Bienville Parish, Louisiana

History

In the 1830s, Ruben Drake moved his family from South Carolina to what he named Mount Lebanon, the first permanent settlement in the parish. As the Drakes were devout Baptists, they established a church and school, which evolved into Mount Lebanon University, the forerunner of Louisiana Christian University in Pineville in Rapides Parish in Central Louisiana.

Bonnie and Clyde were shot dead in Bienville Parish on May 23, 1934.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 822 sqmi, of which 811 sqmi is land and 11 sqmi (1.3%) is water. The highest natural point in Louisiana, Driskill Mountain (535 ft), is located in Bienville Parish. Driskill Mountain is 11 mi south of Arcadia at Latitude 32 degree, 25 minutes North; Longitude 92 degree 54 minutes West.

Major highways

Interstates

• [[Image:I-20.svg|20px]] Interstate 20
• [[Image:US 80.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 80
• [[Image:US 371.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 371
• [[Image:Louisiana 4 (2008).svg|20px]] Louisiana Highway 4
• [[Image:Louisiana 9 (2008).svg|20px]] Louisiana Highway 9

Adjacent parishes

• Claiborne Parish (north)
• Lincoln Parish (northeast)
• Jackson Parish (east)
• Winn Parish (southeast)
• Natchitoches Parish (south)
• Red River Parish (southwest)
• Bossier Parish (west)
• Webster Parish (northwest)

Communities

Towns

• Arcadia (parish seat and largest municipality)
• Gibsland
• Mount Lebanon
• Ringgold

Villages

• Bienville
• Bryceland
• Castor
• Jamestown
• Lucky
• Saline

Unincorporated communities

• Brown
• Fryeburg
• Roy
• Sparta
• Taylor

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 12,981 people in the parish, the median age was 43.9 years, 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18, 21.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older, and for every 100 females there were 91.3 males and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.2 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the parish was 53.5% White, 40.9% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian,

There were 5,459 households in the parish, of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.6% were married-couple households, 20.9% 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 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 6,816 housing units, of which 19.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.7% were owner-occupied and 27.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.3%.

Racial and ethnic composition

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 15,752 people, 6,108 households, and 4,214 families residing in the parish. The population density was 19 /mi2. There were 7,830 housing units at an average density of 10 /mi2.

In 2000, the racial makeup of the parish was 54.92% White, 43.78% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. 0.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

At the 2000 census, there were 6,108 households, out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.70% were married couples living together, 17.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.00% were non-families. 28.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.09.

A tabulated 27.30% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.00% were 18 to 24, 24.60% were 25 to 44, 22.50% were 45 to 64, and 17.60% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.80 males. The median income for a household in the parish was $23,663, and the median income for a family was $30,241. Males had a median income of $28,022 versus $18,682 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $12,471. About 21.80% of families and 26.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.00% of those under age 18 and 23.20% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Education

The Bienville Parish School Board operates area public schools.

Notable people

• Henry Newton Brown Jr., judge of the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeals (1992-2012) and district attorney of Bossier and Webster parishes (1976-1991), was born in Bienville Parish in 1941.
• Dee Brown, author of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, born in Alberta.
• Bill DeMott, a professional wrestler, maintains a house in Bienville Parish.
• Caroline Dormon (1888–1971), a Louisiana botanist and preservationist, grew up in Bienville Parish.
• Jamie Fair, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1980 to 1984
• Charlie Hennigan, American Football League player from the 1960s
• Henderson Jordan (1896–1958), sheriff of Bienville Parish, 1932–1940; participated in the ambush and killing of Bonnie and Clyde on May 23, 1934; interred at Arcadia Cemetery
• Billy McCormack (1928-2012), Baptist pastor from Shreveport, director and vice president of the Christian Coalition of America, was born in Bienville Parish and is interred at Ringgold.
• Garnie W. McGinty (1900–1984), Louisiana historian
• Danny Roy Moore (1925–c. 2020), represented Claiborne and Bienville parishes in the Louisiana Senate from 1964 to 1968; resided in Arcadia
• Prentiss Oakley (1905–1957), one of six law-enforcement officials involved in the ambush and killing of Bonnie and Clyde; sheriff, 1940–1952
• W. C. Robinson, mathematics professor and second president of Louisiana Tech for the 1899 to 1900 academic year; Robinson Hall on campus is named in his honor; from the Mount Lebanon community.
• Lee Smith, pitcher
• Sam Smith (1922-1995), Member of the Washington House of Representatives was born in Gibsland.
• Jesse N. Stone, president of the Southern University System from 1974 to 1985; civil rights activist
• Marshall H. Twitchell, Reconstruction era state senator who helped to establish Coushatta, the seat of neighboring Red River Parish
• Rush Wimberly, former member of both houses of the Louisiana legislature, lawyer in Arcadia and Shreveport

References

References

1. (January 13, 2022). "Census - Geography Profile".
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. Dison, Benjamin Brad. (May 26, 2014). "Bienville Parish (Images of America)". Arcadia Publishing.
4. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
5. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
6. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
7. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
9. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
10. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
11. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
12. "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Louisiana - Table 14 - Persons by Race and Table 15 - Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race (p. 20/12-20/20)".
13. "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Louisiana - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin".
14. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Bienville Parish, Louisiana".
15. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Bienville Parish, Louisiana".
16. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Bienville Parish, Louisiana".
17. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
18. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
19. not an option in the 1980 Census
20. not an option in the 1990 Census
21. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
22. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
23. ''[[Ruston Daily Leader]]'', October 11, 1933, p. 20
24. "Joseph Rush Wimberly, I". usgwarchives.net.