by Alana A. Carmon

Named in honor of the nation’s first president, Washington Parish was erected from the northern half of St. Tammany Parish and established in 1819. Many of the early settlers took land as "head right claims" on "land scripts" issued by the Spanish government in the early nineteenth century.

Attracted to the mild climate and valuable pine resources, more Americans from the north and east began settling in this region after the West Baton Rouge revolution.Washington’s extensive pine lands, along with other hardwood forests, have contributed to the lucrative lumber industry that has existed since the parish’s inception. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Washington Parish had thirty sawmills in operation, with the world’s largest at Bogalusa, the parish seat. In addition to forestry, present-day Washington Parish, with a population slightly over 43,100 (2000 census), also receives revenues from the dairy farming, truck farming, and cattle industries.

The rural parish of Washington is home to many festivals and fairs such as Mardi Gras, The Dogwood Tour Festival, The Watermelon Festival, 4th of July celebration, The Spring and Fall Festival in the Park, Washington Parish Free Fair, and The Mile Branch Pioneer Christmas. Museum lovers will definitely want to visit the Museum of Ancient Indian Culture and the Bogue Lusa Pioneer Museum, both located in Cassidy Park in Bogalusa.