Winn Parish, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Winn Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state
of Louisiana
. Its seat is Winnfield
. In 2000, its population was 16,894.
The parish has a total area of 957 square miles (2,478.6 km²), of which, 950 square miles (2,460.5 km²) of it is land and 6 square miles (15.5 km²) of it (0.67%) is water.
Winn is separated from Natchitoches Parish
along U.S. Highway 71 by Saline Bayou
, the first blackwater
protected waterway in the American South.
, Natchitoches
, and Rapides
.
During the Civil War
, David Pierson, a young attorney, was elected to represent the parish at the Secession Convention called in January 1861 by Governor Thomas Overton Moore
in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
. Pierson voted against secession and refused, along with several others, to change his "no" vote at the end of the process when asked to do so to make the final tally unanimous.
There was little military action in Winn Parish during the Civil War, but there was a problem with conscripts fleeing into the wooded areas to avoid military duty. The Confederate States Army
defeated a Union detachment sent to destroy a salt works in the parish. Winn Parish contributed to the $80,000 raised to build fortifications on the nearby Red River.
After the war, bandits roamed the Natchez Trace
or Harrisonburg Road
that ran through the lower part of the parish. Among the worst were the West and Kimbrell Clan. For seven years they preyed especially on travelers and migrants passing through the area.
In April 1873 white militia from Winn Parish joined in the Colfax Massacre
in neighboring Grant Parish, putting down what they called a riot by freedmen as an aftermath to the disputed gubernatorial election of 1872.
Winn Parish is the traditional home of the former Long family Democratic political dynasty. It is the birthplace of three governors of Louisiana. Governor Earl Long is buried in a public square known as the Earl K. Long State Park in Winnfield.
of 2000, there were 16,894 people, 5,930 households, and 4,234 families residing in the parish. The population density
was 18 people per square mile (7/km²). There were 7,502 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 66.27% White
, 32.03% Black
or African American
, 0.50% Native American
, 0.16% Asian
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
, 0.13% from other races
, and 0.86% from two or more races. 0.87% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 35.9% were of American
and 7.2% Irish
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 5,930 households out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.80% were married couples
living together, 15.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the parish the population was spread out with 24.80% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 110.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.20 males.
The median income for a household in the parish was $25,462, and the median income for a family was $31,513. Males had a median income of $29,094 versus $17,939 for females. The per capita income
for the parish was $11,794. About 17.00% of families and 21.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.40% of those under age 18 and 24.20% of those age 65 or over.
operates local public schools.
There is also the Huey P. Long Campus of Louisiana Technical College
in Winnfield. The facility is being relocated from downtown to north of Winnfield on U.S. Highway 167. Funding for the structure was obtained by former State Senator
Mike Smith
of Winnfield.
, under contract with Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, operates the Winn Correctional Center in an unincorporated section of Winn Parish.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Its seat is Winnfield
Winnfield, Louisiana
Winnfield is a city in and the parish seat of Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census. It has long been associated with the Long faction of the Louisiana Democratic Party and was home to three governors of Louisiana.-Geography:Winnfield is located at ...
. In 2000, its population was 16,894.
The parish has a total area of 957 square miles (2,478.6 km²), of which, 950 square miles (2,460.5 km²) of it is land and 6 square miles (15.5 km²) of it (0.67%) is water.
Winn is separated from Natchitoches Parish
Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Natchitoches Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Natchitoches. As of 2000, the population was 39,080. This is the heart of the Cane River Louisiana Creole community...
along U.S. Highway 71 by Saline Bayou
Saline Bayou
Saline Bayou is a tributary of the Red River in Louisiana in the United States. In 1986 it became the first blackwater river in the American South to have been designated in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System...
, the first blackwater
Blackwater river
A blackwater river is a river with a deep, slow-moving channel that flows through forested swamps and wetlands. As vegetation decays in the water, tannins are leached out, resulting in transparent, acidic water that is darkly stained, resembling tea or coffee. Most major blackwater rivers are in...
protected waterway in the American South.
