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Rapides Parish, Louisiana
Upper view Rapides Parish courthouse, LA
Upper portion of the Rapides Parish Courthouse in Alexandria
Map of Louisiana highlighting Rapides Parish
Location in the state of Louisiana
Map of the U.S
Louisiana's location in the U.S.
Founded 1807
Named for The local river rapids
Seat Alexandria
Largest city Alexandria
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

1,362 sq mi (3,527 km²)
1,323 sq mi (3,425 km²)
39 sq mi (102 km²), 2.89%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

130,023
97/sq mi (37/km²)
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.rppj.com

Rapides Parish ( /ˈræpdz/) (French: Paroisse des Rapides) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 130,023.[1] The parish seat is Alexandria, which developed along the Red River of the South.[2] Rapides is the French word for "rapids". The parish was created in 1807 after the United States acquired this territory in the Louisiana Purchase.[3]

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

History[]

Jackson Street Bridge atop Red River in Alexandria, LA IMG 1135

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

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 [AGI, PPC, Legajo 187a, 384-384v].

Alexander Fulton had a Spanish land grant within Rapides Parish in the 1790s, where he laid out the future city of Alexandria in 1805.[4] Rapides Parish was formed in 1807 by the government of the Territory of Orleans.

When the Union occupied Alexandria, elections were held on April 1, 1863, in Rapides Parish to select delegates for a pending state constitutional convention. According to Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks, the election was held at Alexandria "by the request of citizens of the parish of Rapides. No officer or soldier interfered with or had any part whatever in this matter. It was left exclusively to the loyal citizens" in Rapides Parish.[5] The election dates varied within the Federally occupied areas. New Orleans held its contests for delegates on March 28. Marksville and Grand Ecore soon followed. According to the historian John D. Winters, "none of these elections in any way impeded the progress nor materially affected the outcome of the [Union's] Red River campaign.[6]

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.[7] 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).[8]

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[9] and John F. Kerry.[10] 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).[11]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 1,362 square miles (3,530 km2), of which 1,318 square miles (3,410 km2) is land and 44 square miles (110 km2) (3.2%) is water.[12] It is the largest parish in Louisiana by land area.

Water features[]

  • Catahoula Lake
  • Red River

Major highways[]

  • I-49 Interstate 49
  • US 71 U.S. Highway 71
  • US 165 U.S. Highway 165
  • US 167 U.S. Highway 167
  • Louisiana 1 Louisiana Highway 1
  • Louisiana 28 Louisiana Highway 28

Adjacent parishes[]

National protected area[]

  • Kisatchie National Forest (part)

Military installations[]

  • Camp Beauregard (LA Army National Guard)
  • Esler Airfield (LA Army National Guard)
  • England Air Force Base (defunct)
  • Camp Claiborne (defunct)
  • Camp Livingston (defunct)

National Guard[]

  • 225th Engineer Brigade

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1820 6,065
1830 7,575 24.9%
1840 14,132 86.6%
1850 16,561 17.2%
1860 25,360 53.1%
1870 18,015 −29.0%
1880 23,563 30.8%
1890 27,642 17.3%
1900 39,578 43.2%
1910 44,545 12.5%
1920 59,444 33.4%
1930 65,455 10.1%
1940 73,370 12.1%
1950 90,648 23.5%
1960 111,351 22.8%
1970 118,078 6.0%
1980 135,282 14.6%
1990 131,556 −2.8%
2000 126,337 −4.0%
2010 131,613 4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census[]

Rapides Parish racial composition[17]
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.

2010 census[]

As of the 2010 United States Census, 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).

2000 census[]

As of the census[18] of 2000, there were 126,337 people, 47,120 households, and 33,125 families living in the parish. The population density was 93 people per square mile (37/km2). There were 52,038 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile (15/km2). 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 Camp Beauregard in Pineville in Rapides Parish. The facility closed in July 2012.[19]

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.

