Washington Parish, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
| Parish of Washington | |
 Bogalusa City Hall | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofLouisiana | |
 Louisiana's location within theU.S. | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Louisiana |
| Region | Florida Parishes |
| Founded | 1819 |
| Named after | George Washington |
| Parish seat | Franklinton |
| Largest city | Bogalusa |
| Area | |
• Total | 676 sq mi (1,750 km2) |
| • Land | 670 sq mi (1,700 km2) |
| • Water | 6.4 sq mi (17 km2) |
| • percentage | 0.9 sq mi (2.3 km2) |
| Population (2020)[1] | |
• Total | 45,463 |
| • Rank | LA: 24th |
| • Density | 68/sq mi (26/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 985 |
| Congressional district | 5th |
| Website | https://www.wpgov.org/ |
Washington Parish (French:Paroisse de Washington;Spanish:Parroquia de Washington) is aparish located in the interior southeast corner of theU.S. state ofLouisiana, one of theFlorida Parishes. As of the2020 census, the population was 45,463.[2] Itsparish seat isFranklinton.[3] Its largest city isBogalusa. The parish was founded in 1819 and is named for PresidentGeorge Washington.[4][5]
Washington Parish comprises theBogalusa, LAMicropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in theNew Orleans-Metairie-Hammond, LA-MSCombined Statistical Area.
Washington Parish was formed in 1819 by splitting off fromSt. Tammany Parish.Franklinton was designated as the parish seat on February 10, 1821.
Washington Parish is the most northeasterly of what are called theFlorida Parishes. Great Britain took over control of this French territory east of the Mississippi River in 1763 after defeating France in theSeven Years' War. But France had also ceded some territory to Spain. This area was under contention, and English and American settlers tried to set up an independent state here in 1810. The United States annexed the territory, later settling with Spain in a treaty. Through much of this period, the French influence remained strong in the region, especially in its former colonial cities.
This area was rural and forested with virginlongleaf pine (Pinus palustris L.) In the early 20th century, entrepreneurial brothers Frank andCharles W. Goodyear, already successful businessmen fromBuffalo, New York, purchased hundreds of thousands of acres of forest in this area and in southwestern Mississippi. They established theGreat Southern Lumber Company, constructed a huge sawmill (the largest in the world at the time) in the middle of the forest, and developedBogalusa, Louisiana, as a company mill town. In the early 20th century, there were numerous confrontations as workers attempted to unionize and companies hired private militia to suppress such activities.
The company housing for workers was divided byJim Crow custom and state laws on racial segregation into sections for "Americans" and another for "colored" and foreign workers. It also built housing for supervisors, and supporting facilities, such as several hotels, churches, aYMCA andYWCA, schools, and other services within a year, opening facilities in 1907. To access the timber and transport processed lumber from the mill to markets, the company built theNew Orleans Great Northern Railroad,[6] connecting Bogalusa to the port of New Orleans.
Well before World War II, the virgin forest was harvested.Great Southern Lumber Company closed the sawmill in 1938. Its paper mill and chemical operations continued. Gradually in the late 20th century, these operations declined. As jobs left, the population dropped in such industrial towns. Some people moved to new or emerging industries inNew Orleans and other major cities.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 676 square miles (1,750 km2), of which 670 square miles (1,700 km2) is land and 6.4 square miles (17 km2) (0.9%) is water.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 2,517 | — | |
| 1830 | 2,286 | −9.2% | |
| 1840 | 2,649 | 15.9% | |
| 1850 | 3,408 | 28.7% | |
| 1860 | 4,708 | 38.1% | |
| 1870 | 3,330 | −29.3% | |
| 1880 | 5,190 | 55.9% | |
| 1890 | 6,700 | 29.1% | |
| 1900 | 9,628 | 43.7% | |
| 1910 | 18,886 | 96.2% | |
| 1920 | 24,164 | 27.9% | |
| 1930 | 29,904 | 23.8% | |
| 1940 | 34,443 | 15.2% | |
| 1950 | 38,371 | 11.4% | |
| 1960 | 44,015 | 14.7% | |
| 1970 | 41,987 | −4.6% | |
| 1980 | 44,207 | 5.3% | |
| 1990 | 43,185 | −2.3% | |
| 2000 | 43,926 | 1.7% | |
| 2010 | 47,168 | 7.4% | |
| 2020 | 45,463 | −3.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010[1] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[12] | Pop 1990[13] | Pop 2000[14] | Pop 2010[15] | Pop 2020[16] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 30,508 | 29,526 | 29,396 | 31,019 | 29,588 | 69.01% | 68.37% | 66.92% | 65.76% | 65.08% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 13,141 | 13,314 | 13,781 | 14,561 | 12,758 | 29.73% | 30.83% | 31.37% | 30.87% | 28.06% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 29 | 58 | 99 | 121 | 134 | 0.07% | 0.13% | 0.23% | 0.26% | 0.29% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 87 | 48 | 71 | 108 | 161 | 0.20% | 0.11% | 0.16% | 0.23% | 0.35% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[17] | x[18] | 1 | 3 | 0 | x | x | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 9 | 0 | 21 | 14 | 80 | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.05% | 0.03% | 0.18% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[19] | x[20] | 223 | 455 | 1,332 | x | x | 0.51% | 0.96% | 2.93% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 433 | 239 | 334 | 887 | 1,410 | 0.98% | 0.55% | 0.76% | 1.88% | 3.10% |
| Total | 44,207 | 43,185 | 43,926 | 47,168 | 45,463 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
At the2020 United States census, there were 45,463 people, 17,613 households, and 11,924 families residing in the parish. in 2000 there were 43,926 people, 16,467 households, and 11,642 families residing in the parish.[21] The population density was 66 inhabitants per square mile (25/km2). There were 19,106 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile (11/km2).
