Richland Parish is a parish located in the North Louisiana Delta Country in the U.S. state of Louisiana, known for its fertile, flat farmland, cane brakes, and open spaces. The name Richland was chosen due to the rich production from farming. The parish seat and largest community is Rayville.

History

The parish was officially created on September 29, 1868. Rayville, Louisiana, the parish seat, was named for John Ray, a politician from Monroe with large land holdings in present-day Rayville. Richland Parish is home to the first public parish library in the State of Louisiana, the Rhymes Memorial Library. The library was built in 1925 by the Lambda Kappa Club of Rayville. R.R. Rhymes donated the original building in memory of his wife, Nonnie Roark Rhymes.

Geography

Bayou Macon flows through the western areas of Richland. Other tributaries in the parish include Crew Lake, and the Lafourche Diversion Canal are located in the western portion of the parish. Boeuf River flows from the northern end to the southern end in the center of the parish.

Adjacent parishes

Morehouse Parish Morehouse Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 27,979. The parish seat is Bastrop. The parish was formed in 1844. Morehouse Parish comprises the Bastrop, LA Micropolitan ...

(north) *

West Carroll Parish West Carroll Parish (french: link=no, Paroisse de Carroll Ouest) is a parish located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,751. The parish seat is Oak Grove. The parish was fo ...

(northeast) *

Madison Parish Madison Parish ( French: ''Paroisse de Madison'') is a parish located on the northeastern border of the U.S. state of Louisiana, in the delta lowlands along the Mississippi River. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,093. Its parish ...

(east) * Franklin Parish (south) *

Caldwell Parish Caldwell Parish (french: Paroisse de Caldwell) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,132, making it the fifth-least populous parish in Louisiana. The parish seat is Columbia. Most res ...

(southwest) * Ouachita Parish (west)

Parks and wildlife management areas

Poverty Point Reservoir State Park Poverty Point Reservoir State Park is a state park in Richland Parish in northeastern Louisiana located along a man-made reservoir offering camping and watersport activities, swimming, hiking, and fishing. The reservoir is named after nearb ...

Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area, also referred to as Russell Sage WMA, became the first WMA owned by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries upon purchasing 15,000 acres of property in 1960. The WMA is located about seven miles ea ...

Floy Ward McElroy Wildlife Management Area

Transportation

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 20,043 people, 7,459 households, and 4,972 families residing in the parish.

Education

Public schools

* Delhi Elementary * Delhi Junior High * Delhi High School * Holli Ridge Elementary * Mangham Elementary * Mangham Junior High * Mangham High School * Rayville Elementary * Rayville Junior High * Rayville, High School * Start Elementary

Private schools

* Riverfield Academy, K-12

Charter schools

* Delhi Charter, K-12

Community and technical colleges

Louisiana Delta Community College Louisiana Delta Community College is a public community college A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for stud ...

, (with campus locations in neighboring Tallulah, Winnsboro, Lake Providence, Bastrop, Monroe, and West Monroe.)

Regional universities

* University of Louisiana at Monroe * Louisiana Tech University, (Ruston) * Grambling State University, (Grambling)

Communities

Towns

* Delhi * Rayville (parish seat and largest municipality)

Village

* Mangham

Unincorporated areas

Census-designated place

Start Start can refer to multiple topics: *Takeoff, the phase of flight where an aircraft transitions from moving along the ground to flying through the air * Starting lineup in sports *Standing start, and rolling start, in an auto race Acronyms *St ...

Unincorporated communities

Alto The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...

* Archibald * Bardel * Bee Bayou *

Buckner Buckner may refer to: People * Buckner H. Payne (1799-1889), American clergyman, publisher, and racist pamphleteer *Buckner Thruston (1763–1845), U.S. Senator and judge from Kentucky * Buckner (surname) Music * Buckner & Garcia was an American ...

* Charlieville * Crew Lake * Dehlco * Dunn * Four Forks * Gilleyville * Girard * Holly Ridge * Jonesburg * Mitchiner * New Light * Rhymes * Sacksonia *

Warden A warden is a custodian, defender, or guardian. Warden is often used in the sense of a watchman or guardian, as in a prison warden. It can also refer to a chief or head official, as in the Warden of the Mint. ''Warden'' is etymologically ident ...

Government

Notable people

* Luke Letlow, from

, elected Member of Congress in The United States House of Representatives. * Julia Letlow, from

, elected Member of Congress in the United States House of Representatives. * Ralph Abraham, from

, elected Member of Congress in The United States House of Representatives. *

Harry W. Addison Harry Wayne Addison (September 8, 1920 – August 24, 2003) was a writer from the American south and a humorist whose works painted vivid portraits of his experiences growing up as a poor boy in Depression-era rural Louisiana. While he never ...

was a Southern author and humorist who resided in Rayville from 1945 to 1957. * Jamar Adcock, a politician and banker in Monroe, born in Richland Parish *

Benny Gay Christian Benny or Bennie is a given name or a shortened version of the given name Benjamin or, less commonly, Benedict, Bennett, Benito, Benson, Bernice, Ebenezer or Bernard. People Bennie Given name *Bennie M. Bunn (1907–1943), American Marine offic ...

, state representative for Richland Parish, 1964 to 1974. *

Terry Doughty Terry Alvin Doughty (born January 16, 1959) is the Chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. Nominated by President Donald Trump, Doughty previously served as a judge in the ...

