Kentwood, Louisiana has two major exports: water and Britney Spears. Without Kentwood water, people in southeastern Louisiana would have to drink water from the Mississippi. Without Britney Spears, radio-listeners across America would have to risk listen to nu-metal, pop-punk, hip-hop, or indie-rock. Kentwood is known as "The Dairy Capital of the South".
Drive through Kentwood, here's what you're likely to see: rolling hills, pine trees, haystacks, livestock, cornfields and miles of wide open spaces. The roosting down the road or heighbour's mooing cow may be your alarm clock in the morning, and a night out on the town probably means a trip to the local burger barn. It's the kind of town where everyone knows each other, and people greet you when you walk through the door.
The total land area of Kentwood is 6.9 square miles. There are 3 main highways: I-55, US 51 and LA 38. City Government include Mayor, board of aldermen and chief of police (elected).
The nearest cities are Tangipahoa, LA (4.2 miles), Osyka, MS (5.8 miles), Roseland, LA (11.9 miles), Greensburg, LA (13.0 miles), Amite City, LA (14.4 miles), Magnolia, MS (15.2 miles), Montpelier, LA (20.1 miles) and Independence, LA (20.8 miles).
The population of Kentwood, Louisiana, is approximately 2,309 residents (in 2006). Males are about 44.5% and females are about 55.5% in the town. The racial makeup of the town is 34% white, 63% blacks or African Americans, and other races make 3%. The median age of Kentwood residents is 33 years. The median income for a family is approximately $24,000. There are about 950 housing units, 850 households, and 550 families residing in the town. 181 married couples with children are live in Kentwood.
An analysis of Kentwood shows a significantly higher black population than the state average, household income significantly below state average, house prices below state average, number of college students below state average and the percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher also significantly below state average. The overall picture is of a relatively poor, under-educated, predominantly black town. Kentwood has three-lined avenues with spotless gardens and no visible signs of any ghetto. There have been no murders, no rapes and only several robberies for the past several years. No wonder people feel relaxed about going out and leaving their homes unlocked.
Kentwood-area historical tornado activity is slightly above Louisiana state average. It is 121% greater than the overall U.S. average. In 1975 a category 4 tornado 16.9 miles away from the Kentwood city center killed 9 people and injured 210 people and caused between $5,000,000 and $50,000,000 in damages. In 1977 a category 3 tornado 12.5 miles away from the city center injured 2 people and caused between $5000 and $50,000 in damages.
There are only 4 TV broadcast stations around Kentwood: WAFB (Channel 9), WMAU-TV (Channel 17), W36AC (Channel 36) and WSTY-LP (Channel 23).
Distances to major cities:
Minneapolis - 1,180 miles;
Denver - 1,150 miles;
Chicago - 840 miles;
Kansas City - 740 miles;
Cincinnati - 690 miles;
St. Louis - 625 miles.
Atlanta - 500 miles;
Nashville - 550 miles;
Dallas - 479 miles;
Birmingham - 391 miles;
Memphis - 335 miles;
Houston - 333 miles;
Mobile - 156 miles.
Most common occupations in Kentwood are:
- sales workers and truck drivers;
- laborers and material movers, hand;
- law enforcement workers including supervisors;
- vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers;
- preschool, kindergarten, elementary and middle school teachers;
- building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations;
- administrative support workers;
- nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides;
- cooks and food preparation workers.
Services:
Electricity: Entergy Corporation;
Natural Gas: Town of Kentwood;
Water: Town of Kentwood;
Solid Waste: Town of Kentwood;
Telephone: Bell South Communications;
Fire Protection: Kentwood Volunteer Fire Department.
Just to the eastside border, the city is the kind of place where people don't lock their doors and give out phone numbers four digits, not seven. It takes just one hour from Kentwood to get to New Orleans, one of the most exiting cities in United States. Tourists flock to New Orleans every year for Mardi Gras, with its colorful carnivals and parades. That city is famous for its music.
