Louisiana: Consolidated Chronology of State and County Boundaries

Louisiana Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

John H. Long, Editor; Peggy Tuck Sinko, Associate Editor and Historical Compiler; Douglas Knox, Book Digitizing Director; Emily Kelley, Historical and Digital Compiler; Laura Rico-Beck, GIS Specialist and Digital Compiler; Peter Siczewicz, ArcIMS Interactive Map Designer; Robert Will, Cartographic Assistant

Copyright The Newberry Library 2009


7 October 1763

By royal proclamation King George III organized former Spanish Florida into the new British colonies of East and West Florida. The boundary between East and West Florida was the Apalachicola River; included the part of present Louisiana located east of the Mississippi River [not mapped]. (Cappon, Petchenik, and Long, 1, 77; Shortt and Doughty, 119-120; Van Zandt, 103)

31 July 1764

In July 1764, Gt. Britain redefined West Florida, extending its limit northward to a line running due east from the junction of the Yazoo and Mississippi Rivers to the Chattahoochee River; included the part of present Louisiana located east of the Mississippi River [not mapped]. (Cappon, Petchenik, and Long, 87)

3 September 1783

Great Britain ceded East and West Florida to Spain by the Treaty of Paris. The boundaries of the Floridas were not specified; included the part of present Louisiana located east of the Mississippi River [not mapped]. (Parry, 48:481, 487, 491-492; Van Zandt, 12)

30 April 1803

The United States purchased Louisiana from France, taking formal possession 20 December 1803; boundaries were not clearly defined but unquestionably included the western half of the Mississippi drainage basin (from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains). The United States took advantage of the ambiguous description of the territory to claim as well to all of West Florida west of the Perdido River (southern portions of present Alabama and Mississippi and part of present Louisiana), based on the 1719 de facto definition of Louisiana, even though Spain actually governed the area. (Cox, facing 2, 80-100; Parry, 57:27-40; Van Zandt, 23-26)

1 October 1804

The United States created Orleans Territory from that portion of Louisiana south of the parallel of 33 degrees north latitude, west of the Mississippi River, and south of Mississippi Territory east of the river; this included part of West Florida between the Mississippi and Perdido Rivers (southern portions of present Alabama and Mississippi and part of present Louisiana), claimed by the United States as part of Louisiana but actually governed by Spain. Act approved 26 March 1804, became effective 1 Oct 1804. (Terr. Papers U.S., 13: 51-52; U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 38 [1804]/pp. 283-289; Van Zandt, 107; Violette, 46-47)

The United States created the District of Louisiana from the part of the Louisiana Purchase north of 33 degrees north latitude, the limit of the present state of Louisiana (then New Orleans Territory); the district was not fully organized as a territory and was attached to Indiana Territory. Act approved 26 March 1804, became effective 1 Oct 1804. (Terr. Papers U.S., 13: 51-52; U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 38 [1804]/pp. 283-289; Violette, 46-47)

10 April 1805

Orleans Territory passed a single act creating 12 counties from existing parish and non-parish areas. The parishes referred to in this act were existing ecclesiastical jurisdictions (established under previous Spanish rule) rather than precisely defined civil divisions. The ecclesiastical districts had never been precisely bounded, nor did such parishes exist throughout the new territory. In cases where no ecclesiastical parish existed (as with Ouachita and Rapides) the general limits of the county were defined by established areas of settlements.  As a result, county boundary lines can only be estimated. After creation of civil parish system in 1907, the early county divisions were generally used for certain electoral and taxation purposes. In 1843 the county was abolished as an electoral unit, and when the state constitution was rewritten in 1845 all remainders of the county system were eliminated. (Orleans Terr. Acts 1804, 1st Leg., 1st sess., ch. 25/p. 144-152; Calhoun, 72-80; Goins and Caldwell, 41)

Acadia County created to "comprehend the Parishes of St. James and the Ascension, commonly called the First and Second Acadian Coasts.

Attakapas County created "to comprehend the Parish of St. Martin, commonly called the Parish of Attakapas."

Concordia County created from non-county area. Concordia County is the only one of the 12 original counties with a distinct boundary description because the area it encompassed was not part of any preexisting ecclesiastical parish, or collection of settlements.

German Coast County created "comprehend the parishes of Saint Charles and Saint John the Baptist, commonly called the first and second German coasts.

Iberville County created "comprehend the Parish of St. Gabriel and such part of St. Bernard as lies within the Territory of Orleans."

Lafourche County created "comprehend the parish of Assumption."

Natchitoches County created to "comprehend the parish of Saint Francis."

Opelousas County created to "comprehend the parish of St. Landry."

Orleans County created to "comprehend all that portion of the country lying on both sides of the river Mississippi from the Balize to the beginning of the parishes of Saint Bernard and Saint Louis

Ouachita County created to "comprehend all that country commonly called and known by the name of the Ouachita settlements."

Pointe Coupee County created to "comprehend the parish of Saint Francis."

Rapides County created to "comprehend the settlements of Rapides, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Bayou Boeuf, Bayou Robert, and all other settlements which are now or may be made in the vicinity thereof and which may in the opinion of the Superior court lie nearer or more conveniently to the court house or seat of justice of the said county of Rapides than to the court house of any other county."

