Franklin Parish, Louisiana

Franklin Parish (french: Paroisse de Franklin) is a parish located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,767. The parish seat is Winnsboro. The parish was founded in 1843 and named for Benjamin Franklin.

Culture

Franklin Parish hosts the annual Franklin Parish Catfish Festival with music, attractions and hundreds of vendors. The 2018 festival was attended by over 10,000 people in bad weather but usually the draw is between 15,000 and 20,000. People from across the region are attracted by the relatively high vendor count and this has an important economic contribution for local businesses. In past years the festival has included an antique car show, a zoo exhibit for children and an exhibit about Louisiana's contributions during World War II, along with performances from Grammy-winning artists Jo-El Sonnier and Jason Crabb.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of , of which is land and (1.7%) is water.

Major highways

* Louisiana Highway 4
* Louisiana Highway 15
* Louisiana Highway 17
* U.S. Highway 425

Adjacent parishes

* Richland Parish (north)
* Madison Parish (northeast)
* Tensas Parish (southeast)
* Catahoula Parish (south)
* Caldwell Parish (west)

National protected area

* Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 19,774 people, 7,423 households, and 5,130 families residing in the parish.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 21,263 people, 7,754 households, and 5,706 families residing in the parish. The population density was 34 people per square mile (13/km²). There were 8,623 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 67.16% White, 31.61% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.15% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 0.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,754 households, out of which 33.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.30% were married couples living together, 16.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 23.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the parish the population was spread out, with 27.90% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.40 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $22,964, and the median income for a family was $27,440. Males had a median income of $26,305 versus $16,758 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $12,675. About 23.10% of families and 28.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.40% of those under age 18 and 25.00% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Franklin Parish School Board operates local public schools. Franklin Parish High School is the sole public high school in the parish.

The parish also hosts two private schools. One of them, Franklin Academy in Winnsboro, was opened as a segregation academy on September 14, 1970, three weeks after parish schools were ordered by a federal judge to desegregate. Franklin Academy's student body is 97% white, while Franklin Parish High School's is majority Black.

Communities

City

* Winnsboro (parish seat and largest municipality)

Town

* Wisner

Villages

* Baskin
* Gilbert

Unincorporated community

* Crowville

Notable people

* Ralph E. King, Winnsboro physician who represented Catahoula, Franklin, and Richland parishes in the Louisiana State Senate from 1944 to 1952 and again from 1956 to 1960
* Anthony "Booger" McFarland, Winnsboro native; All-American football player at Louisiana State University; played in National Football League for Tampa Bay Buccaneers
* Steve Pylant, former sheriff of Franklin Parish; Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, resides in Franklin Parish near Delhi in Richland Parish.
* Regnal Wallace, Louisiana farm broadcaster of radio and television; originally from Crowville
* James M. Stephens, 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals Judge, former 5th District Chief Judge, inventor and Baskin native.

Politics

See also

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin Parish, Louisiana

References

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Louisiana parishes
1843 establishments in Louisiana
Populated places established in 1843