Ouachita Parish, Louisiana

Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
250px Ouachita Parish Courthouse in Monroe is another project of the contractor George A. Caldwell
Seal of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana Seal
Location in the U.S. state of Louisiana
Louisiana's location in the U.S.
Founded	March 31, 1807
Named for	Ouachita people
Seat	Monroe
Largest city	Monroe
Area
• Total	632 sq mi (1,637 km2)
• Land	610 sq mi (1,580 km2)
• Water	21 sq mi (54 km2), 3.4%
Population (est.)
• (2013)	156,220
• Density	252/sq mi (97/km²)
Congressional district	5th
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5

File:Ouachita Parish Public Library, West Monroe, LA IMG 0116.JPG

Ouachita Parish Public Library in downtown West Monroe

Ouachita Parish (French: Paroisse d'Ouachita) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 153,720. The parish seat is Monroe. The parish was formed in 1807.

Ouachita Parish is part of the Monroe, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Prehistory

Main article: History of Louisiana § Prehistory

Ouachita Parish was the home to many succeeding Native American groups in the thousands of years before European settlements began. Peoples of the Marksville culture, Troyville culture, Coles Creek culture and Plaquemine culture built villages and mound sites throughout the area. Notable examples include the Filhiol Mound Site, located on a natural levee of the Ouachita River.

Historic era

The parish bears the same name as the Ouachita River, which flows through southern Arkansas and northeastern Louisiana. In 1541, the first Europeans to set foot on the territory that is now Ouachita parish was the expedition of Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto. After crossing over onto the west bank of the Mississippi River near the White River, the expedition descended into Louisiana near the junction of the Ouachita and Tensas Rivers to avoid the muddy western banks of the Mississippi River. French settlers arrived in Ouachita Parish around 1720. In 1769, Alejandro O'Reilly claimed Ouachita Parish for Spain. A census of the parish was taken and the result was 110 people. In 1785, Juan Filhiol established the first European outpost in Louisiana, called Fort Miro, which became a town in 1805, two years after the Louisiana Purchase. Fort Miro was renamed the Ouachita Post in 1819; then it was changed to Monroe a year or so later, to honor the first powered steamboat to sail the Ouachita River.

On March 31, 1807, the Territory of Orleans was divided into 19 sub-districts. Ouachita Parish was one of these original 19 but was later broken up into eight other parishes (Morehouse, Caldwell, Union, Franklin, Tensas, Madison, East Carroll, and West Carroll).

In 1883, the first railroad bridge across the Ouachita River was built. In 1916, the Monroe natural gas field was discovered. The field stretched over and was estimated to have of natural gas in it. This is what caused the city of Monroe to be known as the natural gas capital of the world for a time. The town of Sterlington was incorporated in August 1961, and in 1974 the town of Richwood was incorporated. Ouachita Parish's boundaries have changed 23 times during its history, mostly due to the formation of other parishes!

Geography

File:Ouachita River in Monroe, LA IMG 1303.JPG

The Ouachita River separates Monroe from West Monroe near the parish courthouse.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 632 square miles (1,640 km²), of which 610 square miles (1,600 km²) is land and 21 square miles (54 km²) (3.4%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 20
• U.S. Highway 80
• U.S. Highway 165
• Louisiana Highway 2
• Louisiana Highway 15
• Louisiana Highway 34
• Louisiana Highway 143

Adjacent parishes

• Union Parish (north)
• Morehouse Parish (northeast)
• Richland Parish (east)
• Caldwell Parish (south)
• Jackson Parish (southwest)
• Lincoln Parish (west)

National protected areas

• Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1820	2,896		—
1830	5,140		77.5%
1840	4,640		−9.7%
1850	5,008		7.9%
1860	4,727		−5.6%
1870	11,582		145.0%
1880	14,685		26.8%
1890	17,985		22.5%
1900	20,947		16.5%
1910	25,830		23.3%
1920	30,319		17.4%
1930	54,337		79.2%
1940	59,168		8.9%
1950	74,713		26.3%
1960	101,663		36.1%
1970	115,387		13.5%
1980	139,241		20.7%
1990	142,191		2.1%
2000	147,250		3.6%
2010	153,720		4.4%
Est. 2014	156,325		1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

As of the census of 2000, there were 147,250 people, 55,216 households, and 38,319 families residing in the parish. The population density was 241 people per square mile (93/km²). There were 60,154 housing units at an average density of 98 per square mile (38/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 64.48% White, 33.63% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 1.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 55,216 households out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.70% were married couples living together, 17.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the parish the population was spread out with 27.90% under the age of 18, 12.00% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 20.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 89.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.50 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $32,047, and the median income for a family was $40,206. Males had a median income of $31,616 versus $23,139 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $17,084. About 15.80% of families and 20.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.70% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Republican John McCain won 41,741 votes (62 percent) in Ouachita Parish. Democrat Barack Obama trailed with 24,813 votes (37 percent). Other candidates polled the remaining 1 percent of the vote.

Education

Primary and Secondary Schools

Ouachita Parish School Board serves areas outside of the City of Monroe. Monroe City School System serves areas within Monroe. Monroe is also the home of the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Media

A documentary entitled The Gift of the Ouachita by filmmaker George C. Brian (1919–2007), head of the Division of Theater and Drama at the University of Louisiana at Monroe is a history of Monroe as the "gift of the Ouachita River".

National Guard

1022nd Engineer Company (Vertical) of the 527th Engineer Battalion of the 225th Engineer Brigade is located in West Monroe, Louisiana. 528th Engineer Battalion (To the Very End) also part of the 225th Engineer Brigade is headquartered in Monroe.

Communities

File:Map of Ouachita Parish Louisiana With Municipal Labels.PNG

Map of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels

Cities

• Monroe (parish seat)
• West Monroe

Towns

• Richwood
• Sterlington

Census-designated places

• Brownsville-Bawcomville
• Calhoun
• Claiborne
• Swartz

Notable residents

• Charles Anding
• Joseph A. Biedenharn
• Evelyn Blackmon
• Frank A. Hoffmann
• James D. Halsell
• Bert Hatten
• Dixon Hearne
• Sam Little
• Newt V. Mills
• Dave Norris
• Don Shows
• Dale Thorn
• Shady Wall
• Mike Walsworth
• Willie Robertson
• Phil Robertson
• Si Robertson
• Jase Robertson

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana