Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana

Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana

Natchitoches Parish Courthouse (completed 1939 as a WPA project)

Flag
Seal
Map of Louisiana highlighting Natchitoches Parish
Location in the U.S. state of Louisiana
Map of the United States highlighting Louisiana
Louisiana's location in the U.S.
Founded April 10, 1805
Named for Natchitoches people
Seat Natchitoches
Largest city Natchitoches
Area
 • Total 1,299 sq mi (3,364 km2)
 • Land 1,252 sq mi (3,243 km2)
 • Water 47 sq mi (122 km2), 3.6%
Population (est.)
 • (2015) 39,179
 • Density 32/sq mi (12/km²)
Congressional district 4th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
The Natchitoches Parish Library.
Hidden by trees, the Magnolia Plantation is located in the Cane River Creole National Historical Park.
Creston Baptist Church is located at the intersections of the highways leading to Ashland, Goldonna, and Readhimer.

Natchitoches Parish (French: Paroisse des Natchitoches ou Les Natchitoches) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,566.[1] The parish seat is Natchitoches.[2] The parish was formed in 1805.[3]

The Natchitoches, LA Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Natchitoches Parish. This is the heart of the Cane River Louisiana Creole community.

Including extensive outbuildings at Magnolia and Oakland plantations, the Cane River Creole National Historical Park interprets the history and culture of the Louisiana Creoles. It was designated one of the original sites on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail, established in 2008.

History

Natchitoches Parish was created by the act of April 10, 1805 that divided the Territory of Orleans into twelve parishes, including Orleans, Iberville, Rapides and Natchitoches. The parish boundaries were much larger than now defined, but were gradually reduced as new parishes were organized to keep up with population increases in the state. Caddo, Claiborne, Bossier, Webster, DeSoto, Bienville, Jackson, Sabine, Red River, Winn, and Grant parishes were eventually formed from Natchitoches' enormous territory. Natchitoches Parish has had fifteen border revisions, making it second only to Ouachita parish in number of boundary revisions.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 1,299 square miles (3,360 km2), of which 1,252 square miles (3,240 km2) is land and 47 square miles (120 km2) (3.6%) is water.[4] It is the fourth-largest parish by land area in Louisiana. The primary groundwater resources of Natchitoches Parish, from near surface to deepest, include the Red River alluvial, upland terrace, Sparta, and Carrizo-Wilcox aquifers.[5]

Adjacent parishes

Major highways

National protected areas

Name
Cane River Creole National Historical Park
Kisatchie National Forest (part)
Red River National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Saline Bayou

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18207,486—
18307,9055.6%
184014,35081.5%
185014,228−0.9%
186016,69917.4%
187018,2659.4%
188019,7077.9%
189025,83631.1%
190033,21628.6%
191036,4559.8%
192038,6025.9%
193038,477−0.3%
194040,9976.5%
195038,144−7.0%
196035,653−6.5%
197035,219−1.2%
198039,86313.2%
199036,689−8.0%
200039,0806.5%
201039,5661.2%
Est. 201639,162[6]−1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[1]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 39,566 people residing in the county. 54.3% were White, 41.4% Black or African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.9% of some other race and 2.1% of two or more races. 1.9% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 39,080 people, 14,263 households, and 9,499 families residing in the parish. The population density was 31 people per square mile (12/km²). There were 16,890 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 57.85% White, 38.43% Black or African American (42 percent in 2010), 1.08% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.92% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. 1.45% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 14,263 households out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.30% were married couples living together, 17.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the parish the population was spread out with 26.00% under the age of 18, 17.90% from 18 to 24, 24.30% from 25 to 44, 19.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 90.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.80 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $25,722, and the median income for a family was $32,816. Males had a median income of $29,388 versus $19,234 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $13,743. About 20.90% of families and 26.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.70% of those under age 18 and 19.00% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Presidential Elections Results[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 54.0% 8,968 43.0% 7,144 3.1% 509
2012 52.6% 9,077 46.0% 7,942 1.4% 239
2008 53.1% 9,054 45.7% 7,801 1.2% 212
2004 54.6% 9,261 43.6% 7,398 1.8% 307
2000 49.4% 7,332 46.6% 6,924 4.0% 601
1996 36.1% 5,471 54.7% 8,296 9.3% 1,403
1992 38.5% 5,694 47.2% 6,974 14.3% 2,111
1988 52.6% 7,224 44.8% 6,151 2.6% 358
1984 59.0% 8,836 38.8% 5,806 2.2% 336
1980 47.0% 6,668 50.1% 7,102 3.0% 419
1976 42.3% 5,248 53.9% 6,692 3.8% 477
1972 64.7% 6,994 29.4% 3,180 5.8% 629
1968 19.9% 2,352 33.4% 3,945 46.6% 5,505
1964 65.0% 5,525 35.0% 2,975
1960 36.3% 2,562 39.4% 2,781 24.3% 1,717
1956 55.5% 3,203 35.2% 2,028 9.3% 539
1952 44.5% 3,104 55.5% 3,876
1948 14.3% 763 31.6% 1,692 54.1% 2,897
1944 30.3% 1,105 69.6% 2,536 0.1% 3
1940 15.2% 684 84.8% 3,824
1936 12.6% 502 87.4% 3,476
1932 4.8% 173 95.2% 3,458 0.1% 2
1928 20.0% 526 80.0% 2,099
1924 14.9% 200 84.1% 1,132 1.0% 14
1920 11.3% 203 88.7% 1,595
1916 3.7% 45 95.8% 1,181 0.6% 7
1912 2.1% 21 75.1% 759 22.9% 231

