Parish Information
Ascension Parish is along the banks of the Mississippi River, 50 miles west of New Orleans and 30 miles south of Baton Rouge. Ascension is split by the Mississippi River, with approximately 80% of the parish population and land mass east of the river. Ascension Parish is in the heart of Plantation Country, which offers quaint towns surrounded by scattered sugarcane fields and adventurous swamplands. There are 15 towns in Ascension Parish: Brittany, Burnside, Darrow, Donaldsonville (parish seat), Duplessis, Galvez, Gonzales (LSU AgCenter Office Location), Lake, McCall, Modeste, Prairieville, St. Amant and Sorrento. Follow this link for the Elected Parish Officials.
Donaldsonville founded in 1806 on the west side of the river, is the parish seat. This town was named for William Donaldson of New Orleans, and, from January 1830 to January 1831, served as Louisiana's state capital. Donaldsonville is one of the oldest towns in Louisiana, known as the "Second Acadia Coast." Historically it is the site of the 1863 Civil War Battle, and after surviving the Civil War, it served as a busy port and was used as a gateway to Bayou Lafourche and other areas of settlement to the south. Dr. F.M. Prevost, who performed the first Caesarean section in 1824, also resided in this town. Donaldsonville and its residents are preparing to celebrate its 200th birthday, 1806-2006.
Happy 200th Birthday Donaldsonville!
Agriculture
Sugarcane is the number one planted crop in Ascension Parish, with production reaching 69,703,059 pounds of sugar in 2004, with a value of $8,468,922. Sugar farms also produced 2,096,444 gallons of molasses with a value of $303,984. Although sugar is the main crop in Ascension, there are many other agricultural enterprises. Also important are beef cattle, vegetables, aquaculture, horses, strawberries, freshwater fisheries and various others. Livestock and horse enterprises remain strong, contributing more than $20,000,000 to gross farm value annually. Although Ascension has become more urban in its population, the amount of agricultural production has remained as a cornerstone of the local economy. The importance of horticulture has increased with the growth in population. Ascension has more than five full-service nursery and/or garden centers. Landscaping, lawn service and grounds maintenance have seen a tremendous increase in demand and are thriving.
Tourism and History
Ascension Parish is one of many in Louisiana offering bed and breakfast inns to tour, spend a weekend and enjoy the history and beautiful picturesque sites as you go back in time to the 1800s.
Bittersweet Plantation Dairy produces "the only artisan cheeses showcasing Louisiana's rich culinary heritage." Bittersweet, located in Gonzales and owned by the famous Chef John Folse, offers dining at the Lafitte’s Landing. L'Hermitage Plantation, constructed in 1814. Named after General Andrew Jackson's home in Nashville, Tenn., the plantation represents gracious southern living in the 1800s. Agricultural crops grown then were indigo and tobacco, and then later, sugarcane.
Alligator Bayou located in Prairieville invites you to see the wild beauty of the Spanish Lake Basin, a primitive wilderness of swamps, bayous and lakes filled with alligators, birds and cultural history and features an eco-swamp tour. You can tour an Acadian village in Sorrento or an antebellum plantation in the former state capital of historic Donaldsonville. Ascension Parish has something exciting for everyone.
Related Web sites
Ascension Parish Tourist Commission
Donaldsonville Tourist Commission
Plantation Homes in Louisiana and Other Sites
River Road African-American Museum
Ascension Parish Families
Ascension is one of the fastest-growing parishes in Louisiana. A fact sheet about Ascension Parish Families (see link below), created by the LSU AgCenter, lists our population in 2004 at 87,164 residents, with a growth rate of 13.8% from 2000-2004. The percentage of Ascension residents in the urban areas is approximately 75.4%, with 24.6% residing in the rural areas.
Schools
Public schools in Ascension were ranked number one in two categories, enrollment growth and best management of finances, including audits and student performance. (Parish Leads State in Growth, the Advocate 1-20-05). Last school year, 2004-2005, Ascension Parish had 16,033 students as of October 1, 2004; this is an increase of 565 students from the previous year 2003-2004.
Ascension Parish Schools
Ascension Parish School Board
Culture
There is a diversity of cultures in Ascension Parish, starting with French, Cajun, Black Creole, Native American and Hispanic, to name a few.
In the historic district of Donaldsonville, The River Road African-American Museum depicts the history and heritage of African-American slaves who lived along the Mississippi River. This museum takes you back 300 or more years, with exhibits and rare artifacts. The museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting art, artifacts and buildings related to the history and culture of African-Americans in the rural communities along the Mississippi River.
Newspapers & News Articles
Recreation & Bargain Shopping
You can sample jambalaya during the Gonzales Jambalaya Festival or enter into a chili contest at the Louisiana Chili Cook-off. Ascension has one of the South's premiere golf facilities known as Pelican Point Golf & Country. If you love shopping for bargains, visit Tanger Factory Outlet Center in Gonzales, where you can relax and browse the many brand name stores for great bargain prices. The Prairieville Flea Market offers antiques, arts and crafts in Prairieville, 15545 Airline Highway, on your way to Baton Rouge.
Ascension Parish Chair
Desiree Dorest, LSU AgCenter Extension parish chair, is available for questions. Her office is on the east side of the river in Building G, Suite 2 at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center,:9039 St. Landry Road, Gonzales, LA 70737. Visit our Web site, LSU AgCenter Research & Extension, for a list of employees and their specialties who are working for you in the Ascension Parish office and are always ready to serve you.
Phone: 225-621-5799 (map)
Donaldsonville Phone: 225-473-6582
Helpful links