Catahoula Parish | US Courthouses

Catahoula Parish is named for Catahoula Lake which is named for the Tensas Native American word meaning “big, clear lake”.

Created: March 23, 1808

Parish Seat:

Harrisonburg 1808 – present

County Courthouse – Harrisonburg

Location: 301 Bushley Street / Pine Street

Built: 1930 – 1931

Style: Classical Revival

Architect: J W Smith and Associates

Contractor: Tudor & Ratcliff

Description: The building faces east and is a four story red colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Harrisonburg. On the east and west sides are three arches on the first story which is faced with stone, and above are six columns rising to the top of the third story. A wide stone band runs below the third story roof line which has a balustrade. The fourth story is recessed. The courtrooms are located on the second story. The building was renovated in 1958. The architect was H H Land and the contractor was T J Owen. An addition has been constructed on the south side in 1974 to 1976. The architect was Barron Heinberg & Brocato of Alexandria and the contractor was Westerchil Construction Company of Alexandria.

See: The architect firm, J W Smith and Associates, designed many of the courthouses in Louisiana. These courthouses are found in Caldwell Parish, East Carroll Parish, Jackson Parish, Madison Parish, Natchitoches Parish and Ouachita Parish

Note: The first courthouse was a log structure built in Harrisonburg in 1808. In 1818, the second courthouse was a frame structure and in 1843, the third courthouse was a two story brick structure. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1930 to 1931.

Courthouses:

N – Caldwell Parish and Franklin Parish

E – Tensas Parish and Concordia Parish

S – Avoyelles Parish

W – La Salle Parish