by Alana A. Carmon
Named
in honor of Abraham Lincoln and established in 1873, Lincoln Parish
was carved from parts of Bienville, Jackson, Claiborne and Union parishes.
The earliest settlements
were established during the early nineteenth century, with development
peaking in the 1830s. Many of the settlers were from the southeastern
states of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
During the late
nineteenth century, Lincoln Parish became the educational hub of North
Louisiana after the Louisiana Educational Association of the Louisiana
Chautauqua Society constructed a major facility unlike any other in
the South. Accommodating nearly two thousand individuals, the site trained
many teachers between 1891 and 1905.
Largely
a woodland parish, the economy of Lincoln is dependent on the forestry
industry and the manufacture of wood and glass products. Since the early
1980s, Lincoln Parish has also generated substantial revenues from peach
production. Often regarded as the Peach Capital, nearly one million
dollars of the Lincoln Parishs income results from peaches. The
crops importance to the community is celebrated annually at the
Peach Festival.
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