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Morehouse Parish
Parish
The Morehouse Parish Courthouse (built 1914) is located in the center of downtown Bastrop.
The Morehouse Parish Courthouse (built 1914) is located in the center of downtown Bastrop.
Map of Louisiana highlighting Morehouse Parish
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Map of the United States highlighting Louisiana
Louisiana's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Louisiana
Founded 1844
Named for Abraham Morehouse
Seat Bastrop
Largest city Bastrop
Area
 • Total 805 sq mi (2,080 km2)
 • Land 794 sq mi (2,060 km2)
 • Water 11 sq mi (30 km2)  1.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 25,629
 • Density 31.837/sq mi (12.292/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 5th
Morehouse Parish, LA, sign IMG 2836
Morehouse Parish Assessor's Office, Bastrop, LA IMG 2801
The Morehouse Parish Assessor's Office is located behind the parish courthouse in Bastrop.

Morehouse Parish ( French:Paroisse de Morehouse)is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,629. The parish seat is Bastrop. The parish was formed in 1844.

Morehouse Parish comprises the Bastrop, LA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Monroe–Ruston–Bastrop, LA Combined Statistical Area.

History

Francois Bonaventure built a house on 2000~acre tract in 1775 in Bastrop, Louisiana.

Morehouse Parish is named after Colonel Abraham Morehouse, who served in the Revolutionary War.

Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, Morehouse County was a stronghold of the Ku Klux Klan. During the trial for the 1922 Lynchings of Mer Rouge, Louisiana, many witnesses testified that county officials including Sheriff Fred Carpenter, his deputies, the district attorney, and the postmaster were Klan members. However, the grand jury, itself likely made up largely of Klan members, dismissed the case.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 806 square miles (2,090 km2), of which 795 square miles (2,060 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (1.4%) is water.

Major highways

  • US 165.svg U.S. Highway 165
  • US 425.svg U.S. Highway 425
  • Louisiana 2 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 2
  • Louisiana 133 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 133
  • Louisiana 134 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 134

Adjacent counties and parishes

National protected areas

Communities

City

  • Bastrop (parish seat and largest municipality)

Villages

Unincorporated Communities

  • Beekman
  • Bordenax
  • Counters Neck
  • Galion
  • Geddie
  • Gum Ridge
  • Haynes Landing
  • Humphreys
  • Jones
  • Laark
  • Log Cabin
  • Marcarco
  • McGinty
  • Naff
  • New Land Grove Landing
  • Oak Landing
  • Perryville
  • Point Pleasant
  • Robinson
  • Spyker
  • Stampley
  • Stevenson
  • Upland
  • Usarco
  • Vaughn
  • Wardville
  • Windsor

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1850 3,913 —
1860 10,357 164.7%
1870 9,387 −9.4%
1880 14,206 51.3%
1890 16,786 18.2%
1900 16,634 −0.9%
1910 18,786 12.9%
1920 19,311 2.8%
1930 23,689 22.7%
1940 27,571 16.4%
1950 32,038 16.2%
1960 33,709 5.2%
1970 32,463 −3.7%
1980 34,803 7.2%
1990 31,938 −8.2%
2000 31,021 −2.9%
2010 27,979 −9.8%
2020 25,629 −8.4%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010
Morehouse Parish racial composition as of 2020
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 12,220 47.68%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 11,976 46.73%
Native American 80 0.31%
Asian 89 0.35%
Pacific Islander 3 0.01%
Other/Mixed 880 3.43%
Hispanic or Latino 381 1.49%

As of the census of 2000, there were 31,021 people, 11,382 households, and 8,320 families living in the parish. The population density was 39 people per square mile (15 people/km2). There were 12,711 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6.2/km2). The racial makeup of the parish was 55.76% White, 43.36% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. 0.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. By the 2010 United States census, there were 27,979 people living in the parish. 51.3% were White, 46.9% Black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.3% of some other race and 1.0% of two or more races. 0.9% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). As of the 2020 United States census, there were 25,629 people, 9,732 households, and 6,194 families residing in the parish.

In 2000, there were 11,382 households, out of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.10% were married couples living together, 19.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.90% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the parish the population was spread out, with 27.50% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.10 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $25,124 in 2000, and the median income for a family was $31,358. Males had a median income of $31,385 versus $18,474 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $13,197. About 21.30% of families and 26.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.90% of those under age 18 and 23.80% of those age 65 or over.

Law enforcement

Morehouse Parish Sheriff's Office
Abbreviation MPSO
Jurisdictional structure
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters Bastrop, Louisiana
Agency executive
Website
http://www.mpso.net/

The Morehouse Parish Sheriff's Office (MPSO) is the primary law enforcement agency of Morehouse Parish. It falls under the authority of the Sheriff, who is the chief law enforcement officer of the parish. As of 2022 the sheriff of Morehouse Parish is Mike Tubbs.

The Sheriff's Office operates the following facilities:

  • Headquarters - The headquarters building is located at 351 South Franklin Street in Bastrop.
  • Morehouse Parish Jail - The Morehouse Parish Jail is located at 250 East Walnut Street in Bastrop. The jail presently houses approximately 70 inmates, and employs twenty full-time and part-time Corrections Officers.
  • Morehouse Parish Detention Center - The Morehouse Parish Detention Center is located at 6444 Patey Road in Collinston. The Detention Center presently houses approximately 272 inmates, and employs thirty three Correction Officers.

Since the formation of the Morehouse Parish Sheriff's Office, one deputy has been killed in the line of duty.

Education

Morehouse Parish School Board operates local public schools.

National Guard

The 1023rd Engineer Company (Vertical) of the 528th Engineer Battalion of the 225th Engineer Brigade is located in Bastrop.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Parroquia de Morehouse para niños

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