Morehouse Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States, on the Arkansas state line in the northeastern corner of the state. It had a population of 25,629 at the 2020 census and covers 805 square miles (2,080 km2), of which 794 square miles are land, centred near 32°49′N 91°48′W.
Bastrop is the parish seat, and its postal code is 71220. The parish holds one city and four villages, plus more than two dozen unincorporated communities. Morehouse Parish sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Morehouse Parish
Morehouse Parish has one incorporated city, four incorporated villages, and around 30 unincorporated communities. In the table below, “Unincorp.” marks a place with no municipal government of its own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bastrop | City · seat | 10,282 | 71220 |
| Bonita | Village | 298 | 71223 |
| Collinston | Village | 228 | 71229 |
| Mer Rouge | Village | 537 | 71261 |
| Oak Ridge | Village | 191 | 71264 |
| Beekman | Unincorp. | — | 71220 |
| Bordenax | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Counters Neck | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Galion | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Geddie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gum Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Haynes Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Humphreys | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jones | Unincorp. | 65 | 71250 |
| Laark | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Log Cabin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marcarco | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McGinty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Naff | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Land Grove Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newhlock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Perryville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Point Pleasant | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Robinson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rogers | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sheltons | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spyker | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stampley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stevenson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Twin Oaks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Upland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Uscarco | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vaughn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wardville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Windsor | Unincorp. | — | — |
Bastrop absorbs most of the parish’s population; the villages of Bonita, Collinston, Mer Rouge and Oak Ridge each carry their own ZIP code, while the remaining named places are farm settlements and rural crossroads mailed under a neighboring town’s ZIP.
ZIP Codes
- 71220 — Bastrop (also serves Beekman and most rural addresses)
- 71223 — Bonita
- 71229 — Collinston
- 71250 — Jones
- 71261 — Mer Rouge
- 71264 — Oak Ridge
Bastrop also has a separate PO Box ZIP, 71221. Most of the parish’s unincorporated communities have no ZIP of their own and are mailed under Bastrop, Collinston, Mer Rouge or Oak Ridge.
Geography
Morehouse Parish lies in the flat, alluvial Ouachita River lowlands of northeastern Louisiana. Bayou Bartholomew crosses the parish, and the Boeuf River forms part of its eastern edge. The terrain is mostly farmland and bottomland hardwood forest, with 11 square miles of water.
Morehouse Parish borders Ashley County and Union County, Arkansas to the north, Chicot County, Arkansas to the northeast, West Carroll Parish to the east, Richland Parish to the southeast, Ouachita Parish to the southwest, and Union Parish to the west.
Demographics
Morehouse Parish had a population of 25,629 at the 2020 census. Bastrop, the seat, is by far the largest community, followed by Mer Rouge. Household income in the parish runs well below the Louisiana median of $58,229, reflecting the area’s agricultural and forestry-based economy. Spread across 794 square miles of land, the parish has a density of roughly 32 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, timber and manufacturing anchor Morehouse Parish’s economy. Cotton, corn and soybeans are grown across the bottomlands, and the parish has a long history of lumber and paper-related manufacturing centered on Bastrop. Morehouse General Hospital and the Morehouse Parish School Board are among the parish’s larger employers.
History
Morehouse Parish was formed in 1844 from part of Ouachita Parish and named for Colonel Abraham Morehouse, a Revolutionary War veteran and early settler who founded Bastrop’s predecessor settlement. Like much of northern Louisiana, the parish saw a period of Ku Klux Klan activity in the early 20th century. Bastrop grew through the 20th century as a paper-mill town, and the parish’s economy has since diversified into other manufacturing and agribusiness.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 165 and U.S. Highway 425 cross the parish, along with Louisiana Highways 2, 133 and 134.
- Monroe, Louisiana — 32 miles south
- El Dorado, Arkansas — 40 miles north
- Winnsboro, Louisiana — 40 miles southeast
- Ruston, Louisiana — 45 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is Monroe Regional Airport (MLU), about 35 miles south of Bastrop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Morehouse Parish?
It is in northeastern Louisiana, on the Arkansas state line, centred near Bastrop.
What is the population of Morehouse Parish?
25,629 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Morehouse Parish?
805 square miles (2,080 km2), including 11 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Morehouse Parish?
Bastrop is the parish seat.
How many towns and villages are in Morehouse Parish?
One city, four villages, and roughly 30 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Morehouse Parish?
71220, 71221, 71223, 71229, 71250, 71261 and 71264.
What river runs through Morehouse Parish?
Bayou Bartholomew crosses the parish, and the Boeuf River runs along part of its eastern edge.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Louisiana.