Ponchatoula is a city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,180 at the 2000 United States Census. Ponchatoula bills itself as'Strawberry Capital of the World'. It is part of the Hammond, Louisiana Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Ponchatoula is located at (30.439162, -90.442507) and has an elevation of. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), all of it land.

Ponchatoula is located along Interstate 55 and Highway 22, in a position that puts it an equal distance between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. In the early...

Ponchatoula is a city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,180 at the 2000 United States Census. Ponchatoula bills itself as'Strawberry Capital of the World'. It is part of the Hammond, Louisiana Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Ponchatoula is located at (30.439162, -90.442507) and has an elevation of. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), all of it land.

Ponchatoula is located along Interstate 55 and Highway 22, in a position that puts it an equal distance between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. In the early 1900s, Ponchatoula was one of only two ways to get to New Orleans by land, giving it the title of'Gateway to New Orleans. '

History
Ponchatoula was established as a logging camp in 1820, and incorporated as a town on February 12, 1861. Ponchatoula is a name signifying'falling hair'or'hanging hair'or'flowing hair'from the Choctaw Pashi'hair'and itula or itola'to fall'or'to hang'or'flowing'. The Indian name Ponchatoula means'flowing hair'', arrived at by the Indians as a way of expressing the beauty of the location with much moss hanging from the trees.'Ponche'is an Indian word meaning location, an object, or a person

Tourism
Ponchatoula is a small town, but it has several tourist attractions. The old train depot has been converted into the Country Market, a series of booths for local craftsmen and artisans. Next door is the Art Car: a train car which has been turned into an art gallery for local painters. In the same block lives Ole Hardhide, an alligator credited with'writing'a column in The Ponchatoula Times newspaper. The current Hardhide is the fourth by that name.