Ascension Parish, Louisiana
97717
224311291
2008-07-08T08:03:51Z
Mythicol
7397604
reorganized
{{Infobox U.S. County
| county = Ascension Parish
| state = Louisiana
| seal =
| founded year = 1807
| founded date =
| seat wl = Donaldsonville
| largest city wl = Gonzales
| area_total_sq_mi = 303
| area_total_km2 = 784
| area_land_sq_mi = 292
| area_land_km2 = 755
| area_water_sq_mi = 11
| area_water_km2 = 29
| area percentage = 3.75
| census yr = 2000
| pop = 76627
| density_sq_mi = 263
| density_km2 = 101
| time zone = Central
| UTC offset = -6
| DST offset = -5
| footnotes =
| web =
| named for = [[Ascension of Our Lord Church]] in [[Donaldsonville, Louisiana|Donaldsonville]]
}}
'''Ascension Parish''' ([[French language|French]]: ''Paroisse de l'Ascension'') is a [[parish]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Louisiana]]. It is one of the fastest growing parishes in the state. Its population is estimated to be 20,000 to 30,000 residents greater than the [[2000]] [[census]]. One of the major reasons for parish growth is the number of families wanting to move their children from the [[East Baton Rouge Parish]] [[public schools]] to the higher-performing Ascension public school system. For a time, [[Hurricane Katrina]] also brought in new residents from surrounding areas, but Ascension Parish President Ronnie Hughes said that the influx of hurricane victims has decreased and remains a small percent of growth.
==Law and government==
The parish is thought to be becoming politically [[conservative]]. Since 2000, nearly 14,000 new voters have registered in Ascension Parish, and fewer than 1,000 of those are [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]].
Democrats still lead in registrants with 28,181; [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] follow with 16,218. There are also 13,052 "No Party" registrants, as permitted under Louisiana law. Robert Poche, Ascension Parish voter registrar told the ''Baton Rouge Morning Advocate'' in 2007 that "History tells us that those with no party affiliation have been voting conservatively."
Ascension Parish also had a small number of voters registered as upper case Independents. There are thirty-one [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]] members, and thirty-three [[Reform Party of the United States of America|Reform Party]] registrants. The total registrants in April 2007 stood at 58,221.<ref>John McMillan, ''Baton Rouge Advocate'', River parishes bureau, Apr 29, 2007, Page: 1b</ref>
==Geography==
The parish has a total area of 303 square miles (784 km²). 292 square miles (755 km²) of it is land and 11 square miles (29 km²) of it (3.75%) is water.
===Major highways===
*[[Image:I-10.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 10]]
*[[Image:US 61.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 61]]
*[[Image:Louisiana 1.svg|20px]] [[Louisiana Highway 1]]
*[[Image:Louisiana 16.svg|20px]] [[Louisiana Highway 16]]
*[[Image:Louisiana 18.svg|20px]] [[Louisiana Highway 18]]
*[[Image:Louisiana 22.svg|20px]] [[Louisiana Highway 22]]
*[[Image:Louisiana 30.svg|20px]] [[Louisiana Highway 30]]
*[[Image:Louisiana 42.svg|20px]] [[Louisiana Highway 42]]
*[[Image:Louisiana 44.svg|20px]] [[Louisiana Highway 44]]
===Adjacent parishes===
*[[East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana|East Baton Rouge Parish]] (north)
*[[Livingston Parish, Louisiana|Livingston Parish]] (northeast)
*[[St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana|St. John the Baptist Parish]] (east)
*[[St. James Parish, Louisiana|St. James Parish]] (southeast)
*[[Assumption Parish, Louisiana|Assumption Parish]] (southwest)
*[[Iberville Parish, Louisiana|Iberville Parish]] (west)
==Demographics==
{{USCensusPop
| title=
| 1790=
| 1800=
| 1810=
| 1820=
| 1830=
| 1840=
| 1850=
| 1860=
| 1870=
| 1880=
| 1890=
| 1900= 24142
| 1910= 23887
| 1920= 22155
| 1930= 18438
| 1940= 21215
| 1950= 22387
| 1960= 27927
| 1970= 37086
| 1980= 50068
| 1990= 58214
| 2000= 76627
| estimate= 97335
| estyear= 2006
| estref=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/22/22005.html|title=Ascension Parish Quickfacts|author=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref>
| footnote=Ascension Parish Census Data<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/la190090.txt|title=Louisiana Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|author=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2008-02-02}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]{{GR|2}} of 2000, there were 76,627 people, 26,691 households, and 20,792 families residing in the parish. The [[population density]] was 263 people per square mile (101/km²). There were 29,172 housing units at an average density of 100 per square mile (39/km²). The racial makeup of the parish was 77.39% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 20.28% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.27% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.34% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.99% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. 2.46% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 94.46% of the population spoke only [[English language|English]] at home, while 2.76% spoke [[French language|French]] or [[Cajun French]], and 2.41% spoke [[Spanish language|Spanish]] [http://www.mla.org/cgi-shl/docstudio/docs.pl?map_data_results].
There were 26,691 households out of which 42.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.10% were non-families. 18.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the parish the population was spread out with 30.10% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 20.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males.
The median income for a household in the parish was $44,288, and the median income for a family was $50,626. Males had a median income of $41,109 versus $23,054 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the parish was $17,858. About 10.70% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.30% of those under age 18 and 15.40% of those age 65 or over.
