Claiborne Parish, Louisiana
Parish in Louisiana, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Claiborne Parish (French: Paroisse de Claiborne) is a parish located in the northwestern section of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish was formed in 1828,[1] and was named for the first Louisiana governor, William C. C. Claiborne. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,170.[2] The parish seat is Homer.[3]
Claiborne Parish, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
| Parish of Claiborne Paroisse de Claiborne (French) | |
The Claiborne Parish Courthouse was built in 1860 in Greek style. It served as a point of departure for Confederate troops. | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana | |
 Louisiana's location within the U.S. | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Louisiana |
| Region | North Louisiana |
| Founded | March 15, 1828 |
| Named for | William C. C. Claiborne |
| Parish seat | Homer |
| Largest municipality | Lisbon (area) Homer (population) |
| Area | |
• Total | 767 sq mi (1,990 km2) |
| • Land | 755 sq mi (1,960 km2) |
| • Water | 13 sq mi (34 km2) |
| • percentage | 1.6 sq mi (4.1 km2) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 14,170 |
• Estimate (2025) | 13,354  |
| • Density | 18.8/sq mi (7.25/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 318 |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Website | Claiborne Parish Government |
History
John Murrell moved his family from Arkansas to the Flat Lick Bayou area about 6 miles west of present-day Homer in 1818, and they became the first known non-natives to permanently settle in Claiborne Parish. As more settlers moved into the area, the Murrell house served as a church, school and post office. When the state legislature created Claiborne Parish out of Natchitoches Parish in 1828, all governmental business, including court, began being held in the Murrell house. This continued until the new parish's police jury selected Russellville (now a ghost town located northeast of Athens) as the parish seat.[4][5][6] As the population began swelling in what was then the western part of the parish, the seat was moved to Overton (another modern ghost town found near Minden) in 1836, because of its position at the head of the navigable portion of Dorcheat Bayou. Due to flooding and health concerns, the parish seat was moved to Athens in 1846, but an 1848 fire destroyed the courthouse and all the records in it. Soon thereafter the Claiborne Police Jury chose the present site for the parish seat, which came to be named, Homer.[7][8]
Much of the area history is preserved in the Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum, located across from the parish courthouse in Homer.[citation needed]
Government and infrastructure
Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections operates the David Wade Correctional Center in an unincorporated section of Claiborne Parish near Homer and Haynesville.[9][10]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 767 square miles (1,990 km2), of which 755 square miles (1,960 km2) is land and 13 square miles (34 km2) (1.6%) is water.[11]
Major highways
Future Interstate 69
U.S. Highway 63
U.S. Highway 79
U.S. Highway 167
Louisiana Highway 2
Louisiana Highway 9
Louisiana Highway 146
Louisiana Highway 152
Louisiana Highway 154
Louisiana Highway 161
Louisiana Highway 518
Louisiana Highway 519
Louisiana Highway 520
Louisiana Highway 521
Louisiana Highway 533
Louisiana Highway 534
Louisiana Highway 540
Louisiana Highway 615
Louisiana Highway 805
Louisiana Highway 806
Louisiana Highway 807
Louisiana Highway 808
Louisiana Highway 3062
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Adjacent parishes
- Columbia County, Arkansas (northwest)
- Union County, Arkansas (northeast)
- Union Parish (east)
- Lincoln Parish (southeast)
- Bienville Parish (south)
- Webster Parish (west)
National protected area
