Washington

Formed January 1, 1819 (25^th parish)

Washington Parish (45,456), Franklinton (3,642), Bogalusa (10,654)

A brown brick and concrete Modern structure was built in 1960 to serve Washington Parish.  It is located on a city square at Washington, Cleveland, Pearl, and Main streets.  Franklinton has been the parish seat since the parish was established.  There were three previous courthouses in Franklinton built in 1897, 1905 and 1938.  On January 1, 1819 Washington Parish was created from Saint Tammany Parish as the 25^th parish.  The parish was originally part of Spanish West Florida.  August Perez & Associates designed this courthouse.  United States President George Washington inspired the parish name.  An Administrative Building supports the courthouse.  American statesman Benjamin Franklin provided the parish seat’s title.  He is also the source for Franklin Parish and the seat of Saint Mary Parish. 

Washington Parish government consists of a President, a sheriff, a clerk, a treasurer, and a coroner (executive).  It has 7 Council Members (legislative.)  Twelve District Court Judges serve Washington and Saint Tammany parishes and Eight Justice Court Judges serve Washington Parish (judicial.) The county is located in the southeast part of the state on the border with Mississippi.  The Pearl River forms the eastern border with Mississippi and Mississippi is also the northern border of the parish.  The parish center is 6.8 miles Southeast of Franklinton.  The parish is surrounded clockwise by Mississippi and Saint Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes. 

The area of the parish is 676 square miles.  It is 32 out of 64 in the state.  It ranks 25 out of 64 in population in the state.  It has a density of 67.2 persons per square mile making it 23 out of 64 in the state.  Washington Parish has 32.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the parish.  The parish would be rectangular but the eastern border is slightly longer than the western border.  Franklinton is in the western half of the parish.  Bogalusa is located on the southeast border of the parish.  Franklinton is the parish seat and Bogalusa is the largest city.  Franklinton is 8.0% of the parish population while Bogalusa is 23.4% of the parish population.  This parish is in the Bogalusa Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Varnado