Richland

Formed September 29, 1868 (48^th parish)

Richland Parish (20,049), Rayville (3,349)

The concrete Modern structure was built in 1950.  The facility is located on Julia Street at Benedette Street.  United States Highway 80 runs in front of the site.  There was an 1885 version of the courthouse also in Rayville, the only parish seat.  On September 29, 1868 Richland Parish is created from parts of Carroll, Franklin, Morehouse, and Ouachita parishes as the 48^th parish.  Smith, Padgett & Stubbs are the architects for the building.  Richland is a geographic term for the fertile land.  Rayville’s namesake was James Ray, storeowner on the site of the city. 

Richland Parish government consists of a President, a sheriff, a clerk, a treasurer, and a coroner (executive).  It has 3 Police Jury Members (legislative.)  Three District Court Judges serve Richland, Franklin, and West Carroll parishes and Six Justice Court Judges serve Richland Parish (judicial.) Richland Parish is found in the northeast part of the state.  Monroe, Louisiana is west and Vicksburg, Mississippi is east.  Bayou Lafourche is the west border and Bayou Macon is the east border of the parish.  The parish center is 7.5 miles South-Southwest of Rayville nearer Archibald.  The parish is surrounded clockwise by Morehouse, West Carroll, East Carroll, Madison, Franklin, Caldwell, and Ouachita parishes. 

The area of the parish is 564 square miles.  It is 47 out of 64 in the state.  It ranks 46 out of 64 in population in the state.  It has a density of 35.5 persons per square mile making it 37 out of 64 in the state.  Richland Parish has 32.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 20 crosses east to west from Madison Parish to Ouachita Parish.  United States Highway 80 parallels Interstate Highway 20 from Madison to Ouachita parishes.  The parish is shaped like a backward comma.  Rayville is north of the parish center.  Rayville is the parish seat and the largest city.  It is 16.7% of the parish population.