- Kisatchie National Forest (part)
Communities
Towns
- Haynesville
- Homer (parish seat and largest municipality)
Villages
Unincorporated communities
- Arizona
- Colquitt
- Lake Claiborne
- Marsalis
- Russellville
- Sugar Creek
- Summerfield
- Weldon
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 1,764 | — | |
| 1840 | 6,185 | 250.6% | |
| 1850 | 7,471 | 20.8% | |
| 1860 | 16,848 | 125.5% | |
| 1870 | 20,240 | 20.1% | |
| 1880 | 18,837 | −6.9% | |
| 1890 | 23,312 | 23.8% | |
| 1900 | 23,029 | −1.2% | |
| 1910 | 25,050 | 8.8% | |
| 1920 | 27,885 | 11.3% | |
| 1930 | 32,285 | 15.8% | |
| 1940 | 29,855 | −7.5% | |
| 1950 | 25,063 | −16.1% | |
| 1960 | 19,407 | −22.6% | |
| 1970 | 17,024 | −12.3% | |
| 1980 | 17,095 | 0.4% | |
| 1990 | 17,405 | 1.8% | |
| 2000 | 16,851 | −3.2% | |
| 2010 | 17,195 | 2.0% | |
| 2020 | 14,170 | −17.6% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 13,354 | [12] | −5.8% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[13] 1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15] 1990-2000[16] 2010-2013[2] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the parish had a population of 14,170, 5,498 households, and 3,718 families. The median age was 45.0 years; 18.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 114.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 118.5 males age 18 and over.[17][18]
The racial makeup of the parish was 51.3% White, 43.6% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.5% from some other race, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.4% of the population.[18]
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[19]
There were 5,498 households in the parish, of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 37.5% were married-couple households, 22.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[17]
There were 6,775 housing units in the parish, of which 18.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 74.2% were owner-occupied and 25.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.6%.[17]
Racial and ethnic composition
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[20] | Pop 1990[21] | Pop 2000[22] | Pop 2010[23] | Pop 2020[24] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 9,032 | 9,300 | 8,679 | 8,084 | 7,064 | 52.83% | 53.43% | 51.50% | 47.01% | 49.85% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 7,851 | 8,022 | 7,925 | 8,707 | 6,138 | 45.93% | 46.09% | 47.03% | 50.64% | 43.32% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 2 | 28 | 24 | 59 | 43 | 0.01% | 0.16% | 0.14% | 0.34% | 0.30% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 10 | 13 | 14 | 39 | 42 | 0.06% | 0.07% | 0.08% | 0.23% | 0.30% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [25] | x [26] | 2 | 1 | 0 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 13 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 0.08% | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.15% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [27] | x [28] | 77 | 132 | 383 | x | x | 0.46% | 0.77% | 2.70% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 187 | 40 | 128 | 171 | 479 | 1.09% | 0.23% | 0.76% | 0.99% | 3.38% |
| Total | 17,095 | 17,405 | 16,851 | 17,195 | 14,170 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Politics
With a narrow majority of African Americans in the population, Claiborne Parish in the years after the civil rights movement was primarily Democratic in political complexion. In 1988, Vice President George H. W. Bush prevailed in Claiborne Parish with 3,756 votes (53.6 percent). Governor Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts trailed with 3,158 votes (45.1 percent).[29] In 1996, U.S. President Bill Clinton, of neighboring Arkansas, obtained 3,609 votes (53.6 percent) in Claiborne Parish. Republican Bob Dole of Kansas polled 2,500 votes (37.1 percent).[30]
