Allen Parish, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Allen Parish
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Parish
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Allen Parish Courthouse in Oberlin (near sunset)
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Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
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 Louisiana's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Louisiana |
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| Founded | 1912 | ||
| Named for | Henry Watkins Allen | ||
| Seat | Oberlin | ||
| Largest city | Oakdale | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 766 sq mi (1,980 km2) | ||
| • Land | 762 sq mi (1,970 km2) | ||
| • Water | 4.1 sq mi (11 km2) 0.5% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 22,750 | ||
| • Density | 29.700/sq mi (11.467/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | ||
| Area code |
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| Congressional district | 4th | ||
Allen Parish (which is called Paroisse d'Allen in French) is like a county in the state of Louisiana. In 2020, about 22,750 people lived there. The main town where the government offices are is Oberlin. The biggest city in the parish is Oakdale. Allen Parish is in the southwestern part of Louisiana.
It is named after Henry Watkins Allen, who was a general and a governor of Louisiana. Allen Parish was created in 1912 from a bigger area called Calcasieu Parish.
Contents
Exploring Allen Parish Geography
Allen Parish covers a total area of 766 square miles. Most of this area, about 762 square miles, is land. The remaining 4.1 square miles (or 0.5%) is water.
Neighboring Areas
Allen Parish shares its borders with several other parishes. To the east is Evangeline Parish. To the south, you'll find Jefferson Davis Parish. On the west side, it borders Beauregard Parish. Both Rapides Parish and Vernon Parish are to the north.
Land and Water Features
The land in Allen Parish is mostly made of clay and mud. The area is part of different natural regions. It has pine forests and also some prairie areas. The Calcasieu River helps divide these two types of landscapes.
Important Waterways
- Bundick Creek
- Calcasieu River
- Ouiski Chitto Creek
- Six Mile Creek
- Ten Mile Creek
Protected Natural Areas
- West Bay Wildlife Management Area
Climate in Allen Parish
The weather in Allen Parish is generally warm. It gets a good amount of rain throughout the year.
| Weather chart for Allen Parish, Louisiana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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6.4
59
39
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4.7
63
43
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4.1
70
50
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5.1
77
56
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5.1
83
64
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5.8
89
70
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5.6
90
72
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5.1
91
72
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5.1
87
67
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4.6
79
57
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4.8
69
47
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5.5
61
42
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| temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches source: National Weather Service |
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Metric conversion
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Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 18,382 | — | |
| 1930 | 15,261 | −17.0% | |
| 1940 | 17,540 | 14.9% | |
| 1950 | 18,835 | 7.4% | |
| 1960 | 19,867 | 5.5% | |
| 1970 | 20,794 | 4.7% | |
| 1980 | 21,390 | 2.9% | |
| 1990 | 21,226 | −0.8% | |
| 2000 | 25,440 | 19.9% | |
| 2010 | 25,764 | 1.3% | |
| 2020 | 22,750 | −11.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 |
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Who Lives Here? (2020 Census)
In 2020, there were 22,750 people living in Allen Parish. There were 7,925 households and 5,566 families.
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 15,146 | 66.58% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4,016 | 17.65% |
| Native American | 525 | 2.31% |
| Asian | 183 | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander | 7 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 980 | 4.31% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,893 | 8.32% |
Economy and Jobs
In 2021, Allen Parish had 303 businesses that employed people. These businesses provided 3,513 jobs. The total value of all goods and services produced in Allen Parish in 2022 was about $898 million.
Main Industries
- Lumber Production: Making wood products is a very important industry, especially around Oakdale.
- Gaming and Hospitality: The Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder is a major employer. It is owned by the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana and employs about 2,600 people.
- Other Major Employers: A plywood factory, several prison facilities, and a natural gas relay facility also provide many jobs.
- Farming: The main crops grown in the parish are rice and soybeans.
Arts and Culture
The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana lives in parts of Allen and Jefferson Davis parishes. They keep their traditional arts alive, like music, dance, and making things from fibers. They hold an annual powwow (a gathering to celebrate Native American culture) at the Coushatta Casino Resort.
