It was located upstream from the point crossed by explorers, immediately above but not circled by False River.

The post was initially settled by native French, as well as French-speaking Creoles born in the colony.

Additional ethnically French settlers migrated down the Mississippi River from Fort de Chartres, Upper Louisiana.

The colonists imported numerous African slaves from the French West Indies (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Domingue), and many directly from Africa, as workers for the plantations.

Recently, historians Frank Cazorla and J. David Polo, from the Louis de Unzaga Historical Society research team, using satellite remote sensing techniques and comparative plans from the General Archive of the Indies, have managed to locate the position of the Unzaga post, which included, along with it, a parish.

In 1822, Catherine Dispau (a free woman of color called "La Fille Gougis") made a four or six block subdivision out of her False River plantation.

[7] The official name of the community changed frequently during the years after Louisiana became part of the United States.

"[7] Since its founding, New Roads has been the hub of an agricultural community that cultivated commodity crops of sugar cane, cotton, and pecans, among others.

Today, the economy has grown to support large industries such as healthcare and social assistance, construction, and retail facilities.

[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (12 km2), all land.

Gradually sloping from a high of 36 feet (11 m) above sea level on Main Street immediately adjacent to False River to a low of 25 feet (7.6 m) along Portage Canal in the north, the city lies on a Mississippi River flood-plain but has never flooded to any great extent since 1912.

Mid-city flooding had periodically occurred during hurricanes and other heavy rainfall events due to the overbanking of the Portage Canal, the lowest part of the city.

A former educator who attended H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College in New Orleans and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Trina Scott helped revitalize Main Street, increase the size and effectiveness of the police force, and expand the municipal boundaries.

[citation needed][17] Scott was succeeded by Sylvester Muckelroy, the first African American to hold the office.

On August 3, 2016, Myer was indicted by a Pointe Coupee Parish grand jury on nine counts of malfeasance in office and abuse of power.

He also allegedly permitted the former municipal finance director to use the card in exchange for sexual favors.