On April 3, 1999, a powerful F4tornado roared through portions of the town killing six people and injuring 90. A mobile home park located south of town and homes near the Palmetto Country Club were devastated. Neighborhoods affected included Haymeadow Trailer Park, Palmetto Park/Palmetto Place, Bay Hills, Woodlake South, Twin Lake Community, and many other newer lakefront homes located around Cypress Lake. The population of Benton lakefront area nearly doubled between 2004 and 2008. The Palmetto Country Club opened in 1954. The Shreveport Kiwanis Invitational was held at the country club from 1965 to 1969. On December 31, 2014, the club closed after recruitment drives and restructuring of the membership plan failed to make the facility financially solvent. Owner John H. Ward and a partner had run the club since 2013. Ward invested $250,000 over the past year in a vain bid to keep the facility afloat. Ward added that Palmetto "is not alone in this struggle and two dominating factors are in play: memberships are decreasing nationwide, especially in the under-40 bracket; and the industry has been overbuilt making growth within golf clubs very difficult."
Geography
Benton is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of, all land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,035 people, 749 households, and 518 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,062.6 people per square mile. There were 834 housing units at an average density of 435.5 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 54.64% White, 42.16% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.25% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.10% of the population. There were 749 households out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 23.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.13. In the town, the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $25,708, and the median income for a family was $31,953. Males had a median income of $29,423 versus $18,472 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,289. About 20.0% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.1% of those under age 18 and 26.1% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
Robert E. "Bob" Barton, state representative from Bossier Parish, 1996-2000
Walter O. Bigby, state representative and judge, graduated from Benton High School.
Billy Bretherton, Entomologist and co-owner of Vexcon Inc, a pest control services company featured on the A&E series Billy the Exterminator.
Dewey E. Burchett, Jr., state court judge from 1988 to 2008, born in Shreveport but resided in Benton
