Community
History
Vernon Parish, named after George Washington’s home, Mt. Vernon, was created by an act of the Louisiana legislature on March 30, 1871 from portions of the Parishes of Natchitoches, Rapides, and Sabine. Leesville, the parish seat of Vernon, was incorporated on February 15, 1900.
Near the parish seat of Vernon Parish, Leesville, is Fort Polk, the 15th largest military installation in the nation, containing 311 square miles. The fort was built in 1941 for training during the Louisiana Maneuvers, and named in honor of the Right Reverend Leonidas Polk, the first Episcopal of Louisiana, known as “the fighting Bishop of the Confederacy.” With the “constant movement of soldiers and their dependents in and out of the parish, Leesville and surrounding towns experience a unique blend of cultures living together from virtually every state in the union, and also from numerous countries creating a true melting pot.”
Geography
Vernon Parish (county) is located in west central Louisiana. The parish consists of 1,367 square miles. Natchitoches, Sabine, Rapides, Beauregard and Allen Parishes, as well as the state of Texas, create the boundaries of Vernon Parish.