Editing Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

{{short description|Parish in Louisiana, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Catahoula Parish
 | state                = Louisiana
 | type                 = [[Louisiana parishes|Parish]]
 | ex image             = Ferry Place and Peck Mounds.jpg
 | ex image size        = 300px
 | ex image cap         = Historic Marker Signs at Ferry Place and [[Peck Mounds]].
 | founded year         = 1808
 | founded date         = March 23
 | seat wl              = Harrisonburg
 | largest city wl      = Jonesville
 | city type            = town
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 739
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 708
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 31
 | area percentage      = 4.2
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 8906
 | pop_est_as_of        = 
 | population_est       = 
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = http://www.discovercatahoula.com/
 | named for            = [[Taensa language|Tensas]] word for ''big, clear lake''
 | district             = 5th
}}

'''Catahoula Parish''' ({{langx|fr|Paroisse de Catahoula}}) is a [[List of parishes in Louisiana|parish]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Louisiana]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 8,906.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Catahoula Parish, Louisiana|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Catahoula_Parish,_Louisiana?g=0500000US22025|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 21, 2023}}</ref> Its [[parish seat|seat]] is [[Harrisonburg, Louisiana|Harrisonburg]],<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> on the [[Ouachita River]]. The parish was formed in 1808, shortly after the United States acquired this territory in the [[Louisiana Purchase]] of 1803.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ccet.louisiana.edu/tourism/parishes/Central_Louisiana/catahoula.html|title=Catahoula Parish|publisher=Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism|access-date=September 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820082817/http://ccet.louisiana.edu/tourism/parishes/Central_Louisiana/catahoula.html|archive-date=August 20, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==

===Prehistory===
{{Main|History of Louisiana#Prehistory}}
Catahoula Parish was the home to many succeeding [[Native Americans in the United States|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 culture|Baytown]] to the Troyville-Coles Creek periods.<ref name=TROYVILLE/>

It once had the tallest mound in Louisiana at {{convert|82|ft|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 (Louisiana)|Black River]].<ref name=TROYVILLE>{{cite web|url=http://www.crt.state.la.us/archaeology/moundsguide/TroyvilleEarthworks.html|title=Indian Mounds of Northeast Louisiana : Troyville Earthworks|access-date=October 22, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110181954/http://www.crt.state.la.us/archaeology/moundsguide/TroyvilleEarthworks.html|archive-date=November 10, 2013}}</ref>

===Historic era===
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 Parish|Natchitoches]] and [[Ouachita Parish, Louisiana|Ouachita]] parishes have had more revisions of boundaries.

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 plantations included the [[Battleground Plantation]], [[Ferry Place|Ferry Place Plantation]], and [[Marengo Plantation House (Catahoula Parish, Louisiana)|Marengo Plantation]], all of which are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. The other listed buildings include [[Catahoula Parish Courthouse]], [[Harrisonburg Methodist Church]], [[Sargent House (Harrisonburg, Louisiana)|Sargent House]], and [[Spring Ridge Baptist Church]].

==Catahoula dog==
{{Main|Catahoula Cur}}
Catahoula Parish lays claim to its namesake [[Catahoula Cur|Catahoula Leopard]] dog breed. The Catahoula breed was owned by [[James Bowie|Colonel James "Jim" Bowie]] of the [[Battle of the Alamo|Alamo]] and his brother [[Rezin Bowie]], both of [[Louisiana]].<ref name="Cracker Catahoulas">[http://crackercatahoulas.com/his.html Cracker Catahoulas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090623080958/http://crackercatahoulas.com/his.html |date=June 23, 2009 }}</ref> During the early 1900s, [[Theodore Roosevelt]] used the Catahoula when hunting.<ref>[http://www.moloss.com/001/breed/c/c011/ Molosser World: Catahoula Bulldog] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418113901/http://www.moloss.com/001/breed/c/c011/ |date=April 18, 2010 }}</ref> Louisiana [[governor of Louisiana|Governor]] [[Earl Kemp Long]] also collected these dogs.<ref name="Cracker Catahoulas"/>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the parish has a total area of {{convert|739|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|708|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|31|sqmi}} (4.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_22.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928155956/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_22.txt |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 27, 2014 |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files }}</ref> It is home to [[Larto Lake, Louisiana & Sandy Lake, Louisiana|Sandy Lake]].

===Major highways===
* {{jct|state=LA|US|84}}
* {{jct|state=LA|US|425|LA|15}}
* {{jct|state=LA|LA|8}}
* {{jct|state=LA|LA|28}}
* {{jct|state=LA|LA|124}}
* {{jct|state=LA|LA|126}}

===Adjacent parishes===
* [[Franklin Parish, Louisiana|Franklin Parish]]  (north)
* [[Tensas Parish, Louisiana|Tensas Parish]]  (northeast)
* [[Concordia Parish, Louisiana|Concordia Parish]]  (east)
* [[Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana|Avoyelles Parish]]  (south)
* [[La Salle Parish, Louisiana|La Salle Parish]]  (west)
* [[Caldwell Parish, Louisiana|Caldwell Parish]]  (northwest)

