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DeSoto Parish, Louisiana

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Named for
  
settler, Marcel DeSoto

Congressional district
  
4th

Website
  
www.desotoppj.com

Founded
  
1843

County seat
  
Mansfield

Largest city
  
Mansfield

Time zone
  
Central: UTC-6/-5

Area
  
2,318 km²

Population
  
27,083 (2013)

Unemployment rate
  
8.1% (Apr 2015)

DeSoto Parish, Louisiana httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Cities
  
Mansfield, Stonewall, Logansport, Grand Cane

Rivers
  
Bayou Pierre, Bear Creek, Bushneck Bayou

DeSoto Parish (French: Paroisse DeSoto) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 26,656. Its seat is Mansfield. The parish was formed in 1843.

Contents

Map of De Soto Parish, LA, USA

DeSoto Parish is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

It is a typical misconception that the parish was named after Hernando de Soto, the Spaniard who explored the future southeastern United States and discovered and named the Mississippi River. The parish was in fact named after the unrelated Marcel DeSoto, who led the first group of European settlers there, to a settlement historically known as Bayou Pierre. The parish's name is also commonly misspelled following the explorer's name as "De Soto Parish," but it is properly spelled following the settler's name as "DeSoto Parish."

The Battle of Mansfield was fought in DeSoto Parish on April 8, 1864. General Alfred Mouton was killed in the fighting, but his position was carried forward by Prince de Polignac, a native of France. The battle is commemorated at the Mansfield State Historic Site four miles south of Mansfield off Louisiana Highway 175. The Confederate victory prevented a planned Union invasion thereafter of Texas. Mansfield, also known as the Battle of Sabine Crossroads, a Confederate victory, occurred with one year and one day left in the duration of the war. Mansfield was quickly followed by the Battle of Pleasant Hill to the south.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 895 square miles (2,320 km2), of which 876 square miles (2,270 km2) is land and 19 square miles (49 km2) (2.1%) is water.

Major highways

  • Interstate 49
  • Future Interstate 69
  • U.S. Highway 84
  • U.S. Highway 171
  • U.S. Highway 371
  • Louisiana Highway 5
  • Adjacent parishes

  • Caddo Parish (north)
  • Red River Parish (east)
  • Natchitoches Parish (southeast)
  • Sabine Parish (south)
  • Shelby County, Texas (southwest)
  • Panola County, Texas (west)
  • National protected area

  • Red River National Wildlife Refuge (part)
  • Demographics

    As of the census of 2010, there were 32,000 people, 12,562 households, and 7,012 families residing in the parish. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11/km²). There were 11,204 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 56.97% White, 38.16% Black or African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 0.54% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. 2.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

    There were 9,691 households out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.70% were married couples living together, 18.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 25.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.11.

    In the parish the population was spread out with 28.40% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.00 males.

    The median income for a household in the parish was $28,252, and the median income for a family was $33,196. Males had a median income of $30,780 versus $20,182 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $13,606. About 21.00% of families and 25.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.80% of those under age 18 and 24.90% of those age 65 or over.

    Education

    Public schools in DeSoto Parish are operated by the DeSoto Parish School Board.

    City

  • Mansfield (parish seat)
  • Towns

  • Keachie
  • Logansport
  • Stonewall
  • Villages

  • Grand Cane
  • Longstreet
  • South Mansfield
  • Stanley
  • Unincorporated communities

  • Carmel
  • Frierson
  • Gloster
  • Hunter
  • Kingston
  • Naborton
  • Pelican
  • Notable people

  • Larry Bagley (1949- ), incoming Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Caddo, Desoto, and Sabine parishes
  • Terry Bradshaw (1948-), Hall of Fame professional football player, sportscaster, singer, and actor
  • Richard Burford (1946-), current Louisiana state representative
  • Vida Blue (1949-), professional baseball player
  • C.L. Bryant (born 1956), Baptist minister and radio talk show host
  • Riemer Calhoun (1909-1994), state senator from 1944 to 1952 for DeSoto and Caddo parishes
  • Joe T. Cawthorn (1911-1967), state senator from 1940 to 1944 for DeSoto and Caddo parishes
  • Sherri Smith Cheek Buffington (1966-), Louisiana State Senator
  • Joe Henry Cooper (1920–1980), Louisiana state representative
  • Kenny Ray Cox (born 1957), Louisiana state representative and former United States Army officer
  • Milton Joseph Cunningham (1842-1916), Natchitoches and New Orleans lawyer, state senator from Natchitoches and DeSoto parishes from 1880 to 1884; state attorney general for three nonconsecutive terms ending in 1900, born in what became DeSoto Parish
  • George Dement (1922-2014), mayor of Bossier City
  • John H. Eastman (1861-1938), mayor of Shreveport
  • Joseph Barton Elam (1821–1885), United States Representative from Louisiana's 4th congressional district
  • William J. Fleniken (1908-1979), U.S. attorney and state 1st Judicial District Court judge in Shreveport; born in DeSoto Parish
  • William Pike Hall, Sr. (1896-1945), state senator for Caddo and DeSoto parishes, 1924-1932, Shreveport attorney
  • John Spencer Hardy (1913-2012), United States Air Force lieutenant general
  • Albert Lewis (1960-), professional football player
  • Walter M. Lowrey (1921-1980), historian at Centenary College of Louisiana
  • Garnie W. McGinty (1900-1984), historian at Louisiana Tech University and school principal
  • O. E. Price (1924-2006), state appeals court judge
  • Mack Charles Reynolds (1935–1991), professional football player
  • B. H. "Johnny" Rogers (1905-1977), politician
  • C. O. Simpkins, Sr. (born 1925 in Mansfield), African-American state representative, dentist, and civil rights activist in Shreveport
  • O.C. Smith (1932–2001), singer
  • Curtis W. McCoy City Of Mansfield Mayor
  • References

    DeSoto Parish, Louisiana Wikipedia