Until the past decade, Natchitoches Parish was reliably Democratic in most competitive elections. In 2012, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney won the parish with 9,077 votes (52.6 percent) to U.S. President Barack Obama's 7,942 votes (46 percent). At the parish-level, former State Representative Rick Nowlin, a Republican, became the first elected president of the new Natchitoches Parish government, which replaces the former Natchitoches Parish Police Jury system. Nowlin received 9,283 votes (59.2 percent) to the Democrat Gerald "Jerry" Longlois' 6,393 (40.8 percent). Natchitoches Parish cast 73 percent of its ballots for Republican U.S. Representative John Fleming, who faced opposition only from a Libertarian Party candidate.[13]

By a similar margin U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona won Natchitoches Parish over Barack Obama in the 2008 general election, 9,054 votes (53.1 percent) to 7,801 votes (45.7 percent).[14] The 2004 presidential results in Natchitoches Parish were similar to those of 2008 and 2012, with U.S. President George W. Bush prevailing over U.S. Senator John F. Kerry, 9,261 (54.6 percent) to 7,398 (43.6 percent).[15] In his first and disputed election of 2000, Bush topped then Vice President Al Gore in Natchitoches Parish, 7,332 (49.4 percent) to 6,924 (46.6 percent). Patrick J. Buchanan as the Reform Party nominee, received 271 votes (1.8 percent).[16]

The last Democrat to win in Natchitoches Parish at the presidential level was Bill Clinton in 1996, who received 8,296 votes (54.7 percent), compared to Republican Robert J. Dole's 5.471 ballots (36.1 percent). Ross Perot of the Reform Party held 1,053 votes (6.9 percent).[17]

Education

Natchitoches Parish School Board operates local public schools. Parish schools include: Cloutierville Elementary & Junior High School, East Natchitoches Elementary & Middle High School, Fairview Alpha Elementary & Junior High School, Frankie Ray Jackson, Sr. Technical Center, George L. Parks Elementary & Junior High School, Goldonna Elementary & Junior High School, L.P. Vaughn Elementary & Junior High School, Lakeview High School, M.R. Weaver Elementary, Marthaville Elementary & Junior High School, Natchitoches Central High School, Natchitoches Magnet School, NSU Elementary Laboratory School, NSU Middle Laboratory School, and Provencal Elementary & Junior High School.

National Guard

A Troop 2-108TH CAV is headquartered in behind the local college and the airport. This unit has deployed twice to Iraq, first as part of the 1-156TH Armor Battalion in 2004-2005 and then as part of the 2-108TH CAV SQDN in 2010. Both times this company sized element deployed with the 256th Infantry Brigade.

Communities

Map of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels

City

Town

Villages

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Hospital

Natchitoches Regional Medical Center in Natchitoches
Exchange Bank in Natchitoches, Louisiana is the Tallest building in the Downtown Natchitoches

Prison

County

Name Address Zip Aged
Natchitoches Parish Detention Center 299 Edwina Dr, Natchitoches, Louisiana 71457 16+

Notable people

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ "Natchitoches Parish". Center for Regional Heritage Research. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  5. ↑ Fendick, R.B. (2013). Water Resources of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. Reston, Va.: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.
  6. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  11. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  12. ↑ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS
  13. ↑ "Natchitoches Parish election returns, November 6, 2012". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Natchitoches Parish election returns, November 4, 2008". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Natchitoches Parish election returns, November 2, 2004". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Natchitoches Parish election returns, November 7, 2000". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Natchitoches Parish election returns, November 5, 1996". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  18. ↑ Adrian B. Ettlinger. "Sitefind" v.2.6
  19. ↑ "Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2016" (PDF). house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Caspari, Leopold". Louisiana Historical Association, A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography (lahistory.org). Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  21. ↑ "In Memoriam: Monnie T. Cheves". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. August 17, 1988. p. D3. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Charles Milton Cunningham". familytreemaker.genealogy.com. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  23. ↑ "William Tharp Cunningham". genealogy.com. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  24. ↑ Mike Miller (1925). Henry E. Chambers, ed. "Andrew R. Johnson". A History of Louisiana. Chicago and New York City: usgarchives.org. pp. 147–148. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  25. ↑ Obituary of Bob Reese. The Shreveport Times, November 27, 2004
  26. ↑ "Roy Sanders". Winnfield, Louisiana: Winn Parish Enterprise News-American. December 29, 1976. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  27. ↑ "123. Richard David Tarver, Jr.". familytreemaker.genealogy.com. Retrieved September 10, 2014r.

Coordinates: 31°44′N 93°06′W / 31.73°N 93.10°W / 31.73; -93.10

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