Avoyelles
Parish
Information
The
parish is named for the Avoyel
Indian tribe
Fr.
dim. of avoie, 'small
vipers')
The
parish is named for the Avoyel
Indian tribe. The parish was
established on March 31, 1807 and
was named Marksville became
the parish seat. This is where a
circuit rider had held court.
A tribe spoken of in the 18th
century as one of the nations of
the Red River, having their
villages near the mouth of that
stream, within what is now
Avoyelles Parish, La. They
probably belonged to the Caddoan
family, the tribe representing a
group that had remained near the
ancient habitat of its kindred.
The country occupied by the
Avoyelles was fertile and
intersected by lakes and bayous,
one of the latter being still
called by their name. They were
known as the "people of the
rocks". They disappeared
pretty rapidly. The Tunica Indians
were still living in a village
near the town of Mansura,
Avoyelles Parish as late as 1930.
The Tunica were from across the
river in Natchez, Mississippi and
settled near Marksville.T he
remnant of the Tunica, consisting
of about 30 people, are now east
and southeast of Marksville, the
parish seat, on what is called
Marksville prairie. They speak
Tunica, Creole, and English.
The parish seat is Marksville
Cities
and towns
Bunkie
Cottonport
Evergreen
Hessmer
Mansura
Marksville
Moreauville
Plaucheville
Simmesport
Adjacent
parishes
La
Salle
(north)
Catahoula
(north)
Concordia
(northeast)
West
Feliciana
(east)
Pointe
Coupee
(southeast)
St.
Landry
(south)
Evangeline
(southwest)
Rapides
(west)