History
Winn Parish was established in 1852 from lands which had belonged to the parishes of CatahoulaCatahoula Parish, Louisiana
Catahoula Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its seat is Harrisonburg, located on the Ouachita River, which forms the eastern boundary of the parish. In 2000, the population of the parish was 10,920.-Prehistory:...
, Natchitoches
Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Natchitoches Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Natchitoches. As of 2000, the population was 39,080. This is the heart of the Cane River Louisiana Creole community...
, and Rapides
Rapides Parish, Louisiana
-Military Installations:*Camp Beauregard *Esler Airfield *England Air Force Base *Camp Claiborne *Camp Livingston -Demographics:...
.
During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, David Pierson, a young attorney, was elected to represent the parish at the Secession Convention called in January 1861 by Governor Thomas Overton Moore
Thomas Overton Moore
Thomas Overton Moore was an attorney and politician who was the 16th Governor of Louisiana from 1860 until 1864 during the American Civil War.-Early years:...
in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. Pierson voted against secession and refused, along with several others, to change his "no" vote at the end of the process when asked to do so to make the final tally unanimous.
There was little military action in Winn Parish during the Civil War, but there was a problem with conscripts fleeing into the wooded areas to avoid military duty. The Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
defeated a Union detachment sent to destroy a salt works in the parish. Winn Parish contributed to the $80,000 raised to build fortifications on the nearby Red River.
After the war, bandits roamed the Natchez Trace
Natchez Trace
The Natchez Trace, also known as the "Old Natchez Trace", is a historical path that extends roughly from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers...
or Harrisonburg Road
Harrisonburg Road
The Harrisonburg Road was an old wagon train road in Louisiana which connected the Natchez Trace to the El Camino Real in Texas. In modern times the route has been called the Natchez Trace on some highway markers and the El Camino Real in other places, but the original name would have been the...
that ran through the lower part of the parish. Among the worst were the West and Kimbrell Clan. For seven years they preyed especially on travelers and migrants passing through the area.
In April 1873 white militia from Winn Parish joined in the Colfax Massacre
Colfax massacre
The Colfax massacre or Colfax Riot occurred on Easter Sunday, April 13, 1873, in Colfax, Louisiana, the seat of Grant Parish, during Reconstruction, when white militia attacked freedmen at the Colfax courthouse...
in neighboring Grant Parish, putting down what they called a riot by freedmen as an aftermath to the disputed gubernatorial election of 1872.
Winn Parish is the traditional home of the former Long family Democratic political dynasty. It is the birthplace of three governors of Louisiana. Governor Earl Long is buried in a public square known as the Earl K. Long State Park in Winnfield.
Notable people
- Morris N. AbramsMorris N. AbramsMorris Newton Abrams was a Louisiana educator who specialized in the field of vocational education....
, educator - O.K. AllenOscar K. AllenOscar Kelly Allen, Sr. , also known as O. K. Allen, was the 42nd Governor of Louisiana from 1932 to 1936. He was a key lieutenant in the political machine of Huey Pierce Long, Jr., that dominated the state during the first half of the 1930s...
, governor of Louisiana - Bryant W. BaileyBryant W. BaileyBryant William Bailey was a businessman, politician, and journalist who became a leading figure during the 1890s in the short-lived Populist Party in the U.S. state of Louisiana.-Early years:...
, politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, Winn Parish sheriff from 1908 to 1912 - William EdenbornWilliam EdenbornWilliam Edenborn was a businessman, inventor and philanthropist, born in Altena in the Westphalia region of the Ruhr River Valley of the former Prussia, since Germany...
, inventor and industrialist - T. H. HarrisT. H. HarrisThomas H Harris was the dominant figure in Louisiana public education in the first half of the 20th century through his role as the state school superintendent from 1908-1940.-Early years and education:...
