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St. Mary Parish, Louisiana facts for kids

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Saint Mary Parish
Parish
Main street in Franklin.
Main street in Franklin.
Map of Louisiana highlighting Saint Mary 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 1811
Named for Saint Mary
Seat Franklin
Largest city Morgan City
Area
 • Total 1,119 sq mi (2,900 km2)
 • Land 555 sq mi (1,440 km2)
 • Water 564 sq mi (1,460 km2)  50%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 49,406
 • Density 44.152/sq mi (17.047/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd

St. Mary Parish (French: Paroisse de Sainte-Marie) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,406. The parish seat is Franklin. The parish was created in 1811.

St. Mary Parish comprises the Morgan City, LA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Lafayette-Opelousas-Morgan City, LA Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 1,119 square miles (2,900 km2), of which 555 square miles (1,440 km2) is land and 564 square miles (1,460 km2) (50%) is water. Cypremort Point State Park is located in the parish on Vermilion Bay.

Major highways

  • I-49 (Future).svg Future Interstate 49
  • US 90.svg U.S. Highway 90
  • Louisiana 83 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 83
  • Louisiana 87 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 87
  • Louisiana 182 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 182
  • Louisiana 317 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 317
  • Louisiana 318 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 318

Adjacent parishes

Protected areas

The parish has both national and state protected areas within its borders.

National protected area

  • Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge

State protected areas

Part of the Attakapas Wildlife Management Area is located within St. Mary Parish as well as in St. Martin and Iberia Parishes.

Communities

Map of St. Mary Parish Louisiana With Municipal Labels
Map of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1830 6,442 —
1840 8,950 38.9%
1850 13,697 53.0%
1860 16,816 22.8%
1870 13,860 −17.6%
1880 19,891 43.5%
1890 22,416 12.7%
1900 34,145 52.3%
1910 39,368 15.3%
1920 30,754 −21.9%
1930 29,397 −4.4%
1940 31,458 7.0%
1950 35,848 14.0%
1960 48,833 36.2%
1970 60,752 24.4%
1980 64,253 5.8%
1990 58,086 −9.6%
2000 53,500 −7.9%
2010 54,650 2.1%
2020 49,406 −9.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010
St. Mary Parish racial composition as of 2020
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 26,334 53.3%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 14,950 30.26%
Native American 911 1.84%
Asian 647 1.31%
Pacific Islander 13 0.03%
Other/Mixed 2,027 4.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4,524 9.16%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 49,406 people, 19,856 households, and 11,354 families residing in the parish. As of the census of 2000, there were 53,500 people, 19,317 households, and 14,082 families residing in the parish. The population density was 87 people per square mile (34 people/km2). There were 21,650 housing units at an average density of 35 per square mile (14/km2). The racial makeup of the parish was 62.79% White, 31.79% Black or African American, 1.39% Native American, 1.64% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. 2.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 5.43% reported speaking French or Cajun French at home, while 2.45% speak Spanish and 1.59% Vietnamese.

There were 19,317 households, out of which 36.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% were married couples living together, 16.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the parish the population was spread out, with 29.70% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $28,072, and the median income for a family was $33,064. Males had a median income of $31,570 versus $18,341 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $13,399. About 20.60% of families and 23.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.30% of those under age 18 and 19.00% of those age 65 or over.

Education

St. Mary Parish School Board operates local public schools.

The Chitimacha Day School, affiliated with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), is in the Charenton community of unincorporated St. Mary Parish.

It is in the service area of Fletcher Technical Community College.

Media

St. Mary Parish has two daily newspapers, the Morgan City Daily Review (circulation under 6,000) and the Franklin Banner-Tribune in Franklin (circulation 3,350).

National Guard

B Company 2-156TH Infantry Battalion of the 256TH IBCT resides in Franklin, Louisiana. This unit has deployed to Iraq twice, 2004-5 and 2010.

Notable people

  • Alexander Allain (1920 – 1994), lawyer, library advocate who was one of the 100 most influential library leaders of the 20th century. The Louisiana Library Association named its annual intellectual freedom award for him.
  • Bret Allain (born c. 1958), sugar cane farmer and the current District 21 state senator from St. Mary Parish
  • Clarence C. "Taddy" Aycock (1915–1987), state House Speaker from 1952 to 1956 and lieutenant governor from 1960 to 1972
  • Carl W. Bauer (1933-2013), attorney-lobbyist; former member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature
  • Ralph Norman Bauer (1899-1963), attorney; former Speaker of the Louisiana House; a leader of the impeachment forces against Governor Huey P. Long, Jr., in 1929
  • V.J. Bella (born 1927), former state representative (1972–1990) and state fire marshal (1990–1992; 1996–2004)
  • Elizabeth Bisland (1861–1929), noted journalist and author
  • Sally Clausen, former president of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammoned and Louisiana commissioner of higher education; reared in St. Mary Parish
  • Thomas G. Clausen, Louisiana education superintendent from 1984 to 1988; reared in St. Mary Parish
  • Murphy James "Mike" Foster, Jr. (1930-2020), governor of Louisiana from 1996 to 2004
  • Elizabeth Francis (1909-2024), supercentenarian who until her death in 2024 was the oldest living American and the world's third oldest living person
  • Sam S. Jones, state representative for St. Mary Parish since 2008
  • Geronimo Pratt, Vietnam War veteran who served twenty-seven years in prison wrongfully accused of murder
  • William Joseph Seymour (born 1870), considered to be the most influential African American minister of the twentieth century and pastor of the famous Azusa Street Revival
  • Lester Vetter, reared in St. Mary Parish; mayor of Coushatta prior to 1952 and state representative for Red River Parish from 1952 until his death in office in 1960
  • Warren Wells, Pro football player for the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders
  • Dale Hawkins, (born 1936, died 2010) pioneer of swamp rock boogie

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Parroquia de St. Mary para niños

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