Concordia Parish, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Concordia Parish, Louisiana
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| Parish of Concordia | |
Old Concordia Parish Courthouse in Vidalia
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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 |
| State |  Louisiana |
| Region | Central |
| Founded | 1807 |
| Named for | Possibly a land grant, New Concordia |
| Parish seat (and largest city) | Vidalia |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,930 km2 (747 sq mi) |
| • Land | 1,810 km2 (697 sq mi) |
| • Water | 100 km2 (50 sq mi) |
| • percentage | 17 km2 (6.7 sq mi) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 20,822 |
| • Estimate
(2018)
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19,572 |
| • Density | 10.762/km2 (27.874/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 318 |
| Congressional district | 5th |
Concordia Parish (French: Paroisse de Concordia) borders the Mississippi River in eastern central Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,822. The parish seat is Vidalia. The parish was formed in 1807.
Concordia Parish is part of the Natchez, MS–LA Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is historically considered part of the Natchez District, devoted to cotton cultivation as a commodity crop, in contrast to the sugar cane crop of southern Louisiana. Other Louisiana parishes of similar character are East and West Carroll, Madison and Tensas, all in this lowlying delta land. On the east side of the Mississippi River is the Natchez District around the city of Natchez, Mississippi.
Contents
History
Prehistory
Concordia Parish was the home to many succeeding Native American groups in the thousands of years before European settlements began. Peoples of the Marksville culture, Troyville culture, Coles Creek culture and Plaquemine culture built villages and mound sites throughout the area. Notable examples include Cypress Grove Mound, DePrato Mounds, Frogmore Mound Site, and Lamarque Landing Mound.
Historic era
Concordia was named for a Latin word meaning "harmony".
During the American Civil War, Concordia Parish was staunchly Confederate. According to the historian John D. Winters in his The Civil War in Louisiana (1963), Concordia, "a planter-dominated parish, displayed unusual Confederate patriotism in early March [1862]. A handsome bounty of $100 was offered to any man who joined one of three designated companies forming for the duration of the war. A bounty of $50 would be paid to those joining either of two companies being raised in the neighboring parish of Catahoula. A $50,000 bond issue was voted to finance the bounty program. . . . $40,000 was appropriated for the relief of needy families of volunteers in the parish."
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 747 square miles (1,930 km2), of which 697 square miles (1,810 km2) is land and 50 square miles (130 km2) (6.7%) is water.
The parish is completely agricultural bottomlands. The Ouachita River runs along the west boundary, the Red River along the south, and the Mississippi River along the east. All three rivers are contained by large levee systems.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 65
U.S. Highway 84
Louisiana Highway 15
Louisiana Highway 566
Adjacent counties and parishes
- Tensas Parish (north)
- Adams County, Mississippi (northeast)
- Wilkinson County, Mississippi (east)
- West Feliciana Parish (southeast)
- Pointe Coupee Parish (south)
- Avoyelles Parish (southwest)
- Catahoula Parish (west)
National protected area
State protected area
- Richard K. Yancey Wildlife Management Area
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 2,626 | — | |
| 1830 | 4,662 | 77.5% | |
| 1840 | 9,414 | 101.9% | |
| 1850 | 7,758 | −17.6% | |
| 1860 | 13,805 | 77.9% | |
| 1870 | 9,977 | −27.7% | |
| 1880 | 14,914 | 49.5% | |
| 1890 | 14,871 | −0.3% | |
| 1900 | 13,559 | −8.8% | |
| 1910 | 14,278 | 5.3% | |
| 1920 | 12,466 | −12.7% | |
| 1930 | 12,778 | 2.5% | |
| 1940 | 14,562 | 14.0% | |
| 1950 | 14,398 | −1.1% | |
| 1960 | 20,467 | 42.2% | |
| 1970 | 22,578 | 10.3% | |
| 1980 | 22,981 | 1.8% | |
| 1990 | 20,828 | −9.4% | |
| 2000 | 20,247 | −2.8% | |
| 2010 | 20,822 | 2.8% | |
| 2018 (est.) | 19,572 | −6.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 10,157 | 54.35% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 7,477 | 40.01% |
| Native American | 39 | 0.21% |
| Asian | 115 | 0.62% |
| Other/Mixed | 440 | 2.35% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 459 | 2.46% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 18,687 people, 7,162 households, and 4,562 families residing in the parish.
National Guard
1086TH Transportation Company of the 165TH CSS (Combat Service Support) Battalion of the 139TH RSG (Regional Support Group) resides in Vidalia, Louisiana on the western border of Mississippi.
Communities
City
- Vidalia (parish seat)
Towns
Census-designated places
Other unincorporated communities
Education
Concordia Parish School Board operates public schools in the parish.
Notable people
Arts and entertainment
- Jerry Lee Lewis, musician
- Jimmy Swaggart, televangelist
- Mickey Gilley, musician
Journalism
- Campbell Brown, Emmy-award-winning journalist, CNN Anchor/host.
- Sam Hanna, Sr., late publisher of Concordia Sentinel in Ferriday
- Howard K. Smith, ABC and CBS commentator
Images for kids
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The Concordia Parish Library is located in Vidalia behind the parish courthouse.
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The Vidalia Senior Center is operated by the Concordia Council on Aging.
See also
In Spanish: Parroquia de Concordia para niños
