Bossier Parish, Louisiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bossier Parish, Louisiana
Parish
Parish of Bossier
Renovated Bossier Parish Courthouse in Benton
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana
Louisiana's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Region	North Louisiana
Founded	February 24, 1843
Named for	Pierre Bossier
Parish seat	Benton
Largest city	Bossier City
Area
• Total	2,250 km2 (867 sq mi)
• Land	2,200 km2 (840 sq mi)
• Water	70 km2 (27 sq mi)
• percentage	8 km2 (3.1 sq mi)
Population  (2020)
• Total	128,746
• Density	57.33/km2 (148.50/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	318
Congressional district	4th

Bossier Parish ( BOH-zhər; French: Paroisse de Bossier) is a parish located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2010 census, the population was 116,979, and 128,746 in 2020.

The parish seat is Benton. The principal city is Bossier City, which is located east of the Red River and across from the larger city of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The parish was formed in 1843 from the western portion of Claiborne Parish. Bossier Parish is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan statistical area, the largest metropolitan area in North Louisiana.

Lake Bistineau and Lake Bistineau State Park are included in parts of Bossier and neighboring Webster and Bienville parishes. Loggy Bayou flows south from Lake Bistineau in southern Bossier Parish, traverses western Bienville Parish, and in Red River Parish joins the Red River.

History

Arnold-Tidwell House near the Cypress Lake recreational area is one of three antebellum homes still standing in Bossier Parish. Willis Knighton Hospital in Bossier City serves much of northern Bossier Parish. Swimmers at Cypress Lake on a cloudy summer day

Bossier Parish is named for Pierre Bossier, a 19th-century Louisiana state senator and U.S. representative from Natchitoches Parish.

Bossier Parish was spared fighting on its soil during the American Civil War. In July 1861, at the start of the war, the Bossier Parish Police Jury appropriated $35,000 for the benefit of Confederate volunteers and their family members left behind, an amount then considered generous.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 867 square miles (2,250 km²), of which 840 square miles (2,200 km²) is land and 27 square miles (70 km²) (3.1%) is water. Four miles east of Bossier City is Barksdale Air Force Base.

Major highways

• Future Interstate 69
• Interstate 20
  • Interstate 220
• U.S. Highway 71
• U.S. Highway 79
• U.S. Highway 80
• Louisiana Highway 2
• Louisiana Highway 3

Adjacent counties and parishes

• Miller County, Arkansas (northwest)
• Lafayette County, Arkansas (north)
• Webster Parish (east)
• Bienville Parish (southeast)
• Red River Parish (south)
• Caddo Parish (west)

National protected area

• Red River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

2010 census

According to the 2010 U.S. census, there were 116,979 people, 62,000 households, and 37,500 families residing in the parish. The population density was 142 people per square mile (45/km²). There were 49,000 housing units at an average density of 48 per squaremile (19/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 70.66% White, 18.52% Black or African American, 0.82% Native American, 2.18% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 1.00% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races; 8.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latin American of any race.

There were 46,020 households, out of which 36.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 14.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the parish the population was spread out, with 28.00% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 10.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $39,203, and the median income for a family was $45,542. Males had a median income of $32,305 versus $23,287 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $18,119. About 10.60% of families and 13.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.00% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.

2019 ACS

According to the 2019 American Community Survey, the racial and ethnic makeup of the parish was 65.9% non-Hispanic white, 23.2% African American, 0.7% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.9% some other race, 1.7% two or more races, and 6.9% Hispanic or Latin American of any race.

There were 49,736 households spread out among 58,309 housing units. The median gross rent was $983, and the parish had a home-ownership rate of 63.4%. Among the population, the median household income was $49,962 and 18.8% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 128,746 people, 49,735 households, and 33,963 families residing in the parish.

National Guard

The 165th CSS (Combat Service Support) Battalion is headquartered in Bossier City. This unit was deployed to Iraq in 2008. Also located in Bossier City is the 156TH Army Band which deployed as part of the 256th Infantry Brigade in 2010 to Iraq.

Communities

Map of Bossier Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels

Cities

• Bossier City (largest incorporated places)
• Shreveport (partial)

Towns

• Benton (parish seat)
• Haughton
• Plain Dealing

Census-designated places

• Eastwood
• Red Chute

Unincorporated communities

• Fillmore
• Midway
• Princeton, birthplace was George Dement
• Taylortown

Gallery

• 

  Bossier Parish Library in Benton

• 

  Bossier Parish's Sheriff's Department in Benton

• 

  Bossier Parish School Board office in Benton

Education

Bossier Parish School Board operates public schools in the parish.

It is in the service area of Bossier Parish Community College.

Notable people

• William Benton Boggs (1854-1922), first mayor of Plain Dealing (1890) and member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1892 to 1900 for Bossier Parish and the Louisiana State Senate for Bossier and Webster parishes from 1908 to 1916
• Dewey E. Burchett Jr., state district court judge for Bossier and Webster parishes, 1988-2008
• Roy A. Burrell, state representative from District 2 (Caddo and Bossier parishes) since 2004
• Harvey Locke Carey, lawyer and politician; lived off Wafer Road in Bossier Parish in the 1960s
• Robert Houston Curry (1842-1892), state representative for Bossier Parish from 1888 to 1892; wounded Confederate Army soldier
• Jesse C. Deen, late principal in the Rocky Mount community, served on the Bossier Parish Police Jury and then in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972 to 1988. His older son, Larry Callaway Deen, is a former Bossier Parish sheriff.
• E. S. Dortch, planter and politician and last surviving (1943) Bossier Parish veteran of the Confederate States Army
• Ryan Gatti, state senator for District 36 since 2016; Bossier City lawyer
• Ray Germany, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball All-American in 1959 and 1960; resident of Haughton
• Hoffman L. Fuller, politician, four-term mayor of Bossier City, 1937-1953
• Mike Johnson, Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives; constitutional attorney in Benton
• J. A. W. Lowry (died 1899), district attorney and state senator
• Jerry Miculek, American professional speed and competition shooter known for his 20 world records; resides in Princeton
• George Nattin, mayor of Bossier City, 1961-1973
• William Washington Vance, state senator from 1886 to 1892

See also

In Spanish: Parroquia de Bossier para niños