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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.Cameron Parish, Louisiana
Cameron Parish Education, Geography, and History
Cameron Parish is a parish in the southwestern section of the state of Louisiana. Based on the 2010 census, the
population was 6,839. The parish was founded
in 1870. The parish seat is Cameron.
Cameron Parish is named for Simon Cameron.
Cameron Parish is part of the Lake Charles, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Etymology - Origin of Cameron Parish Name
The parish was named in honor of United States Secretary of War Simon Cameron.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Cameron County History
Cameron Parish was created on March 16, 1870, by Legislative Act 102, from part of Calcasieu and from the
southwestern comer of Vermillion and the parish was named in honor of US Secretary of War Simon Cameron. The Parish
seat is Cameron. Cameron Parish is one of the largest parishes in Louisiana but has the smallest population. The current
courthouse was built in 1937 and is one of the most historic courthouses in Louisiana. It was one of the few buildings
in town to escape serious damage from Hurricane Audrey. On June 26, 1957 the courthouse sheltered Cameron residents for
the disastrous hurricane.
Henry Clay Warmoth, carpet-bag governor of Louisiana, created Cameron Parish as a favor to his friend, Colonel George W.
Carter. The latter, with friends and adroit political manipulation, came down into the newly created parish as Parish
Judge. Governor Warmoth had given him carte blanche to appoint the parish
officers, sheriff, police jurors, constables, justices of the peace, and
registrars of voters.
Although it is the third-largest parish by land area in Louisiana, it has the second-smallest population.
As reported by the Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 1,937 square miles (5,020 km2), of which 1,285 square miles (3,330 km2) is land and 652 square miles (1,690 km2) (34%) is water.
Cameron parish is located in southwest Louisiana. This parish is the third-largest parish in Louisiana by land area and fourth-largest by total area. Most of its water is due to the Gulf of Mexico. Calcasieu River lows through this parish.
Neighboring Parishes
Bordering parishes and counties are as follows:
- Northeast: Jefferson Davis Parish
- East: Vermilion Parish
- South: Gulf of Mexico
- West: Jefferson County, Tex.
- Northwest: Orange County, Tex.; Calcasieu Parish
Education
Cameron Parish School Board operates local public schools.
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