Rapides Parish, Louisiana

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File:Rapides Parish Courthouse, Alexandria, LA (lower view) IMG 4268.JPG

Lower view of the Rapides Parish Courthouse

File:Main branch, Rapides Parish Library, Alexandria, LA IMG 4318.JPG

The main branch of the Rapides Parish Library is located in downtown Alexandria.

Rapides Parish (Template:IPAc-en) (Template:Langx) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 130,023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The parish seat and largest city is Alexandria, which developed along the Red River of the South.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Rapides is the French word for "rapids". The parish was created in 1807 after the United States acquired this territory in the Louisiana Purchase.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rapides Parish is included in the Alexandria metropolitan area, Louisiana.

History

File:Jackson Street Bridge atop Red River in Alexandria, LA IMG 1135.JPG

Purple Heart Memorial Bridge over the Red River in Alexandria and Pineville

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In 1763, the land that is now Rapides Parish became the new home of the Apalachee tribe, who were settled there with the permission of Governor Kerlerec. Some Native Americans had come after fleeing the British and their Creek Indian allies from what is now Leon County, Florida. Many of their descendants remain in Natchitoches Parish.

The first French settler was Vincent Porei, who was granted a small tract of land in July 1764 by the Civil and Military Commander of Natchitoches. Nicolas Etienne Marafret Layssard arrived in December 1766, with the permission of Aubrey and Foucault, to establish a "tar works" in the pineries of Rapides, for naval stores. He was later appointed the first Civil Commander of Rapides Parish. During the 1760s, the area was still a dependency of Natchitoches Parish Template:Clarify span

Parts of Catahoula Parish, Grant Parish, Vernon Parish, and Winn Parish were initially part of Rapides Parish territory, but they eventually separated and obtained land from neighboring parishes.

21st-century politics

Since the late 20th century, conservative whites have mostly shifted from the Democratic Party, long in control in Louisiana and other Deep South states, to the Republican Party. The population of Alexandria is heavily Democratic, but voters in the white-majority Rapides Parish frequently favor Republican candidates in competitive presidential elections. In 2012, Republican Mitt Romney carried the parish with 37,193 votes (64.1 percent), compared to Democrat U.S. President Barack Obama's 20,045 (34.6 percent) tabulation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 2008 returns in Rapides Parish were similar to those of 2012. U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona won the parish with 36,611 votes (63.6 percent) to President Obama's 20,127 (35 percent).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

With 58.8 percent and 63.8 percent, respectively, George W. Bush carried Rapides Parish in both 2000 and 2004 over the Democrats, Vice President Al Gore<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and John F. Kerry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The last Democrat to win at the presidential level in Rapides Parish was Bill Clinton, who in 1996 received 23,004 votes (46.1 percent) to Robert J. Dole's 21,548 (43.2 percent). Ross Perot, founder of his Reform Party, received 4,670 ballots (9.4 percent).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (3.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> It is the largest parish in Louisiana by land area.

Water features

Major highways

Demographics

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Rapides Parish racial composition as of 2020<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	76,323	58.7%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	40,261	30.96%
Native American	901	0.69%
Asian	1,805	1.39%
Pacific Islander	33	0.03%
Other/Mixed	5,610	4.31%
Hispanic or Latino	5,090	3.91%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 130,023 people, 48,975 households, and 32,667 families residing in the parish. In 2010, there were 131,613 people living in the parish. 63.3% were White, 25.0% Black or African American, 1.83% Asian, 2.15% Native American, 1.56% of some other race and 1.88% of two or more races. 6.85% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

In 2000,<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 126,337 people, 47,120 households, and 33,125 families living in the parish. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 52,038 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the parish was 66.51% White, 30.43% Black or African American, 0.74% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. 1.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 47,120 households, out of which 34.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.70% were married couples living together, 16.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% 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 3.09.

In the parish the population was spread out, with 27.20% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.00 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $29,856, and the median income for a family was $36,671. Males had a median income of $29,775 versus $20,483 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $16,088. About 16.40% of families and 20.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.30% of those under age 18 and 16.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections formerly operated the J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center on property adjacent to Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville in Pineville in Rapides Parish.<ref name="Dabadieinfo">"Time in Prison Template:Webarchive." Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. 28/40. September 23, 2010.</ref><ref name="Profile">"J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center Template:Webarchive." Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. Retrieved on September 23, 2010.</ref> The facility closed in July 2012.<ref>"J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center." (Archive) Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. Retrieved on October 23, 2012.</ref>

Rapides Parish is solidly Republican in presidential elections. In 2016, Hillary Clinton suffered the worst defeat for a Democratic candidate in the county since Walter Mondale in 1984, Although her husband, Bill, won the parish in 1996 during his reelection bid, this stands as the last time Rapides Parish voted for a Democratic candidate.

Education

Rapides Parish School Board operates public schools.<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

By 1993 the district had established a secondary school for students with behavior issues, called Redirection Academy. That year, the U.S. federal court system stopped the district from establishing a magnet school for academically advanced students.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Communities

Cities

Alexandria (parish seat and largest municipality)
Pineville

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

Map of Rapides Parish, with municipal labels

Towns

Villages

Unincorporated areas

Census-designated Place

Deville
Echo

Unincorporated communities

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Gallery

A view of the Alexandria museum in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, USA

A view of the Alexandria museum in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, USA
Rapides Parish Library at Alexandria

Rapides Parish Library at Alexandria
Red River at Alexandria

Red River at Alexandria

References

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External links

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Geology

Snead, J., P. V. Heinrich, and R. P. McCulloh, 2002, Ville Platte 30 x 60 minute geologic quadrangle. Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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