St. Charles Parish, Louisiana
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St. Charles Parish () is a
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
located in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
. At the 2020 census, its population was 52,549. The
parish seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equivalent term, shire town, is used in ...
is Hahnville and the most populous community is Luling. The parish was established in 1807, following the
Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase () was the acquisition of the Louisiana (New France), territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. This consisted of most of the land in the Mississippi River#Watershed, Mississipp ...
by the United States in 1803. It was originally part of the
German Coast The German Coast (French: ''Côte des Allemands'', Spanish: ''Costa Alemana'', German: ''Deutsche Küste'') was a region of early Louisiana settlement located above New Orleans, and on the west bank of the Mississippi River. Specifically, from ...
, an area along the east bank of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
that was settled by numerous German pioneers in the 1720s. This was historically an area of sugarcane plantations, but the energy industry is now the economic base of the parish. St. Charles Parish is split by the Mississippi River and includes territory on both sides of the river, the east and west banks. St. Charles Parish is included in the
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
- Metairie metropolitan statistical area.


History


17th century

In 1682, French explorers
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (; November 22, 1643 – March 19, 1687), was a 17th-century French explorer and North American fur trade, fur trader in North America. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada ...
and
Henri de Tonti Henri de Tonti (born Enrico Tonti; – September 1704) was an Italian-born French military officer and explorer who assisted René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle during the French colonization of the Americas from 1678 to 1686."A tour of M ...
traveled the entire length of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
and as their expedition passed what is present-day Hahnville on the west bank; they encountered indigenous
Quinipissa The Quinipissa (sometimes spelled Kinipissa in French sources) were an Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands who were living on the lower Mississippi River, in present-day Louisiana, as reported by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Sa ...
villagers. In 1699,
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville (16 July 1661 – 9 July 1706) or Sieur d'Iberville was a French soldier, explorer, colonial administrator, and trader. He is noted for founding the colony of Louisiana in New France. He was born in Montreal to French ...
, along with his younger brother, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville returned to the area claiming it for
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. They found an indigenous Bayagoula settlement near the river's intersection with a tributary at a site named ''L’Anse aux Outardes'' or ''Bustard’s Cove'' in present-day New Sarpy on the east bank of the Mississippi River. It was discovered that the Quinapissa had joined the indigenous Mougoulacha and they later moved to the east bank of the river to form one village with the Bayougoula near L’Anse aux Outardes.