, is a federally appointed judge for the Western District of Louisiana. *

George B. Franklin, Jr. George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

, was a prominent planter, philanthropist, and conservationist. * Elvin Hayes, NBA Hall of Fame basketball player, born in Rayville *

Arlene Howell Arlene Howell (born Eurlyne Howell; October 26, 1939) is an American former actress and beauty pageant titleholder who won the title of Miss USA 1958. Early life and education Howell was born in Delhi, Louisiana, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. ...

, Miss Louisiana USA 1958, Miss USA 1958 *

Fred W. Jones, Jr. Fred may refer to: People * Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Mononym * Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French * Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Frederico Rodr ...

, city, district, and state court judge, born in Rayville; resided in

Ruston Ruston may refer to: Place names ;United States * Ruston, Louisiana * Ruston, Washington ;United Kingdom * East Ruston, Norfolk, England * Ruston, North Yorkshire, England * Ruston Parva, East Riding of Yorkshire, England Companies * Ruston (engi ...

, Louisiana *

Ralph E. King Ralph Elijah King, Sr. (June 16, 1902 – December 2, 1974), was a physician from Winnsboro, Louisiana, who served three non-consecutive terms in the Louisiana State Senate The Louisiana State Senate (french: Sénat de Louisiane) is t ...

, Winnsboro physician who represented Richland Parish in the

Louisiana State Senate The Louisiana State Senate (french: Sénat de Louisiane) is the upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana. All senators serve four-year terms and are assigned to multiple committees. Composition The Louisiana State Senate is compose ...

from 1944 to 1952 and again from 1956 to 1960 *

William L. Kirk William Leslie Kirk (July 11, 1932 – April 26, 2017) was a Military star ranking, four-star General (United States), general in the United States Air Force (USAF). He served as Commander in Chief, United States Air Forces in Europe/Commande ...

, of Rayville was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe/Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe. * Ernie Ladd, a football player/professional wrestler, born in Rayville *

Moses J. Liddell Moses J. Liddell (1845 – 1891) was born in Louisiana and appointed Justice of the Territorial Montana Supreme Court, by President Grover Cleveland, serving from 1888 to 1889. Early life Moses J. Liddell was born to the wealthy plantation owner ...

was appointed by President Grover Cleveland as a judge for the

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

of the Montana Territory. *

Wiley Person Mangham Wiley Person Mangham (1838-1896) was an American publisher and editor, who was born in Russell County, Alabama and died in Richland Parish, Louisiana. The town of Mangham, Louisiana was named for him. Biography Wiley P. Mangham was the founding ...

, an American publisher and editor. He is the namesake for the town of Mangham, Louisiana * Charles McConnell, politician in Springhill, Louisiana; a native of Richland Parish * Keith Munyan, Jr., commercial photographer in North Hollywood, California * Tim McGraw, Country musician, born in Delhi, and raised in

* Darryl Riser, editor of the Delhi Dispatch and Richland Beacon-News and, formerly, the Richland Journal *

Robert Max Ross Robert Max Ross (August 5, 1933 – September 15, 2009) was a Republican activist and a candidate for numerous statewide and local offices who resided in Mangham in northeastern Louisiana. He was among the earliest advocates for the Republica ...

, was a Republican politician and activist who qualified to run for Governor, U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House, for the purpose of advancing the two-party system in Louisiana, at a time it did not exist. *

Francis C. Thompson Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome * Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) Places * Rural ...

served in the

Louisiana House of Representatives The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...

from 1975 until 2008; since in the

File:Tim McGraw.jpg, Tim McGraw, a famous country musician. File:Ralph Abraham official congressional photo.jpg, Ralph Abraham, U.S. House of Representatives. File:Elvin Hayes 1975.jpeg, Elvin Hayes, NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. File:Wiley Person Mangham2.jpg,

, American Publisher and Editor.

Gallery

Image:Former Rayville High School, LA IMG 0176.JPG, Former Rayville High School, operated by the Richland Parish School Board and originally designed by the

Shreveport Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the third most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge, respectively. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, with a population o ...

architect Edward F. Neild, was renovated into an apartment complex Image:Holly Ridge High School, Holly Ridge, LA IMG 0178.JPG, Holly Ridge High School in Holly Ridge in rural Richland Parish Image:Veterans Memorial, Mangham, LA IMG 1290.JPG, Veteran's Memorial in Mangham Image:Rhymes Memorial Library, Rayville, LA IMG 0167.JPG, Rhymes Memorial Library in Rayville was the first parish wide public library in Louisiana. Image:Poverty Point Reservoir (2013) IMG 7439.JPG, Poverty Point Reservoir in Delhi. Image:Start, LA, Baptist Church IMG 0141.JPG, Start Baptist Church Image:Richland Parish Courthouse, Rayville, LA IMG 0153.JPG, Richland Parish Courthouse, in Rayville Image:Alto_Presbyterian_Church.jpg, Alto Presbyterian Church, built in 1873 Image:Richland Parish, LA, Detention Center IMG 0350.JPG, Richland Parish Detention Center near Alto, Louisiana Image:First Baptist Church, Delhi, LA IMG 0189.JPG, First Baptist Church in Delhi Image:Northeast Louisiana Veteran's Cemetery.jpg, Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery

Politics

References

External links

Richland Parish Chamber of Commerce

Richland Parish Assessor's Office
{{coord, 32.42, -91.76, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-LA_source:UScensus1990 Louisiana parishes 1868 establishments in Louisiana Populated places established in 1868