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Saint Helena Parish, Louisiana
StHelenaOffice
Greensburg Land Office
Map of Louisiana highlighting Saint Helena Parish
Location in the state of Louisiana
Map of the U.S
Louisiana's location in the U.S.
Founded 1810
Named for Saint Helena
Seat Greensburg
Largest city Greensburg
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

409 sq mi (1,059 km²)
408 sq mi (1,057 km²)
1.1 sq mi (3 km²), 0.3
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

10,920
Congressional districts 5th, 6th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website http://sthelenaparish.la.gov/

St. Helena Parish (French: Paroisse de Sainte-Hélène) is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 United States census, the population was 10,920.[1] Its seat is Greensburg.[2] The parish was created in 1810.[3] St. Helena Parish is part of the Baton Rouge metropolitan area.

History[]

The parish is one of the eight Florida Parishes, a region which was once part of colonial West Florida. The area was annexed to the Territory of Orleans in 1810, after the short-lived Republic of West Florida capitulated to the United States.

In 1832, the southern section of the parish was taken to form Livingston Parish and the St. Helena parish seat was redesignated as Greensburg, where it remains today. St. Helena lost another portion of land in 1866, which was subsequently added to land from other parishes to form Tangipahoa Parish.

From 1964 to 1984, St. Helena Parish was represented in the Louisiana State Senate by the Democrat businessman W. E. "Bill" Dykes. In 1983, as a casualty of redistricting, Dykes bowed out of contention in a race which would have pitted him against long-term Senate President Sixty Rayburn of Bogalusa, Louisiana. Rayburn himself lost his senate seat in 1995.[4]

In recent years, St. Helena experienced a series of scandals involving parish officials. In 1997, Sheriff Eugene Holland (13 October 1954 – 14 December 2010)[5] was found guilty of misuse of government funds and property and using prison inmates for personal labor; he spent time in prison as a result.[6] His replacement, Chaney L. Phillips (born c. 1950), served for only a year as sheriff before he was convicted of fraud and money laundering that he had committed while serving as the parish assessor.[7] He was given an eight-year prison sentence on conviction in 1998 of having placed a political supporter on his assessor office staff; the individual performed no duties. Phillips was assigned to the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado.[8] He was released on May 23, 2003.[9]

Ronald "Gun" Ficklin, former mayor of Greensburg, took over the sheriff's office from Phillips in 1998, but on February 5, 2007, Ficklin himself pleaded guilty on multiple counts involving his role in operating "chop shops" — reselling stolen automobiles and parts — using state prisoners to staff these activities and as a pit crew for his race car.[10][11] Ficklin died of cancer while in prison (21 October 2011).[12]

In 2007, Nat Williams was elected as Ficklin's replacement, the first African American to hold the office in that parish.[13]

Geography[]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 409 square miles (1,060 km2), of which 408 square miles (1,060 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) (0.3%) is water.[14] It is located in the northern tier of the Florida Parishes, and within the Baton Rouge metropolitan area.

Major highways[]

  • Louisiana 10 Louisiana Highway 10
  • Louisiana 16 Louisiana Highway 16
  • Louisiana 37 Louisiana Highway 37
  • Louisiana 38 Louisiana Highway 38
  • Louisiana 43 Louisiana Highway 43
  • Louisiana 441 Louisiana Highway 441

Adjacent parishes and counties[]

Communities[]

Town[]

  • Greensburg (parish seat and largest municipality)

Village[]

  • Montpelier

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Chipola
  • Coleman Town
  • Darlington
  • Easleyville
  • Grangeville
  • Hillsdale
  • Kedron
  • Liverpool
  • Pine Grove

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1820 3,026
1830 4,028 33.1%
1840 3,525 −12.5%
1850 4,561 29.4%
1860 7,130 56.3%
1870 5,423 −23.9%
1880 7,504 38.4%
1890 8,062 7.4%
1900 8,479 5.2%
1910 9,172 8.2%
1920 8,427 −8.1%
1930 8,492 0.8%
1940 9,542 12.4%
1950 9,013 −5.5%
1960 9,162 1.7%
1970 9,937 8.5%
1980 9,827 −1.1%
1990 9,874 0.5%
2000 10,525 6.6%
2010 11,203 6.4%
US Decennial Census[15]
1790-1960[16] 1900-1990[17]
1990-2000[18] 2010[19]
St. Helena Parish racial composition as of 2020[20]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 4,494 41.15%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 5,846 53.53%
Native American 38 0.35%
Asian 19 0.17%
Pacific Islander 4 0.04%
Other/Mixed 303 2.77%
Hispanic or Latino 216 1.98%