The United States claimed the area south of 31 degrees north latitude between the Mississippi and Perdido Rivers, based on its purchase of Louisiana. The U.S. and Spanish West Florida both claimed the area, but Spain actually governed it. Act approved 26 March 1804, became effective 1 Oct 1804. (Terr. Papers U.S., 13: 51-52; U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 38 [1804]/pp. 283-289; Van Zandt, 107; Violette, 46-47)

5 November 1806

Following the Louisiana Purchase the United States and Spain engaged in a series of disputes over the boundaries between Orleans Territory and Spanish possessions to the east (Florida) and to the west (Texas). On 5 November 1806 American and Spanish military commanders reached an agreement concerning the western boundary by declaring the disputed territory Neutral Ground. The boundaries of the Neutral Ground were only loosely defined as an area between the Sabine River on the west, the Arroyo Hondo on the east, the Gulf of Mexico on the south and the thirty-second parallel of latitude on the north. Though the agreement stipulated that no settlements would be established within the Neutral Ground settlers from both the United States and Spain continued to move into the Neutral Ground. The counties of Natchitoches, Opelousas and Rapides, created by Orleans Territory on 10 April 1805, and the Parishes of NATCHITOCHES, RAPIDES and ST. LANDRY created 14 April 1807, included land within the disputed territory. Ownership of the Neutral Ground was not officially settled until the Adams-Onis Treaty in 1821 [not mapped]. (Haggard, 1001-1128)

14 April 1807

Orleans Territory created a single act creating 19 original parishes. These parishes were civil divisions which reused the earlier ecclesiastical boundaries and names. The division into civil parishes did not abolish the twelve counties established on 10 April 1805. This and subsequent laws set up a dual system in which the counties existed "for the purpose of making the election of the representatives of the territory, and levying the territorial taxes", while the parishes took over jurisdiction of all civil, criminal, probate and other judicial matters. The dual county / parish system remained in effect until the state constitution of 1845. Though there was no legislative act formally abolishing the old counties, the 1845 constitution dropped all reference to the county as a civil or legislative division and redefined the limits of parish autonomy and authority. [Creation of original 19 parishes approved 31 Mar 1807, became effective 14 Apr 1807] (Orleans Terr. Acts 1807, 1st. Leg., 2nd sess., ch. 1, sec. 9/ p. 12; Calhoun, 85-93)   

ASCENSION Parish created within Acadia County.

ASSUMPTION Parish created within Lafourche County.

ATTAKAPAS Parish (extinct) created within Attakapas County.

AVOYELLES Parish created within Rapides County.

BATON ROUGE (now WEST BATON ROUGE) Parish created within Pointe Coupee County.

CONCORDIA Parish created within Concordia County.

IBERVILLE Parish created within Iberville County.

LAFOURCHE INTERIOR Parish created within Lafourche County.

NATCHITOCHES Parish created within Natchitoches County.

ORLEANS Parish created within Orleans County

OUACHITA Parish created within Ouachita County

PLAQUEMINES Parish created within Orleans County

POINTE COUPEE Parish created within Pointe Coupee County

RAPIDES Parish created within Rapides County

ST. BERNARD Parish created within Orleans County

ST. CHARLES Parish created within German Coast County

ST. JAMES Parish created within Acadia County.

ST. JOHN the BAPTIST Parish created within German Coast County.

ST. LANDRY Parish created within Opelousas County.

Vague and contradictory boundary descriptions for the counties and parishes surrounding Lake Cataouatche and Lake Salvador meant that Couba Island and large portions of the lakes were essentially non-parish area. Resulting disputes over the area were generally settled by the Louisiana Supreme Court in the 1940s, and U.S.G.S. maps from the late 1940s and early 1950s seem to finally fix the line through Lake Cataouatche and Lake Salvador at its modern location. (Orleans Terr. Acts 1807, 1st. Leg., 2nd sess., ch. 1, sec. 9/ p. 12; Calhoun, 85-93)

23 March 1808

CATAHOULA created within Rapides County and from RAPIDES. No change to the county boundary. (Orleans Terr. Acts 1808, 2nd Leg., 1st sess., ch. 10/p. 30)

16 March 1809

Boundary between Natchitoches County and Rapides County defined [no change]. NATCHITOCHES boundary with RAPIDES defined [no change]. (Orleans Terr. Acts 1809, 2nd Leg., 2nd sess., ch. 16/p. 40)

18 March 1809

Concordia County gained from Ouachita County. CONCORDIA gained from OUACHITA. (Orleans Terr. Acts. 1809, 2nd Leg., 2nd sess., ch. 22/p. 54)

20 March 1809

A portion of the boundary between ORLEANS, PLAQUEMINES and ST. BERNARD defined [no mappable change] (Orleans Terr. Acts 1809, 2nd Leg., 2nd sess., ch. 30/p. 80)

September - December 1810

Vague boundary descriptions for the Louisiana Purchase resulted in disputes between the United States and Spain over the area of West Florida (between the Mississippi River on the east and the Perdido River on the west). The United States claimed West Florida as part of the Louisiana Purchase on the basis of prior French occupation; Spain claimed possession based on accords in the Treaty of San Lorenzo (1795). On 23 September 1810 a group of Floridians seized the seat of Spanish Florida's government at Baton Rouge. On 27 October 1810 President James Madison proclaimed American dominion over West Florida and preparations were made to annex West Florida to Orleans Territory. The West Florida dispute would not be settled until April 1813 when the United States and Spain signed articles of agreement for Spanish evacuation of the area. (Goins and Caldwell, 32)

7 December 1810

Feliciana County created by proclamation of the Governor of Orleans Territory from the disputed area bounded by the parallel of 31 degrees north, the Perdido River on the east, the Mississippi River on the west and the Gulf of Mexico on the south (southern portions of present Alabama, and Mississippi and part of present Louisiana). Known as West Florida the disputed area was claimed by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase but actually controlled by Spain. Territory within Feliciana County did not initially contain any internal parish divisions.  (Gov. Proc. in Orleans Terr. Acts 1811, 3rd Leg., 2nd sess./p. 210; HRS, 23)

