and motorcycles and when the first U.S. Army Air Field was established in Texas City in 1913, he learned to fly, and he later taught his brother.[2]
After buying two junked aircraft, the Wedell brothers constructed a new aircraft from the parts and began to fly as exhibition pilots, barnstorming along the Gulf Coast.[3]
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