Lincoln

Formed February 24, 1873 (56^th parish)

Lincoln Parish (48,398), Ruston (22,163)

The brown/orange brick Modern courthouse of Lincoln Parish was built in 1950.  A two-story arch at the front of the building breaks up the contour.  The structure is located on West Texas Avenue at United States Highway 167.  United States Highway 80 also shares the street with United States 167.  Vienna started as the first parish seat until 1884 when the courthouse was moved to Ruston where a 1903 courthouse was built.  Lincoln Parish was formed on February 24, 1873 from Claiborne, Union and Jackson parishes as the 56^th parish.  The architectural firm of Neied & Somdal provided the design of the current courthouse.  Ruston was named for Robert E. Russ on whose land the city was founded.  The parish’s namesake was United States President Abraham Lincoln. 

Lincoln Parish government consists of a President, a sheriff, a clerk, a treasurer, and a coroner (executive).  It has 12 Police Jury Members (legislative.)  Two District Court Judges serve Lincoln and Union parishes and Four Justice Court Judges serve Lincoln Parish (judicial.) The parish is in north central Louisiana between Shreveport, Louisiana, west, and Monroe, Louisiana, east.  The parish center is 7.9 miles Northwest of Ruston nearer Vienna.  The parish is surrounded clockwise by Union, Ouachita, Jackson, Bienville, and Claiborne parishes. 

The area of the parish is 472 square miles.  It is 49 out of 64 in the state.  It ranks 24 out of 64 in population in the state.  It has a density of 102.5 persons per square mile making it 16 out of 64 in the state.  Lincoln Parish has 63.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 20 crosses east to west from Ouachita to Bienville parishes.  United States Highway 80 parallels Interstate Highway 20 from Ouachita to Bienville parishes.  United States Highway 167 goes north to south from Union Parish to Jackson Parish.  The parish is shaped like a capital letter T sitting on its side with the head to the west.  Ruston is in the extreme south of the parish.  Ruston is the parish seat and the largest city.  It is 45.8% of the parish population.  This parish is in the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area.

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