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West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana

Coordinates: 30°52′N 91°25′W / 30.87°N 91.42°W / 30.87; -91.42
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West Feliciana Parish
Parish
Map of Louisiana highlighting West Feliciana Parish
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Map of the United States highlighting Louisiana
Louisiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°52′N 91°25′W / 30.87°N 91.42°W / 30.87; -91.42
Country United States
State Louisiana
Founded1824
Named forFelicite de Gálvez
SeatSt. Francisville
Largest citySt. Francisville
Area
 • Total426 sq mi (1,103 km2)
 • Land406 sq mi (1,052 km2)
 • Water20 sq mi (52 km2)  4.70%
Population
 (2000)
 • Total15,111
 • Density37/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Louisiana State Penitentiary

West Feliciana Parish (French: Paroisse de Feliciana Ouest) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is St. Francisville and as of 2000, the population was 15,111. The Louisiana State Penitentiary is located in West Feliciana Parish in Angola.

West Feliciana Parish is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Baton Rouge–Pierre Part Combined Statistical Area.

==History== WERE ALL STUPID!! WEST FELICIANA IS A HORRIBLE PLACE TO BE!! DON'T EVER EVER EVER COME HERE!! IM OK THOUGH, RIGHTTT ? (: Following the founding of the Bayou Sara settlement by Franciscan/Cappucin monks in the late 17th century, the area was explored further by Spain, France, and England. The original settlement is now under the Mississippi River, which shifted course.

Originally part of the Florida colony, West Feliciana was conjoined with the other Florida Parishes during the Louisiana Purchase. The parish existed for a time as the independent Republic of Feliciana, but eventually joined the United States in 1810 as Feliciana Parish. In 1824 it was divided into East Feliciana and West Feliciana parishes.

During the American Civil War, West Feliciana Parish provided financial assistance to the families of soldiers fighting for the Confederate States of America. Wives and children of soldiers were to receive from $10 to $40 per month depending on family size.[1]

Since before the Civil War, West Feliciana had been historically Democratic in voter preference. In 1972 it was the only Louisiana parish to support the George McGovern and Sargent Shriver ticket. Since 2000, parish voters have supported the the Republican Party candidate in presidential elections: that year Bush-Cheney polled 2,512 votes (55 percent), compared to 2,187 (45 percent) for the Democrats Albert Arnold Gore, Jr., and Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney won in 2004, with 2,932 (56 percent) to 2,214 (42 percent) over the Democrats John F. Kerry and John Edwards. John S. McCain won the parish in 2008 over the Democrat Barack Obama.

Geography

The parish has a total area of 1,103 km² (426sq mi). 406 square miles (1,052 km²) of it is land and 20 square miles (52 km²) of it (4.70%) is water.

Major highways

Adjacent parishes and counties

National protected area

Demographics

CensusPop.Note%±
18308,629—
184010,91026.4%
185013,24521.4%
186011,671−11.9%
187010,499−10.0%
188012,80922.0%
189015,06217.6%
190015,9946.2%
191013,449−15.9%
192012,303−8.5%
193010,924−11.2%
194011,7207.3%
195010,169−13.2%
196012,39521.9%
197011,376−8.2%
198012,1867.1%
199012,9156.0%
200015,11117.0%
2006 (est.)15,535[2]
West Feliciana Parish Census Data[3]

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 15,111 people, 3,645 households, and 2,704 families residing in the parish. The population density was 37 people per square mile (14/km²). There were 4,485 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 48.63% White, 50.51% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.03% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,645 households out of which 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.10% were married couples living together, 15.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.80% were non-families. 23.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the parish the population was spread out with 20.30% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 40.00% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 7.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 191.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 223.60 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $39,667, and the median income for a family was $47,239. Males had a median income of $35,046 versus $21,922 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $16,201. About 15.00% of families and 19.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.30% of those under age 18 and 23.40% of those age 65 or over.

It is important to note that demographic data is skewed by the inclusion of the Angola Prison. Approximately one third of the county's reported residents are residents of the penitentiary, significantly altering many of the statistics above; for example, this inclusion explains the high male/female ratio in the county.

Communities

Map of West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels

St. Francisville is the sole incorporated city. Unincorporated communities include the Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola), Bains, Tunica, and Wakefield.

Government and infrastructure

Louisiana State Penitentiary of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections is located in unincorporated West Feliciana Parish.[4]

Media

Founded in 1976, The Angolite is a news magazine created and published at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.[5] Each year, it publishes six issues.[6]

Education

West Feliciana Parish Public Schools serves the parish.

The West Feliciana Parish Library is located in St. Francisville.[7] The library, previously a part of the Audubon Regional Library System, became independent in January 2004.[8]

Notable natives and residents

  • General Robert Hilliard Barrow (February 5, 1922 – October 30, 2008) was the 27th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) from 1979 to 1983. Barrow served for 41 years, including overseas command duty in three wars. He was awarded the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Service Cross. He grew up on his family’s Rosale Plantation in West Feliciana Parish. He is interred at the Grace Episcopal Church Cemetery in St. Francisville.
  • Rob Couhig, New Orleans businessman and politician, was reared in West Feliciana Parish.
  • Norman E. "Pete" Heine, served as the West Feliciana parish administrator, after having served 23 years as the mayor of Baker in East Baton Rouge Parish
  • Samuel Lawrason, St. Francisville attorney and state senator who authored the Lawrason Act of 1898.[9]
  • L. Christian Mixon, American film and television actor, reared near St. Francisville.
  • John Richard Rarick, attorney and U.S. Representative from St. Francisville.

See also

References

  1. ^ John D. Winters, The Civil War in Louisiana, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1963, ISBN 0-8071-0834-0, p. 74
  2. ^ United States Census Bureau. "West Feliciana Parish Quickfacts". Retrieved 2008-02-02.
  3. ^ United States Census Bureau. "Louisiana Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". Retrieved 2008-02-02.; Report on the Population of the United States at the Eleventh Census, 1890. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1895.
  4. ^ "Louisiana State Penitentiary." Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. Retrieved on August 24, 2010.
  5. ^ "Rehabilitative Services / Work Programs." Louisiana State Pentientiary. Retrieved on August 29, 2010.
  6. ^ ""Time in Prison", Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. 34/40. Retrieved on September 23, 2010.
  7. ^ "Directory." West Feliciana Parish Library. Retrieved on September 29, 2010.
  8. ^ "About Us." West Feliciana Parish Library. Retrieved on September 29, 2010.
  9. ^ "Lawrason, Samuel McCutcheon". Louisiana Historical Association, A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography (lahistory.com). Retrieved December 27, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

External links

30°52′N 91°25′W / 30.87°N 91.42°W / 30.87; -91.42

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