Richland Parish, Louisiana
Parish in Louisiana, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
Alto Presbyterian Church | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana | |
| Coordinates: 32.421736°N 91.762070°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Louisiana |
| Founded | September 29, 1878 |
| Named for | Fertile (rich) land in the area |
| Seat | Rayville |
| Largest town | Rayville |
| Area | |
• Total | 576 sq mi (1,490 km2) |
| • Land | 559 sq mi (1,450 km2) |
| • Water | 9.375 sq mi (24.28 km2) 1.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 20,043 |
• Estimate (2025) | 19,582  |
| • Density | 35.9/sq mi (13.8/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
History
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]
In 2024, Louisiana state political leaders cleared regulatory and tax disincentives to attract a data center for Meta called Hyperion to be built upon approximately six square miles in Richland Parish. The legislation was created and passed in secret, with state officials and legislators bound by controversial non-disclosure agreements.[5] The data center is located on mostly abandoned former rice and soybean farms. As temporary workers arrived to build the project, some longtime residents saw rents increase six-fold and were forced to relocate to areas not affected by the influx.[6]
Geography
Bayou Macon flows through the eastern 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
- Morehouse Parish (north)
- West Carroll Parish (northeast)
- East Carroll Parish (east)
- Madison Parish (east)
- Franklin Parish (south)
- Caldwell Parish (southwest)
- Ouachita Parish (west)
Parks and wildlife management areas
Communities
Towns
Village
Unincorporated areas
Census-designated place
Unincorporated communities
Transportation
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Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 5,110 | — | |
| 1880 | 8,440 | 65.2% | |
| 1890 | 10,230 | 21.2% | |
| 1900 | 11,116 | 8.7% | |
| 1910 | 15,769 | 41.9% | |
| 1920 | 20,860 | 32.3% | |
| 1930 | 26,374 | 26.4% | |
| 1940 | 28,829 | 9.3% | |
| 1950 | 26,672 | −7.5% | |
| 1960 | 23,824 | −10.7% | |
| 1970 | 21,774 | −8.6% | |
| 1980 | 22,187 | 1.9% | |
| 1990 | 20,629 | −7.0% | |
| 2000 | 20,981 | 1.7% | |
| 2010 | 20,725 | −1.2% | |
| 2020 | 20,043 | −3.3% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 19,582 | [7] | −2.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11] 2010[12] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the parish had a population of 20,043, a median age of 40.4 years, with 23.3% of residents under the age of 18 and 18.0% of residents 65 years of age or older; for every 100 females there were 98.4 males and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.5 males age 18 and over.[13]
There were 7,674 households in the parish, including 4,972 families; 32.4% had children under the age of 18, 42.4% were married-couple households, 18.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, 33.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present, 27.8% consisted of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[13]
The racial makeup of the parish was 58.8% White, 36.6% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.0% of the population.[14]
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[15]
There were 8,628 housing units, of which 11.1% were vacant; 68.6% of occupied housing units were owner-occupied and 31.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%.[13]
Racial and ethnic composition
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[16] | Pop 1990[17] | Pop 2000[18] | Pop 2010[19] | Pop 2020[20] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 14,153 | 12,910 | 12,667 | 12,714 | 11,667 | 63.79% | 62.58% | 60.37% | 61.35% | 58.21% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 7,754 | 7,492 | 7,927 | 7,406 | 7,303 | 34.95% | 36.32% | 37.78% | 35.73% | 36.44% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 11 | 14 | 26 | 57 | 53 | 0.05% | 0.07% | 0.12% | 0.28% | 0.26% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 21 | 13 | 36 | 54 | 50 | 0.09% | 0.06% | 0.17% | 0.26% | 0.25% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [21] | x [22] | 0 | 2 | 0 | x | x | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 66 | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.03% | 0.33% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [23] | x [24] | 95 | 154 | 504 | x | x | 0.45% | 0.74% | 2.51% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 246 | 199 | 227 | 332 | 400 | 1.11% | 0.96% | 1.08% | 1.60% | 2.00% |
| Total | 22,187 | 20,629 | 20,981 | 20,725 | 20,043 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Education
Public schools
Private schools
Charter schools
Community and technical colleges
- Louisiana Delta Community College, (with campus locations in neighboring Tallulah, Winnsboro, Lake Providence, Bastrop, Monroe, and West Monroe.)
Regional universities
- University of Louisiana at Monroe
- Louisiana Tech University, (Ruston)
- Grambling State University, (Grambling)
Government
| Parish Administration | Administrators |
|---|---|
| Sheriff | Gary Gilley, No Party |
| Coroner | Dr. Matt Prine, Republican |
| Assessor | Lee Brown, III, Democrat |
| School Board Superintendent | Sheldon Jones |
| Homeland Security | Dawn Williams |
| Parish Police Jury | Police Jurors |
|---|---|
| District 1, Delhi | Steve Craig, Republican |
| District 2, Delhi | Patrick Stubblefield, Democrat |
| District 3, Rayville | Sharon Gee, Democrat |
| District 4, Rayville | Steve Lofton, Republican |
| District 5, Rayville | Paul Slayter, Republican |
| District 6, Rayville | Althan Smith, Democrat |
| District 7, Alto | Cecil Reddick, Republican |
| District 8, Start | Elliot Colvin, Republican |
| District 9, Mangham | Roy Wiggins Jr., Republican |
| 5th Judicial District | Parish Judicial Leaders |
|---|---|
| Division "A" | Clay Hamilton, Republican |
| Division "B" | Will Rhymes Barham, Republican |
| Division "C" | Steve Dean, Republican |
| Clerk of Court | Stacie Williamson, Republican |
| Parish School Board | Board Members |
|---|---|
| District 1, Delhi | Billy Calvert, No Party |
| District 2, Delhi | Eugene Young Jr., Democrat |
| District 3, Rayville | Moses "DeJohn" Wilkins, Democrat |
| District 4, Rayville | James Hough, Republican |
| District 5, Rayville | Alece Copeland, No Party |
| District 6, Rayville | Marie Lewis, Democrat |
| District 7, Archibald | Joe Chapman, No Party |
| District 8, Start | Kevin Eppinette, No Party |
| District 9, Mangham | Chris Pruitt, Republican |
Notable people
- Julia Letlow, from Start, elected Member of Congress in the United States House of Representatives.
- Luke Letlow, from Start, elected to the United States House of Representatives, but died of a heart attack caused by COVID-19 before he could be seated.
- Ralph Abraham, from Alto, elected Member of Congress in United States House of Representatives.
- Harry W. Addison was a Southern author and humorist who resided in Rayville from 1945 to 1957.
- Jamar Adcock, a politician and banker in Monroe, born in Richland Parish.
- Terry Doughty, is a federally appointed judge for the Western District of Louisiana.
- Elvin Hayes, Hall of Fame basketball player, born in Rayville.
- Arlene Howell, Miss Louisiana USA 1958, Miss USA 1958.
- Ralph E. King, Winnsboro physician who represented Richland Parish in the Louisiana State Senate from 1944 to 1952 and again from 1956 to 1960.
- William L. Kirk, of Rayville was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe/Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe.
- Ernie Ladd, a football player/professional wrestler, born in Rayville.
- Moses J. Liddell was appointed by President Grover Cleveland as a judge for the Supreme Court of the Montana Territory.
- Wiley Person Mangham, an American publisher and editor. He is the namesake of the town of Mangham, Louisiana.
- Tim McGraw, Country musician, born in Delhi, and raised in Start.
- Robert Max Ross, was a Republican politician and activist who qualified to run for governor, U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House, for the purpose of advancing the two-party system in Louisiana, at a time it did not exist.
- Francis C. Thompson served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1975 until 2008, in the Louisiana State Senate from 2008 until 2020, and again in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2020 to present.
Tim McGraw, a famous country musician.
Ralph Abraham, U.S. House of Representatives.
Elvin Hayes, NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Wiley Person Mangham, American Publisher and Editor.
Gallery
Former Rayville High School, operated by the Richland Parish School Board and originally designed by the Shreveport architect Edward F. Neild, was renovated into an apartment complex
Holly Ridge High School in Holly Ridge in rural Richland Parish
Veteran's Memorial in Mangham
Rhymes Memorial Library in Rayville was the first parish wide public library in Louisiana.
Poverty Point Reservoir in Delhi.
Start Baptist Church
Richland Parish Courthouse, in Rayville
Alto Presbyterian Church, built in 1873
Richland Parish Detention Center near Alto, Louisiana
First Baptist Church in Delhi
Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery
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Politics
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 2 | 0.46% | 393 | 89.93% | 42 | 9.61% |
| 1916 | 7 | 1.07% | 650 | 98.93% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 50 | 7.00% | 664 | 93.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 116 | 14.61% | 678 | 85.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1928 | 242 | 18.26% | 1,083 | 81.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 46 | 2.53% | 1,773 | 97.42% | 1 | 0.05% |
| 1936 | 165 | 6.36% | 2,425 | 93.48% | 4 | 0.15% |
| 1940 | 310 | 11.37% | 2,417 | 88.63% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 488 | 18.95% | 2,087 | 81.05% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 119 | 4.69% | 960 | 37.87% | 1,456 | 57.44% |
| 1952 | 1,645 | 39.70% | 2,499 | 60.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,063 | 29.88% | 1,094 | 30.76% | 1,400 | 39.36% |
| 1960 | 1,378 | 35.62% | 996 | 25.74% | 1,495 | 38.64% |
| 1964 | 4,498 | 85.76% | 747 | 14.24% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,031 | 15.95% | 1,017 | 15.74% | 4,415 | 68.31% |
| 1972 | 4,304 | 70.80% | 1,335 | 21.96% | 440 | 7.24% |
| 1976 | 3,630 | 49.93% | 3,495 | 48.07% | 145 | 1.99% |
| 1980 | 4,772 | 54.57% | 3,745 | 42.83% | 227 | 2.60% |
| 1984 | 5,980 | 65.84% | 2,918 | 32.13% | 185 | 2.04% |
| 1988 | 5,226 | 62.85% | 2,833 | 34.07% | 256 | 3.08% |
| 1992 | 3,808 | 42.77% | 3,706 | 41.63% | 1,389 | 15.60% |
| 1996 | 3,765 | 43.23% | 4,143 | 47.57% | 802 | 9.21% |
| 2000 | 4,895 | 57.69% | 3,282 | 38.68% | 308 | 3.63% |
| 2004 | 5,471 | 63.14% | 3,082 | 35.57% | 112 | 1.29% |
| 2008 | 5,751 | 62.64% | 3,311 | 36.06% | 119 | 1.30% |
| 2012 | 5,846 | 62.66% | 3,387 | 36.31% | 96 | 1.03% |
| 2016 | 6,287 | 65.51% | 3,157 | 32.90% | 153 | 1.59% |
| 2020 | 6,607 | 66.47% | 3,225 | 32.44% | 108 | 1.09% |
| 2024 | 6,354 | 69.12% | 2,732 | 29.72% | 107 | 1.16% |