18th century

As early as 1718, John Law and the Company of the Indies began recruiting French settlers to settle
Louisiana (New France) Louisiana or French Louisiana was a administrative divisions of France, district of New France. In 1682 the French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle erected a cross near the mouth of the Mississippi River and claimed the whole ...
, though not specifically to what would become the
German Coast The German Coast (French: ''Côte des Allemands'', Spanish: ''Costa Alemana'', German: ''Deutsche Küste'') was a region of early Louisiana settlement located above New Orleans, and on the west bank of the Mississippi River. Specifically, from ...
. The early French settlers were not suited or prepared for the harsh conditions in Louisiana. In 1719, Jean-Pierre Pury, a director at the Company of the Indies, proposed recruiting Germans and German-speaking Swiss farmers to Louisiana and that same year with a twenty-five-year charter, Law merged the Company of the West with his Company of the Indies. Also in 1719, a small group of German settlers arrived in the Louisiana French colony and were transported by waterways thirty miles west of New Orleans to a location along the west bank of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
, north of Ouachas Lake. This area of German settlers was called ''les Allemands'' or ''the Germans''. In 1720, Germans were recruited in early spring to settle in ''les Allemands''. Roughly four thousand individuals (four hundred and fifty families) mostly from the
Rhineland The Rhineland ( ; ; ; ) is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly Middle Rhine, its middle section. It is the main industrial heartland of Germany because of its many factories, and it has historic ties to the Holy ...
, but also from
Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg ( ; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a states of Germany, German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million i ...
,
Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...
,
Swedish Pomerania Swedish Pomerania (; ) was a dominions of Sweden, dominion under the Sweden, Swedish Crown from 1630 to 1815 on what is now the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Following the Polish-Swedish War, Polish War and the Thirty Years' War ...
, Alsace–Lorraine,
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
, and
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
traveled across France to
Lorient Lorient (; ) is a town (''Communes of France, commune'') and Port, seaport in the Morbihan Departments of France, department of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in western France. History Prehistory and classical antiquity Beginn ...
in
Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
and then made the voyage to Louisiana on March 7, 1721. The settlers arrived in Old Biloxi on June 4, 1721, and on December 15, 1721, French Governor Bienville issued an order for boats to transport the recently arrived German-speaking settlers including newly named Commandant Charles Frederic d'Arensbourg, born Karl Friedrich von Arensburg, to the already established villages of Hoffen, Marienthal, and
Augsburg Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...
on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The settlers left for the settlements in January 1722 and of the roughly four thousand individuals that initially began the trip in
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
, when they reached their port of embarkation in March 1722, a Company of the Indies official counted only three hundred and thirty settlers because many of them perished due to the harsh conditions of their long journey to Louisiana. d'Arensbourg's land grant concession on the west bank of the river near present-day Taft, was named Karlstein after him and with its founding, the original four settlements in "les Allemands" were established. Besides the area being named "les Allemands", the collective name that the settlements were sometimes referred to as was Karlstein, also after Charles Frédérique d'Arensbourg or Karl Friedrich von Arensburg, who was the acknowledged leader of the settlements for more than 55 years. Over time, "les Allemands" would come to be known as ''Côté des Allemands'' or ''
German Coast The German Coast (French: ''Côte des Allemands'', Spanish: ''Costa Alemana'', German: ''Deutsche Küste'') was a region of early Louisiana settlement located above New Orleans, and on the west bank of the Mississippi River. Specifically, from ...
'' and is located in present-day St. Charles and St. John the Baptist Parishes. The German Coast Settlement established in 1722 was the third permanent settlement in what is now the state of Louisiana, after Natchitoches (1714) and
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
(1718). Also in 1722, the "La Grand Ouragan" Hurricane devastated the German Coast and many Germans considered leaving. In order to prevent this exodus, Governor Bienville decided to grant the settlement of additional lands to settlers on the west bank in addition to the east bank of the river. Later in 1722 and 1723, some French and German settlers along with newly arrived
Canadians Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
moved across the Mississippi River to establish the first east bank settlement at ''L’Anse aux Outardes'' or ''Bustard’s Cove''. The tributary at this site connected the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain via a previously discovered system of waterways through the LaBranche Wetlands. The ecclesiastical parish and chapel, La Paroisse de St. Jean des Allemands, was also founded in 1723 in Karlstein. A 1724 census revealed that the German families were not only harvesting enough food and raising enough cattle for their families, but they were bringing their surplus to New Orleans markets. It is apparent from these records that from the beginning of their settlement, German Coast farmers were a major source of food for the city of New Orleans. The granting of additional lands in 1722 and 1723, led to the founding of the ''Second German Coast'' in 1730 and the establishment of officially having settlements on both banks of the Mississippi River. The year 1729 saw the first attack by Native Americans on the German villages. In 1731, as the first decade of settlement on the German Coast ended and the Company of the Indies charter was retrieved by France, Louisiana again became a French colony. The land farmed by settlers on the German Coast technically belonged to the Company of the Indies until France retrieved its charter. After France once again owned the land, more landholders began to petition France for individual ownership of property. In 1740, the ecclesiastical parish and chapel relocated to the present-day site of the church in Destrehan on the east bank of the Mississippi River. A
log cabin A log cabin is a small log house, especially a minimally finished or less architecturally sophisticated structure. Log cabins have an ancient history in Europe, and in America are often associated with first-generation home building by settl ...
structure was built and both the ecclesiastical parish and chapel were renamed St. Charles in honor of St. Charles Borromeo. The Territory of Louisiana remained under French rule until 1763, when France ceded Louisiana to
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
after losing the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
to
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
. The
French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...
was a North American theater of this war. At the beginning of the Spanish colonial period, many
Acadians The Acadians (; , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French colonial empire, French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, most descendants of Acadians live in either the Northern Americ ...
, people of French descent, began arriving in south Louisiana after being expelled by the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
from what is now
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
after the British took over French territory in
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
along with North American territory east of the Mississippi river. The first French Acadian village was established in present-day Wallace in the German Coast. The Germanic settlers of the German Coast and French Acadians of what would become
Acadiana Acadiana (; French language, French and Cajun French language, Louisiana French: ''L'Acadiane'' or ''Acadiane''), also known as Cajun Country (Cajun French language, Louisiana French: ''Pays des Cadiens''), is the official name given to the ...
thrived alongside each another with French becoming the dominant language. The intermingling and marriage between these two groups and influence from additional groups and cultures led to the formation of what was to become Louisiana Cajun culture. The early 18th century settlers in the area received land grants from the Spanish or French royal governments, depending upon which country ruled the territory at the time of application. The French style of property allotments was made up of narrow frontage on the river so that each
plantation Plantations are farms specializing in cash crops, usually mainly planting a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Plantations, centered on a plantation house, grow crops including cotton, cannabis, tob ...
had access to high ground for ground transportation of goods to and from New Orleans and world markets. In addition to ground transportation, goods were mainly shipped by boat on
bayou In usage in the Southern United States, a bayou () is a body of water typically found in a flat, low-lying area. It may refer to an extremely slow-moving stream, river (often with a poorly defined shoreline), marshy lake, wetland, or creek. They ...
s and lakes and also via the Mississippi River. The main house and supporting outbuildings were constructed near the river. The remaining property extended away from the river into the wetlands, where land was cleared for cultivation of
sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
and
indigo InterGlobe Aviation Limited (d/b/a IndiGo), is an India, Indian airline headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. It is the largest List of airlines of India, airline in India by passengers carried and fleet size, with a 64.1% domestic market ...
. Homes still existing in St. Charles Parish include Destrehan Plantation, Homeplace Plantation House, and Ormond Plantation House. Labranche Plantation no longer exists, but the Creole dependency house, known in French as a garconnière still exists.


