Allen Parish, Louisiana

Allen Parish (Paroisse d'Allen) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,750. The parish seat is Oberlin and the largest city is Oakdale. Allen Parish is in southwestern Louisiana, southwest of Alexandria.

Allen Parish is named for former Confederate States Army general and Governor of Louisiana Henry Watkins Allen. It was separated in 1912 from the larger Calcasieu Parish to the southwest.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the parish has a total area of 766 sqmi, of which 762 sqmi is land and 4.1 sqmi (0.5%) is water.

Allen Parish is bordered on the east by Evangeline Parish, on the south by Jefferson Davis Parish, and on the west by Beauregard Parish. Rapides Parish and Vernon Parish both border Allen Parish on the north. Allen Parish may be considered to belong to either the Southwest Louisiana region or to Central Louisiana. It is bordered on the east by Acadiana (Evangeline Parish). Part of Allen Parish, west of the Calcasieu River, lies within the historical "No Man's Land" or Neutral Ground of disputed territory between the US and Spain.

The geologic composition of Allen Parish, like most of Louisiana, is clay and mud.

Ecoregionally, Allen Parish primarily lies within the South Central Plains (USGS ecoregion 35), particularly the Flatwoods (ecoregion 35f), but also a bit of the Southern Tertiary Uplands (35e) in the northwestern corner of the parish. The southeastern corner of the parish, is in the Western Gulf Coastal Plain (ecoregion 34), specifically the Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies (34a). The Calcasieu river forms the primary boundary between the piney woods and prairie regions of the parish.

Waterways

 * Bundick Creek
 * Calcasieu River
 * Ouiski Chitto Creek
 * Six Mile Creek
 * Ten Mile Creek

Protected area

 * West Bay Wildlife Management Area

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 22,750 people, 7,925 households, and 5,566 families residing in the parish.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,440 people, 8,102 households, and 5,930 families residing in the parish. The population density was 33 /mi2. There were 9,157 housing units at an average density of 12 /mi2. The racial makeup of the parish was 71.90% White, 24.60% Black or African American, 1.72% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. 4.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 6.22% reported speaking French or Cajun French at home, while 4.68% speak Spanish.

There were 8,102 households, out of which 36.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.00% were married couples living together, 15.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the parish the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 33.40% from 25 to 44, 20.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 126.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 133.50 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $27,777, and the median income for a family was $33,920. Males had a median income of $32,371 versus $17,154 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $13,101. About 17.90% of families and 19.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.60% of those under age 18 and 21.50% of those age 65 or over.

The most populated city as of the 2000 census was Oakdale, LA.

Economy
Allen Parish had 303 employer establishments in 2021, with a total employment of 3,513. Allen Parish's gross domestic product in 2022 was $898,617.

Lumber production is a strong industry in the parish, particularly in the area of Oakdale.

The Coushatta Casino Resort, owned and operated by the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, is located in Kinder and employs about 2,600 people.

According to the Kinder Chamber of Commerce, "the gaming and hospitality industries, along with a plywood manufacturing facility, three prison facilities and a natural gas relay facility are the major private sector employers in the parish." The primary crops are rice and soybeans.

Arts and culture
The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana's territory is bounded within Allen and Jefferson Davis parishes, and the tribe maintains traditional creative expressions such as music, dance, and fiber arts. An annual powwow celebrating these arts takes place at the Coushatta Casino Resort near Kinder.

Allen Parish is the origin of several notable musicians: blues singer Roy Brown, and zydeco musicians Preston Frank and his son Keith Frank.

The Allen Parish Tourism Commission operates the Allen Parish Cultural Center near Kinder.

On September 27, 2008, the Allen Parish Tourist Commission opened Leatherwood Museum in Oakdale in a two-story house which served during the early 20th century as a hospital where women waited on the second-floor balcony to deliver their babies. The museum focuses on the history of agriculture and timber.

