DeSoto Parish, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
DeSoto Parish, Louisiana
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| Parish of DeSoto | ||
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DeSoto Parish Courthouse in Mansfield
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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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| Region | North Louisiana | |
| Founded | 1843 | |
| Named for | settler, Marcel DeSoto | |
| Parish seat | Mansfield | |
| Largest municipality | Stonewall (area) Mansfield (population) |
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| Area | ||
| • Total | 2,320 km2 (895 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 2,270 km2 (876 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 50 km2 (19 sq mi) | |
| • percentage | 5 km2 (2.1 sq mi) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 26,812 | |
| • Density | 11.567/km2 (29.958/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) | |
| Area code | 318 | |
| Congressional district | 4th | |
DeSoto Parish is a special kind of county called a "parish" in the state of Louisiana, USA. It was created in 1843. According to the 2020 U.S. census, about 26,812 people live there. The main town and biggest city in DeSoto Parish is Mansfield. This parish is part of the larger Shreveport–Bossier City area.
Contents
History of DeSoto Parish
Many people think DeSoto Parish was named after a famous Spanish explorer, Hernando de Soto. He explored parts of the southeastern United States long ago. However, this is a common misunderstanding!
The parish was actually named after a different person, Marcel DeSoto. He was a settler who led the first group of European people to live in this area, in a place called Bayou Pierre. It's important to spell the parish name as "DeSoto Parish," just like the settler's name, not "De Soto Parish."
Geography of DeSoto Parish
DeSoto Parish covers a total area of about 895 square miles. Most of this area, about 876 square miles, is land. The rest, about 19 square miles, is water.
Main Roads in DeSoto Parish
You can find several important highways that run through DeSoto Parish:
Interstate 49
Future Interstate 69
U.S. Highway 84
U.S. Highway 171
U.S. Highway 371
Louisiana Highway 5
Louisiana Highway 191
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Neighboring Parishes and Counties
DeSoto Parish shares its borders with several other parishes in Louisiana and counties in Texas:
- Caddo Parish (to the north)
- Red River Parish (to the east)
- Natchitoches Parish (to the southeast)
- Sabine Parish (to the south)
- Shelby County, Texas (to the southwest)
- Panola County, Texas (to the west)
Protected Natural Areas
Part of the Red River National Wildlife Refuge is located within DeSoto Parish. This is a special area set aside to protect wildlife.
Communities in DeSoto Parish
Cities and Towns
- City:
- Mansfield (This is the main town and the biggest city in the parish.)
- Towns:
Villages
Other Communities
Some areas in DeSoto Parish are not officially cities, towns, or villages. These include:
- Census-designated places:
- Unincorporated communities:
People of DeSoto Parish
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 8,023 | — | |
| 1860 | 13,298 | 65.7% | |
| 1870 | 14,962 | 12.5% | |
| 1880 | 15,603 | 4.3% | |
| 1890 | 19,860 | 27.3% | |
| 1900 | 25,063 | 26.2% | |
| 1910 | 27,689 | 10.5% | |
| 1920 | 29,376 | 6.1% | |
| 1930 | 31,016 | 5.6% | |
| 1940 | 31,803 | 2.5% | |
| 1950 | 24,398 | −23.3% | |
| 1960 | 24,248 | −0.6% | |
| 1970 | 22,764 | −6.1% | |
| 1980 | 25,727 | 13.0% | |
| 1990 | 25,346 | −1.5% | |
| 2000 | 25,494 | 0.6% | |
| 2010 | 26,656 | 4.6% | |
| 2020 | 26,812 | 0.6% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 26,919 | 1.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 |
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The table below shows the different groups of people living in DeSoto Parish as of 2020:
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (not Hispanic) | 15,122 | 56.4% |
| Black or African American (not Hispanic) | 9,586 | 35.75% |
| Native American | 242 | 0.9% |
| Asian | 99 | 0.37% |
| Pacific Islander | 12 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,001 | 3.73% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 762 | 2.84% |
In 2020, there were 26,812 people living in DeSoto Parish. There were 10,821 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. About 7,254 of these were families.
Most homes (about 71.3%) were owned by the people living in them. The average family size was about 3 people, and the average household size was about 2.5 people.
About 75.5% of the people in the parish were 18 years old or older. About 17.2% were 65 years old or older. The average age of people in the parish was 39.3 years. Only a small number of people (about 0.8%) were born in another country. Also, about 2.1% of people spoke a language other than English at home.
The average income for a household in the parish was about $46,006 per year. For families, it was about $56,323. About 22% of the people in the parish lived below the poverty line. This means they had very low incomes. For kids under 18, about 30.6% lived below the poverty line.
Education in DeSoto Parish
Public schools in DeSoto Parish are managed by the DeSoto Parish School Board. Students in the area can also attend Bossier Parish Community College.
Famous People from DeSoto Parish
Many interesting people have connections to DeSoto Parish:
- Larry Bagley (born 1949), a politician who serves in the Louisiana House of Representatives.
- Terry Bradshaw (born 1948), a famous professional football player, sportscaster, singer, and actor.
- Richard Burford (born 1946), a current state representative in Louisiana.
- Vida Blue (1949–2023), a professional baseball player.
- C.L. Bryant (born 1956), a Baptist minister and radio talk show host.
- Riemer Calhoun (1909–1994), who was a state senator from 1944 to 1952.
- Joe T. Cawthorn (1911–1967), a state senator from 1940 to 1944.
- Sherri Smith Cheek Buffington (born 1966), a Louisiana State Senator.
- Joe Henry Cooper (1920–1980), a Louisiana state representative.
- Kenny Ray Cox (born 1957), a Louisiana state representative and former United States Army officer.
- Milton Joseph Cunningham (1842–1916), a lawyer and state attorney general, born in what became DeSoto Parish.
- George Dement (1922–2014), a former mayor of Bossier City.
- Joseph Barton Elam (1821–1885), a United States Representative.
- William Pike Hall, Sr. (1896–1945), a state senator from 1924 to 1932.
- John Spencer Hardy (1913–2012), a United States Air Force lieutenant general.
- Albert Lewis (1960-), a professional football player.
- Curtis W. McCoy, the mayor of Mansfield.
- Garnie W. McGinty (1900–1984), a historian and school principal.
- Mack Charles Reynolds (1935–1991), a professional football player.
- B. H. "Johnny" Rogers (1905–1977), a politician.
- C. O. Simpkins, Sr. (1925–2019), an African-American state representative and civil rights activist.
- O.C. Smith (1932–2001), a singer.
See also
In Spanish: Parroquia de De Soto para niños