22 December 1810

Civil Parishes of EAST BATON ROUGE, FELICIANA, ST. HELENA and ST. TAMMANY created by proclamation of the Territorial Governor from non-parish area within Feliciana County. The portion of Feliciana County lying east of the Pearl River remained non-parish area. No change to county boundary lines. (Gov. Proc. in Orleans Terr., Acts 1811, 3rd Leg., 2nd sess./pp. 210, 212; HRS, 23)

4 January 1811

Civil Parishes of BELOXY (extinct) and PASCACOULA (extinct) created by proclamation of the Territorial Governor from non-parish area within Feliciana County. The portion of Feliciana County lying east of Bayou La Batre (present Alabama) remained non-parish area. (Gov. Proc. in Orleans Terr. Acts 1811, 3rd Leg., 2nd sess./p. 214; HRS, 23)

26 January 1811

PASCAGOULA (extinct) boundary extended to the eastern limit of Feliciana County (Perdido River, present Alabama); Non-parish area within Feliciana County eliminated. No change to county boundary lines. (Orleans Terr. Acts 1811, 3rd Leg., 2nd sess., p. 216)

20 March 1811

Concordia County gained from Ouachita County. Civil Parish of WARREN (extinct) created within Concordia County from CONCORDIA. (Orleans Terr. Acts 1811, 3rd Leg., 2nd sess., ch. 10/pp. 34-40) 

10 April 1811

A portion of the boundary between ORLEANS, PLAQUEMINES and ST. BERNARD defined [no mappable change]. (Orleans Terr. Acts 1811, 3rd Leg., 2nd sess., ch. 19/p. 72)

17 April 1811

Civil Parishes of ST. MARTIN and ST. MARY created within Attakapas County from ATTAKAPAS Parish (extinct), which was eliminated. No change to county boundary lines. (Orleans Terr. Acts 1811, 3rd Leg., 2nd sess., ch. 24/pp. 104-106)

24 April 1811

Civil Parish boundaries within Feliciana County adjusted or redefined. No change to county boundaries. (Orleans Terr. Acts 1811, 3rd Leg., 2nd sess., ch. 28/pp. 120-124)

BELOXY (extinct) redefined [no change].

FELICIANA (extinct) gained from EAST BATON ROUGE.

PASCAGOULA (extinct) redefined [no change].

ST. HELENA gained from ST. TAMMANY.

30 April 1812

The United States created the State of Louisiana, with modern boundaries, from Orleans Territory; Orleans Territory eliminated. (U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 50 [1812]/pp. 701-704; Van Zandt, 107)

BELOXY (extinct) and PASCAGOULA (extinct) both eliminated when the State of Louisiana was created. The remnant of Orleans Territory (including BELOXY and PASCAGOULA) lying south of 31 degrees north latitude and between the Pearl and Perdido Rivers (i.e., the southern portions of present Alabama and Mississippi) was added to Mississippi Territory. (U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 50 [1812]/pp. 701-704; U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 84 [1812]/p. 743)

Feliciana County lost to Mississippi Territory when the United States created the state of Louisiana. (U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 50 [1812]/pp. 701-704; Van Zandt, 107)

Natchitoches County and NATCHITOCHES both lost to Spain when the United States created the state of Louisiana. (U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 50 [1812]/pp. 701-704; Van Zandt, 107)

4 August 1812

Louisiana General Assembly passed a resolution giving the assent to "An act to enlarge the limits of the State of Louisiana" which was passed by the United States Congress. The Congressional act, effective 30 April 1812, established the state boundaries as: "beginning at the junction of the Iberville with the river Mississippi; thence along the middle of the of the Iberville, the river Amite, and of the lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain to the mouth of the Peal river; thence up the eastern branch of the Pearl river to the 31st degree of north latitude to the river Mississippi; thence down the said river to the place of beginning. This enlargement of the state boundaries officially added Feliciana County and the parishes of EAST BATON ROUGE, FELICIANA, ST. HELENA and ST. TAMMANY (created by Orleans Territory in December of 1810 from Spanish West Florida) to the State of Louisiana. (La. Acts 1812, 1st Leg., 1st sess., pp. 4-6)

5 September 1812

Boundaries of Natchitoches County and NATCHITOCHES redefined [no change]. (La. Acts 1812, 1st Leg., 1st sess., ch. 12/p. 48)

by December 1812

BATON ROUGE renamed WEST BATON ROUGE though no formal change of name was declared by the Louisiana legislature. POINTE COUPEE gained a small area (approx. 40 acres) from WEST BATON ROUGE [exact location uncertain, not mapped]. (La. Acts 1812-1813, 1st Leg., 2nd sess.,

28 December 1812

ST. BERNARD gained from ORLEANS when ST. BERNARD was enlarged "to include the plantation of Julien Poydras and V. Delassize" [not mapped]. (La. Acts 1812-1813, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., p. 8)

20 March 1813

ST. MARY gained from ST. MARTIN. (La. Acts 1812-1813, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., p. 134)

24 March 1813

CATAHOULA gained from OUACHITA and RAPIDES. (La. Acts 1812-1813, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., pp.138-140)

CONCORDIA gained from WARREN (extinct). (La. Acts 1812-1813, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., p.140)

15 April 1813

American forces captured the city of Mobile from Spain, effectively extending U.S. control over the territory between the Mississippi and Perdido Rivers; Spanish control and claims to the area effectively ended. (Cox, facing 2; Fuller, 202)

28 February 1814

CONCORDIA gained the portion of WARREN (extinct) lying south of the upper line of John Milliken's plantation; OUACHITA gained the portion of WARREN (extinct) lying north of the upper line of John Milliken's plantation; WARREN eliminated. (La. Acts 1814, 1st Leg., 3rd sess., p. 32-34)

