Ouachita Parish is named for the Ouachita Native American people.
Surrounding Parish Courthouses:
N – Union Parish and Morehouse Parish
E – Richland Parish
S – Caldwell Parish
W – Jackson Parish and Lincoln Parish
Created: April 10, 1805 
Parish Seat :
Monroe 1807 – present
Parish Courthouse – Monroe
Location: 300 Saint John Street / Wood Street
Built: 1924 – 1925
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: J W Smith and H H Land
Contractor: Caldwell Brothers
Description: The building faces east and is a four story gray stone and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Monroe. The east front has three central arches at the entrance on the first story. Above are eight columns rising from the second story to the top of the third story. The roof is green colored. In the interior, the Parish District Court courtroom is located on the east side of the fourth story and the Parish Police Jury Meeting Room is located on the north side of the second story. The building was remodeled in 1956. The architect was H H Land and the contractor was W C Salley. The building was enlarged in 1967 to 1968. The architect was H H Land Architect Inc. and the contractor was Jessie F Heard & Sons Inc. Alterations were made on the fourth story in 2001. The architect was Herbert Land Architect Inc. and the contractor was Lincoln Builders Inc. On the south side of the building is the red colored brick Courthouse Annex.
See: The architect firm, J W Smith and Associates, designed many of the courthouses in Louisiana. These courthouses are found in Caldwell Parish, Catahoula Parish, East Carroll Parish, Jackson Parish, Madison Parish and Natchitoches Parish
See: The 4th Judicial District includes Morehouse Parish.
History: The parish was created in 1805 and Monroe was selected as the parish seat. The first courthouse was a hand hewn log cabin built in 1805 on land donated by Jean Fihiol. The second courthouse was a brick structure built in 1816 at Fort Miro which changed name to Monroe. The building was destroyed during the Civil War and the court met in the Union Church in Monroe. The third courthouse was built in 1866 as the courthouse and city hall. The building burned in 1882. And the fourth courthouse was built by Hannan & Voss in 1883. The fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 1924 to 1925.
Parish Courthouse – Monroe
Parish District Court courtroom
Parish Police Jury Meeting Room
Parish Courthouse Annex – Monroe
Photos taken 2011 and 2019
Images 26*