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Louisiana Parishes
Louisiana is divided into sixty-four parishes. On March 31, 1807, the territorial legislature divided the state into 19 parishes, without getting rid of the old counties (which continued to exist until 1845). In 1811, a constitutional convention organized the state into seven judicial districts, each consisting of groups of parishes. In 1816, the first official map of the state used the term, as did the 1845 constitution. Since then, the official term has been parishes.Acadia Parish, Louisiana
Acadia Parish Education, Geography, and History
Acadia Parish is a parish located in
the state of Louisiana. Based on the 2010 census, the population
was 61,773. The parish was founded from parts of St. Landry
Parish in 1886. The parish seat is Crowley.
The name Acadia was suggested by a priest from Rayne, Father
Anthoioz and is derived from the former French colony of Acadia in Canada.
Acadia Parish is included in the Lafayette, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Etymology - Origin of Acadia Parish Name
The name Acadia was suggested by a priest from Rayne, Father Anthoioz and is derived from the former French colony of Acadia in Canada.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Acadia County History
Acadia Parish was created on 1887, from St. Landry Parish and the parish was named in honor of the Acadians, descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia. The Parish seat is Crowley.
The first settlement of what is now Acadia Parish was made by the exiled
Acadians who were induced by the Spanish Government to come to this area with
gifts of large tracts of land, cattle, and agricultural implements. Life was
simple, their homes were constructed of mud mixed with moss, their food was
plain, and there was little trade. They engaged in stock raising, and later
raised corn and cotton.
Acadia Parish was part of St. Landry Parish. In those days of poor transportation,
people found it a real hardship to travel by horseback, canoe, or priogue
to distant Opelousas, the parish seat. In 1886, the Rayne newspaper, The Rayne
Signal, proposed a division of the old parish with the creation of a new one.
The proposal was soon supported by many prominent men throughout the area,
and in an election, the people voted in its favor, almost two to one. Thus
was born Acadia Parish on October 2, 1886. The name Acadia was suggested by
a priest from Rayne, Father Anthoioz.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 657 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 655 square miles (1,700 km2) is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2) (0.4%) is water.
Acadia parish is located close to the center of Louisiana.
Neighboring Parishes
Bordering Parishes and counties are as follows:
- North: Evangeline Parish
- Northeast: St. Landry Parish
- Southeast: Lafayette Parish
- South: Vermilion Parish
- West: Jefferson Davis Parish
Education
Acadia Parish is served by Acadia Parish Schools.
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