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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.Evangeline Parish, Louisiana
Evangeline Parish Education, Geography, and History
Evangeline Parish is a parish located in the state of Louisiana. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 33,984. The parish seat is Ville Platte. Evangeline Parish was created on January 1, 1911. The parish is named in honor of the Acadian heroine of the poem "Evangeline" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Etymology - Origin of Evangeline Parish Name
The parish was named in honor of the Acadian heroine of the poem "Evangeline" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Evangeline County History
Evangeline Parish was created on January 1, 1911, from St Landry Parish and the parish was named in honor of the
Acadian heroine of the poem "Evangeline" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The Parish seat is Ville Platte.
In 1890, there were almost no roads and few bridges causing the distance of 30-40 miles to the parish seat of Opelousas,
St. Landry Parish, a hardship for many people to travel to pay their taxes, attend court, etc. Talk began of forming a
new parish from St. Landry. In 1908, one of the political issues was the formation of a new parish. P. L. Fontenot, from
Ville Platte, LA, introduced a bill requesting the formation of this new parish. This new bill passed the house and on
January 1, 1911.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 680 square miles (1,800 km2), of which 662 square miles (1,710 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (2.5%) is water.
Evangeline Parish is located close to the center of Louisiana. Nezpique River depth in the Upper Bayou region in Evangeline Parish is about 7–10 feet average.
Neighboring Parishes
Bordering parishes and counties are as follows:
- North: Rapides Parish
- Northeast: Avoyelles Parish
- Southeast: St. Landry Parish
- South: Acadia Parish
- Southwest: Jefferson Davis Parish
- West: Allen Parish
Education
Public Schools in Evangeline Parish are operated by the Evangeline Parish School Board.
Roman Catholic schools include Sacred Heart Elementary (K-8) and Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic High School (9-12), both located in the parish
seat of Ville Platte, Louisiana.
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