Avoyelles

Formed March 31, 1807 (2^nd parish)

Avoyelles Parish (39,690), Marksville (5,068)

A traditional red brick and masonry, Classical Revival structure was built in 1927.  Herman J. Duncan was the architect for this facility.  The structure is on a city square on Main Street at Mark Street.  Main Street is Louisiana State Highway 107 in this part of the city.  The courthouse was renovated in 1978.  There have been three older courthouses all located in Marksville including a 1912 building.  Avoyelles Parish was one of the originals (2^nd parish) having been created on March 31, 1807.  Avoyelles comes from the name of a Native American tribe.  Mark Elishe founded a trading post and is the namesake of Marksville.  Avoyelles Parish was the birthplace of 1 Louisiana Governor, Edwin W. Edwards. 

Avoyelles Parish government consists of a President, a sheriff, a clerk, a treasurer, and a coroner (executive).  It has 9 Police Jury Members (legislative.)  Two District Court Judges and Nine Justice Court Judges serve Avoyelles Parish (judicial.) The parish is in central Louisiana to the east of Alexandria, Louisiana.  The geographical center of Louisiana is 3 miles southeast of Marksville in the parish.  The Red and Black Rivers form the north and east borders.  The parish center is 12.3 miles South of Marksville nearer Cottonport.  The parish is surrounded clockwise by Catahoula, Concordia, West Feliciana, Pointe Coupee, Saint Landry, Evangeline, Rapides, and La Salle parishes. 

The area of the parish is 866 square miles.  It is 21 out of 64 in the state.  It ranks 28 out of 64 in population in the state.  It has a density of 45.8 persons per square mile making it 32 out of 64 in the state.  Avoyelles Parish has 38.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 71 crosses the parish north to south from Rapides Parish into Saint Landry Parish.  The parish is shaped like a J.  Marksville is in the northwest quarter of the parish.  Marksville is the parish seat and the largest city.  It is 12.8% of the parish population.  The parish is pronounced AV-O-YAE.