Tensas Parish, Louisiana
Tensas Parish | |
|---|---|
| Parish of Tensas Paroisse des Tensas (French) | |
Tensas Parish Courthouse at St. Joseph | |
|
Seal | |
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana | |
| Coordinates: 32°00′N 91°20′W / 32°N 91.33°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Founded | March 17, 1843 |
| Named after | 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 (98 km2) 6.0% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 4,147 |
| • Density | 6.88/sq mi (2.66/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. It is the least populated parish in Louisiana. The parish seat is St. Joseph. The name Tensas is derived from the historic indigenous Taensa people. The parish was founded in 1843 following Indian Removal.
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.