At the 2010 United States census, there were 11,203 people living in the parish, and at the 2000 U.S. census, there were 10,525 people. The 2019 American Community Survey estimated 10,297 people lived in the parish. The 2020 census tabulated a total of 10,920 residents. In 2019, there were 3,857 households, down from 3,873 at the 2000 census.[21]

The racial and ethnic makeup at the 2019 census-estimates was 52.5% Black and African American, 45.7% non-Hispanic white, 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% some other race, and 0.2% multiracial; Hispanics and Latin Americans of any race made up 1.8% of the total population. In 2010, the racial and ethnic makeup was 53.3% Black and African American, 44.9% White American, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.5% of some other race and 0.8% of two or more races; 0.9% were Hispanic and Latin American of any race.

Of the 3,857 households at the 2019 census-estimates, 78.7% were aged 18 and older, 5.4% aged 5 and under, and 18.9% aged 65 and older.[21] The median age was 39.4, up from 35 at the 2000 census.

The parish had an employment rate of 45.9%, and the population was spread throughout 5,330 housing units. An estimated 78.9% of the population owned their housing units. The median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $100,100, and the median gross rent was $656. The median income for a household in the parish was $43,886; males had a median income of $52,398 versus $31,003 for females. An estimated 24.3% of the parish population lived at or below the poverty line in 2019.

Education[]

The Elementary and High School in St. Helena Parish are part of the St. Helena Parish School System. The Middle School in St. Helena Parish is part of the Recovery School District of Louisiana. It is in the service area of Baton Rouge Community College.[22]

Brushy Creek Crater[]

St. Helena Parish contains the only identified meteorite impact crater in the state of Louisiana. This suspected impact crater is a roughly circular depression about 1.2 miles/2 km in diameter. Shocked quartz and intensely fractured quartz have been recovered from fractured and possibly altered sediments comprising its rim. Its age is estimated to be between 11 and 30 ka.[23] It lies about 5.8 miles/9.3 kilometers southwest of Greensburg, in the southwest corner of the parish. Louisiana Highway 37 cuts through the northern edge of this feature.[23][24][25]

Politics[]

United States presidential election results for St. Helena Parish, Louisiana[26]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 2,714 44.07% 3,346 54.34% 98 1.59%
2016 2,497 41.87% 3,353 56.22% 114 1.91%
2012 2,529 39.55% 3,780 59.12% 85 1.33%
2008 2,522 40.78% 3,567 57.68% 95 1.54%
2004 2,235 40.58% 3,173 57.61% 100 1.82%
2000 1,965 37.40% 3,059 58.22% 230 4.38%
1996 1,455 25.95% 3,692 65.83% 461 8.22%
1992 1,515 26.97% 3,416 60.80% 687 12.23%
1988 2,006 38.93% 3,013 58.47% 134 2.60%
1984 2,366 43.53% 2,956 54.39% 113 2.08%
1980 1,531 31.55% 3,183 65.60% 138 2.84%
1976 1,046 27.61% 2,622 69.22% 120 3.17%
1972 1,446 52.00% 943 33.91% 392 14.10%
1968 219 6.50% 1,351 40.09% 1,800 53.41%
1964 1,319 65.14% 706 34.86% 0 0.00%
1960 296 16.36% 678 37.48% 835 46.16%
1956 545 32.27% 997 59.03% 147 8.70%
1952 586 39.57% 895 60.43% 0 0.00%
1948 59 4.95% 469 39.38% 663 55.67%
1944 108 13.65% 683 86.35% 0 0.00%
1940 80 7.36% 1,007 92.64% 0 0.00%
1936 102 7.84% 1,199 92.16% 0 0.00%
1932 26 2.63% 962 97.37% 0 0.00%
1928 145 19.23% 609 80.77% 0 0.00%
1924 18 8.87% 185 91.13% 0 0.00%
1920 36 8.96% 366 91.04% 0 0.00%
1916 9 2.69% 319 95.51% 6 1.80%
1912 13 5.39% 214 88.80% 14 5.81%



