Allen Parish, Louisiana

For those of a similar name, see Alan Parrish (disambiguation).
Allen Parish, Louisiana

The Allen Parish Courthouse in Oberlin near sunset

Seal
Map of Louisiana highlighting Allen Parish
Location in the state of Louisiana
Map of the United States highlighting Louisiana
Louisiana's location in the U.S.
Founded 1912
Named for Henry Watkins Allen
Seat Oberlin
Largest city Oakdale
Area
 • Total 766 sq mi (1,984 km2)
 • Land 762 sq mi (1,974 km2)
 • Water 4.1 sq mi (11 km2), 0.5%
Population
 • (2010) 25,764
 • Density 34/sq mi (13/km²)
Congressional district 4th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5

Allen Parish (French: Paroisse d'Allen) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 25,764.[1] The parish seat is Oberlin.[2] Allen Parish is in southwestern Louisiana, southwest of Alexandria.

Allen Parish is named for former Confederate States Army general and Governor of Louisiana Henry Watkins Allen. It was separated in 1912 from the larger Calcasieu Parish to the southwest.

Leatherwood Museum

On September 27, 2008, the Allen Parish Tourist Commission opened Leatherwood Museum in Oakdale in a two-story house which served during the early 20th century as a hospital where women waited on the second-floor balcony to deliver their babies.[3]

The museum focuses on the history of agriculture and timber. Upstairs exhibits include photographs and a machine for cutting rice stalks, displays of early dental and medical equipment, pictures of war maneuvers during World War II, and a letter from Confederate States of America soldier David Dunn to his wife. Dunn was the grandfather of William T. Dunn, founder of Dunnsville, which became Oakdale. An education room contains displays on Louisiana High School Hall of Fame sports figures Curtis Cook of Oakdale, Johnny Buck of Kinder, and Hoyle Granger of Oberlin. Granger, an inductee of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame who starred for the Houston Oilers, addressed the grand opening of the museum. Other exhibits focus on the Coushatta Indians and Courir de Mardi Gras or the country way of celebrating Mardi Gras in Allen Parish.[3]

Adagria Haddock, director of the Allen Parish Tourist Commission, said that in addition to a hospital, the building formerly served as a boarding house and the home of the Leatherwood family. The house dates to July 3, 1888. The Leatherwoods turned the building into a museum in 1986, but it closed a decade later because of a lack of funding. In 2005, the house was donated to the Allen Parish Tourist Commission.[3]

The downstairs contains the furnishings of a typical family house of the time, with displays of clothing and other period artifacts. "We just wanted you to feel like home when you walked in and then go explore the museum part [upstairs]," Haddock told Alexandria Daily Town Talk. The facility is handicapped-accessible with an elevator. A state grant of $65,000 helped fund restoration.[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 766 square miles (1,980 km2), of which 762 square miles (1,970 km2) is land and 4.1 square miles (11 km2) (0.5%) is water.[4]

Major highways

Adjacent parishes

Waterways

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
192018,382—
193015,261−17.0%
194017,54014.9%
195018,8357.4%
196019,8675.5%
197020,7944.7%
198021,3902.9%
199021,226−0.8%
200025,44019.9%
201025,7641.3%
Est. 201425,713[5]−0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 25,440 people, 8,102 households, and 5,930 families residing in the parish. The population density was 33 people per square mile (13/km²). There were 9,157 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 71.90% White, 24.60% Black or African American, 1.72% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. 4.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 6.22% reported speaking French or Cajun French at home, while 4.68% speak Spanish.

There were 8,102 households out of which 36.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.00% were married couples living together, 15.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the parish the population was spread out with 24.60% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 33.40% from 25 to 44, 20.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 126.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 133.50 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $27,777, and the median income for a family was $33,920. Males had a median income of $32,371 versus $17,154 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $13,101. About 17.90% of families and 19.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.60% of those under age 18 and 21.50% of those age 65 or over.

The most populated city as of the 2000 census was Oakdale, LA.

Politics

Presidential election results
Year GOP DEM Others
2008 66.9% 6,333 30.5% 2,891 2.6% 243
2004 56.3% 5,140 41.5% 3,791 2.1% 193
2000 48.7% 4,035 47.2% 3,914 2.3% 343
1996 29.3% 2,589 55.7% 4,930 15.0% 1,325
1992 30.6% 3,069 56.2% 5,626 13.2% 1,322
1988 40.9% 3,674 57.9% 5,204 1.2% 111
1984 47.7% 4,474 51.6% 4,842 0.7% 66
1980 34.8% 3,328 63.3% 6,057 1.9% 179
1976 27.1% 2,080 70.0% 5,373 2.9% 220
1972 59.4% 3,581 33.7% 2,029 6.9% 418
1968 13.8% 1,004 27.9% 2,026 58.3% 4,229
1964 41.7% 2,704 58.3% 3,787 0.0% 0
1960 27.0% 1,676 59.8% 3,719 13.2% 820

Allen was a strongly Democratic parish in Presidential and Congressional elections; the last Republican to win a majority in the parish before 2000 was Richard Nixon in 1972. Starting in 2000, when George W. Bush narrowly won the parish, Allen has become a Republican strongold; John McCain won nearly two-thirds of the parish's vote in 2008.

Allen is part of Louisiana's 4th congressional district, held by Republican John C. Fleming. In the Louisiana House of Representatives Allen is part of the 32nd Assembly district, which is held by Democrat Dorothy Sue Hill. In the Louisiana Senate Allen is part of the 28th district, which is held by Democrat Eric LaFleur.

Education

Residents are zoned to Allen Parish Schools .

National Guard

B Company 3-156TH Infantry Battalion of the 256TH IBCT resides in Oakdale, Louisiana. This unit deployed twice to Iraq in 2004-5 and 2010.

Communities

Map of Allen Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels

Cities

Towns

Villages

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bill Sumrall, "A step into past: Museum showcases history of Allen Parish", Alexandria Daily Town Talk, September 27, 2008:http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080927/NEWS01/809270365&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  10. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
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External links

Geology

 Vernon Parish Rapides Parish
Beauregard Parish Evangeline Parish
   Allen Parish, Louisiana  
Jefferson Davis Parish

Coordinates: 30°40′N 92°50′W / 30.66°N 92.83°W / 30.66; -92.83

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