History of Claiborne Parish and Homer, Louisiana

Claiborne Parish was created from Natchitoches Parish by Act No. 42 of the Louisiana General Assembly approved March 13, 1828, and named in honor of the first American governor of Louisiana, William Charles Cole Claiborne.

Known as the "Banner Parish" of North Louisiana, the original Claiborne Parish extended for approximately 64 miles east of the Red River along the northern border of Louisiana and extended south a distance of approximately 60 miles. From the original parish, the following parishes were formed entirely or in part: Bossier, Jackson, Bienville, Red River, Webster, Lincoln and Claiborne Parishes.

TThe parish seats have been located in Russellville (1828-1836), Overton (1836-1846, in present day Webster Parish), Athens (1846-1849), now known as Old Athens), and Homer (1849-present). The courthouse at Old Athens along with all parish records were destroyed by fire on November 6, 1849.

Homer, the present day parish seat of Claiborne Parish, was named for the Greek poet and was laid out around the Courthouse Square in 1850 by Frank Vaughn.

The trends in culture, architecture and traditions are set by the Anglo-Saxon influence, rather than the Frence.

The present day brick courthouse, built in the Greek Revival style of architecture, is one of only four pre-civil war courthouses in the State of Louisiana still in use today. The building, completed in 1860, was accepted by the Claiborne Parish Police Jury July 20, 1861 at a cost of $12,304.36, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Also listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is the area immediately around the Courthouse Square and the buildings located.