==Cities, towns, and villages==
[[Image:Map of Ascension Parish Louisiana With Municipal Labels.PNG|thumb|300px|Map of Ascension Parish, Louisiana With Municipal Labels]]
===Incorporated ===
{|
|----- valign="top"
|
*[[Donaldsonville, Louisiana|Donaldsonville]]
*[[Gonzales, Louisiana|Gonzales]]
*[[Sorrento, Louisiana|Sorrento]]
|}
===Unincorporated===
{|
|----- valign="top"
|
*[[Abend, Louisiana|Abend]]
*[[Acy, Louisiana|Acy]]
*[[Barmen, Louisiana|Barmen]]
*[[Belle Helene, Louisiana|Belle Helene]]
*[[Bowden, Louisiana|Bowden]]
*[[Brignac, Louisiana|Brignac]]
*[[Brittany, Louisiana|Brittany]]
*[[Bullion, Louisiana|Bullion]]
*[[Burnside, Louisiana|Burnside]]
*[[Cofield, Louisiana|Cofield]]
|
*[[Cornerview, Louisiana|Cornerview]]
*[[Darrow, Louisiana|Darrow]]
*[[Duckroost, Louisiana|Duckroost]]
*[[Duplessis, Louisiana|Duplessis]]
*[[Dutchtown, Louisiana|Dutchtown]]
*[[Galvez, Louisiana|Galvez]]
*[[Geismar, Louisiana|Geismar]]
*[[Hillaryville, Louisiana|Hillaryville]]
*[[Hobart, Louisiana|Hobart]]
*[[Hohen Solms, Louisiana|Hohen Solms]]
|
*[[Hope Villa, Louisiana|Hope Villa]]
*[[Lake, Louisiana|Lake]]
*[[Lemannville, Louisiana|Lemannville]]
*[[Little Prairie, Louisiana|Little Prairie]]
*[[McElroy, Louisiana|McElroy]]
*[[Marchand, Louisiana|Marchand]]
*[[Miles, Louisiana|Miles]]
*[[Modeste, Louisiana|Modeste]]
*Mount Houmas
*[[Oak Grove, Ascension Parish, Louisiana|Oak Grove]]
|
*[[Noel, Louisiana|Noel]]
*[[Palo Alto, Louisiana|Palo Alto]]
*[[Philadelphia Point, Louisiana|Philadelphia Point]]
*[[Prairieville, Louisiana|Prairieville]]
*[[Saint Elmo, Louisiana|Saint Elmo]]
*[[Saint Amant, Louisiana|Saint Amant]]
*[[Smoke Bend, Louisiana|Smoke Bend]]
*[[Southwood, Louisiana|Southwood]]
*[[Weber City, Louisiana|Weber City]]
|}
==Waterways==
{|
|----- valign="top"
|
*[[Alligator Bayou]]
*[[Amite River]]
*Amite River Diversion Canal
*Anderson Canal
*Babin Canal
*Bayou Antoine
*[[Bayou Manchac]]
*Bayou Narcisse
*Bayou Pierre
*Bayou Reponds Pas
*Bayou Conway
*Bayou Francois
*[[Bayou Lafourche]]
|
*Bayou Napoleon
*Bayou Verret
*Bayou Vicknair
*Black Bayou
*[[Blind River (Louisiana)|Blind River]]
*Boudreau Bayou
*Boyle Bayou
*Braud Bayou
*Cocodrie Bayou
*Cotton Bayou
*Crowley Ditch
*Duckroost Bayou
*Flat Lake
|
*Grand Goudine Bayou
*Hackett Canal
*Heath Bayou
*Henderson Bayou
*Jim Bayou
*Johnson Bayou
*Lake Millet
*Lake Villars
*Laurel Ridge Canal
*McCall Bayou
*[[Mississippi River]]
*Muddy Creek
*[[New River (Louisiana)|New River]]
|
*New River Canal
*Old New River
*Panama Canal
*Pipeline Canal
*Rocky Canal
*Roddy Bayou
*Saveiro Canal
*Sides Bayou
*Smith Bayou
*[[Spanish Lake (Louisiana)|Spanish Lake]]
*Welsh Gully
|}
==Education==
[[Ascension Parish School Board]] operates local public schools.
==National Guard==
The 922nd [[Engineer]] [[Company]] (Horizontal), a unit of the 769th Engineer [[Battalion]] and the [[225th Engineer Brigade]].
==See also==
{{portalpar|Louisiana|Flag of Louisiana.svg}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links ==
*[http://www.ascensionparish.net/ Ascension Parish government's website]
*[http://www.ascensioncitizen.com/ Ascension Citizen newspaper]
*[http://www.myapl.org/ Ascension Parish Library]
*[http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/louisiana/ Explore the History and Culture of Southeastern Louisiana, a National Park Service ''Discover Our Shared Heritage'' Travel Itinerary]
{{Ascension Parish, Louisiana}}
{{Louisiana}}
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{{coord|30.20|-90.91|display=title|type:adm2_region:US-LA_source:UScensus1990}}
[[Category:Louisiana parishes]]
[[Category:Acadiana]]
[[Category:Ascension Parish, Louisiana| ]]
[[Category:Baton Rouge metropolitan area]]
[[de:Ascension Parish]]
[[fr:Paroisse de l'Ascension]]
[[bpy:অ্যাশেনসিয়ন পারিশ, লুইসিয়ানা]]
[[it:Parrocchia di Ascension]]
[[nl:Ascension Parish]]
[[no:Ascension Parish]]
[[nds:Ascension Parish]]
[[pt:Paróquia de Ascension]]
[[zh:阿森松縣 (路易斯安那州)]]