Catahoula

Formed March 23, 1808 (18^th parish)

Catahoula Parish (8,903), Harrisonburg (277), Jonesville (1,728)

A typical red brick and concrete Classical Revival structure built in 1930 serves as the Catahoula Parish courthouse.  The facility is located at Short and Sicily Street in this small town.  The structure was enlarged in 1976.  The parish came into being on March 23, 1808 as the 18^th parish with Harrisonburg as the only parish seat.  Catahoula Parish was originally part of Rapides Parish.  J. W. Smith and Associates are the architects responsible for the design of this facility.  The parish name is a Native American word meaning “big clear lake.”  The county seat is named for settlers, the Harrison family. 

Catahoula 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 serve Catahoula and Concordia parishes and Three Justice Court Judges serve Catahoula Parish (judicial.) The parish is situated in eastern Louisiana northeast of Alexandria, Louisiana.  Black Bayou comes through the parish and forms part of its eastern border.  Red Bayou forms part of its southern border.  The parish center is 6.7 miles Southeast of Harrisonburg nearer Manifest.  The parish is surrounded clockwise by Franklin, Tensas, Concordia, Avoyelles, La Salle, and Caldwell parishes. 

The area of the parish is 739 square miles.  It is 29 out of 64 in the state.  It ranks 60 out of 64 in population in the state.  It has a density of 12.0 persons per square mile making it 61 out of 64 in the state.  Catahoula Parish has 26.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 84 crosses from east to west, Concordia Parish to La Salle Parish.  It is shaped like a small letter r but the eastern and southern borders wander with the bayous.  Harrisonburg is in the northern half and slightly west of center.  Jonesville is located slightly south of the parish center.  Harrisonburg is the parish seat and Jonesville is the largest city.  Harrisonburg is 3.1% of the parish population while Jonesville is 19.4% of the parish population.  The parish is pronounced KAT-A-HOO-LA.