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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.Grant Parish, Louisiana
Grant Parish Education, Geography, and History
Grant Parish is a parish located in the north central portion of the state of Louisiana. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 20,309. The parish was founded in 1869.The parish seat is Colfax.
Grant Parish is named for US President Ulysses S. Grant
Grant Parish is part of the Alexandria, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area and Red River Valley. From 1940-1960, the parish had a dramatic
population loss, as many African Americans left in the Great Migration to seek better opportunities elsewhere. Such migration continued until
about 1970. The parish was also one of the eleven Reconstruction parishes created, created from Winn and Rapides parishes.
Etymology - Origin of Grant Parish Name
Grant was one of several new parishes created by the Reconstruction legislature in an attempt to build the Republican Party. Founded in 1869, it had a slight majority of freedmen. Grant Parish was named for United States President Ulysses S.Grant.Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Grant County History
Grant Parish was originally a part of the more populous Rapides Parish to the south. Prior to the American Civil War, the center of activity focused upon "Calhoun's Landing," named for the cotton and sugar planter Meredith Calhoun, a native of South Carolina. Calhoun also published the former National Democrat newspaper in what became Colfax, the seat of government of the new parish.
Grant Parish was created by Act 82 of March 4, 1869, from Rapides and Winn Parishes and the parish was named in honor of US President Ulysses S. Grant. The Parish seat is Colfax. The Courthouse had an unkown records loss in the 1880's.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 665 square miles (1,720 km2), of which 643 square miles (1,670 km2) is land and 22 square miles (57 km2) (3.3%) is water.
Grant Parish is located in northwest Louisiana. Part of the Kisatchie National Forest is located in this parish. The Little River is formed about three miles northeast of Georgetown by the joining together of the Dugdemona River and Castor Creek and flows originally southeast along the boundaries of Grant Parish.
Neighboring Parishes
Bordering parishes and counties are as follows:
- North: Winn Parish
- East: La Salle Parish
- South: Rapides Parish
- Northwest: Natchitoches Parish
Education
Public schools in Grant Parish are operated by the Grant Parish School Board.
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