Politics
Allen was a strongly Democratic parish in Presidential and Congressional elections; the last Republican to win a majority in the parish before 2000 was Richard Nixon in 1972. Starting in 2000, when George W. Bush narrowly won the parish, Allen has become a Republican stronghold; John McCain won nearly two-thirds of the parish's vote in 2008.

Allen is part of Louisiana's 4th congressional district, held by Republican Mike Johnson. In the Louisiana House of Representatives Allen is part of the 32nd district, held by Republican R. DeWitt Carrier. In the Louisiana Senate Allen is part of the 28th district, held by Republican Heather Cloud.

Education
Residents are zoned to Allen Parish Schools

There is a private school, Oberlin Covenant School, in Oberlin. it was the parish's sole private school.

It is in the service area of Sowela Technical Community College.

Media
Allen Parish's newspapers are The Oakdale Journal and The Kinder Courier News, owned by Louisiana State Newspapers, Inc.

Allen Parish is home to one FM radio station, KKST-FM, an urban contemporary station in Oakdale. Oakdale listeners receive signals from Alexandria and Lafayette stations, while those in Kinder tend to receive from Lafayette and Lake Charles.

For television, Oakdale is served by Alexandria stations KATC (ABC and CW), and KALB (NBC, CBS, and CW). Kinder and Oberlin primarily receive Lake Charles station KPLC (NBC and CW).

Transportation
Transportation in Allen Parish relies on highways and parish roads. The nearest long-distance bus stations are in Alexandria, Opelousas, Lafayette, and Lake Charles.

US 165 runs North⁠–South. The other major highways, which are US 190, LA 10, and LA 26, run East⁠–West.

Major highways

 * [[Image:US 165.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 165
 * [[Image:US 190.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 190
 * [[Image:Louisiana 10 (2008).svg|25px]] Louisiana Highway 10
 * [[Image:Louisiana 26 (2008).svg|25px]] Louisiana Highway 26

National Guard
Detachment 1, B Company 3-156TH Infantry Battalion of the 256TH IBCT resided in Oakdale, Louisiana. This unit deployed twice to Iraq in 2004-5 and 2010. Armory was closed, elements moved to Camp Beauregard.

City

 * Oakdale (largest municipality)

Towns

 * Elizabeth
 * Kinder
 * Oberlin (parish seat)

Village

 * Reeves

Unincorporated communities

 * Bond
 * Canton
 * Cherry Grove
 * Elder
 * Grant
 * Lauderdale
 * Le Blanc
 * Mittie

Notable people

 * Roy Brown (1925–1981), R&B singer, songwriter, and musician
 * William J. "Bill" Dodd (1909–1991), Louisiana lieutenant governor from 1948 to 1952 and Louisiana state representative from 1940 to 1948
 * Faye Emerson (1917–1983), film and stage actress and television interviewer
 * Beau Jocque (1953–1999), Louisiana French Creole zydeco musician and songwriter
 * Douglas B. Fournet (1943–1968), posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War
 * Preston Frank (born 1947), zydeco accordionist and band leader
 * Keith Frank (born 1972), zydeco accordionist and band leader
 * Hoyle Granger (born 1944), former American football player in the NFL. Member of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame
 * Gilbert Franklin Hennigan (1883–1960), Louisiana state senator from 1944 to 1956.
 * Dorothy Sue Hill (born 1939), rancher and retired educator. Former Louisiana state representative for the 32nd District.
 * Leroy Johnson (1919–1944), posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor during World War II
 * E. Holman Jones (1926–2014), United States Navy veteran of World War II and Louisiana state representative from 1968 to 1972
 * Coleman Lindsey (1892–1968), Louisiana state senator from 1924 to 1928 and 1932–1939. Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana from 1939 to 1940
 * Mary Evelyn Parker (1920–2015), first female Treasurer of Louisiana from 1968 to 1987
 * R.C. Slocum (born 1944), former head football coach at Texas A&M
 * Blake Trahan (born 1993), former professional baseball shortstop with the Cincinnati Reds