19th century

In 1800,
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
, the First Consul of the
French Republic France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, regained control over Louisiana for France. Following the
Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase () was the acquisition of the Louisiana (New France), territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. This consisted of most of the land in the Mississippi River#Watershed, Mississipp ...
in 1803, the
Territory of Orleans The Territory of Orleans or Orleans Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States, organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from October 1, 1804, until April 30, 1812, when it was Admission to ...
was established in 1804 and the following year on April 10, 1805, it was divided into twelve counties with one of them being the County of the German Coast. The first courthouse was established in 1804, in a community then known as “St. Charles Courthouse". The town was later renamed Hahnville and became the parish seat. In 1806, the log cabin St. Charles Chapel in Destrehan burned. That same year, a wood-framed church painted red was built at the site of the former chapel. The church became known as the " Little Red Church". It was a famous
riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury ...
landmark A landmark is a recognizable natural or artificial feature used for navigation, a feature that stands out from its near environment and is often visible from long distances. In modern-day use, the term can also be applied to smaller structures ...
where boat captains traditionally paid off their crews. In 1807, St. Charles Parish was "officially" established. In 1811, part of the German Coast uprising took place in St. Charles Parish. The first two public schools in St. Charles Parish opened in 1850. During the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, three
skirmish Skirmishers are light infantry or light cavalry soldiers deployed as a vanguard, flank guard or rearguard to Screening (tactical), screen a tactical position or a larger body of friendly troops from enemy advances. They may be deployed in a sk ...
es took place in St. Charles Parish. They were the "Battle of Hahnville Courthouse", "Skirmish of Boutte Station" and the "Battle of Des Allemands". Louisiana and therefore St. Charles Parish were part of the Fifth Military District during the
Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in History of the United States, US history that followed the American Civil War (1861-65) and was dominated by the legal, social, and political challenges of the Abolitionism in the United States, abol ...
from 1865 to 1877. Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church was originally built in 1877 in Taft. Towards the end of 19th century,
ferry A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus ...
regulation throughout the parish would now be implemented with parish oversight.