, Louisiana state superintendent of education - Huey LongHuey LongHuey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
, governor of Louisiana - Earl Kemp Long, governor of Louisiana
- Charlton LyonsCharlton LyonsCharlton Havard Lyons, Sr., also known as Big Papa Lyons , was a Shreveport oilman who in 1964 waged the first determined Republican bid for the Louisiana governorship since Reconstruction. Lyons also made a strong but losing bid for the United States House of Representatives in a special election...
, RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate for governor in 1964, practiced law in Winnfield prior to 1930 - Henry L. YelvertonHenry L. YelvertonHenry Lee Yelverton, Jr. , was a judge for thirty-two years of the state district and appellate courts, based in Lake Charles, the seat of Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana.-Early years and education:...
, appellate courtAppellate courtAn appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
judge.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 71
U.S. Highway 84
U.S. Highway 167
Louisiana Highway 34Louisiana Highway 34Louisiana Highway 34 is a state highway in Louisiana that spans . It serves Grant Parish, Winn Parish, Jackson Parish, and Ouachita Parish.-Route description:...
Louisiana Highway 126
Louisiana Highway 127Louisiana Highway 127Louisiana Highway 127 is a state highway in Louisiana. It spans and runs from north to south. LA 127 is for the entire part a two lane, undivided road.-Route description:...
Louisiana Highway 156
Louisiana Highway 471
Louisiana Highway 499- Louisiana Highway 500
Louisiana Highway 501
Louisiana Highway 505
Louisiana Highway 1228
Adjacent parishes
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 16,894 people, 5,930 households, and 4,234 families residing in the parish. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 18 people per square mile (7/km²). There were 7,502 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 66.27% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 32.03% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.50% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.16% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.13% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.86% from two or more races. 0.87% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 35.9% were of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 7.2% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 5,930 households out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.80% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the parish the population was spread out with 24.80% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 110.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.20 males.
The median income for a household in the parish was $25,462, and the median income for a family was $31,513. Males had a median income of $29,094 versus $17,939 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the parish was $11,794. About 17.00% of families and 21.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.40% of those under age 18 and 24.20% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities and towns
|
Sikes, Louisiana Sikes is a village in Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 121 at the 2000 census.The village was named after James Warren Sikes, Sr. , a leader in the Winn Parish Baptist church and the first postmaster in the local area.... Tullos, Louisiana Tullos is a town in La Salle and Winn parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana, along Castor Creek. The population was 419 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Tullos is located at and has an elevation of .... (partial) Winnfield, Louisiana Winnfield is a city in and the parish seat of Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census. It has long been associated with the Long faction of the Louisiana Democratic Party and was home to three governors of Louisiana.-Geography:Winnfield is located at ... |
Unincorporated areas
- Joyce
- Saint Maurice
- Tannehill
Education
Winn Parish School BoardWinn Parish School Board
Winn Parish School Board is a school district headquartered in Winnfield, Louisiana, United States.The district serves Winn Parish.-PK-12 schools:* Atlanta High School * Calvin High School * Dodson High School...
operates local public schools.
There is also the Huey P. Long Campus of Louisiana Technical College
Louisiana Technical College
Louisiana Technical College is an institute for professional technical education in the state of Louisiana, with campuses across the state. Louisiana Technical College has no affiliation to Louisiana Tech University.-History:...
in Winnfield. The facility is being relocated from downtown to north of Winnfield on U.S. Highway 167. Funding for the structure was obtained by former State Senator
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
Mike Smith
Mike Smith (Louisiana politician)
Kenneth Michael Smith, Sr., known as Mike Smith , is a businessman in Winnfield, Louisiana, who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1996 to 2008....
of Winnfield.
Corrections
Corrections Corporation of AmericaCorrections Corporation of America
Corrections Corporation of America is a company that owns and manages private prisons and detention centers and operates others on a concession basis. The company is the largest private corrections company in the United States and manages more than 60 facilities with a designed capacity of 90,000...
, under contract with Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, operates the Winn Correctional Center in an unincorporated section of Winn Parish.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Winn Parish, Louisiana