However, by 2008, Senator John McCain easily carried the parish in his losing race to Barack Obama. McCain polled 3,750 votes (54.8 percent) to Obama's 3,025 votes (44.2 percent).[31] In 2012, Mitt Romney carried the parish, with 3,649 votes (54.2 percent), nearly identical to McCain's tally four years earlier. President Obama received 3,014 votes (44.8 percent), a 0.6% increase.[32]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 10 | 1.18% | 785 | 92.24% | 56 | 6.58% |
| 1916 | 15 | 1.16% | 1,276 | 98.76% | 1 | 0.08% |
| 1920 | 48 | 3.80% | 1,216 | 96.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 54 | 4.13% | 1,252 | 95.87% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1928 | 249 | 13.76% | 1,560 | 86.24% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 61 | 2.16% | 2,765 | 97.84% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 146 | 5.39% | 2,563 | 94.54% | 2 | 0.07% |
| 1940 | 187 | 5.78% | 3,049 | 94.22% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 578 | 20.32% | 2,266 | 79.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 265 | 9.51% | 457 | 16.40% | 2,064 | 74.08% |
| 1952 | 2,796 | 64.63% | 1,530 | 35.37% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,084 | 53.63% | 810 | 20.84% | 992 | 25.53% |
| 1960 | 1,336 | 34.67% | 489 | 12.69% | 2,029 | 52.65% |
| 1964 | 3,917 | 89.04% | 482 | 10.96% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,117 | 18.70% | 1,545 | 25.87% | 3,311 | 55.43% |
| 1972 | 3,432 | 64.08% | 1,551 | 28.96% | 373 | 6.96% |
| 1976 | 3,216 | 51.81% | 2,891 | 46.58% | 100 | 1.61% |
| 1980 | 3,538 | 50.01% | 3,443 | 48.67% | 93 | 1.31% |
| 1984 | 4,349 | 60.29% | 2,788 | 38.65% | 77 | 1.07% |
| 1988 | 3,756 | 53.60% | 3,158 | 45.07% | 93 | 1.33% |
| 1992 | 2,599 | 37.15% | 3,263 | 46.64% | 1,134 | 16.21% |
| 1996 | 2,500 | 37.10% | 3,609 | 53.55% | 630 | 9.35% |
| 2000 | 3,384 | 53.88% | 2,721 | 43.32% | 176 | 2.80% |
| 2004 | 3,704 | 55.87% | 2,854 | 43.05% | 72 | 1.09% |
| 2008 | 3,750 | 54.82% | 3,025 | 44.22% | 66 | 0.96% |
| 2012 | 3,649 | 54.20% | 3,014 | 44.77% | 69 | 1.02% |
| 2016 | 3,585 | 55.83% | 2,717 | 42.31% | 119 | 1.85% |
| 2020 | 3,770 | 57.29% | 2,731 | 41.50% | 79 | 1.20% |
| 2024 | 3,522 | 60.56% | 2,239 | 38.50% | 55 | 0.95% |
Education
Claiborne Parish School Board serves the entire parish.[34]
Claiborne Academy is a private institution in an unincorporated area in the parish, near Haynesville.[35]
Notable people
Prominent Claiborne Parish residents include or have included:
- Henry Walton Bibb American author, abolitionist, and former slave from 1839 to 1841 [36]
- T. H. Harris, state education superintendent from 1908 to 1940.[37]
- Andrew R. Johnson was a state senator from Claiborne and Bienville parishes from 1916 to 1924.[38]
- John Sidney Killen, state representative for Claiborne Parish in 1871[39]
- Joe LeSage, state senator for Caddo Parish from 1968 to 1972; Shreveport attorney born in Homer[40]
- George H. Mahon, Former U.S. Representative.[41]
- James T. McCalman, state senator from Claiborne and Bienville parishes from 1960 to 1964.[42]
- Danny Roy Moore, state senator from 1964 to 1968.[43]
- Dave L. Pearce, Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry from 1952 to 1956 and 1960–1976.[44]
- Larry Sale, sheriff of Claiborne Parish from 1936 to 1944; bodyguard at the assassination of Huey Pierce Long Jr.[45]
- Richard Stalder, former secretary of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
- David Wade, Lieutenant General of the United States Air Force.[46]
- Loy F. Weaver, state representative from 1976 to 1984.[47]
- Mule Watson, pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1918 to 1924.[48]
- Pinkie C. Wilkerson state representative from 1992 to 2000.[49]
- Patrick Floyd Garrett, Sheriff of Lincoln County New Mexico, and killer of Billy the Kid.[50]
Gallery
Rolled hay in a farm field north of Athens (May 2010)
Abandoned house in western Claiborne Parish.
Holly Springs Baptist Church west of Homer on U.S. Highway 79
