DeSoto Parish, Louisiana

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DeSoto Parish, Louisiana
DeSoto Parish Courthouse in Mansfield, Louisiana
Map of Louisiana highlighting DeSoto Parish
Location in the state of Louisiana
Map of the United States highlighting Louisiana
Louisiana's location in the U.S.
Founded 1843
Named for settler, Marcel DeSoto
Seat Mansfield
Largest city Mansfield
Area
 • Total 894 sq mi (2,317 km2)
 • Land 877 sq mi (2,272 km2)
 • Water 17 sq mi (45 km2), 1.93%
Population
 • (2010) 26,656
 • Density 29/sq mi (11/km²)
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5

DeSoto Parish (French: Paroisse DeSoto) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its seat is Mansfield. As of the 2010 census, the population was 26,656.[1]

DeSoto Parish is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Shreveport–Bossier City–Minden Combined Statistical Area.

History

It is a typical misconception that the parish was named after Hernando de Soto, the Spaniard who explored the future southeastern United States and discovered and named the Mississippi River.[2] The parish was in fact named after the unrelated Marcel DeSoto, who led the first group of European settlers there, to a settlement historically known as Bayou Pierre.[3] The parish's name is also commonly misspelled following the explorer's name as "De Soto Parish," but it is properly spelled following the settler's name as "DeSoto Parish."[4]

The Battle of Mansfield was fought in DeSoto Parish on April 8, 1864. General Alfred Mouton was killed in the fighting, but his position was carried forward by Prince de Polignac, a native of France. The battle is commemorated at the Mansfield State Historic Site four miles south of Mansfield off Louisiana Highway 175. The Confederate victory prevented a planned Union invasion thereafter of Texas.[5] Mansfield, also known as the Battle of Sabine Crossroads, a Confederate victory, occurred with one year and one day left in the duration of the war. Mansfield was quickly followed by the Battle of Pleasant Hill to the south.[6]

Geography

The parish has a total area of 894 square miles (2,315.4 km2), of which 877 square miles (2,271.4 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44.0 km2) (1.93%) is water.

Major highways

Adjacent parishes

Caddo Parish
Panola County, Texas Red River Parish
   DeSoto Parish, Louisiana  
Shelby County, Texas Sabine Parish Natchitoches Parish

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18508,023
—
186013,29865.7%
187014,96212.5%
188015,6034.3%
189019,86027.3%
190025,06326.2%
191027,68910.5%
192029,3766.1%
193031,0165.6%
194031,8032.5%
195024,398−23.3%
196024,248−0.6%
197022,764−6.1%
198025,72713.0%
199025,346−1.5%
200025,4940.6%
201026,6564.6%
Est. 201226,9631.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
2012 Estimate[8]

As of the census[9] of 2010, there were 32,000 people, 12,562 households, and 7,012 families residing in the parish. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11/km²). There were 11,204 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 56.97% White, 38.16% Black or African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 0.54% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. 2.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,691 households out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.70% were married couples living together, 18.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 25.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the parish the population was spread out with 28.40% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.00 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $28,252, and the median income for a family was $33,196. Males had a median income of $30,780 versus $20,182 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $13,606. About 21.00% of families and 25.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.80% of those under age 18 and 24.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Map of DeSoto Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels

Towns

Villages

Unincorporated areas

Naborton, Louisiana

Education

Public schools in DeSoto Parish are operated by the DeSoto Parish School Board.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2013. 
  2. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 105. 
  3. ↑ Means, Emilia Gay Griffith, and Liz Chrysler. DeSoto Parish. Arcadia Publishing, 2011, p. 8.
  4. ↑ http://www.desotoparishclerk.org/
  5. ↑ Brochure, Mansfield State Historic Site, 15149 Highway 175, Mansfield, Louisiana 71052
  6. ↑ John D. Winters, The Civil War in Louisiana, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1963, ISBN 0-8071-0834-0, pp. 340-347
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved August 9, 2013. 
  8. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Census.gov. Retrieved August 9, 2013. 
  9. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

External links

Municipalities and communities of DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, United States
Parish seat: Mansfield
City
Towns
Villages
CDPs
Other
unincorporated
communities
Baton Rouge (capital)
Topics
Society
Regions
Cities
CDPs
Metros
Parishes

Coordinates: 32°04′N 93°44′W / 32.06°N 93.74°W / 32.06; -93.74

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