The Interstate 55 affords easy access to McComb, a much bigger town just across the Mississippi border.
Kentwood is the largest in Tangipahoa Parish (The parish was named for an Indian tribe). Tangipahoa Parish is one of 64 parishes in Louisiana. The parish is in the Hammond metro area. Kentwood, a small dairy community composed of warm, friendly southern people who speak with a soft southern drawl. Residents are soft-spoken and polite. Children use "ma'am" and "sir" when they speak to grown-ups.
The town was founded in 1893 and named after settler Amos Kent. Kentwood is a sleepy little town that hasn't changed in the last couple of decades, and is located on I-55 just south McComb, MS and the Mississippi border. This is the town that Britney Spears grew up in. And this is probably the only place in the world where Britney is still the girl next door. People who approach the small town of Kentwood today, greeted by a sign that says "Welcome To Kentwood, Home of Britney Spears".
Kentwood does not really have a centre but past the "Sonic Drive-In" restaurant and the "Super Dollar" store there is a traffic light where photographers congregate if they know Britney is visiting her mother, who lives six miles straight across at the lights, or her father, who is two or three miles to the left just off Highway 51, which used to be the main route through town before the interstate took over. A few hundred yards along Highway 51 there is a disused gas station with a sign hanging outside that bears the legend Granny's Seafood Deli. The premises are now dusty and neglected. The granny was Lexie Pierce, great grandmother of Britney Spears and a local legend. It was here on Saturdays that the menfolk of the family would be washing crawfish, the local favourite.
In Kentwood lots of people are related to Britney, including Mayor Bobby Grill. Her great-grandfather and his grandmother were brother and sister. The Mayor, who served his community for 24 years, remembers Britney when she used to be a child. Like many longtime Kentwood residents, Mayor Gill is very proud of community's star.
The people of Kentwood try to treat Britney like anyone else. There is a sign in the window of "Callahan's Furniture" that reads "Home of Britney Spears, Pride of Louisiana". A giant framed poster of Britney hangs on the wall at the Spring Greek Crossroads grocery and gas station, too.
Kentwood is so small that it doesn't even have a junior high school. Children in grades seven through twelve attend a single Kentwood Public School. Outside the school there is a sign "Drive Carefully, Live Prayerfully".
"Parklane Academy", a private christian school in Mc Comb, Mississippi, dedicated to provide quality education with high standards of academic excellence. "Parklane Academy" is 25 miles away north Kentwood. It draws students from five surrounding countries and enrollment fluctuated about 1000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. While the school is not affiliated with any curtain church, the students are required to stand every morning for a devotional moment and a time of prayer. The school provides Bible classes and boast an active Bible club.
Kentwood has a few stores, several restaurants and churches. There is a Baptist Church in Kentwood, where Britney's family attended Sunday service for many years. There at the age of four Britney gave her first public performance and later she became a member of the choir.
There are several churches in Kentwood. They are "Deliverance Temple Church of God in Christ", "Kentwood Assembly of God Church", "Kentwood Methodist Church", " Kentwood United Pentecostal Church", "Oak Grove AME Church", "Orange Grove Church of God in Christ", "St. Elizabeth Catholic Church", "Sweet Home Baptist Church", "Temple Chapel Baptist Church" and "First Baptist Church" attended by little Britney Spears and her family and located on 310 Avenue E Kentwood, LA 70444 right in front of Britney's rancho-style home.
If you want to read a book, then you can visit a single library in the city, "Kentwood Branch Library". This library is a division of the library system that serves Tangipahoa Parish, LA and works on Mondays thru Fridays since 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Kentwood Museum
On the other side of Highway 51 is the Kentwood Museum, a small building with a very large American flag, where visitors can admire Britney memorabilia. The Britney Spears museum has been created by Sandy Reed and Kathy Bryan at the request of her fans. The town has dedicated 
three rooms of "Kentwood Historical and Cultural Museum" to their famous star. The Britney section is the "cultural arts" part. They had to do it because so many visitors came to see the town of Britney Spears. A sign on the door reads "Marriage Licenses Issued Here". Apparently the museum offers this service for fans inspired to follow in Britney’s footsteps.