Ouachita County gained from Concordia County when part of the Parish of WARREN (extinct) was annexed to Ouachita. (La. Acts 1814, 1st Leg., 3rd sess., p. 32-34)

31 January 1815

Surveyor appointed to ascertain the center of FELICIANA Parish (extinct) and to run the boundary line between FELICIANA (extinct) and EAST BATON ROUGE [not mapped]. (La. Acts 1815, 2nd Leg., 1st sess., pp. 50-54)

29 February 1816

A portion of the boundary between Opelousas County and Rapides County defined. No change to the line as previously estimated. (La. Acts 1816, 2nd Leg., 2nd sess., p. 18; HRS, 31)

7 February 1817

Boundary between Attakapas County and Opelousas County defined [no change]. (La. Acts 1816, 3rd Leg., 1st sess., p. 66-68)

4 February 1818

AVOYELLES gained from CATAHOULA, exchanged with RAPIDES and ST. LANDRY. (La. Act. 1818, 3rd Leg., 2nd sess., p. 10)

22 February 1819

Adams-Onis Treaty between the United States and Spain established the Sabine River as the western boundary of Louisiana; Neutral Ground eliminated. (Van Zandt, 27)

6 March 1819

WASHINGTON created from ST. TAMMANY. (La. Acts 1819, 4th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 80-82)

22 March 1822

TERREBONNE created from LAFOURCHE INTERIOR (now LAFOURCHE). (La. Acts 1822, 5th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 74-76)

17 January 1823

LAFAYETTE created from ST. MARTIN. (La. Acts 1823, 6th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 6-10)

17 February 1824

EAST FELICIANA and WEST FELICIANA created from FELICIANA (extinct); FELICIANA eliminated. (La. Acts 1824, 6th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 26-34)

7 March 1824

LAFOURCHE INTERIOR (now LAFOURCHE) gained Grand Isle, and implicitly gained jurisdiction over the Cheniere Caminada Peninsula from ORLEANS when LAFOURCHE INTERIOR boundary was defined. Uncertainty over the relative locations of Grand Isle and the Cheniere Caminada Peninsula resulted in a long-standing dispute over the area. Boundary between LAFOURCHE INTERIOR and ASSUMPTION defined [no change]. (La. Acts 1824, 6th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 68)

8 April 1824

Surveyor appointed to run the boundary line between ASCENSION and IBERVILLE and to determine the limits of said parishes. (La. Acts 1824, 6th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 140; HRS, 39)

4 February 1825

POINTE COUPEE exchanged with WEST BATON ROUGE. (La. Acts 1825, 7th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 82-86)

11 February 1825

JEFFERSON created from ORLEANS; included the disputed areas of Grand Isle and Cheniere Caminada. As with ORLEANS before it, the western line of JEFFERSON only vaguely defined resulting in a series of disputes and uncertainties between JEFFERSON and LAFOURCHE INTERIOR (now LAFOURCHE), and JEFFERSON and ST. CHARLES. (La. Acts 1825, 7th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 108-112; La. Rpts. 206, pp. 616-642)

22 February 1826

Portion of the boundary between ST. TAMMANY and WASHINGTON defined [change too small to map]. (La. Acts 1825, 7th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 38-40)

7 April 1826

IBERVILLE exchanged with WEST BATON ROUGE when southern and western boundaries of WEST BATON ROUGE defined. This law is the first concrete definition for the line between the two parishes. Previously mapped line was derived from contemporaneous maps of parish boundaries. (La. Acts 1825, 7th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 186-188)

15 March 1827

NATCHITOCHES exchanged with OUACHITA when eastern boundary of NATCHITOCHES was defined for the first time. (La. Acts 1827, 8th Leg., 1st sess., p. 30)

22 March 1827

JEFFERSON gained officially gained jurisdiction of the disputed Grand Isle from LA FOURCHE INTERIOR (now LAFOURCHE); Disputed Area between JEFFERSON and LAFOURCHE INTERIOR (now LAFOURCHE) reduced to just the Cheniere Caminada Peninsula. (La. Acts 1827, 8th Leg., 1st sess., p. 156; La. Rpts. 206, pp. 616-642)

24 March 1827

IBERVILLE gained from WEST BATON ROUGE. (La. Acts 1827, 8th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 178-180)

13 March 1828

CLAIBORNE created from NATCHITOCHES and OUACHITA. (La. Acts 1828, 8th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 70-76)  

18 March 1828

IBERVILLE boundary with WEST BATON ROUGE defined [no change]. (La. Acts 1828, 8th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 92)

4 March 1830

CATAHOULA exchanged with OUACHITA. (La. Acts 1830, 9th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 36)

15 March 1830

JEFFERSON officially gained jurisdiction over the Cheniere Caminada Peninsula. Though this technically eliminated the dispute between JEFFERSON and LAFOURCHE INTERIOR (now LAFOURCHE), the competing claims to the Cheniere Caminada Peninsula and Grand Isle were not fully settled until 26 June 1944 when the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled in favor of JEFFERSON. (La. Acts 1830, 9th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 64; La. Rpts. 206, pp. 616-642)

10 February 1832

Creation of LIVINGSTON, "lying and being south of a line to be established" authorized. LIVINGSTON boundaries not actually defined until 30 March 1832. (La. Acts 1832, 10th Leg., 3rd sess., p. 20)

7 March 1832

EAST BATON ROUGE gained from EAST FELICIANA. (La. Acts 1832, 10th Leg., 3rd sess., pp. 78-80)

14 March 1832

CARROLL (extinct) created from CONCORDIA and OUACHITA. (La. Acts 1832, 10th Leg., 3rd sess., pp. 100-106)

