Washington Parish, Louisiana

Washington Parish, Louisiana
Washington Parish, Louisiana
Parish
	Parish of Washington
	Bogalusa City Hall
	Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
	Louisiana's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Region	Florida Parishes
Founded	1819
Named for	George Washington
Parish seat	Franklinton
Largest city	Bogalusa
Area
• Total	1,750 km2 (676 sq mi)
• Land	1,700 km2 (670 sq mi)
• Water	17 km2 (6.4 sq mi)
• percentage	2 km2 (0.9 sq mi)
Population (2020)
• Total	45,463
• Rank	LA: 24th
• Density	26/km2 (67/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	985
Congressional district	5th
Website	Washington Parish, Louisiana

Washington Parish (French: Paroisse de Washington; Spanish: Parroquia de Washington) is a parish located in the interior southeast corner of the U.S. state of Louisiana, one of the Florida Parishes. As of the 2020 census, the population was 45,463.^[1] Its parish seat is Franklinton.^[2] Its largest city is Bogalusa. The parish was founded in 1819.^[3]

Washington Parish comprises the Bogalusa, LA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the New Orleans-Metairie-Hammond, LA-MS Combined Statistical Area.

History

Washington Parish was formed in 1819 by splitting off from St. Tammany Parish. Franklinton was designated as the parish seat on February 10, 1821.

Washington Parish is the most northeasterly of what are called the Florida Parishes. Great Britain took over control of this French territory east of the Mississippi River in 1763 after defeating France in the Seven 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 virgin longleaf pine (Pinus palustris L.) In the early 20th century, entrepreneurial brothers Frank and Charles W. Goodyear, already successful businessmen from Buffalo, New York, purchased hundreds of thousands of acres of forest in this area and in southwestern Mississippi. They established the Great Southern Lumber Company, constructed a huge sawmill (the largest in the world at the time) in the middle of the forest, and developed Bogalusa, 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 by Jim 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, a YMCA and YWCA, 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 the New Orleans Great Northern Railroad,^[4] 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 in New Orleans and other major cities.

Geography

According to the U.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.^[5]

Adjacent counties and parishes

Major highways

National protected area

Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge (part)

State park

Bogue Chitto State Park

Communities

City

Bogalusa (largest municipality)

Town

Franklinton (parish seat)

Villages

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
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^[6] 1790-1960^[7] 1900-1990^[8] 1990-2000^[9] 2010^[10]

Washington Parish racial composition as of 2020^[11]
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	29,588	65.08%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	12,758	28.06%
Native American	134	0.29%
Asian	161	0.35%
Other/Mixed	1,412	3.11%
Hispanic or Latino	1,410	3.1%

At the 2020 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.^[12] 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 or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races; 0.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino 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.^[11]

In 2000, there were 16,467 households, out of which 32.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.30% were married 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. The per capita income for the parish was $12,915. About 19.40% of families and 24.70% of the population were below the poverty 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 after Orleans Parish.

Economy

Washington Parish is currently known for its agriculture, particularly watermelons. Through much of the 20th century, its economy was based on its timber and paper industry.

In 1906, The Great Southern Lumber Company, founded by the Goodyear brothers from New York, purchased huge tracts of forest and established a sawmill in Bogalusa 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 by Crown 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.

Education

Students residing outside of Ward 4^{[citation needed]}, most of the parish, attend Washington Parish School System.^[13] Students within Ward 4^{[citation needed]} attend Bogalusa City Schools. The Bogalusa district serves the City of Bogalusa, Rio, and some unincorporated areas.^[13]

Northshore Technical Community College is located in Bogalusa.

Government

The Washington Parish Government is a Home Rule Charter or "President-Council" form of Government. Its current President, elected at-large, is Richard N. Thomas, Jr. The seven council members are each elected from single-member districts.

United States presidential election results for Washington Parish, Louisiana^[14]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	13,307	68.20%	5,970	30.59%	236	1.21%
2016	12,556	67.40%	5,692	30.56%	380	2.04%
2012	11,798	63.49%	6,466	34.80%	317	1.71%
2008	12,215	65.59%	6,122	32.87%	287	1.54%
2004	11,006	61.69%	6,554	36.74%	281	1.58%
2000	8,983	53.19%	7,399	43.81%	505	2.99%
1996	6,642	36.85%	9,603	53.28%	1,778	9.87%
1992	7,227	38.54%	9,095	48.50%	2,431	12.96%
1988	9,374	51.81%	8,369	46.25%	351	1.94%
1984	11,185	58.91%	7,680	40.45%	123	0.65%
1980	8,681	44.58%	10,413	53.48%	378	1.94%
1976	5,677	35.32%	10,000	62.22%	396	2.46%
1972	8,162	66.92%	2,947	24.16%	1,087	8.91%
1968	1,695	10.78%	3,021	19.22%	11,002	70.00%
1964	7,438	60.65%	4,825	39.35%	0	0.00%
1960	1,847	16.20%	5,678	49.81%	3,875	33.99%
1956	3,081	38.29%	4,658	57.88%	308	3.83%
1952	2,432	24.69%	7,420	75.31%	0	0.00%
1948	371	4.76%	3,267	41.88%	4,163	53.36%
1944	406	7.78%	4,810	92.22%	0	0.00%
1940	314	4.92%	6,062	95.08%	0	0.00%
1936	350	5.82%	5,667	94.18%	0	0.00%
1932	283	6.61%	3,997	93.37%	1	0.02%
1928	1,528	43.07%	2,020	56.93%	0	0.00%
1924	179	10.87%	1,278	77.64%	189	11.48%
1920	165	13.11%	1,094	86.89%	0	0.00%
1916	66	5.62%	1,094	93.19%	14	1.19%
1912	18	3.05%	491	83.08%	82	13.87%

Corrections

Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections operates the B.B. "Sixty" Rayburn Correctional Center near the village of Varnado,LA.^[15]

National Guard

Bogalusa is home to the headquarters of the 205th Engineer Battalion of the 225th Engineer Brigade. Franklinton is the home of the 843rd Engineer Company.

Notable people

Oneal Moore (1931-1965), US Army veteran and first African-American deputy sheriff in Washington Parish Sheriff's Office; murdered while in uniform in a drive-by shooting, June 2, 1965. Case never solved.
Henry "Tank" Powell (born 1945), state representative from Tangipahoa Parish from 1996 to 2008; member of the Louisiana Board of Pardons since 2008
Weldon Russell (born 1946), former state representative for Tangipahoa and St. Helena parishes; born in Washington Parish
Malinda Brumfield White (born 1967), state representative for Washington and St. Tammany parishes, effective 2016
Katherine Haik (born 2000), from Franklinton, named Miss Teen USA 2015 at the age of fifteen
Curtis "Curt" Matthew Thomas (1923-1994), former Louisiana politician, civil rights advocate, former Washington Parish registrar of voters, WWII Purple Heart veteran, and longest serving accessor in Washington Parish history

References

^ "Census - Geography Profile: Washington Parish, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ "Washington Parish". Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
^ Mississippi Rails: New Orleans Great Northern Railroad Retrieved November 23, 2013
^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
^ ^a ^b "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
^ ^a ^b "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Washington Parish, LA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022. - Text list
^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
^ "B.B. Rayburn Corr. Center Archived 2008-09-15 at the Wayback Machine." Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. Accessed September 14, 2008.

Sources

External links

Geology

Heinrich, P. V., R. P. McCulloh, and J. Snead, 2007, Bogalusa 30 x 60 minute geologic quadrangle. Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.