Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Catahoula Parish (French: Paroisse de Catahoula) is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,407.[1] Its seat is Harrisonburg,[2] on the Ouachita River. The parish was formed in 1808, shortly after the United States acquired this territory in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.[3]

Catahoula Parish
Parish
Parish of Catahoula
Historic Marker Signs at Ferry Place and Peck Mounds.
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Louisiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°40′N 91°51′W
Country United States
State Louisiana
FoundedMarch 23, 1808
Named forTensas word for big, clear lake
SeatHarrisonburg
Largest townJonesville
Area
 • Total739 sq mi (1,910 km2)
 • Land708 sq mi (1,830 km2)
 • Water31 sq mi (80 km2)  4.2%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total10,407
 • Estimate 
(2018)
9,608
 • Density14/sq mi (5.4/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district5th
Websitewww.discovercatahoula.com

History

Prehistory
Main article: History of Louisiana § Prehistory

Catahoula 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 Peck Mounds, and the Troyville Earthworks. The Troyville Earthworks have components dating from 100 BCE to 700 CE during the Baytown to the Troyville-Coles Creek periods.[4]

It once had the tallest mound in Louisiana at 82 feet (25 m) in height; it was the second-tallest mound in North America (after Monk's Mound at Cahokia Mounds). This mound was destroyed to make way for the Jonesville bridge over the Black River.[4]

Historic era

This area was settled primarily by migrants from the southern United States after the Louisiana Purchase, when the US acquired the vast, former French-claimed territory west of the Mississippi River. White migrants to north and central Louisiana were from the South, and were mainly of British descent and Protestant religions. They brought a new influence into Louisiana. Some also brought or purchased African-American slaves to work on larger plantations. Many of these were from the Upper South, which sold slaves through the domestic market. They brought their own cultural influences as well.

The parish was founded in 1808 and originally incorporated a very large area. As population increased in the region, new parishes were organized from the territory first included in Catahoula Parish. The parish was divided by the state in 1910, when La Salle Parish was formed from its old western section. As one of the new parishes organized during early United States settlement of this part of the state, it has had the third most boundary changes since that time. Only Natchitoches and Ouachita parishes have had more revisions of boundaries.

At the start of the American Civil War, James G. Taliaferro, who had been a judge in the parish and was a delegate to the Louisiana state secessionist convention from Catahoula Parish, argued strongly against leaving the American Union. Taliaferro "denied the constitutional right [of a state] to leave the Union and painted a gloomy picture of economic chaos, blighted prosperity, staggering taxation and 'fatal prostration of Louisiana's interests under a southern Confederation,' and he could see no way ahead to prevent final anarchy and war. So 'radical' were the ideas of Taliaferro that the convention refused to print his protest in the pages of [its journal]."[5] He is buried along with his wife and many other membera of his family in Alexander Cemetery in Manifest, Louisiana.

Although the parish trends Democratic in local elections, in the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama of Illinois received only 1,659 votes (31.8 percent) compared to 3,486 (66.7 percent) for the Republican nominee, John S. McCain of Arizona.[6] The 2008 totals mirrored those of 2004, when Catahoula Parish cast 3,219 (65.0 percent) for President George W. Bush and 1,673 ballots (34.8 percent) for his Democratic rival, Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts.[7] Local officials are almost entirely Democratic in affiliation. Republicans rarely contest such elections.

Catahoula dog
Main article: Catahoula Cur

Catahoula Parish lays claim to its namesake Catahoula Leopard dog breed. The Catahoula breed was owned by Colonel James "Jim" Bowie of the Alamo and his brother Rezin Bowie, both of Louisiana.[8] During the early 1900s, Theodore Roosevelt used the Catahoula when hunting.[9] Louisiana Governor Earl Kemp Long also collected these dogs.[8]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 739 square miles (1,910 km2), of which 708 square miles (1,830 km2) is land and 31 square miles (80 km2) (4.2%) is water.[10] It is home to Sandy Lake.

Major highways

Adjacent parishes

National protected area

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18202,287—
18302,58112.9%
18404,95592.0%
18507,13243.9%
186011,65163.4%
18708,475−27.3%
188010,27721.3%
189012,00216.8%
190016,35136.2%
191010,415−36.3%
192011,0746.3%
193012,45112.4%
194014,61817.4%
195011,834−19.0%
196011,421−3.5%
197011,7693.0%
198012,2874.4%
199011,065−9.9%
200010,920−1.3%
201010,407−4.7%
2018 (est.)9,608[11]−7.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 10,920 people, 4,082 households, and 2,992 families residing in the parish. The population density was 16 people per square mile (6/km2). There were 5,351 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/km2). The racial makeup of the parish was 71.78% White, 27.12% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 0.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,082 households, out of which 32.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.70% were married couples living together, 14.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.70% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the parish the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 100.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.00 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $22,528, and the median income for a family was $27,206. Males had a median income of $26,181 versus $18,427 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $12,608. About 22.60% of families and 28.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.80% of those under age 18 and 20.10% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Catahoula Parish School Board operates local public schools.

National Guard

The 1087TH Transportation Company of the 165TH CSS (combat service support) Battalion of the 139TH RSG (regional support group) resides in Jonesville, Louisiana.

Communities
Map of Catahoula Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels

Town

Villages

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Notable people

Politics
Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 71.6% 3,479 27.2% 1,322 1.1% 55
2012 65.4% 2,744 33.6% 1,408 1.0% 41
2008 66.7% 3,486 31.8% 1,659 1.5% 80
2004 65.0% 3,219 33.8% 1,673 1.3% 62
2000 61.1% 2,912 36.1% 1,718 2.8% 135
1996 34.3% 1,770 52.1% 2,692 13.6% 704
1992 36.1% 1,976 47.0% 2,570 16.9% 925
1988 57.8% 2,862 38.7% 1,916 3.5% 172
1984 67.5% 3,640 30.6% 1,649 1.9% 102
1980 53.2% 2,942 43.6% 2,414 3.2% 175
1976 43.8% 2,086 53.4% 2,547 2.8% 134
1972 73.2% 2,683 22.4% 823 4.4% 162
1968 18.0% 755 18.3% 769 63.7% 2,677
1964 81.0% 2,387 19.0% 560
1960 45.5% 971 26.2% 558 28.3% 603
1956 46.9% 845 39.2% 707 13.9% 250
1952 39.8% 884 60.2% 1,336
1948 5.2% 86 30.9% 515 63.9% 1,065
1944 19.4% 291 80.6% 1,208
1940 8.1% 134 91.9% 1,512
1936 6.7% 98 93.3% 1,363
1932 2.1% 29 97.9% 1,340
1928 32.5% 341 67.6% 710
1924 26.4% 78 73.7% 218
1920 25.4% 176 74.6% 517
1916 4.2% 20 95.6% 459 0.2% 1
1912 3.0% 11 73.9% 275 23.1% 86

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. "Catahoula Parish". Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  4. "Indian Mounds of Northeast Louisiana : Troyville Earthworks". Archived from the original on 2013-11-10. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  5. John D. Winters, The Civil War in Louisiana, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1963, ISBN 0-8071-0834-0, p. 13
  6. "Louisiana general election returns, November 4, 2008". sos.louisiana.gov. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  7. "Louisiana general election returns, November 2, 2004". sos.louisiana.gov. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  8. Cracker Catahoulas Archived 2009-06-23 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Molosser World: Catahoula Bulldog Archived 2010-04-18 at the Wayback Machine
  10. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  11. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Archived from the original on May 29, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  12. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  14. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 15, 2014. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  15. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  16. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  17. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on 2018-03-23. Retrieved 2018-03-07.

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