Gloster was incorporated on March 11, 1884. The Gloster Arboretum was established in 1965, and features a variety of plants and trees in a natural setting. The Arboretum attracts many visitors, and admission is free. In 1990, the Gloster Southern Railroad began freight service on a short-line railroad between Gloster and Slaughter, Louisiana. Service was discontinued in 2009, and by 2013 the track had been removed. Gloster is home to Company E, Detachment 1, of the 155th Brigade Combat Team of the Mississippi Army National Guard. Drax Biomass opererates a 450,000 metric ton per year wood pellet production facility in Gloster. The facility was expected to create 45 jobs, and is called Amite BioEnergy.
Geography
Gloster 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 324 people, 223 households, and 114 families residing in the town. The population density was 588.4 people per square mile. There were 481 housing units at an average density of 263.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 54.99% African American, 44.18% White, 0.56% from other races, and 0.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.77% of the population. There were 422 households, out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 29.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.05. In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.4% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $19,922, and the median income for a family was $23,750. Males had a median income of $25,833 versus $17,222 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,536. About 35.0% of families and 39.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 61.5% of those under age 18 and 22.4% of those age 65 or over. The population was reported by the 2020 census to be 863 people.
E. M. Toler, physician and coroner who served in the Louisiana State Senate from East and West Feliciana parishes from 1944 to 1954; born in Gloster in 1874
