St. Charles Parish, Louisiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Charles Parish
Parish
Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Louisiana's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Founded	1807
Named for	St. Charles
Seat	Hahnville
Largest community	Luling
Area
• Total	411 sq mi (1,060 km2)
• Land	279 sq mi (720 km2)
• Water	132 sq mi (340 km2)  32%
Population  (2020)
• Total	52,549
• Density	188.35/sq mi (72.72/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	2nd, 6th

St. Charles Parish (French: Paroisse de Saint-Charles) is a special type of county called a parish in the state of Louisiana. In 2020, about 52,549 people lived there. The main town where the local government is located is Hahnville. The biggest community in the parish is Luling.

This parish was created in 1807. This happened a few years after the United States bought the Louisiana territory from France in 1803. St. Charles Parish was once part of the "German Coast." This area along the Mississippi River was settled by German pioneers in the 1720s. Long ago, the economy here was based on growing sugarcane. Today, the energy industry is the main source of jobs and money. The Mississippi River splits St. Charles Parish, so it has land on both the east and west sides of the river.

St. Charles Parish is part of the larger New Orleans-Metairie metropolitan area.

A Look at St. Charles Parish History

Early Explorers and Native People

In 1682, French explorers René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, and Henri de Tonti traveled down the entire Mississippi River. When they passed what is now Hahnville, they met the native Quinipissa people. Later, in 1699, Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and his brother, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, returned. They claimed the area for France. They found a native Bayagoula village near a place called L’Anse aux Outardes (Bustard’s Cove) in what is now New Sarpy.

German Settlers Arrive in the 1700s

Around 1718, a company called the Company of the Indies started inviting French settlers to Louisiana. However, these early settlers found conditions very tough. In 1719, a plan was made to bring German and German-speaking Swiss farmers to Louisiana. That same year, a small group of German settlers arrived. They were taken by boat about thirty miles west of New Orleans. This area, along the west bank of the Mississippi River, became known as les Allemands, meaning "the Germans."

In 1720, more Germans were recruited. About 4,000 people from different parts of Europe traveled to Louisiana. Many of them died during the long and difficult journey. By the time they arrived in 1722, only about 330 settlers remained. French Governor Bienville ordered boats to take these German-speaking settlers to established villages. These villages included Hoffen, Marienthal, and Augsburg.

One of the leaders was Charles Frederic d'Arensbourg. His land grant near present-day Taft was named Karlstein after him. Karlstein became one of the first four settlements in "les Allemands." This area was also sometimes called Karlstein, after d'Arensbourg, who led the settlements for over 55 years.

Map of the German Coast, 1775. Carlstein and German Church are on the west bank of the Mississippi River.

Over time, "les Allemands" became known as Côté des Allemands or the German Coast. This area is now part of St. Charles and St. John the Baptist Parishes. The German Coast Settlement, founded in 1722, was the third permanent settlement in Louisiana. The first two were Natchitoches (1714) and New Orleans (1718).

In 1722, a big hurricane hit the German Coast. Many Germans thought about leaving. To stop them, Governor Bienville gave settlers more land on both sides of the river. Later, some French, German, and Canadian settlers moved to the east bank. They started the first east bank settlement at L’Anse aux Outardes. A church, La Paroisse de St. Jean des Allemands, was also founded in Karlstein in 1723.

A census in 1724 showed that German families were growing enough food and raising enough cattle for themselves. They also sold their extra food in New Orleans markets. From the very beginning, German Coast farmers were a major food source for New Orleans.

Changes and Growth in the 1700s

More land grants in 1722 and 1723 led to the "Second German Coast" in 1730. This meant there were now official settlements on both sides of the Mississippi River. In 1729, native groups attacked the German villages for the first time. In 1731, Louisiana became a French colony again. This happened after France took back control from the Company of the Indies. After this, more landowners asked France for individual ownership of their property.

Around 1740, the church and chapel moved to the current site of the church in Destrehan. This new location was on the east bank of the Mississippi River. A log cabin church was built. Both the church and chapel were renamed St. Charles, honoring St. Charles Borromeo.

Louisiana remained under French rule until 1763. Then, France gave Louisiana to Spain after losing the Seven Years' War to Great Britain. This war was also known as the French and Indian War in North America.

At the start of Spanish rule, many Acadians came to southern Louisiana. These people of French descent were forced out of what is now Nova Scotia by the British. The first French Acadian village in the German Coast was established in present-day Wallace. The German settlers and French Acadians lived well together. French became the main language. These groups mixed and married, and with other cultures, they formed what is now known as Louisiana Cajun culture.