In 2000, the racial and ethnic makeup of the parish was 67.42%White, 31.53%Black orAfrican American, 0.23%Native American, 0.17%Asian, 0.11% fromother races, and 0.54% from two or more races; 0.76% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. By 2020, its makeup was 65.08% non-Hispanic white, 28.06% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 3.11% other or multiracial, and 3.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race.[14]
In 2000, there were 16,467 households, out of which 32.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.30% weremarried couples living together, 17.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% 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 26.80% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.
At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the parish was $24,264, and the median income for a family was $29,480. Males had a median income of $27,964 versus $17,709 for females. Theper capita income for the parish was $12,915. About 19.40% of families and 24.70% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 32.20% of those under age 18 and 20.40% of those age 65 or over. Washington Parish has the second highest level of poverty in the state afterOrleans Parish.
Washington Parish is currently known for its agriculture, particularlywatermelons. Through much of the 20th century, its economy was based on itstimber andpaper industry.
In 1906, TheGreat Southern Lumber Company, founded by the Goodyear brothers from New York, purchased huge tracts of forest and established asawmill inBogalusa to harvest the local virgin pine forests. This company was the first to introduce reforestation in order to sustain the timber industry locally. Taken over byCrown Zellerbach, it later started a paper mill and chemical businesses in the area.
The local business passed through several hands as the lumber and related industries restructured through the late 20th century. In the 21st century,Temple-Inland Corporation is the largest employer in the parish.
Students residing outside of Ward 4[citation needed], most of the parish, attendWashington Parish School System.[22] Students within Ward 4[citation needed] attendBogalusa City Schools. The Bogalusa district serves the City of Bogalusa,Rio, and someunincorporated areas.[22]
Northshore Technical Community College is located in Bogalusa.
TheWashington Parish Government is a Home Rule Charter or "President-Council" form of Government. Its current President, electedat-large, is Richard N. Thomas, Jr. The seven council members are each elected fromsingle-member districts.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 18 | 3.05% | 491 | 83.08% | 82 | 13.87% |
| 1916 | 66 | 5.62% | 1,094 | 93.19% | 14 | 1.19% |
| 1920 | 165 | 13.11% | 1,094 | 86.89% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 179 | 10.87% | 1,278 | 77.64% | 189 | 11.48% |
| 1928 | 1,528 | 43.07% | 2,020 | 56.93% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 283 | 6.61% | 3,997 | 93.37% | 1 | 0.02% |
| 1936 | 350 | 5.82% | 5,667 | 94.18% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 314 | 4.92% | 6,062 | 95.08% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 406 | 7.78% | 4,810 | 92.22% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 371 | 4.76% | 3,267 | 41.88% | 4,163 | 53.36% |
| 1952 | 2,432 | 24.69% | 7,420 | 75.31% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 3,081 | 38.29% | 4,658 | 57.88% | 308 | 3.83% |
| 1960 | 1,847 | 16.20% | 5,678 | 49.81% | 3,875 | 33.99% |
| 1964 | 7,438 | 60.65% | 4,825 | 39.35% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,695 | 10.78% | 3,021 | 19.22% | 11,002 | 70.00% |
| 1972 | 8,162 | 66.92% | 2,947 | 24.16% | 1,087 | 8.91% |
| 1976 | 5,677 | 35.32% | 10,000 | 62.22% | 396 | 2.46% |
| 1980 | 8,681 | 44.58% | 10,413 | 53.48% | 378 | 1.94% |
| 1984 | 11,185 | 58.91% | 7,680 | 40.45% | 123 | 0.65% |
| 1988 | 9,374 | 51.81% | 8,369 | 46.25% | 351 | 1.94% |
| 1992 | 7,227 | 38.54% | 9,095 | 48.50% | 2,431 | 12.96% |
| 1996 | 6,642 | 36.85% | 9,603 | 53.28% | 1,778 | 9.87% |
| 2000 | 8,983 | 53.19% | 7,399 | 43.81% | 505 | 2.99% |
| 2004 | 11,006 | 61.69% | 6,554 | 36.74% | 281 | 1.58% |
| 2008 | 12,215 | 65.59% | 6,122 | 32.87% | 287 | 1.54% |
| 2012 | 11,798 | 63.49% | 6,466 | 34.80% | 317 | 1.71% |
| 2016 | 12,556 | 67.40% | 5,692 | 30.56% | 380 | 2.04% |
| 2020 | 13,307 | 68.20% | 5,970 | 30.59% | 236 | 1.21% |
| 2024 | 12,846 | 69.61% | 5,411 | 29.32% | 198 | 1.07% |
Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections operates theB.B. "Sixty" Rayburn Correctional Center near the village of Varnado,LA.[24]
Bogalusa is home to the headquarters of the 205th Engineer Battalion of the225th Engineer Brigade.Franklinton is the home of the 843rd Engineer Company.
Geology
Places adjacent to Washington Parish, Louisiana | |
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Municipalities and communities ofWashington Parish, Louisiana,United States | ||
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Baton Rouge (capital) | |
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30°51′N90°02′W / 30.85°N 90.04°W /30.85; -90.04
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