20th century

Starting in the 20th century, the area of the German Coast and location of the first permanent settlement of
Acadians The Acadians (; , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French colonial empire, French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, most descendants of Acadians live in either the Northern Americ ...
in Louisiana began to be referred to as the " River Parishes". The River Parishes are those parishes in Louisiana between New Orleans and Baton Rouge that span both banks of the Mississippi River, and are part of the larger Acadiana region. Traditionally they are considered to be St. Charles Parish, St. James Parish, and St. John the Baptist Parish. Industry came to St. Charles Parish in the early 20th century as the
energy industry The energy industry refers to all of the industries involved in the production and sale of energy, including fuel extraction, manufacturing, oil refinery, refining and distribution. Modern society consumes large amounts of fuel, and the energy in ...
moved to the east bank of the parish to access the Mississippi River, rail and air services. In 1914, land in Destrehan was sold to the Mexican Petroleum Company, which began operating an
oil refinery An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial processes, industrial process Factory, plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refining, refined into products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, Bitumen, asphalt base, ...
in 1918, marking the first appearance of heavy industry in the parish. In 1916, the New Orleans Refining Company purchased land in what was then Sellers, leading to the town to be renamed Norco. Additional industrial facilities in the energy industry or supporting the industry were built in New Sarpy, Good Hope, and St. Rose. In 1921, the "Little Red Church" burned and St. Charles Borromeo Church was built on the property that same year with the formal dedication taking place on January 25, 1922. In 1924, the first public high schools in the parish opened. Destrehan High School opened on the east bank and Hahnville High School opened on the west bank of the parish. Since the establishment of the German Coast,
levee A levee ( or ), dike (American English), dyke (British English; see American and British English spelling differences#Miscellaneous spelling differences, spelling differences), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is an elevated ridge, natural ...
s were the responsibility of landowners and breaches in these levees called " crevasses" were always a major concern due to the extensive flooding they caused. Previous crevasses in the areas of Hymelia and Bonnet Carré caused extensive damage to the area. Another crevasse during the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 between the towns of Montz and
LaPlace Pierre-Simon, Marquis de Laplace (; ; 23 March 1749 – 5 March 1827) was a French polymath, a scholar whose work has been instrumental in the fields of physics, astronomy, mathematics, engineering, statistics, and philosophy. He summariz ...
badly damaged Montz. Flood Control Acts had previously been passed, but because of the size of the devastation in
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
,
Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
and
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
, authorization of the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project in the Flood Control Act of 1928 was passed. The act called for the “levees only” policy that failed to be discarded and allowed for improved levees and floodways or "
spillway A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of water downstream from a dam or levee, typically into the riverbed of the dammed river itself. In the United Kingdom, they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways ensure tha ...
s" to be built. Between 1929 and 1931, the Bonnet Carré Spillway, a flood control structure was built and allows floodwaters from the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
to flow into Lake Pontchartrain. This site was chosen because four major crevasses had previously occurred at this location. The first appearance of industry on the west bank came in 1952 when the Lion Oil Company began construction of their facility in Luling. In 1955,
Royal Dutch Shell Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company, headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New ...
opened the Shell Chemical Plant in Norco after their forerunner, Shell Petroleum Corporation, previously acquired the New Orleans Refining Company oil refinery in 1929. The 1960s saw a new industry come to St. Charles Parish as grain elevators were built in Ama and Destrehan. Additionally,
chemical plant A chemical plant is an industrial process plant that manufactures (or otherwise processes) chemicals, usually on a large scale. The general objective of a chemical plant is to create new material wealth via the chemical or biological transfor ...
s were built in Taft in the 1960s. In 1963, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church moved to Hahnville with the building being completed in 1964. In 1971, the
Louisiana State Legislature The Louisiana State Legislature (; ) is the state legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is a bicameral legislature, body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 ...
officially recognized 22 Louisiana parishes, including St. Charles Parish, and "other parishes of similar cultural environment" for their "strong French Acadian cultural aspects" (House Concurrent Resolution No. 496, June 6, 1971, authored by Carl W. Bauer of St. Mary Parish), and made the "Heart of Acadiana" the official name of the region. The public, however, prefers the one-word place name ''Acadiana'' to refer to the region. The official term appears on regional maps and highway markers. On October 20, 1976, the MV George Prince ferry disaster occurred on the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
. The Luling–Destrehan Ferry ''George Prince'' was struck by the Norwegian tanker . Ninety-six passengers and crew were aboard the ferry when it was struck, and seventy-eight perished. On October 6, 1983, seven-years after the ferry disaster, the Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge opened. The bridge, originally named the Luling–Destrehan Bridge, connected the east bank and west bank of the parish by bridge for the first time. 1983 also saw the end of ferry service in the parish, marking the first time since the 1800s this service was not available. In 1985, the Louisiana Power and Light Company began operation of the Waterford Nuclear Generating Station on Charles Frédérique d'Arensbourg's original land grant of Karlstein.