Early settlers received land grants from the Spanish or French governments. These grants often had narrow riverfronts. This allowed each plantation easy access to the river for transporting goods. Goods were also shipped by boat on bayous and lakes. The main house and other buildings were built near the river. The rest of the land stretched away from the river into wetlands. This land was cleared to grow sugar cane and indigo. Some old homes still exist in St. Charles Parish, like Destrehan Plantation, Homeplace Plantation House, and Ormond Plantation House.

The 1800s: New Beginnings

In 1800, Napoleon of France took back control of Louisiana. But in 1803, the United States bought Louisiana from France. In 1804, the Territory of Orleans was created. The next year, it was divided into twelve counties. One of these was the County of the German Coast.

The first courthouse was built in 1804 in a community called “St. Charles Courthouse.” This town was later renamed Hahnville and became the parish seat.

In 1806, the log cabin St. Charles Chapel in Destrehan burned down. A new wooden church, painted red, was built in its place. This church became known as the "Little Red Church." It was a famous riverboat landmark. Boat captains often paid their crews here.

In 1807, St. Charles Parish was officially created. In 1811, part of the German Coast uprising happened in St. Charles Parish. The first two public schools in the parish opened in 1850.

During the American Civil War, three small battles took place in St. Charles Parish. These were the "Battle of Hahnville Courthouse," "Skirmish of Boutte Station," and the "Battle of Des Allemands."

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church was first built in 1877 in Taft. By the end of the 1800s, the parish started to oversee and regulate ferry services.

The 1900s: Industry and Progress

In the early 1900s, the German Coast area became known as the "River Parishes." These are parishes in Louisiana between New Orleans and Baton Rouge that are on both sides of the Mississippi River. They are part of the larger Acadiana region. St. Charles Parish, St. James Parish, and St. John the Baptist Parish are traditionally considered River Parishes.

Industry came to St. Charles Parish in the early 20th century. Energy companies moved to the east bank to use the Mississippi River, railways, and air services. In 1914, land in Destrehan was sold to the Mexican Petroleum Company. They opened an oil refinery in 1918. This was the start of heavy industry in the parish. In 1916, the New Orleans Refining Company bought land in what was then Sellers. This led to the town being renamed Norco. More industrial facilities were built in New Sarpy, Good Hope, and St. Rose.

In 1921, the "Little Red Church" burned down. St. Charles Borromeo Church was built on the same land that year. It was officially dedicated 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.

Since the German Coast was settled, landowners were responsible for levees. Breaches in these levees, called "crevasses," caused major flooding. After the huge Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, a new law was passed. The Flood Control Act of 1928 allowed for better levees and "spillways" to be built.

Between 1929 and 1931, the Bonnet Carré Spillway was built. This structure helps control floods by allowing water from the Mississippi River to flow into Lake Pontchartrain. This spot was chosen because four major crevasses had happened there before.

The first industry on the west bank came in 1952. The Lion Oil Company started building its facility in Luling. In 1955, Royal Dutch Shell opened the Shell Chemical Plant in Norco.

The 1960s brought new industries. Grain elevators were built in Ama and Destrehan. Also, chemical plants were built in Taft. In 1963, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church moved to Hahnville. The new building was finished in 1964.

In 1971, the Louisiana State Legislature officially recognized 22 parishes, including St. Charles Parish. They were noted for their "strong French Acadian cultural aspects." The region was officially named the "Heart of Acadiana." However, people usually just call the region Acadiana.

On October 20, 1976, a terrible ferry accident happened on the Mississippi River. The George Prince ferry was hit by a Norwegian tanker. Seventy-eight people died. Seven years later, on October 6, 1983, the Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge opened. This bridge, first called the Luling–Destrehan Bridge, connected the east and west banks of the parish for the first time. In 1983, ferry service in the parish also ended.

In 1985, the Waterford Nuclear Generating Station began operating. It was built on Charles Frédérique d'Arensbourg's original land grant of Karlstein.

The 2000s: New Projects and Challenges

On September 5, 2000, the town of Good Hope became part of Norco. This happened after a company bought all the homes and businesses in Good Hope in 1983. Good Hope is now considered a ghost town. Taft also became a ghost town in 2000.

On March 26, 2002, the Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion Project was dedicated near Luling. Construction on this project began in 1997. In 2007, the East Bank Hurricane Protection Levee was finished. This levee protects most of the east bank from floodwaters from Lake Pontchartrain and the Labranche Wetlands.

