DeSoto Parish, Louisiana

DeSoto Parish, Louisiana

DeSoto Parish Courthouse in Mansfield

Flag
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 895 sq mi (2,318 km2)
 • Land 876 sq mi (2,269 km2)
Population
 • (2010) 26,656
 • Density 30/sq mi (12/km²)
Congressional district 4th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5

DeSoto Parish (French: Paroisse DeSoto) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 26,656.[1] Its seat is Mansfield.[2] The parish was formed in 1843.[3]

DeSoto Parish is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City, LA Metropolitan 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.[4] 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.[5] 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."[6]

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.[7] 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.[8]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 895 square miles (2,320 km2), of which 876 square miles (2,270 km2) is land and 19 square miles (49 km2) (2.1%) is water.[9]

Major highways

Adjacent parishes

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. 201427,142[10]1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[15] 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.

Education

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

Communities

Map of DeSoto Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels

City

Towns

Villages

Unincorporated communities

Notable people

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ "DeSoto Parish". http://www.sfasu.edu. Center for Regional Heritage Research. Retrieved September 3, 2014. External link in |website= (help)
  4. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 105.
  5. ↑ Means, Emilia Gay Griffith, and Liz Chrysler. DeSoto Parish. Arcadia Publishing, 2011, p. 8.
  6. ↑ http://www.desotoparishclerk.org/
  7. ↑ Brochure, Mansfield State Historic Site, 15149 Highway 175, Mansfield, Louisiana 71052
  8. ↑ John D. Winters, The Civil War in Louisiana, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1963, ISBN 0-8071-0834-0, pp. 340-347
  9. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  15. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  16. ↑ "Retired Caddo district judge dies at 70, The Shreveport Times, May 6, 1979, p. 16-A
  17. ↑ "Funeral for Pike Hall at 11 A.M. Today – Prominent Attorney, Civic Leader Succumbs After Brief Illness". The Shreveport Times. December 17, 1945. pp. 1, 6. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  18. ↑ "C. O. Simpkins, Sr.: Civil Rights Champion". cosimpkins.com. Retrieved September 1, 2015.

Further reading

External links

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

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

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