30 March 1832

LIVINGSTON created from ST. HELENA. LIVINGSTON creation initially authorized on 10 February 1832, boundaries not defined until this date. (La. Acts 1832, 10th Leg., 3rd sess., pp. 130-132)

10 March 1834

OUACHITA gained from CATAHOULA. (La. Acts 1833, 11th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 122)

Jurisdiction over a portion of Grand Terre Island in JEFFERSON Parish was ceded to the United States. No change to parish boundaries. (La. Acts 1833, 11th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 105-106)

28 March 1835

CATAHOULA gained from OUACHITA. (La. Acts 1835, 12th Leg., 1st sess., p. 160)

23 February 1837

ASSUMPTION boundary with ST. MARY redefined [no mappable change]. IBERVILLE gained from POINTE COUPEE; POINTE COUPEE exchanged with WEST BATON ROUGE. (La. Acts 1837, 13th Leg., 1st sess., p. 22-23)

18 January 1838

CADDO created from NATCHITOCHES. (La. Acts 1837, 13th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 11-13)

19 January 1838

MADISON created from CONCORDIA and OUACHITA. (La. Acts 1837, 13th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 13-14)

12 February 1838

POINTE COUPEE gained from WEST BATON ROUGE. (La. Acts 1837, 13th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 21-22)

6 March 1838

CALDWELL created from CATAHOULA and OUACHITA. (La. Acts 1837, 13th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 38-41)

13 March 1839

UNION created from OUACHITA. (La. Acts 1839, 14th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 22-26)

14 March 1839

MADISON gained from CARROLL (extinct). (La. Acts 1839, 14th Leg., 1st sess., p. 82)

12 March 1840

CALCASIEU created from ST. LANDRY. (La. Acts 1839, 14th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 72-75)

3 February 1841

ASCENSION gained from IBERVILLE, and ST. JAMES; ASSUMPTION gained from ASCENSION. (La. Acts 1841, 15th Leg., 1st sess., p. 7)

6 February 1841

OUACHITA gained from CATAHOULA; exchanged with CLAIBORNE. (La. Acts 1841, 15th Leg., 1st sess., p. 10-11)

12 January 1842

PLAQUEMINES boundary with ST. BERNARD defined. This is the first actual definition of this line [no change]. (La. Acts 1841, 15th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 20-22)

27 January 1842

OUACHITA's west boundary defined to run along the east branch of the Dugdemona River [no change]. (La. Acts 1841, 15th Leg., 1st sess., p. 30)

10 February 1842

CATAHOULA gained from AVOYELLES. (La. Acts 1841, 15th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 106-108)

26 March 1842

ASSUMPTION gained from ASCENSION; exchanged with ST. JAMES. (La. Acts 1841, 15th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 514)

24 February 1843

BOSSIER created from CLAIBORNE. (La. Acts 1843, 16th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 17-19)

1 March 1843

FRANKLIN created from CATAHOULA, MADISON and OUACHITA. (La. Acts 1843, 16th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 22-24)

7 March 1843

SABINE created from NATCHITOCHES. (La. Acts 1843, 16th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 26-28)

17 March 1843

 TENSAS created from CONCORDIA and MADISON. (La. Acts 1843, 16th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 35-38)

1 April 1843

DESOTO created from CADDO, NATCHITOCHES and SABINE. CADDO gained very small area along the Red River from NATCHITOCHES. SABINE gained from CADDO. (La. Acts 1843, 16th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 52-54)  

1843

In 1843 the counties were abolished as electoral units and that structure was shifted to the parishes. (Goins and Caldwell, 41)

11 March 1844

FRANKLIN boundaries clarified to correct a wording error in the law of 1 March 1843 [no change]. (La. Acts 1844, 16th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 23-24)

25 March 1844

MOREHOUSE created from CARROLL (extinct) and OUACHITA. (La. Acts 1844, 16th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 77-79)

VERMILION created from LAFAYETTE. (La. Acts 1844, 16th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 45-47)

27 February 1845

JACKSON created from CLAIBORNE, OUACHITA (which was divided into 2 parts), and UNION. (La. Acts 1845, 17th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 16-19)

8 March 1845

DESOTO gained from CADDO. (La. Acts 1845, 17th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 77-78)

10 March 1845

CATAHOULA gained from OUACHITA; OUACHITA remained divided into 2 parts. (La. Acts 1845, 17th Leg., 1st sess., p. 68)

25 January 1846

When the state constitution was rewritten in 1845 all mention and use of the term "county" was eliminated and all previous county functions shifted to the control of the civil parishes. Counties of Attakapas, Concordia, Feliciana, German Coast, Iberville, LaFourche, Natchitoches, Opelousas, Orleans, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, and Rapides all eliminated when new constitution became effective 24 January 1846. (Goins and Caldwell, 41; Swindler, 94-108)

12 May 1846

NATCHITOCHES authorized to loose to RAPIDES. Boundary for this change cannot be drawn as described in this 12 May 1846 law. An accurate description for the change intended here was approved by the legislature on 15 April 1847 [no change]. (La. Acts 1846, 1st Leg., 1st sess., p. 42)

29 May 1846

MADISON gained from CARROLL (extinct). (La. Acts 1846, 1st Leg., 1st sess., pp. 151-152)

1 June 1846

JACKSON gained from CLAIBORNE and OUACHITA, exchanged with UNION. OUACHITA gained from UNION. (La. Acts 1846, 1st Leg., 1st sess., pp. 159-160)

5 April 1847

CARROLL (extinct) gained from MADISON. (La. Acts 1847, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 74-75)

15 April 1847

IBERVILLE exchanged with ST. MARTIN. (La. Acts 1847, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 95-96)

MOREHOUSE gained from OUACHITA. (La. Acts 1847, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., p. 91)

NATCHITOCHES exchanged with RAPIDES. (La. Acts 1847, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 96-97)

