Bienville Parish (French: Paroisse de Bienville, pronounced [paʁwas də bjɛ̃vil]) is a parish located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 census, the population was 12,981. The parish seat and most populous municipality is Arcadia.
The highest natural point in Louisiana, a hill known as Mt. Driskill, 535 feet (163 m) in elevation, is located in north central Bienville Parish. The mountain is located on private land with public access by walking trail. It is named for James Christopher Driskill, a 19th-century landowner. Nearby is Jordan Mountain, with an elevation of 493 feet (150 m).
Contents
History
In the 1830s, Ruben Drake moved his family from South Carolina to what he named Mount Lebanon, the first permanent settlement in the parish. As the Drakes were devout Baptists, they established a church and school, which evolved into Mount Lebanon University, the forerunner of Louisiana Christian University in Pineville in Rapides Parish in Central Louisiana.
Bonnie and Clyde were shot dead in Bienville Parish on May 23, 1934.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 822 square miles (2,130 km2), of which 811 square miles (2,100 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (1.3%) is water. The highest natural point in Louisiana, Driskill Mountain (535 ft), is located in Bienville Parish. Driskill Mountain is 11 miles (18 km) south of Arcadia at Latitude 32 degree, 25 minutes North; Longitude 92 degree 54 minutes West.
Interstates
Interstate 20
U.S. Highway 80
U.S. Highway 371
Louisiana Highway 4
Louisiana Highway 9
Louisiana Highway 147
Louisiana Highway 151
Louisiana Highway 153
Louisiana Highway 154
Louisiana Highway 155
Louisiana Highway 501
Louisiana Highway 507
Louisiana Highway 508
Louisiana Highway 516
Louisiana Highway 517
Louisiana Highway 519
Louisiana Highway 783
Louisiana Highway 790
Louisiana Highway 792
Louisiana Highway 793
Louisiana Highway 794
Louisiana Highway 795
Louisiana Highway 796
Louisiana Highway 797
Louisiana Highway 798-2
Louisiana Highway 798-3
Louisiana Highway 799
Adjacent parishes
Claiborne Parish (north)
Lincoln Parish (northeast)
Jackson Parish (east)
Winn Parish (southeast)
Natchitoches Parish (south)
Red River Parish (southwest)
Bossier Parish (west)
Webster Parish (northwest)
Communities
Towns
Arcadia (parish seat and largest municipality)
Gibsland
Mount Lebanon
Ringgold
Villages
Bienville
Bryceland
Castor
Jamestown
Lucky
Saline
Unincorporated communities
Brown
Fryeburg
Roy
Sparta
Taylor
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 12,981 people in the parish, the median age was 43.9 years, 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18, 21.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older, and for every 100 females there were 91.3 males and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.2 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the parish was 53.5% White, 40.9% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.6% of the population.
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 5,459 households in the parish, of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.6% were married-couple households, 20.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 6,816 housing units, of which 19.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.7% were owner-occupied and 27.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.3%.
2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 15,752 people, 6,108 households, and 4,214 families residing in the parish. The population density was 19 people per square mile (7.3 people/km2). There were 7,830 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (3.9/km2).
In 2000, the racial makeup of the parish was 54.92% White, 43.78% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. 0.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
At the 2000 census, there were 6,108 households, out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.70% were married couples living together, 17.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.00% were non-families. 28.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.09.
A tabulated 27.30% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.00% were 18 to 24, 24.60% were 25 to 44, 22.50% were 45 to 64, and 17.60% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.80 males. The median income for a household in the parish was $23,663, and the median income for a family was $30,241. Males had a median income of $28,022 versus $18,682 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $12,471. About 21.80% of families and 26.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.00% of those under age 18 and 23.20% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The Bienville Parish School Board operates area public schools. In 2023, the school district was identified as one of the most segregated in Louisiana by the Segregation Tracking Project. The district’s segregation doubled since 1991, becoming as segregated as or more than any district monitored since 2000. In 2023, there were 52% more white students in the average plurality-white school than the average plurality-black school.
Notable people
Henry Newton Brown Jr., judge of the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeals (1992–2012) and district attorney of Bossier and Webster parishes (1976–1991), was born in Bienville Parish in 1941.
Dee Brown, author of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, born in Alberta.
Bill DeMott, a professional wrestler, maintains a house in Bienville Parish.
Caroline Dormon (1888–1971), a Louisiana botanist and preservationist, grew up in Bienville Parish.
Jamie Fair, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1980 to 1984
Charlie Hennigan, American Football League player from the 1960s
Henderson Jordan (1896–1958), sheriff of Bienville Parish, 1932–1940; participated in the ambush and killing of Bonnie and Clyde on May 23, 1934; interred at Arcadia Cemetery
Billy McCormack (1928–2012), Baptist pastor from Shreveport, director and vice president of the Christian Coalition of America, was born in Bienville Parish and is interred at Ringgold.
Garnie W. McGinty (1900–1984), Louisiana historian
Danny Roy Moore (1925–c. 2020), represented Claiborne and Bienville parishes in the Louisiana Senate from 1964 to 1968; resided in Arcadia
Prentiss Oakley (1905–1957), one of six law-enforcement officials involved in the ambush and killing of Bonnie and Clyde; sheriff, 1940–1952
W. C. Robinson, mathematics professor and second president of Louisiana Tech for the 1899 to 1900 academic year; Robinson Hall on campus is named in his honor; from the Mount Lebanon community.