Inside the museum there are two exhibitions - Britney Spears and Military. There you can see pictures of local veterans from various wars. There are especially interesting pictures - dad of Britney's mother, dad of Britney's dad, and sister of Britney's dad.
The first room of Britney exhibition is occupied by a scale model of the stage Britney performed on for her HBO special during the "Dream Within a Dream Tour". It was built by a thirty-year-old fan from Salem, Oregon. The model contains 600 Christmas lights, and much to the irritation of his wife, took him six months working four hours a day to build, during which time he permanently injured his thumb from the repetitive strain of punching holes through little steel sheets that were part of the building material.
The next room contains many of Britney's awards. It is about half empty because Britney took some for auctions for the Britney Spears Foundation. She promised to send replicas of the awards.
The next room has pictures taken by fans, pictures from the Mouseketeer years, Britney's platinum records, her childhood treasures. One display documents the official "Britney Spears Day" that Kentwood celebrated back in April 1993.
Visitors of Historical and Cultural Museum can also see a recreation of Britney's childhood bedroom, complete with her favorite dolls and stuffed animals. There are two dresses she wore as a Star Search finalist and a T-shirt signed by the entire cast of "The New Mickey Mouse Club".
The House
The Spears family home off Highway 61 was nicely situated a few hundred yards from "First Baptist Church" on the one side and Skinny's Bar on the other.
People in Kentwood are used to seeing Britney, so when she comes to town they don't crowd up around like they do in other places, and when she comes home, she just wants to relax. When Britney is at home, she likes to visit the places where she spent time as a child. She lived in her family's ranch-style home, just north of the town center.
When you pulled into the driveway the first thing you see is a basketball hoop where Bryan shoot hoops with his friends. At the end of the carport you can scroll on to a desk out the back of the house. Most visitors went that way into the kitchen, which had a dining-room area within it where they ate their meals. The kitchen led into a pretty living room, reflecting Lynn's personal taste - a beige carpet, a white leather recliner and a blue sofa with big magnolia leaves on it. Behind the sofa was a family piano where Britney would practise her singing while everyone else was trying to watch television. The room was big enough for Britney, who was always very little as a child, to show off her ability at back flips, tumbling across the living room floor. The other door in the kitchen led to a long hallway. Britney's room was on the right opposite a bathroom, Bryan's room was at the far end across from Lynne and Jamie's room. The 
furniture in the house was nothing out of the ordinary but the overriding impression for visitors was that it was a comfortable home.
Today, this modest home has lots of trees around it and a Louisiana State University flag flying from the front entry. This home belongs to Britney's dad, Jamie Spears, who was divorced from Lynn Spears in 2002. Although Britney still stops by the old house, she spends more time at the $4,5 million four-bedroom Tudor-style mansion that she built in 2001. It's the house that Britney, her mother and little sister Jamie Lynn call home. The house, which is called "Serenity", sits on 7,5 acres is surrounded by an iron fence.
The house is considerably grander than the old family home. It is safe and secure although fans can take pictures through the railings.
There is a country-style kitchen, a comfy living room filled with furniture and tons of family photos. Britney's mother did almost everything in the house, including one room which is a shire to her daughter's success with wall-to-wall gold and platinum records. But the bedrooms were designed by Britney herself. Her bedroom is located upstairs. It's filled with satin pillows, vanilla and peach-scented candies and and lots of the winged fairy statues that Britney collects, and there is a huge bed in the center of the room.
Britney helped to design the backyard to be the perfect spot for parties and barbecues. The yard boast a fountain, flower gardens, a patio and a sparkling free-form pool.
"Nyla's Burger Basket"
"Nyla's Burger Basket", a casual restaurant famous for its oversized home-made burgers and Southern specialties like fried chicken, is located in Osyka, Mississippi. Nyla, a 55-year-old Spears' family friend, serves up fast food, lots of burgers, fries, and milkshakes.
