Catahoula Parish, Louisiana


Catahoula Parish is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,407. Its seat is Harrisonburg, on the Ouachita River. The parish was formed in 1808, shortly after the United States acquired this territory in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.

History

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.
It once had the tallest mound in Louisiana at in height; it was the second-tallest mound in North America. This mound was destroyed to make way for the Jonesville bridge over the Black River.

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 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 ." 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 compared to 3,486 for the Republican nominee, John S. McCain of Arizona. The 2008 totals mirrored those of 2004, when Catahoula Parish cast 3,219 for President George W. Bush and 1,673 ballots for his Democratic rival, Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts. Local officials are almost entirely Democratic in affiliation. Republicans rarely contest such elections.

Catahoula dog

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. During the early 1900s, Theodore Roosevelt used the Catahoula when hunting. Louisiana Governor Earl Kemp Long also collected these dogs.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of, of which is land and is water. It is home to Sandy Lake.

Major highways

As of the census 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. There were 5,351 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile. 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

operates local public schools.

National Guard

The 1087TH Transportation Company of the 165TH CSS Battalion of the 139TH RSG resides in Jonesville, Louisiana.

Communities

Town

Census-designated place