Richland Parish, Louisiana

Richland Parish is a parish located in the North Louisiana Delta Country in the U.S. state of Louisiana, known for its fertile, flat farmland, cane brakes, and open spaces. The parish had a population of 20,043 at the 2020 United States census.[1] The name Richland was chosen due to the rich production from farming. The parish seat and largest community is Rayville.

Richland Parish
Alto Presbyterian Church
Alto Presbyterian Church
Map of Louisiana highlighting Richland Parish
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Map of the United States highlighting Louisiana
Louisiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°25′18″N 91°45′43″W / 32.421736°N 91.762070°W / 32.421736; -91.762070
Country United States
State Louisiana
FoundedSeptember 29, 1878
Named forFertile (rich) land in the area
SeatRayville
Largest townRayville
Area
 • Total576 sq mi (1,490 km2)
 • Land559 sq mi (1,450 km2)
 • Water9.375 sq mi (24.28 km2)  1.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total20,043
 • Density35/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)

History

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The parish was officially created on September 29, 1868.[2] Rayville, Louisiana, the parish seat, was named for John Ray, a politician from Monroe with large land holdings in present-day Rayville.[3]

Richland Parish is home to the first public parish library in the State of Louisiana, the Rhymes Memorial Library. 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.[4]

Geography

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Bayou Macon flows through the western areas of Richland. Other tributaries in the parish include Crew Lake, and the Lafourche Diversion Canal are located in the western portion of the parish. Boeuf River flows from the northern end to the southern end in the center of the parish.

Adjacent parishes

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Parks and wildlife management areas

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Communities

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Towns

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Village

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Unincorporated areas

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Census-designated place

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Unincorporated communities

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Transportation

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Bridge crossing the Boeuf River on Hwy 15 near Alto, LA
Interstates and State Highways
Interstate 20
U.S. Highway 80
Louisiana Highway 15
Louisiana Highway 17
Louisiana Highway 132
Louisiana Highway 133
Louisiana Highway 135
Louisiana Highway 585
Air, Rail, Levee
Rayville Municipal Airport
Delhi Municipal Airport
Monroe Regional Airport
Kansas City Southern Railroad
Tensas Basin Levee District

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18705,110
18808,44065.2%
189010,23021.2%
190011,1168.7%
191015,76941.9%
192020,86032.3%
193026,37426.4%
194028,8299.3%
195026,672−7.5%
196023,824−10.7%
197021,774−8.6%
198022,1871.9%
199020,629−7.0%
200020,9811.7%
201020,725−1.2%
202020,043−3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790–1960[6] 1900–1990[7]
1990–2000[8] 2010[9]

2020 census

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Richland Parish racial composition[10]
RaceNum.Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)11,66758.21%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)7,30336.44%
Native American530.26%
Asian500.25%
Other/Mixed5702.84%
Hispanic or Latino4002.0%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,043 people, 7,459 households, and 4,972 families residing in the parish.

Education

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Public schools

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  • Delhi Elementary
  • Delhi Junior High
  • Delhi High School
  • Holly Ridge Elementary
  • Mangham Elementary
  • Mangham Junior High
  • Mangham High School
  • Rayville Elementary
  • Rayville Junior High
  • Rayville, High School
  • Start Elementary

Private schools

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  • Riverfield Academy, K–12

Charter schools

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  • Delhi Charter, K–12

Community and technical colleges

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Regional universities

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Government

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Parish AdministrationAdministrators
SheriffGary Gilley, No Party
CoronerDr. Matt Prine, Republican
AssessorLee Brown, III, Democrat
School Board SuperintendentSheldon Jones
Homeland SecurityDawn Williams
Parish Police JuryPolice Jurors
District 1, DelhiSteve Craig, Republican
District 2, DelhiPatrick Stubblefield, Democrat
District 3, RayvilleSharon Gee, Democrat
District 4, RayvilleSteve Lofton, Republican
District 5, RayvillePaul Slayter, Republican
District 6, RayvilleAlthan Smith, Democrat
District 7, AltoCecil Reddick, Republican
District 8, StartElliot Colvin, Republican
District 9, ManghamRoy Wiggins, Jr., Republican
5th Judicial DistrictParish Judicial Leaders
Division "A"Clay Hamilton, Republican
Division "B"Will Rhymes Barham, Republican
Division "C"Steve Dean, Republican
Clerk of CourtStacie Williamson, Republican
Parish School BoardBoard Members
District 1, DelhiBilly Calvert, No Party
District 2, DelhiEugene Young, Jr., Democrat
District 3, RayvilleMoses "DeJohn" Wilkins, Democrat
District 4, RayvilleJames Hough, Republican
District 5, RayvilleAlece Copeland, No Party
District 6, RayvilleMarie Lewis, Democrat
District 7, ArchibaldJoe Chapman, No Party
District 8, StartKevin Eppinette, No Party
District 9, ManghamChris Pruitt, Republican

Notable people

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Politics

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United States presidential election results for Richland Parish, Louisiana[11]
YearRepublicanDemocraticThird party
No. %No. %No. %
20206,60766.47%3,22532.44%1081.09%
20166,28765.51%3,15732.90%1531.59%
20125,84662.66%3,38736.31%961.03%
20085,75162.64%3,31136.06%1191.30%
20045,47163.14%3,08235.57%1121.29%
20004,89557.69%3,28238.68%3083.63%
19963,76543.23%4,14347.57%8029.21%
19923,80842.77%3,70641.63%1,38915.60%
19885,22662.85%2,83334.07%2563.08%
19845,98065.84%2,91832.13%1852.04%
19804,77254.57%3,74542.83%2272.60%
19763,63049.93%3,49548.07%1451.99%
19724,30470.80%1,33521.96%4407.24%
19681,03115.95%1,01715.74%4,41568.31%
19644,49885.76%74714.24%00.00%
19601,37835.62%99625.74%1,49538.64%
19561,06329.88%1,09430.76%1,40039.36%
19521,64539.70%2,49960.30%00.00%
19481194.69%96037.87%1,45657.44%
194448818.95%2,08781.05%00.00%
194031011.37%2,41788.63%00.00%
19361656.36%2,42593.48%40.15%
1932462.53%1,77397.42%10.05%
192824218.26%1,08381.74%00.00%
192411614.61%67885.39%00.00%
1920507.00%66493.00%00.00%
191671.07%65098.93%00.00%
191220.46%39389.93%429.61%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Richland Parish, Louisiana". Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  2. ^ "Richland Parish". Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  3. ^ Leeper, Clare D’Artois (2012). Louisiana Place Names: Popular, Unusual, and Forgotten Stories of Towns, Cities, Plantations, Bayous, and Even Some Cemeteries. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. p. 204.
  4. ^ "Richland Library First To Form Under New Law". No. page 3. The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana). Newspapers.com. January 13, 1928. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
  5. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  6. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  7. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  8. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  9. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  10. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  11. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
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32°25′N 91°46′W / 32.42°N 91.76°W / 32.42; -91.76