20 April 1847

ORLEANS gained small area from JEFFERSON when the limits of ORLEANS were extended to "all that portion of Felicity Road from Levee street to the rear of the city, lying between the center of said street, and to the line of the second Municipality of New Orleans, on the north side of the same, which ground is within the limits of the city of LaFayette, parish of JEFFERSON." (La. Acts 1847, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 100-101)

24 April 1847

AVOYELLES exchanged with RAPIDES. (La. Acts 1847, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., p. 113)

28 April 1847

ST. JAMES gained from LAFOURCHE INTERIOR (now LAFOURCHE). (La. Acts 1847, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 134-135)

24 February 1848

OUACHITA gained from FRANKLIN. (La. Acts 1848, 2nd Leg., 1st sess., p. 8)

14 March 1848

BIENVILLE created from CLAIBORNE. (La. Acts 1848, 2nd Leg., 1st sess., pp. 118-121)

16 March 1848

Legislature authorized creation of RED RIVER 1 (proposed) from BIENVILLE, BOSSIER, CADDO, CLAIBORNE, DESOTO and NATCHITOCHES, dependent on an enumeration to determine whether the proposed new parish contained the number of electors required by the Constitution. This first attempt to create RED RIVER was unsuccessful [no change]. (La. Acts 1848, 2nd Leg., 1st sess., pp. 145-146)

5 July 1848

State of Louisiana lost disputed territory to Texas through Sabine Lake, Sabine Pass, and the Sabine River [not mapped]. (U.S. Stat., vol. 9, ch. 94 [1848]/p. 245; Texas Laws 1849, 3d leg., reg. sess., ch. 2/p. 4)

by 1850

IBERVILLE gained from ASCENSION. (Thorndale & Dollarhide, p. 137)

12 March 1850

LIVINGSTON gained from ASCENSION. (La. Acts 1850, 3rd Leg., p. 67)

13 March 1850

LAFOURCHE INTERIOR (now LAFOURCHE) gained from TERREBONNE. (La. Acts 1850, 3rd Leg., p. 68)

18 March 1850

Legislature authorized creation of DUGDEMONA (proposed) from CATAHOULA, NATCHITOCHES, and RAPIDES; dependent on an enumeration to determine whether the proposed new parish contained the number of electors required by the Constitution. This attempt to create DUGDEMONA was unsuccessful [no change]. (La. Acts 1850, 3rd Leg., pp. 105-106)

21 March 1850

JEFFERSON boundary with ORLEANS redefined [no change] (La. Acts 1850, 3rd. Leg., pp. 243-244)

Legislature authorized creation of IBERIA (proposed) from ST. MARTIN and ST. MARY; dependent on a survey "to decide whether or not a new parish can be created in conformity to article eighth of the Constitution." No boundary description for this proposal appears in the session laws; limits prescribed only in a Senate resolution of 15 March 1848. This first attempt to create IBERIA was unsuccessful [not mapped]. (La. Acts 1850, 3rd. Leg., Res. No. 297, pp. 227-228; HRS, 71)

23 February 1852

City of New Orleans annexed the independent municipality of LaFayette, extending the limits of New Orleans upriver as far as Toledano Street and into JEFFERSON Parish. The act of annexation stipulated that the 1847 line along Felicity Street was to remain the boundary between the parishes of ORLEANS and JEFFERSON [no change]. (Swanson, 100-102)

24 February 1852

WINN created from CATAHOULA, NATCHITOCHES and RAPIDES. RAPIDES gained very small areas along the Dugdemona River from CATAHOULA.  (La. Acts 1852, 4th Leg., pp. 67-69)

4 March 1852

RAPIDES gained from CALCASIEU and NATCHITOCHES, exchanged with ST. LANDRY. (La. Acts 1852, 4th Leg., pp. 83-84, 87-88)

11 March 1852

Legislature authorized creation of RICHLAND (proposed) from CARROLL (extinct), FRANKLIN, MOREHOUSE and OUACHITA; dependent on an enumeration to determine whether the proposed new parish contained the number of electors required by the Constitution. This first attempt to create RICHLAND was unsuccessful [no change]. (La. Acts 1852, 4th Leg., p. 115)

15 March 1852

POINTE COUPEE exchanged with WEST BATON ROUGE. (La. Acts 1852, 4th Leg., pp. 143-144)

23 March 1853

LAFOURCHE INTERIOR renamed LAFOURCHE. (La. Acts 1853, 1st Leg., p. 42)

16 March 1854

SABINE gained from NATCHITOCHES. (La. Acts 1854, 2nd Leg., 1st sess., p. 141)

2 March 1857

NATCHITOCHES gained from BIENVILLE. (La. Acts 1857, 3rd Leg., 2nd sess., p.47)

20 March 1858

MOREHOUSE gained from CARROLL (extinct). (La. Acts 1858, 4th Leg., 1st sess., p. 211)

11 March 1859

POINTE COUPEE gained from IBERVILLE. (La. Acts 1859, 4th Leg. 2nd sess., pp. 16-17)

14 March 1859

IBERVILLE gained from POINTE COUPEE when boundary was adjusted to run along the upper line of the Barrow plantation. (La. Acts 1859, 4th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 59; Lemmon, Magill and Wiese, p. 202)

17 March 1859

Legislature authorized creation of RED RIVER 2 (proposed) from BIENVILLE, BOSSIER, CADDO and NATCHITOCHES; dependent on an enumeration to determine whether the proposed new parish contained the number of electors required by the Constitution. This second attempt to create RED RIVER was unsuccessful [no change]. (La. Acts 1859, 4th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 183-184)