21st century

On September 5, 2000, the town of Good Hope was annexed by Norco. This was the eventual result of a 1983 buyout of all residential and commercial property by Good Hope Refinery; the town is listed as a
ghost town A ghost town, deserted city, extinct town, or abandoned city is an abandoned settlement, usually one that contains substantial visible remaining buildings and infrastructure such as roads. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economi ...
. Also in 2000, Taft had a population of zero residents and is now also listed as a ghost town. On March 26, 2002, the Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion Project dedication ceremony was held near Luling after construction began on the project in 1997. In 2007, the East Bank Hurricane Protection Levee was completed. The levee protects the majority of the east bank from Lake Pontchartrain and Labranche Wetlands flood waters. On August 29, 2021, St. Charles Parish was devastated by Hurricane Ida. Parish President Matthew Jewel stated that "Nearly every structure in the parish has damage ranging from cosmetic damage to a total collapse of a home or building."


Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of , of which is land and (32%) is water.


Bodies of water

* Bayou des Allemands * Lac des Allemands * Lake Cataouatche * Lake Pontchartrain *
Lake Salvador Lake Salvador () is a lake about southwest of New Orleans, Louisiana, in Jefferson, Lafourche, and St. Charles parishes. The lake has had multiple names. On the d'Anville map of 1732, the lake was Lac des Ounchas. The Darby map of 1816 lists ...
*
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...


National protected areas

* Bonnet Carré Spillway


State protected areas

* Salvador Wildlife Management Area * Timken Wildlife Management Area


Adjacent parishes

* Jefferson Parish (east) * Lafourche Parish (southwest) * St. John the Baptist Parish (northwest)


Communities


Census-designated places

* Ama * Bayou Gauche * Boutte * Des Allemands (partial) * Destrehan * Hahnville (parish seat) * Killona * Luling * Montz * New Sarpy * Norco * Paradis * St. Rose


Unincorporated communities

* Almedia * Frellsen *
Gypsy {{Infobox ethnic group , group = Romani people , image = , image_caption = , flag = Roma flag.svg , flag_caption = Romani flag created in 1933 and accepted at the 1971 World Romani Congress , po ...
‡ ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent parish or parishes


Ghost towns

* Good Hope * Taft


Former populated areas

*
Augsburg Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...
* Hoffen * Karlstein * Marienthal


Demographics

At the 2020 United States census, there were 52,549 people, 19,212 households, and 14,463 families residing in the parish. At the 2019
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
, there were 52,773 people and 19,212 households in the parish. Of the population, 7.1% spoke another language other than English at home; the second most spoken language in the parish was Spanish. In 2019, the racial and ethnic makeup of St. Charles was 69.2%
non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...
, 26.6% Black and African American, 0.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native Native Americans (also called American Indians, First Americans, or Indigenous Americans) are the Indigenous peoples of the United States, particularly of the lower 48 states and Alaska. They may also include any Americans whose origins lie ...
, 1.0% Asian alone, 1.7% some other race, and 1.0% two or more races. Hispanic and Latin Americans of any race made up 6.1% of the population. An estimated 3.3% of the population were foreign-born. In 2020, its makeup was 62.24% non-Hispanic white, 24.78% Black or African American, 0.41% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.06% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.59% two or more races or of some other race, and 7.88% Hispanic or Latin American of any race. The median age was 37.9, and 6.2% of the parish was aged 5 and under. Of the 19,212 households in 2019, there were 20,710 housing units spread throughout the parish, and 4,349 corporations. Approximately 80.7% of the parish lived in owner-occupied units, and the median housing value was $207,700. The median gross rent was $978. St. Charles had a median household income of $69,019 and 15.1% lived at or below the poverty line. Among the population, males had a median income of $43,589 versus $43,022 for females, closing the
gender pay gap The gender pay gap or gender wage gap is the average difference between the remuneration for men and women who are Employment, employed. Women are generally found to be paid less than men. There are two distinct measurements of the pay gap: non ...
. In common with much of southern Louisiana, Christianity through the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
has been the largest religious group for the parish. Its Catholic population numbered 21,947 at the 2020 study by the
Association of Religion Data Archives The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) is a free source of online information related to American and international religion. One of the primary goals of the archive is to democratize access to academic information on religion by making t ...
. Following,
Southern Baptists The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestant, and the second-largest Ch ...
, National Baptists, and Full Gospel Baptists were the largest Protestant groups, though non/inter-denominational Protestantism numbered 1,440.


Education


Primary and secondary education


Public

St. Charles Parish Public Schools operates public schools in St. Charles Parish. Upper secondary education * Destrehan High School * Hahnville High School


Private

* St. Charles Borromeo School


Colleges and universities

St. Charles Parish is in the service area of Delgado Community College.