On August 29, 2021, Hurricane Ida caused a lot of damage in St. Charles Parish. The Parish President said that almost every building in the parish was damaged. Some had minor damage, while others were completely destroyed.

Geography of St. Charles Parish

St. Charles Parish covers about 411 square miles. About 279 square miles is land, and 132 square miles (32%) is water.

Water Bodies

• Bayou des Allemands
• Lac des Allemands
• Lake Cataouatche
• Lake Pontchartrain
• Lake Salvador
• Mississippi River

Protected Areas

• Bonnet Carré Spillway (National protected area)
• Salvador Wildlife Management Area (State protected area)
• Timken Wildlife Management Area (State protected area)

Neighboring Parishes

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

Communities in St. Charles Parish

Map of St. Charles Parish, with municipal labels

Census-Designated Places

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

Unincorporated Communities

• Almedia
• Frellsen
• Gypsy‡

‡This place also has parts in another parish.

Ghost Towns

• Good Hope
• Taft

Former Populated Areas

• Augsburg
• Hoffen
• Karlstein
• Marienthal

People of St. Charles Parish

In 2020, there were 52,549 people living in St. Charles Parish. There were 19,212 households and 14,463 families. In 2019, about 7.1% of people spoke a language other than English at home. Spanish was the second most spoken language.

The average age in the parish was 37.9 years old. About 6.2% of the population was aged 5 and under. Most homes (80.7%) were owned by the people living in them. The average home value was $207,700. The average rent was $978. The average household income was $69,019. About 15.1% of the people lived below the poverty line.

Like much of southern Louisiana, the Roman Catholic Church is the largest religious group in the parish. In 2020, about 21,947 people were Catholic. Other large Christian groups included Southern Baptists, National Baptists, and Full Gospel Baptists.

Education in St. Charles Parish

Public Schools

St. Charles Parish Public Schools runs the public schools in the parish.

High Schools

• Destrehan High School
• Hahnville High School

Private Schools

• St. Charles Borromeo School

Colleges and Universities

St. Charles Parish is served by Delgado Community College.

Healthcare and Emergency Services

Hospitals

• St. Charles Parish Hospital

Law and Government

As the parish seat, Hahnville is where the parish courthouse is located.

Judicial District

St. Charles Parish is part of the 29th Judicial District in Louisiana.

Law Enforcement

• St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office

Transportation in St. Charles Parish

Airports

• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
• St. Charles Airport

Highways and Roads

Interstates

• Interstate 10
  • 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 Bridges for Vehicles

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

Railroads

Rail Services

• Amtrak
• Canadian National Railway
• Kansas City Southern Railway

Major Railroad Bridges

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

Famous People from St. Charles Parish

• Darren Barbier, Luling, former football coach
• 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, former State Senate president and district attorney
• Macon Clark, St. Rose, NFL safety
• Barbara Colley, Luling, writer
• Charles Frederick d’Arensbourg, leader of the German Coast settlement
• Dana "Pokey" Chatman, Ama, WNBA head 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 and former mayor
• Michael Hahn, Hahnville, 19th Governor of Louisiana
• 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, football 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, running back
• Rondell Mealey, Norco, NFL running back
• Kirk Merritt, Destrehan, NFL wide receiver
• Gregory A. Miller, Norco, attorney and state representative
• Ralph R. Miller, Norco, state representative
• Jerico Nelson, New Sarpy, NFL safety
• George T. Oubre, Norco, state senator
• Jeremy Parquet, Norco, NFL offensive lineman
• Rusty Rebowe, Norco, NFL linebacker
• Tim Rebowe, Norco, head football coach
• Ed Reed, St. Rose and Destrehan, NFL safety, in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Darius Reynaud, Luling, NFL wide receiver
• Darryl Richard, St. Rose, NFL defensive lineman
• Garland Robinette, Boutte, journalist and news anchor
• Mike Scifres, Destrehan, NFL punter
• Darrington Sentimore, Norco, NFL defensive lineman
• Gary Smith, Jr., Norco, state senator
• Margaret Taylor-Burroughs, St. Rose, co-founder of a museum
• Gary Tyler, St. Rose, who was released from prison 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

Images for kids

• 

  Map of the German Coast, 1775. Carlstein and German Church are on the west bank of the Mississippi River.

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  Map of St. Charles Parish, with municipal labels

See also

In Spanish: Parroquia de St. Charles para niños