2 March 1860

Legislature authorized creation of an Unnamed Parish from CLAIBORNE, JACKSON and UNION; dependent on an enumeration to determine whether the proposed new parish contained the number of electors required by the Constitution. This proposal was unsuccessful [no change]. (La. Acts 1860, 5th Leg., 1st sess., p. 52)

21 February 1861

POINTE COUPEE gained from IBERVILLE when law of 14 March 1859 was repealed and the Barrow plantation declared to be within POINTE COUPEE. (La. Acts 1861, 5th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 19)

20 March 1861

CARROLL (extinct) boundary with MOREHOUSE defined [no change]. (La. Acts 1861, 5th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 185)

TENSAS gained from MADISON. (La. Acts 1861, 5th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 161-162)

21 March 1861

Legislature authorized creation of an Unnamed Parish from RAPIDES; dependent on an enumeration to determine whether the proposed new parish contained the number of electors required by the Constitution. Proposal was unsuccessful [no change]. (La. Acts 1861, 5th Leg., 2nd sess., p. 198)

23 March 1867

UNION gained from CLAIBORNE. (La. Acts 1867, 2nd Leg., 2nd sess., p. 201)

29 September 1868

RICHLAND created from CARROLL (extinct), FRANKLIN, MOREHOUSE and OUACHITA. (La. Acts 1868, 1st Leg., 1st sess., p. 151)

30 October 1868

IBERIA created from ST. MARTIN (which was divided into 2 parts) and ST. MARY. (La. Acts 1868, 1st Leg., 1st sess., pp. 272-273)

4 March 1869

GRANT created from RAPIDES and WINN. (La. Acts 1869, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 79-80)

6 March 1869

TANGIPAHOA created from LIVINGSTON, ST. HELENA, ST. TAMMANY and WASHINGTON. (La. Acts 1869, 1st Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 83-86)

15 March 1870

CAMERON created from CALCASIEU and VERMILION. (La. Acts 1870, 1st Leg., 3rd sess., pp. 168-169)

16 March 1870

ORLEANS gained from JEFFERSON when the cities of New Orleans and Jefferson were consolidated. (La. Acts 1870, 1st Leg., extra sess., pp. 30-49)

5 April 1870

FRANKLIN gained from TENSAS. (La. Acts 1870, 1st Leg., extra sess., pp. 189-190)

27 February 1871

WEBSTER created from BIENVILLE, BOSSIER and CLAIBORNE. (La. Acts 1871, 2nd Leg., 1st sess., pp. 59-68)

2 March 1871

RED RIVER created from BIENVILLE, BOSSIER, CADDO, DESOTO and NATCHITOCHES. (La. Acts 1871, 2nd Leg., 1st sess., pp. 86-88)

30 March 1871

 VERNON created from NATCHITOCHES, RAPIDES and SABINE. (La. Acts 1871, 2nd Leg., 1st sess., pp. 175-176)

1 July 1872

RED RIVER boundaries clarified [no change]. (La. Acts 1872, 2nd Leg., 2nd sess., p. 147)

24 February 1873

LINCOLN created from BIENVILLE, CLAIBORNE, JACKSON and UNION. (La. Acts 1873, 3rd Leg., 1st sess., pp. 67-70)

23 March 1874

ORLEANS gained from JEFFERSON when the city of Carrollton was annexed to the City of New Orleans. (La. Acts 1874, 3rd Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 119-122)

15 April 1875

ST. BERNARD boundary through New Orleans defined [no change]. (La. Acts 1875, 4th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 54-55)

5 March 1877

JACKSON gained from LINCOLN. (La. Acts 1877, 5th Leg., 1st sess., p.31)

26 March 1877

EAST CARROLL and WEST CARROLL created from CARROLL (extinct), which was eliminated. Act became law by limitation, without signature of objection or approval by the Governor. (La. Acts 1877, 5th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 39-43)

11 May 1877

EAST CARROLL gained from WEST CARROLL. (La. Acts 1877, 5th Leg., 1st sess., pp. 219-220)

25 February 1878

FRANKLIN gained from CATAHOULA. Act became law by limitation, without signature, objection, or approval by the Governor. (La. Acts 1878, 5th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 64-65)

11 March 1878

RED RIVER clarified to make explicit the portion of the boundary between the Red River and the Bayou Pierre [no change]. (La. Acts 1878, 5th Leg., 2nd sess., pp. 108-109)

30 June 1886

ACADIA created from ST. LANDRY. (La. Acts 1886, reg. sess., pp. 48-52)

10 July 1890

Legislature authorized creation of TROY (proposed) from CATAHOULA. The Louisiana Supreme Court declared the creation of TROY unconstitutional because it increased the representation in the House of Representatives beyond the constitutional limit [no change]. (La. Acts 1890, reg. sess., pp. 138-143; HRS, 12; "Adams vs. Forsyth", 44 La. Ann., 130; 10 So., 622.)

14 July 1898

ACADIA exchanged with LAFAYETTE. (La. Acts 1898, reg. sess., pp. 294-295)

4 July 1904

Legislature authorized LINCOLN to gain from JACKSON. Change dependent on a vote in the election of November 1904. Proposed annexation never took place [no change]. La. Acts 1904, reg. sess., pp. 221-223)

5 July 1904

Legislature authorized CALDWELL to gain from CATAHOULA. Change dependent on a vote in the election of November 1904. Proposed annexation never took place [no change]. La. Acts 1904, reg. sess., pp. 334-335)

27 June 1906

Legislature authorized creation of BEAUREGARD (proposed) from CATAHOULA, dependent on vote in election to be held 16 January 1908; proposal failed in referendum and this first attempt to create a BEAUREGARD Parish was unsuccessful [no change]. La. Acts 1906, reg. sess., pp. 37-41)

