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Louisiana Parishes
Louisiana is divided into sixty-four parishes. On March 31, 1807, the territorial legislature divided the state into 19 parishes, without getting rid of the old counties (which continued to exist until 1845). In 1811, a constitutional convention organized the state into seven judicial districts, each consisting of groups of parishes. In 1816, the first official map of the state used the term, as did the 1845 constitution. Since then, the official term has been parishes.Bossier Parish, Louisiana
Bossier Parish Education, Geography, and History
Bossier Parish is a parish located in the state of Louisiana. Based on the 2010 census, the
population was 116,979. The parish was formed in 1843 from the western portion of Claiborne Parish.
The parish seat is
Benton. The parish is named in honor of General Pierre Evariste
John Baptiste Bossier.
Bossier Parish is part of the Shreveport-Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Shreveport-Bossier City-Minden Combined
Statistical Area.
Etymology - Origin of Bossier Parish Name
The parish was named in honor of General Pierre Evariste John Baptiste Bossier, who was elected to congress from this district the same year Bossier Parish was created. General Bossier, who received his title as a general of the Louisiana Militia, was born in Natchitoches in 1797 of a Creole family which was one of the first to settle in this community.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Bossier County History
Bossier Parish was created on February 24, 1843, was created on, from an area cut out of Claiborne Parish by Act 33
of 1843 and the parish was named in honor of General Pierre Evariste John Baptiste Bossier, who was elected to congress
from this district the same year Bossier Parish was created. General Bossier, who received his title as a general of the
Louisiana Militia, was born in Natchitoches in 1797 of a Creole family which was one of the first to settle in this
community. The Parish seat is Bossier City. Claiborne Parish was part of Natchitoches Parish, one of the original
nineteen parishes established in 1807. In 1888, the courthouse at Bellevue was partly burned.
The first parish seat was Freedonia; however, within a short time it was renamed Society Hill, and finally Bellevue. The
first police jury was organized on June 19, 1843. In the early days of Bossier Parish, the police jury exercised powers
of government long since taken away from the parishes. In 1850 the first official census was taken and the population of
Bossier Parish was listed as 6,952. Benton has been the parish seat of government since 1888, when the courthouse at
Bellevue was partly burned. Since Bellevue had no railroad, it became necessary that the parish seat be moved to a place
where transportation could be utilized to the best advantage of the public. At that time there arose much rivalry
between Haughton, Benton and Cane's Landing (modern-day Bossier City). The necessary steps were taken by the police jury
to authorize relocating the parish seat, and eventually election results showed that the majority favored Benton.
However, some members of the police jury, being disgruntled at the outcome, refused to meet and promulgate the official
returns of the election. While this controversy was being carried on, a wide-awake citizenry from Benton slipped into
Bellevue at the crack of dawn and loaded the remains of the records belonging in the courthouse and successfully
transported them to Benton. After some time, the police jury met and authorized the construction of a courthouse, and in
1890 moved into the structure. This courthouse, with the addition of a jail and several adjacent structures, served the
parish until its age and overcrowding necessitated a change.
The existing Bossier Parish courthouse was constructed in the early 1970's. The population of Bossier Parish has
increased from 7,000 in 1840 to approximately 100,000 in the 2000 census. Bossier has long been regarded as the fastest
growing parish in the state of Louisiana. The principal city is Bossier City, which is located east of the Red River from Shreveport, the seat
of Caddo Parish.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 867 square miles (2,250 km2), of which 840 square miles (2,200 km2) is land and 27 square miles (70 km2) (3.1%) is water.
Bossier parish is located in northwest Louisiana. Lake Bistineau and Lake Bistineau State Park are included in parts of Bossier parish, also part of the Red River National Wildlife Refuge is located in this parish.
Neighboring Parishes
Bordering parishes and counties are as follows:
- North: Lafayette County, Ark.
- East: Webster Parish
- Southeast: Bienville Parish; Red River Parish
- Southwest: Caddo Parish
- Northwest: Miller County, Ark.
Education
Bossier Parish School Board operates public schools in the parish.
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