Government

St. Charles Parish is governed by an executive branch and legislative branch. The executive branch is headed by the elected Parish President; currently Matthew Jewell. The legislative branch consists of an elected nine-member council. The parish is divided into seven single-member districts, each of which is represented by an elected district council member. In addition, two
at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...
seats are elected on a parish-wide basis. The at-large seats are divided into an "A" seat and a "B" seat. The "A" seat representative must be a resident of the parish's east bank while the "B" seat must be held by a resident of the west bank. The last parish council election was in October / November 2019. Members of the St. Charles Parish Council as of January 2020:


Politics


Healthcare and emergency medical services


Hospitals

* St. Charles Parish Hospital


Law

As parish seat, Hahnville is the site of the parish courthouse.


Judicial district

St. Charles Parish comprises the 29th Judicial District, Louisiana.


Law enforcement

* St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office


Transportation


Airports

*
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is an international airport under Class B airspace in the City of Kenner, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by the City of New Orleans and is west of downtown New ...
* St. Charles Airport


Highways and roads


Interstates

*
Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost transcontinental highway in the Interstate Highway System of the United States. It is the fourth-longest Interstate in the country at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. It was part of the origina ...
** Interstate 310 * Future Interstate 49


Major highways

* U.S. Highway 61 * U.S. Highway 90 * Louisiana Highway 18 * Louisiana Highway 48 * Louisiana Highway 628 * Louisiana Highway 3127


Major vehicular bridges

* Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge * I-10 Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge * LaBranche Wetlands Bridge * U.S. 61 Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge


Railroads


Rail

*
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
*
Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company () is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN is Canada's largest railway, in terms of both revenue a ...
*
Kansas City Southern Railway The Kansas City Southern Railway Company is an American Class I railroad. Founded in 1887, it operated in 10 Midwestern United States, Midwestern and Southeastern United States, Southeastern U.S. states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Ark ...


Major railroad bridges

* CNR Bonnet Carré Spillway-Baton Rouge Bridge * CNR Bonnet Carré Spillway-McComb Bridge * Kansas City Southern Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge


