Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
Lafourche Parish (French: Paroisse de la Fourche) is a parish located in the south of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Thibodaux. The parish was formed in 1807. It was originally the northern part of Lafourche Interior Parish, which consisted of the present parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne. Lafourche Parish was named after the Bayou Lafourche. City buildings have been featured in television and movies, such as in Fletch Lives, due to its architecture and rich history. At the 2020 census, its population was 97,557.
Lafourche Parish | |
|---|---|
Parish | |
Lafourche Parish Courthouse | |
Location within the U.S. state of Louisiana | |
Louisiana's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 29°29′N 90°24′W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Founded | 1807 |
| Named for | la fourche, French for the fork |
| Seat | Thibodaux |
| Largest city | Thibodaux |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,474 sq mi (3,820 km2) |
| • Land | 1,068 sq mi (2,770 km2) |
| • Water | 406 sq mi (1,050 km2) 28% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 97,557 |
| • Density | 91.35/sq mi (35.27/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional districts | 1st, 6th |
| Website | www |
Long a center of sugar cane plantations and sugar production, in November 1887 the parish was the site of the Thibodaux Massacre. After state militia were used to suppress a massive Knights of Labor strike involving 10,000 workers in four parishes, many African Americans retreated to Thibodaux. Local paramilitary forces attacked the men and their families, killing an estimated 50 persons. Hundreds more were missing, wounded, and presumed dead in one of the deadliest incidents of labor suppression and racial terrorism.
Lafourche Parish is part of the Houma-Thibodaux metropolitan statistical area. People of the state-recognized Native American Houma Tribe live in both Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes.