Concordia Parish, Louisiana

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Concordia Parish, Louisiana
Concordia Parish, LA, Courthouse in Vidalia IMG 6910.JPG
Concordia Parish Courthouse in Vidalia
Map of Louisiana highlighting Concordia Parish
Location in the U.S. state of Louisiana
Map of the United States highlighting Louisiana
Louisiana's location in the U.S.
Founded 1807
Named for Possibly a land grant, New Concordia
Seat Vidalia
Largest city Vidalia
Area
 • Total 747 sq mi (1,935 km2)
 • Land 697 sq mi (1,805 km2)
 • Water 50 sq mi (129 km2), 6.7%
Population
 • (2010) 20,822
 • Density 30/sq mi (12/km²)
Congressional district 5th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
The Concordia Parish Library is located in Vidalia behind the parish courthouse.
The Vidalia Senior Center is operated by the Concordia Council on Aging.

Concordia Parish (French: Paroisse de Concordia) borders the Mississippi River in eastern Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,822.[1] The parish seat is Vidalia.[2] The parish was formed in 1807.[3]

Concordia Parish is part of the Natchez, MS–LA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Prehistory

Frogmore Mound Site on U.S. Highway 84 near Ferriday

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Main article: History of Louisiana § Prehistory

Concordia Parish was the home to many succeeding Native American groups in the thousands of years before European settlements began. Peoples of the Marksville culture, Troyville culture, Coles Creek culture and Plaquemine culture built villages and mound sites throughout the area. Notable examples include Cypress Grove Mound, DePrato Mounds, Frogmore Mound Site, and Lamarque Landing Mound.

Historic era

Concordia was named for a Latin word meaning "harmony".

During the American Civil War, Concordia Parish was staunchly Confederate. According to the historian John D. Winters in his The Civil War in Louisiana (1963), Concordia, "a planter-dominated parish, displayed unusual Confederate patriotism in early March [1862]. A handsome bounty of $100 was offered to any man who joined one of three designated companies forming for the duration of the war. A bounty of $50 would be paid to those joining either of two companies being raised in the neighboring parish of Catahoula. A $50,000 bond issue was voted to finance the bounty program. . . . $40,000 was appropriated for the relief of needy families of volunteers in the parish."[4]

Law and government

The current sheriff is Kenneth Hedrick, who won the office after former Sheriff Randy Maxwell announced his retirement.

Although the parish trends Democratic, in the 2008 presidential election, the Democrat Barack Obama of Illinois received 3,766 votes (39.5 percent) in Concordia Parish to 5,668 (59.5 percent) for the Republican nominee, John S. McCain of Arizona.[5] In 2004, Concordia Parish cast 5,427 votes (60 percent) for President George W. Bush and 3,446 ballots (38 percent) for his Democratic rival, Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts. Local officials are almost entirely Democratic in affiliation, and Republicans rarely contest such elections.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 747 square miles (1,930 km2), of which 697 square miles (1,810 km2) is land and 50 square miles (130 km2) (6.7%) is water.[6]

The parish is completely agricultural bottomlands. The Ouachita River runs along the west boundary, the Red River along the south, and the Mississippi River along the east. All three rivers are contained by large levee systems.

Major highways

Adjacent counties and parishes

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1820 2,626 —
1830 4,662 77.5%
1840 9,414 101.9%
1850 7,758 −17.6%
1860 13,805 77.9%
1870 9,977 −27.7%
1880 14,914 49.5%
1890 14,871 −0.3%
1900 13,559 −8.8%
1910 14,278 5.3%
1920 12,466 −12.7%
1930 12,778 2.5%
1940 14,562 14.0%
1950 14,398 −1.1%
1960 20,467 42.2%
1970 22,578 10.3%
1980 22,981 1.8%
1990 20,828 −9.4%
2000 20,247 −2.8%
2010 20,822 2.8%
Est. 2014 20,466 [7] −1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 20,247 people, 7,521 households, and 5,430 families residing in the parish. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11/km²). There were 9,148 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 57.9% White, 40.7% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.55% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. 1.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,521 households out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.00% were married couples living together, 19.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the parish the population was spread out with 27.80% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 25.60% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $22,742, and the median income for a family was $28,629. Males had a median income of $27,453 versus $18,678 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $11,966. About 24.30% of families and 29.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.00% of those under age 18 and 20.60% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Concordia Parish School Board operates public schools in the parish.

National Guard

1086TH Transportation Company of the 165TH CSS (Combat Service Support) Batttalion of the 139TH RSG (Regional Support Group)resides in Vidalia, Louisiana on the western border of Mississippi.

Communities

Map of Concordia Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels

City

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Notable residents

See also

References

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  4. ↑ John D. Winters, The Civil War in Louisiana, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1963, ISBN 0-8071-0834-0, pp, 74-75
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  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Henry E. Chambers, History of Louisiana, Vol. 2 (Chicago and New York City: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1925, p. 71)
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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External links

 Tensas Parish Adams County, Mississippi
Catahoula Parish Wilkinson County, Mississippi
  Concordia Parish, Louisiana  
Avoyelles Parish Pointe Coupee Parish West Feliciana Parish

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