===National protected area===
* [[Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 2287
|1830= 2581
|1840= 4955
|1850= 7132
|1860= 11651
|1870= 8475
|1880= 10277
|1890= 12002
|1900= 16351
|1910= 10415
|1920= 11074
|1930= 12451
|1940= 14618
|1950= 11834
|1960= 11421
|1970= 11769
|1980= 12287
|1990= 11065
|2000= 10920
|2010= 10407
|2020= 8906
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|archive-date=August 11, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/la190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915215703/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/la190090.txt|archive-date=September 15, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218203824/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|archive-date=December 18, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22025.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 20, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606150902/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22025.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Catahoula Parish racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US22025&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 29, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 5,738
| 64.43%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 2,275
| 25.54%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 34
| 0.38%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 26
| 0.29%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 6
| 0.07%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 213
| 2.39%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 614
| 6.89%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 8,906 people, 3,364 households, and 2,421 families residing in the parish.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 10,920 people, 4,082 households, and 2,992 families residing in the parish. The [[population density]] was {{convert|16|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 5,351 housing units at an average density of {{convert|8|/mi2|/km2|}}. The racial makeup of the parish was 71.78% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 27.12% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.19% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.13% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.19% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.59% from two or more races. 0.92% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|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 [[Marriage|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==
[[Image:Map of Catahoula Parish Louisiana With Municipal Labels.PNG|thumb|200px|Map of Catahoula Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels]]

===Town===
* [[Jonesville, Louisiana|Jonesville]]

===Villages===
* [[Harrisonburg, Louisiana|Harrisonburg]]
* [[Sicily Island, Louisiana|Sicily Island]]

=== Unincorporated areas ===

==== Census-designated place ====
* [[Wallace Ridge, Louisiana|Wallace Ridge]]

==== Unincorporated communities ====
* [[Aimwell, Louisiana|Aimwell]]
* [[Enterprise, Louisiana|Enterprise]]
* [[Foules, Louisiana|Foules]]
* [[Larto, Louisiana|Larto]]
* [[Leland, Louisiana|Leland]]
* [[Manifest, Louisiana|Manifest]]
* [[Sandy Lake, Louisiana|Sandy Lake]]

==Notable people==
* [[Ralph E. King]], [[Winnsboro, Louisiana|Winnsboro]] physician who represented Catahoula Parish in the [[Louisiana State Senate]] from 1944 to 1952 and again from 1956 to 1960
* [[Moses J. Liddell]] was appointed by President Grover Cleveland as a judge for the [[Montana Supreme Court|Supreme Court]] of the [[Montana Territory]]
* [[St. John Richardson Liddell]], [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] [[general]] in the [[American Civil War]], owned large plantation in Catahoula Parish
* [[Sara T. Mayo]], physician and humanitarian reformer
* [[Joe Raymond Peace]], football coach
* [[William S. Peck, Sr.]], politician
* [[Chris Shivers]], two-time (2000, 2003) PBR World Champion bull rider

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Catahoula Parish, Louisiana|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|archive-date=March 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|3,258|1,060|30|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|3,541|1,269|48|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,479|1,322|55|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|2,744|1,408|41|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,486|1,659|80|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,219|1,673|62|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,912|1,718|135|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,770|2,692|704|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,976|2,570|925|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,862|1,916|172|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,640|1,649|102|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,942|2,414|175|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,086|2,547|134|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,683|823|162|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|755|769|2,677|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,387|560|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|971|558|603|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|845|707|250|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|884|1,336|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1948|Dixiecrat|86|515|1,065|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|291|1,208|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|134|1,512|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|98|1,363|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|29|1,340|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|341|710|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|78|218|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|176|517|0|Louisiana}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|20|459|1|Louisiana}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|11|275|86|Louisiana}}

Catahoula Parish has proven to be an accurate bellwether for the state, consistently reflecting the statewide presidential election outcomes in every election since 1964. Although the parish trends [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] in local elections, in the 2008 [[U.S. president|presidential]] election, [[Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]] received only 1,659 votes (31.8 percent) compared to 3,486 (66.7 percent) for the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[nominee]], [[John McCain|John S. McCain]] of [[Arizona]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=11040818|title=Louisiana general election returns, November 4, 2008|publisher=sos.louisiana.gov|access-date=June 15, 2010}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=11020413|title=Louisiana general election returns, November 2, 2004|publisher=sos.louisiana.gov|access-date=June 15, 2010}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Local officials are almost entirely Democratic in affiliation. Republicans rarely contest such elections.

==See also==
* [[Jones-Liddell feud]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana]]
{{Portal|United States}}
* [[USS LST-528|USS ''Catahoula Parish'' (LST-528)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* Heinrich, P. V., 2008, [https://web.archive.org/web/20100628132853/http://www.lgs.lsu.edu/deploy/uploads/Woodville%20100K.pdf ''Woodville 30 x 60 minute geologic quadrangle.''] Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
* [http://www.discovercatahoula.com/ DiscoverCatahoula.com] Community Website for Catahoula Parish, LA

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Catahoula Parish, Louisiana
|North     = [[Franklin Parish, Louisiana|Franklin Parish]]
|Northeast = [[Tensas Parish, Louisiana|Tensas Parish]]
|East      = [[Concordia Parish, Louisiana|Concordia Parish]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana|Avoyelles Parish]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[La Salle Parish, Louisiana|La Salle Parish]]
|Northwest = [[Caldwell Parish, Louisiana|Caldwell Parish]]
}}

{{Catahoula Parish, Louisiana}}
{{Louisiana parishes}}

{{Coord|31.67|-91.85|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-LA_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Catahoula Parish, Louisiana| ]]
[[Category:Louisiana placenames of Native American origin]]
[[Category:1808 establishments in the Territory of Orleans]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1808]]