See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana
  • Robby Carter
  • Doris Lindsey Holland Rhodes

References[]

  1. ^ "QuickFacts: St. Helena Parish, Louisiana". https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/sthelenaparishlouisiana/POP010220. 
  2. ^ "Saint Helena Parish/homepage". Saint Helena Parish. http://sthelenaparish.la.gov/. 
  3. ^ "St. Helena Parish". Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. http://ccet.louisiana.edu/tourism/parishes/Florida_Parishes/sainthelena.html. 
  4. ^ Ed Anderson (5 March 2008). "Longtime State Senator BB 'Sixty' Rayburn dead at 91". Times-Picayune. https://www.nola.com/news/article_59b5a542-a529-5db8-8739-d6434547912f.html. 
  5. ^ "Eugene Holland Obituary". The Advocate. 16 December 2010. https://obits.theadvocate.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=eugene-holland&pid=147148077&fhid=12374. 
  6. ^ Jush Auzenne (15 December 2010). "Former St. Helena Sheriff passes away". WAFB9/Baton Rouge. https://www.wafb.com/story/13677851/former-st-helena-parish-sheriff-passes-away/. 
  7. ^ "USA v. Chaney L Phillips". Federal Reporter (3rd series). 13 July 2000. https://openjurist.org/219/f3d/404/united-states-of-america-v-chaney-l-phillips. 
  8. ^ "ES&S, Diebold lobbyists". bbvforums.org. http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/8458.html. 
  9. ^ "Chaney L. Phillips". bop.gov. http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&FirstName=Chaney&Middle=&LastName=Phillips&Race=U&Sex=M&Age=63&x=91&y=21. 
  10. ^ Brown, Penny (February 5, 2007). "St. Helena sheriff pleads guilty to role in illegal chop shop". The Advocate (Baton Rouge). http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/5554786.html. 
  11. ^ "Sheriff pleads guilty in chop shop case". Associated Press (via Yahoo! News). February 6, 2007. https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070206/ap_on_re_us/sheriff_guilty;_ylt=AsMpZMABxId0WU8pvWBbovPMWM0F;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MjBwMWtkBHNlYwM3MTg-. 
  12. ^ "Former Sheriff "Gun" Ficklin dies in prison". WAFB9 News/Baton Rouge. 21 October 2011. https://www.wafb.com/story/15766988/former-sheriff-gun-ficklin-dies-in-prison/. 
  13. ^ "Sheriff Williams". Sheriff's Office, Saint Helena Parish. 19 June 2021. http://www.sthelenaso.org/Sheriff/tabid/105/Default.aspx. 
  14. ^ "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. 
  15. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html. 
  16. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  17. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/la190090.txt. 
  18. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  19. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22091.html. 
  20. ^ "Explore Census Data". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US22091&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  21. ^ a b "Geography Profile: St. Helena Parish, Louisiana". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US22091. 
  22. ^ "Our Colleges". Louisiana's Technical and Community Colleges. https://www.lctcs.edu/our-colleges. Retrieved 3 June 2021. 
  23. ^ a b Heinrich, P.V. (2003) Possible Meteorite Impact Crater in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. Search and Discovery Article. no. 50006. American Association of Petroleum Geologist, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  24. ^ Heinrich, P.V. (2003) Origin of a Circular Depression and Associated Fractured and Shocked Quartz, St. Helena Parish, LA. Transactions of the Gulf Association of Geological Societies. vol. 53, pp. 313-322.
  25. ^ LGS Researcher Featured in Meteor Crater News Story. Archived March 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Center for Energy Studies, Louisiana State University Baton Rouge. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  26. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 

External links[]

Template:Louisiana parishes

Coordinates: 30°49′N 90°43′W / 30.82, -90.71


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Saint Helena 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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