When Britney was a student of school she used to stop by after classes for a snack. Sometimes, when Britney comes in town, she still likes to eat there and orders some food ahead. Britney likes grilled chicken sandwiches, collard greens, chocolate pie or just firm Nyla's burgers.
When you walk into the front door and look to the far left wall, you can see Britney posters, photos going back to her younger years and framed newspaper stories on the pop star. There's Britney on the cover of menu and under it the words "Britney's Favorite Family Restaurant."
"Nyla" isn't far from Kentwood, and is just over the state line. It's a straight drive north after taking I-55 at Hammond.
Other Attractions
End of the Lane Mountain Biking - 20 miles of scenic bike trails through piney woods. Open every weekend, February through November. Open weekdays by appointment.
Inspiration Park & Campground - Beautiful landscaped 58 acre park with European labyrinth, open to the public. Camping from primitive to RV hook-ups; fishing; building available for special events.
Kentwood Extreme MOTO-X - Professtional bike racing track. Regular race schedule: every fourth Sunday.
Kinchen's Indoor Rodeo Arena - One hundred acre complex includes 1.8 acre indoor facility. Activities include barrel racing, team roping, bull bashes, rodeos.
Blue Wing Golf Course - Nine hole course; two tee boxes per hole so that 18 holes can be played. Open daily.
Fernwood Country Club - Off Interstate 55, about fifteen minutes from Kentwood. Facility includes: country club house, restaurant, bar, dining/ball rooms, 3 pools, tennis, tennis pro, 18 hole course. Golf lessons available.
Oakridge Driving Range And Golf Course - Off Interstate 55, just fifteen minutes from Kentwood. Facility includes: 9-hole par 3 golf course daylight to dusk, lighted driving range.
Percy Quin State Park - Quail Hollow Golf Course - Nationally ranked Top Ten by Golf Digest. Off Interstate 55, twenty minutes from Kentwood. Facility includes: 18 hole course, club house, restaurant/snack bar, golf villas and other lodging. Golf lessons available.
Spring View Golf Club - Off Interstate 55, twenty minutes from Kentwood. Facility includes: 18 hole course, club house, snack bar, pool. Golf lessons available.
Restaurants:
"Chicken Basket" - Chicken and seafood. Daily lunches.
"Kentwood Donut Shop" - Serving a fresh variety of donuts, biscuits, and croissants daily.
"Peggy's Drive-In" - Salads, sandwiches, dinner boxes, combos, ice cream.
"The Cafe" - breakfast, Home-style lunches, Steaks & seafood
"Pizza Shack" - Pizzas; Hot New Orleans style Po-Boys, made to order; Salads.
"Perviss" - serving breakfast, hamburgers, chicken or fish dinners, sandwiches, other items.
"Skinney's Restaurant" - Daily lunches. Specializing in Bar-B-Que and Steaks.
"Sonic Drive-In" - Toaster sandwiches with bacon, egg and chese, burgers, kids' meals, fresh salads, grilled chicken wraps, breaded chicken sandwich, grilled chicken sandwich, corn dogs, french fries, onion rings, slushes, fresh fruit limeades
"Subway Sandwiches & Salads" - veggie delite, turkey breast, roast beef, oven roasted chicken breast, meatball marinara, Italian BMT, spicy italian, roast beef.
"Hart's Bar-B-Que" - barbeque restaurant.
Organizations
"Kentwood Garden Club" - Founded in 1949, this group's purpose is to promote understanding and knowledge of gardening and floral decorations. Meetings are monthly in members' homes from September through May.
"Kentwood Art Guild" - Founded in 1978, this group's purpose is to further interest in art in our community. Meetings are held in members' homes the second Tuesday of every even month.
"Kentwood Music Club" - Founded in 1938, this group's purpose is to promote appreciation of music. Meetings are held in members' homes from October through May.
"Kentwood Dairy Festival Committee" - This group coordinates all aspects of the annual Dairy Day Festival to recognize and honor dairy farmers.
