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Winn Parish, Louisiana facts for kids

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Winn Parish, Louisiana
Parish
Parish of Winn
Winn Parish Courthouse in Winnfield
Winn Parish Courthouse in Winnfield
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Louisiana's location within the US
Louisiana's location within the US
Country  United States
State  Louisiana
Region North Louisiana
Founded February 24, 1852; 173 years ago (1852-02-24)
Named for Walter Winn or Winfield Scott
Parish seat (and largest city) Winnfield
Incorporated municipalities
6 (total)
1 city, 1 town, and 4 villages
Area
 • Total 2,480 km2 (957 sq mi)
 • Land 2,500 km2 (950 sq mi)
 • Water 17 km2 (6.7 sq mi)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 13,755
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code 318
Congressional district 5th

Winn Parish is a special kind of county called a parish in the state of Louisiana, USA. In 2020, about 13,755 people lived here. The main town and biggest city is Winnfield.

Winn Parish was created in 1852. It is the very last parish in Louisiana when you list them alphabetically. A special waterway called Saline Bayou separates Winn Parish from Natchitoches Parish. Saline Bayou is known as the first "blackwater" river in the southern USA to be protected.

A Look Back: History of Winn Parish

Saline Bayou (Winn-Natchitoches Parish, LA) IMG 7496 1
Saline Bayou
2015 backwater flooding in Winn Parish, LA MG 7194
Backwater flooding in Winn Parish in 2015. This caused a temporary detour on U.S. Highway 71 near St. Maurice.

Winn Parish was formed in 1852. Its land came from parts of three other parishes: Catahoula, Natchitoches, and Rapides.

During the Civil War, a young lawyer named David Pierson represented Winn Parish. He voted against Louisiana leaving the United States. Many people in Winn Parish supported the Union, which was the northern side in the war.

After the war, some groups of bandits caused trouble. They robbed travelers on roads like the Natchez Trace. The West and Kimbrell families were among the most well-known of these groups.

In 1873, a difficult event happened in nearby Grant Parish. It was called the Colfax massacre. This conflict involved groups of white and Black citizens after a disagreement about an election. It was a very sad time in the area's history.

Where is Winn Parish? Geography

Winn Parish covers a total area of about 957 square miles. Most of this area, 950 square miles, is land. The remaining 6.7 square miles, or 0.7%, is water.

Main Roads You Can Drive On

  • US 71.svg U.S. Highway 71
  • US 84.svg U.S. Highway 84
  • US 167.svg U.S. Highway 167
  • Louisiana 34 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 34
  • Louisiana 126 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 126
  • Louisiana 127 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 127
  • Louisiana 156 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 156
  • Louisiana 471 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 471
  • Louisiana 499 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 499
  • Louisiana 500 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 500
  • Louisiana 501 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 501
  • Louisiana 505 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 505
  • Louisiana 1228 (2008).svg Louisiana Highway 1228

Neighboring Parishes

Special Protected Areas

  • Kisatchie National Forest (part of it is in Winn Parish)
  • Saline Bayou

Towns and Villages: Communities in Winn Parish

City

  • Winnfield (This is the main town and the biggest one.)

Town

  • Tullos (Part of this town is in Winn Parish.)

Villages

Other Areas (Not Officially Cities or Towns)

Census-designated places

Other communities

  • Packton
  • Tannehill
  • Wheeling

Who Lives Here? Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1860 6,876 —
1870 4,954 −28.0%
1880 5,846 18.0%
1890 7,082 21.1%
1900 9,648 36.2%
1910 18,357 90.3%
1920 16,119 −12.2%
1930 14,766 −8.4%
1940 16,923 14.6%
1950 16,119 −4.8%
1960 16,034 −0.5%
1970 16,369 2.1%
1980 17,253 5.4%
1990 16,269 −5.7%
2000 16,894 3.8%
2010 15,313 −9.4%
2020 13,755 −10.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010
Winn Parish racial composition as of 2020
Race Number Percentage
White (not Hispanic) 8,498 61.78%
Black or African American (not Hispanic) 3,518 25.58%
Native American 77 0.56%
Asian 172 1.25%
Pacific Islander 16 0.12%
Other/Mixed 451 3.28%
Hispanic or Latino 1,023 7.44%

In 2020, there were 13,755 people living in Winn Parish. There were 5,483 households and 3,661 families.

Learning in Winn Parish: Education

The Winn Parish School Board is in charge of the public schools in the parish.

Corrections Facilities

The Winn Correctional Center is located in an area of Winn Parish that is not part of any city or town.

Military Presence: National Guard

A unit of the Louisiana National Guard used to be in Winnfield. This unit was part of the 199th Forward Support Battalion. They went to Iraq twice, in 2004-2005 and 2010, as part of a larger military team. The building where they were based, called the Winnfield Armory, is now closed.

Famous People from Winn Parish

Winn Parish is known for being the home of three Louisiana governors:

See also

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

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