Tensas Parish | |
|---|---|
 Tensas Parish Courthouse at St. Joseph | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana | |
 Louisiana's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 32°00′N 91°20′W / 32°N 91.33°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Louisiana |
| Founded | March 17, 1843 |
| Named for | Taensa people |
| Seat | St. Joseph |
| Largest town | Newellton |
| Area | |
| • Total | 641 sq mi (1,660 km2) |
| • Land | 603 sq mi (1,560 km2) |
| • Water | 38 sq mi (100 km2) 6.0% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 4,147 |
| • Density | 6.5/sq mi (2.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 5th |
| Website | louisiana |
Tensas Parish (French: Paroisse des Tensas) is a parish located in the northeastern section of the State of Louisiana; its eastern border is the Mississippi River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,147.[1] It is the least populated parish in Louisiana. The parish seat is St. Joseph.[2] The name Tensas is derived from the historic indigenous Taensa people.[3] The parish was founded in 1843 following Indian Removal.[4]
The parish was developed for cotton agriculture, which dominated the economy through the early 20th century. There has also been some cattle ranching in the 1930s and timber extraction.
- ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Tensas Parish, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Swanton, John Reed (1952). The Indian Tribes of North America. US Government Printing Office. p. 210. ISBN 978-0-8063-1730-4.
- ^ "Tensas Parish". Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. Retrieved September 5, 2014.