Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana

Avoyelles (: Paroisse des Avoyelles) is a located in the  of. The is. In 2000, its population was 41,481. The parish is named for the  tribe.

Geography
The parish has a total area of 2,242 (866 ). 2,156 km² (832 sq mi) of it is land and 86 km² (33 sq mi) of it (3.84%) is water.

Major Highways

 * [[Image:I-49.svg|20px]]
 * [[Image:US 71.svg|20px]]
 * [[Image:Louisiana 1.svg|20px]]
 * [[Image:Louisiana 29.svg|20px]]

Adjacent parishes

 * &  (north)
 * (northeast)
 * (east)
 * (southeast)
 * (south)
 * (southwest)
 * (west)

Demographics
As of the of 2000, there were 41,481 people, 14,736 households, and 10,580 families residing in the parish. The was 19/km² (50/sq mi). There were 16,576 housing units at an average density of 8/km² (20/sq mi). The racial makeup of the parish was 68.47%, 29.49% or , 1.01% , 0.17% , 0.19% from , and 0.66% from two or more races. 0.97% of the population were or  of any race. 17.64% reported speaking or  at home, while 2.12% speak.

There were 14,736 households out of which 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.70% were living together, 15.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the parish the population was spread out with 26.80% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.

The median income for a household in the parish was $23,851, and the median income for a family was $29,389. Males had a median income of $27,122 versus $18,250 for females. The for the parish was $12,146. About 21.70% of families and 25.90% of the population were below the, including 32.50% of those under age 18 and 25.00% of those age 65 or over.

Culture
Avoyelles Parish is known for its, history, with rich traditions in music and food. The area was first settled by around 300 B.C.  Today on the banks of the old Mississippi River channel in Marksville, three large burial mounds, a museum and a national park commemorate their civilization. from the tribes east of the river conquered and assimilated with the s nearly two centuries ago and are currently the largest Native American group in Avoyelles.

Spanish and African traders were probably the first foreigners to arrive in the area by 1650. In late the 18th century European families from and other parts of, , , ,  and  arrived and established the towns and villages that exist today. Their direct ties to Europe set them apart from the Acadians (Cajuns) of most of southern Louisiana. Later, blacks serving under Napoleon and those loyal to France in and the  settled in Avoyelles. Arriving as refugees at the Pearl River port near Mansura, they were taken in by the Native American and European families of the area. The blending of these three cultures created a distinct Creole culture noted in the local language, food and family ties.

Famous people from Avoyelles

 * , wide receiver.
 * , four term governor of Louisiana.
 * , first wife of Edwin Edwards and appointed U.S. senator from August-November 1972
 * , early recording artist of traditional music.
 * , longtime managing editor of the Alexandria Daily Town Talk
 * , "Jane Roe" in the landmark lawsuit.
 * - Louisiana Supreme Court Justice elected in 1996. Wife of.
 * - Served as Avoyelles Parish District Attorney for 30 years. Also one of the most prominent attorneys in the State of Louisiana. Husband of.