United States presidential election results for Rapides Parish, Louisiana[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 38,347 65.14% 19,475 33.08% 1,043 1.77%
2016 36,816 64.77% 18,322 32.23% 1,706 3.00%
2012 37,193 64.10% 20,045 34.55% 781 1.35%
2008 36,611 63.65% 20,127 34.99% 783 1.36%
2004 34,492 63.79% 18,904 34.96% 673 1.24%
2000 28,831 58.81% 18,898 38.55% 1,295 2.64%
1996 21,548 43.16% 23,004 46.07% 5,379 10.77%
1992 22,783 43.91% 20,873 40.23% 8,226 15.86%
1988 29,977 61.31% 17,928 36.67% 986 2.02%
1984 32,879 65.81% 16,121 32.27% 963 1.93%
1980 25,576 55.24% 19,436 41.98% 1,290 2.79%
1976 17,766 45.25% 20,851 53.10% 647 1.65%
1972 22,306 69.68% 8,422 26.31% 1,283 4.01%
1968 10,199 28.95% 8,793 24.96% 16,239 46.09%
1964 18,122 64.46% 9,992 35.54% 0 0.00%
1960 8,155 34.29% 9,651 40.58% 5,976 25.13%
1956 9,105 53.84% 5,961 35.25% 1,845 10.91%
1952 9,749 41.80% 13,576 58.20% 0 0.00%
1948 1,707 13.07% 4,730 36.22% 6,623 50.71%
1944 1,712 15.79% 9,132 84.21% 0 0.00%
1940 869 8.72% 9,100 91.28% 0 0.00%
1936 1,257 13.55% 8,017 86.45% 0 0.00%
1932 680 8.23% 7,578 91.77% 0 0.00%
1928 2,494 35.81% 4,470 64.19% 0 0.00%
1924 1,022 31.06% 2,159 65.62% 109 3.31%
1920 445 13.86% 2,765 86.11% 1 0.03%
1916 134 5.72% 2,184 93.25% 24 1.02%
1912 46 2.75% 1,334 79.78% 292 17.46%



Education[]

Rapides Parish School Board operates public schools.

Communities[]

Cities[]

  • Alexandria (parish seat and largest municipality)
  • Pineville
Map of Rapides Parish Louisiana With Municipal Labels

Map of Rapides Parish, with municipal labels

Towns[]

  • Ball
  • Boyce
  • Cheneyville
  • Glenmora
  • Lecompte
  • Woodworth

Villages[]

  • Forest Hill
  • McNary

Unincorporated areas[]

Census-designated Place[]

  • Deville

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Buckeye
  • Clifton
  • Echo
  • Elmer
  • Flatwoods
  • Gardner
  • Hineston
  • Kolin
  • Lena
  • Libuse
  • Melder
  • Otis
  • Sieper
  • Tioga

Gallery[]

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Rapides Parish, Louisiana
  • Renaissance Home for Youth
  • Jay Chevalier
  • Bill Cleveland
  • David Theophilus Stafford, sheriff from 1888 to 1904
  • Grove Stafford, state senator from 1940 to 1948
  • Ed Ware, district attorney from 1967 to 1984

References[]

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22079.html. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "Rapides Parish". Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. http://ccet.louisiana.edu/tourism/parishes/Central_Louisiana/rapides.html. 
  4. ^ "Fulton, Alexander". lahistory.org (Louisiana Historical Association). http://www.lahistory.org/site23.php. 
  5. ^ John D. Winters, The Civil War in Louisiana, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1963, ISBN 0-8071-0834-0, p. 333
  6. ^ Winters, p. 333
  7. ^ "Rapides Parish election returns, November 6, 2012". staticresults.sos.la.gov. http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11062012/11062012_40.html. 
  8. ^ "Rapides Parish election returns, November 4, 2008". staticresults.sos.la.gov. http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11042008/11042008_40.html. 
  9. ^ "Rapides Parish election returns, November 7, 2000". staticresults.sos.la.gov. http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11072000/11072000_40.html. 
  10. ^ "Rapides Parish election returns, November 2, 2004". staticresults.sos.la.gov. http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11022004/11022004_40.html. 
  11. ^ "Rapides Parish election returns, November 5, 1996". staticresults.sos.la.gov. http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11051996/11051996_40.html. 
  12. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_22.txt. 
  13. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  14. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  15. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/la190090.txt. 
  16. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  17. ^ "Explore Census Data". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US22079&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  18. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  19. ^ "J. Levy Dabadie Correctional Center." (Archive) Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. Retrieved on October 23, 2012.
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 

External links[]

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Geology[]

Template:Louisiana parishes

Coordinates: 31°12′N 92°32′W / 31.20, -92.54



This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Rapides Parish, Louisiana. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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