Harman Patil (Editor)

Richland Parish, Louisiana

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Named for
  
Rich fertile land

Largest town
  
Rayville

Time zone
  
Central: UTC-6/-5

Founded
  
1868

Unemployment rate
  
8.9% (Apr 2015)

Seat
  
Rayville

Congressional district
  
5th

Area
  
1,463 km²

Population
  
20,857 (2013)

Largest city
  
Rayville

Richland Parish, Louisiana wwwrootswebancestrycomlarichlaimagesRichlan

Cities
  
Rayville, Delhi, Mangham, Start

Rivers
  
Boeuf River, Bayou Macon, Big Creek

Richland Parish (French: Paroisse de Richland) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,725. The parish seat is Rayville. The parish was founded in 1868.

Contents

Map of Richland Parish, LA, USA

History

Richland Parish is home to the first parishwide public library in the State of Louisiana. The library was built in 1925 by the Lambda Kappa Club of Rayville. R.R. Rhymes donated the original building in memory of his wife, Nonnie Roark Rhymes. In 2008, Governor Bobby Jindal appointed Bibb Ingram, a granddaughter to Nonnie Rhymes, as a member of the Louisiana State Library Board.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 565 square miles (1,460 km2), of which 559 square miles (1,450 km2) is land and 5.5 square miles (14 km2) (1.0%) is water.

Major highways

  • Interstate 20
  • U.S. Highway 80
  • Louisiana Highway 15
  • Louisiana Highway 17
  • Louisiana Highway 585
  • Adjacent parishes

  • Morehouse Parish (north)
  • West Carroll Parish (northeast)
  • East Carroll Parish (northeast)
  • Madison Parish (east)
  • Franklin Parish (southeast)
  • Caldwell Parish (southwest)
  • Ouachita Parish (west)
  • Demographics

    As of the census of 2000, there were 20,981 people, 7,490 households, and 5,482 families residing in the parish. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15/km²). There were 8,335 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 60.96% White, 38.01% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. 1.08% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

    There were 7,490 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.20% were married couples living together, 18.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.14.

    In the parish the population was spread out with 27.30% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 88.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.30 males.

    The median income for a household in the parish was $23,668, and the median income for a family was $29,075. Males had a median income of $28,471 versus $18,587 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $12,479. About 23.10% of families and 27.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.50% of those under age 18 and 20.90% of those age 65 or over.

    Education

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

    Towns

  • Delhi
  • Rayville (parish seat)
  • Village

  • Mangham
  • Census-designated place

  • Start
  • Notable people

  • Jamar Adcock, a politician and banker in Monroe, born in Richland Parish
  • Benny Gay Christian, state representative for Richland Parish, 1964 to 1974
  • Elvin Hayes, NBA Hall of Fame basketball player, born in Rayville
  • Fred W. Jones, Jr., city, district, and state court judge, born in Rayville; resided in Ruston, Louisiana
  • Ralph E. King, Winnsboro physician who represented Richland Parish in the Louisiana State Senate from 1944 to 1952 and again from 1956 to 1960
  • Ernie Ladd, a football player/professional wrestler, born in Rayville
  • Charles McConnell, politician in Springhill, Louisiana; a native of Richland Parish
  • Keith Munyan, Jr., commercial photographer in North Hollywood, California
  • Tim McGraw, Country musician, born in Start
  • Darryl Riser, editor of the Delhi Dispatch and Richland Beacon-News and, formerly, the Richland Journal.
  • Francis C. Thompson served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1975 until 2008; since in the Louisiana State Senate
  • Arlene Howell, Miss Louisiana USA 1958, Miss USA 1958
  • References

    Richland Parish, Louisiana Wikipedia