Evangeline

Formed January 1, 1910 (60^th parish)

Evangeline Parish (32,351), Ville Platte (6,303)                

The Modern red brick building was built in 1977.  The courthouse is on Court Street at Magnolia Street.  United States Highway 167 is one block north of the location.  The courthouse was designed by Meleton, Patin, and Guillory.  The gazebo in front of the courthouse would normally be the outstanding feature but an actual helicopter sets on the front lawn to honor the parish’s military.  An earlier courthouse was built in Ville Platte in 1912.  Ville Platte became the parish seat in 1858.  Evangeline became a separate parish on January 1, 1910 as the 60^th parish.  It was originally part of Opelousas County.  Evangeline was named after a Longfellow poem heroine.  Ville Platte is French for “flat town.” 

Evangeline 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 Five Justice Court Judges serve Evangeline Parish (judicial.) The parish is in south central Louisiana south of Alexandria, Louisiana and northwest of Lafayette, Louisiana.  The parish center is 15.4 miles Northwest of Ville Platte nearer Pine Prairie.  The parish is surrounded clockwise by Rapides, Avoyelles, Saint Landry, Acadia, and Allen parishes. 

The area of the parish is 680 square miles.  It is 31 out of 64 in the state.  It ranks 32 out of 64 in population in the state.  It has a density of 47.6 persons per square mile making it 30 out of 64 in the state.  Evangeline Parish has 38.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 49 cuts the very northeast corner of the parish from Avoyelles into Saint Landry parishes.  United States Highway 167 comes in from the north, Rapides Parish, and goes to the east, Saint Landry Parish.  The shape of the parish can be described as a small letter p.  Ville Platte is in the eastern quarter of the parish.  Ville Platte is the parish seat and the largest city.  It is 19.5% of the parish population.  The parish is pronounced E-VAN-GE-LEEN.  The seat is pronounced VIL PLAT.