22 June 1908

Legislature authorized creation of EVANGELINE (proposed) from ST. LANDRY, dependent on vote in election to be held 8 April 1909. Louisiana Supreme Court declared this creation unconstitutional [no change]. La. Acts 1908, reg. sess., pp. 53-57; HRS, 13-14. 98; "Sandez vs. Sanders" 125 La. Ann., 396; 51 So., 436)

3 July 1908

LA SALLE created from CATAHOULA. LA SALLE not fully organized, attached to CATAHOULA until 1 January 1910. Act became law by limitation, without signature, objection, or approval by the Governor. (La. Acts 1908, reg. sess., pp. 244-250)

1 January 1910

LA SALLE was to be fully organized and detached from CATAHOULA. (La. Acts 1908, reg. sess., pp. 245-250)

15 June 1910

EVANGELINE created from ST. LANDRY. EVANGELINE not fully organized until 1 January 1911. (La. Acts 1910, reg. sess., pp. 23-28)

28 June 1910

Legislature authorized creation of ALLEN (proposed) from CALCASIEU, dependent on vote in election of 8 November 1910; creation was not ratified and the act never became operative [no change]. (La. Acts 1910, reg. sess., pp. 127-129; HRS, 103, 112)

Legislature authorized creation of BEAUREGARD (proposed) from CALCASIEU, dependent on vote in election of 8 November 1910; creation was not ratified, the act never became operative and this second attempt to create a BEAUREGARD Parish was unsuccessful [no change]. (La. Acts 1910, reg. sess., pp. 124-127; HRS, 103, 114)

Legislature authorized creation of JEFFERSON DAVIS (proposed) from CALCASIEU, dependent on vote in election of 8 November 1910; creation was not ratified and the act never became operative [no change]. (La. Acts 1910, reg. sess., pp. 122-124; HRS, 12-13, 102; 130 La. Ann., 272)

7 October 1910

CALCASIEU gained from RAPIDES; RAPIDES exchanged with NATCHITOCHES and VERNON. (Natchitoches Parish Police Jury. Correspondence, 8 Aug 2008; Rapides Parish Police Jury. Correspondence, 15 Aug 2008; Rapides Parish Police Jury Minutes Jan. 1910, pp. 299-305)

by January 1911

EVANGELINE was to be fully organized. (La. Acts 1910, reg. sess., p. 25)

12 June 1912

ALLEN, BEAUREGARD, and JEFFERSON DAVIS created from CALCASIEU. ALLEN and BEAUREGARD not fully organized, attached to CALCASIEU for civil and criminal purposes until 1 January 1913. (La. Acts 1912, reg. sess., pp. 8-15)

9 July 1912

ST. TAMMANY boundary with WASHINGTON redefined "establishing a dividing line between said Parishes in the Richard Chappel Headright No. 57, Township 4 South, Range 12 East [not mapped]. (La. Acts 1912, Reg. Sess. pp. 146-147)

by 1952

JEFFERSON gained Couba Island, and parts of Lake Cataouatche and Lake Salvador; ST. CHARLES gained parts of Lake Cataouatche and Lake Salvador.  Vague descriptions given in acts creating and changing JEFFERSON resulted in multiple interpretations of the JEFFERSON boundary as it ran around, or through Lake Cataouatche, Lake Salvador, and Caminada Bay. Court actions in the 1940s settled parts of this boundary, and by 1952 U.S.G.S. maps showed the JEFFERSON boundary running to the west of Couba Island between Lake Cataouatche and Lake Salvador. (La. Rpts. 206, pp. 616-642; Swanson, 47-48; U.S.G.S. Louisiana 7.5 Minute Series, 1944, 1952)

21 June 1954

Gulfward boundary of the State of Louisiana defined as extending "a distance into the Gulf of Mexico 3 marine leagues from coast [not mapped]. (La. Acts 1954, reg. sess., pp. 63-65)

30 July 1954

In a companion act to law of 21 June 1954 the boundaries of the coastal parishes were defined to be coextensive with the gulfward limits of the state. As a result CAMERON, IBERIA, JEFFERSON, LAFOURCHE, PALQUEMINES, ST. BERNARD, ST. MARY, TERREBONNE, and VERMILION boundaries extended three marine leagues into the Gulf of Mexico making the parish boundaries coextensive with the gulfward boundary of the State of Louisiana. Act passed 21 June 1954, became effective 30 July 1954 [not mapped]. (La. Acts 1954, reg. sess., pp. 62-63)

by 1954

ST. CHARLES gained Couba Island and parts of Lake Cataouatche and Lake Salvador from JEFFERSON. (U.S.G.S. Louisiana 7.5 Minute Series, 1954, 1966)

by 1961-1962

ST. JOHN the BAPTIST gained from ASCENSION and ST. JAMES. (U.S.G.S. 7.5 Minute Series [topographic], 1962, 1998, 2005)

27 July 1966

LAFOURCHE boundary with TERREBONNE, from the intersection of Bayou Pointe au Chien and Grand Bayou Felicity south to the Gulf of Mexico, was defined [no change]. (La. Acts 1966, reg. sess., pp. 240-244)

20 July 1979

JEFFERSON, LIVINGSTON, ORLEANS, ST. CHARLES, ST. JOHN the BAPTIST, ST. TAMMANY and TANGIPAHOA all gained when parish boundaries through Lake Pontchartrain were defined. (La. Acts 1979, vol. 2, reg. sess., pp. 2042-2056)

12 September 1980

TANGIPAHOA boundary through Pass Manchac amended and reenacted "to correct a typographical error in the coordinates of a certain point in the description" of 20 July 1919. Act approved by the governor 12 July 1980, became effective 12 September 1980. [not mapped] (La. Acts 1980, reg. sess., pp. 516-519)