Famous Musicians
Allen Parish is the home of several well-known musicians:
- Roy Brown: A famous blues singer.
- Preston Frank and his son Keith Frank: Both are talented zydeco musicians. Zydeco is a type of music from Louisiana that blends blues, rhythm and blues, and Native American music.
Cultural Centers
- Allen Parish Cultural Center: This center is near Kinder and is run by the Allen Parish Tourism Commission.
- Leatherwood Museum: Opened in Oakdale in 2008, this museum teaches visitors about the history of agriculture (farming) and timber (lumber) in the area. The building used to be a hospital.
Education in Allen Parish
Students in Allen Parish attend schools run by the Allen Parish Schools system. There is also a private school called Oberlin Covenant School in Oberlin. For college-level studies, the parish is served by Sowela Technical Community College.
Media and News
Allen Parish has two local newspapers: The Oakdale Journal and The Kinder Courier News. These newspapers are owned by Louisiana State Newspapers, Inc.
Radio and TV
- Radio: KKST-FM is an urban contemporary radio station in Oakdale. People in Oakdale can also listen to stations from Alexandria and Lafayette. Those in Kinder often listen to stations from Lafayette and Lake Charles.
- Television: For TV, Oakdale gets channels from Alexandria, like KATC (ABC and CW) and KALB (NBC, CBS, and CW). Kinder and Oberlin mainly receive KPLC (NBC and CW) from Lake Charles.
Transportation
Getting around Allen Parish mainly involves using highways and local roads. If you need to travel long distances by bus, the closest stations are in Alexandria, Opelousas, Lafayette, and Lake Charles.
Major Highways
U.S. Highway 165: This highway runs north and south.
U.S. Highway 190: This highway runs east and west.
Louisiana Highway 10: This highway runs east and west.
Louisiana Highway 26: This highway runs east and west.
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Communities of Allen Parish
Cities
- Oakdale (This is the largest city in the parish.)
Towns
Villages
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially part of a city, town, or village.
Notable People from Allen Parish
Many interesting people have come from Allen Parish:
- Roy Brown (1925–1981): An R&B singer and songwriter.
- William J. "Bill" Dodd (1909–1991): A former lieutenant governor and state representative for Louisiana.
- Faye Emerson (1917–1983): A film and stage actress.
- Beau Jocque (1953–1999): A Louisiana French Creole zydeco musician.
- J.B. Fuselier (1901-1976): A Cajun musician.
- John McNeese (1843-1914): The first superintendent of schools for Calcasieu Parish.
- Douglas B. Fournet (1943–1968): Received the Medal of Honor after his death for his bravery during the Vietnam War.
- Joe N. Ballard (born 1942): A former U.S. Army lieutenant general.
- Cloves Campbell Sr. (1931-2004): A politician and newspaper operator.
- Preston Frank (born 1947): A zydeco accordionist.
- Keith Frank (born 1972): A zydeco accordionist and band leader.
- Hoyle Granger (born 1944): A former professional American football player.
- Gilbert Franklin Hennigan (1883–1960): A Louisiana state senator.
- Ollie Shepard (1909-1960): A blues pianist and singer.
- Dorothy Sue Hill (born 1939): A rancher and former state representative.
- Leroy Johnson (1919–1944): Received the Medal of Honor after his death during World War II.
- E. Holman Jones (1926–2014): A U.S. Navy veteran and former state representative.
- Coleman Lindsey (1892–1968): A former Louisiana state senator and lieutenant governor.
- Mary Evelyn Parker (1920–2015): The first female Treasurer of Louisiana.
- R.C. Slocum (born 1944): A former head football coach at Texas A&M.
- Blake Trahan (born 1993): A former professional baseball player.
Images for kids
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Seal of Allen Parish, Louisiana
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Logo of Allen Parish, Louisiana
See also
In Spanish: Parroquia de Allen para niños