Notable people

* Darren Barbier, Luling, former head football coach at
Nicholls State University Nicholls State University is a public university in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Founded in 1948, Nicholls is part of the University of Louisiana System. Originally named Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the university is named for Francis T. Nichol ...
* Alfred Blue, Boutte, NFL running back * Paul F. Boudreau, Destrehan, NFL and CFL assistant coach * David Butler, Good Hope, sculptor and painter * LaRon Byrd, Hahnville, NFL wide receiver * Mutt Carey, Hahnville, jazz trumpeter * Joel T. Chaisson, II, Destrehan, State Senate president from 2008 to 2012 and district attorney * Macon Clark, St. Rose, NFL safety * Barbara Colley, Luling, romance and mystery writer * Charles Frederick d’Arensbourg, leader of the German Coast settlement * Dana "Pokey" Chatman, Ama, WNBA head coach, former
LSU Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
women's basketball coach * Burnell Dent, St. Rose, NFL linebacker * Jean Noel Destréhan, Destrehan, U.S. Senator * Jesse Duplantis, Destrehan, televangelist * Snooks Eaglin, St. Rose, guitarist and singer * Roy Ebron, St. Rose, ABA basketball player * Hoffman Franklin Fuller, Destrehan, professor-emeritus at Tulane University Law School and Bossier City mayor * Michael Hahn, Hahnville, 19th Governor of Louisiana and U.S. Representative * Minor Hall, Norco, jazz drummer * Tubby Hall, Norco, jazz drummer * Shelley Hennig, St. Rose and Destrehan, actress and Miss Teen USA * Jordan Jefferson, St. Rose, NFL quarterback * Justin Jefferson, St. Rose, NFL wide receiver * Curtis Johnson, St. Rose, head football coach at
Tulane University The Tulane University of Louisiana (commonly referred to as Tulane University) is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by a cohort of medical doctors, it b ...
and NFL assistant coach * Damaris Johnson, Norco, NFL wide receiver * Jamall Johnson, Norco, NFL linebacker and actor * Dawan Landry, Ama, NFL safety * LaRon Landry, Ama, NFL safety * Sabrina Le Beauf, Ama, actress * Beulah Levy Ledner, St. Rose, dessert and pastry chef * Tanner Lee, Destrehan, NFL quarterback * Mary Ann Vial Lemmon, Hahnville, U.S. federal judge * Glen Logan, Destrehan, NFL defensive tackle * Chris Markey, Luling, college and professional running back * Rondell Mealey, Norco, NFL running back * Kirk Merritt, Destrehan, NFL wide receiver * Gregory A. Miller, Norco, attorney in Destrehan and state representative * Ralph R. Miller, Norco, state representative * Jerico Nelson, New Sarpy, NFL safety * George T. Oubre, Norco,
state senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...
* Jeremy Parquet, Norco, NFL offensive lineman * Rusty Rebowe, Norco, NFL linebacker * Tim Rebowe, Norco, head football coach at
Nicholls State University Nicholls State University is a public university in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Founded in 1948, Nicholls is part of the University of Louisiana System. Originally named Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the university is named for Francis T. Nichol ...
* Ed Reed, St. Rose and Destrehan, NFL safety, member of the
Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...
* Darius Reynaud, Luling, NFL wide receiver * Darryl Richard, St. Rose, NFL defensive lineman *
Garland Robinette Charles Garland Robinette (born August 21, 1943 in Boutte, Louisiana) is a journalist in the New Orleans area. He was recently the host of "The Think Tank" on New Orleans radio station WWL (AM). Robinette was a news anchor and investigative repo ...
, Boutte, journalist and news anchor * Mike Scifres, Destrehan, NFL punter *
Darrington Sentimore Darrington Sentimore (born February 17, 1990) is a former American football defensive lineman. High school career Sentimore was a standout athlete at Destrehan High School in Destrehan, Louisiana. Under head coach Stephen Robicheaux, Sent ...
, Norco, NFL defensive lineman * Gary Smith, Jr., Norco,
state senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...
*
Margaret Taylor-Burroughs Margaret Taylor-Burroughs (November 1, 1915 – November 21, 2010), also known as Margaret Taylor Goss, Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs or Margaret T G Burroughs, was an American Visual arts, visual artist, writer, poet, educator, and arts organiz ...
, St. Rose, co-founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History * Gary Tyler, St. Rose, who is believed to have been wrongly convicted of murder in 1974. He was released in 2016. * Josh Victorian, St. Rose, NFL cornerback * Darius Vinnett, St. Rose, NFL cornerback * Devon Walker, Destrehan, Tulane and NFL safety * Michael Young Jr., St. Rose, NFL wide receiver


See also

*
Acadiana Acadiana (; French language, French and Cajun French language, Louisiana French: ''L'Acadiane'' or ''Acadiane''), also known as Cajun Country (Cajun French language, Louisiana French: ''Pays des Cadiens''), is the official name given to the ...
* Bonnet Carré Spillway *
German Coast The German Coast (French: ''Côte des Allemands'', Spanish: ''Costa Alemana'', German: ''Deutsche Küste'') was a region of early Louisiana settlement located above New Orleans, and on the west bank of the Mississippi River. Specifically, from ...
**
1811 German Coast uprising The 1811 German Coast uprising was a slave rebellion which occurred in the Territory of Orleans from January 8–10, 1811. It occurred on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the modern-day Louisiana parishes of St. John the Baptist Paris ...
, largest
slave rebellion A slave rebellion is an armed uprising by slaves, as a way of fighting for their freedom. Rebellions of slaves have occurred in nearly all societies that practice slavery or have practiced slavery in the past. A desire for freedom and the dream o ...
in U.S. history * Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge * National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana * New Orleans-Metairie-Hammond, LA-MS CSA *
New Orleans metropolitan area The New Orleans metropolitan area, designated the New Orleans–Metairie metropolitan statistical area by the Office of Management and Budget, U.S. Office of Management and Budget, or simply Greater New Orleans (, ), is a List of United States me ...
* River Parishes


References


External links

Government
St. Charles Parish government's website

St Charles Parish Sheriff's Office
Geology * McCulloh, R. P., P. V. Heinrich, and J. Snead, 2003
''Ponchatoula 30 x 60 minute geologic quadrangle.''
Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Hydrology * White, V.E., 2015
Water resources of St. Charles Parish, Louisiana
U.S. Geological Survey. {{Coord, 29.91, -90.36, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-LA_source:UScensus1990 Saint Charles Parish Parishes in Acadiana Saint Charles Parish Saint Charles Parish Louisiana parishes on the Mississippi River 1807 establishments in the Territory of Orleans Populated places established in 1807