Top 10 things to know about Ascension Parish

• Advocate staff report
• Published: Jun 14, 2009

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GONZALES — Ascension Parish, like the jambalaya for which it is famous, is an interesting mix of ingredients.

Within its 300 square miles, the parish contains thriving petrochemical plants, antebellum plantations, vast swamps, woodlands, farms, long-established neighborhoods and upscale suburban subdivisions.

History

Ascension Parish celebrated its bicentennial in 2007, but the original inhabitants were the Houmas and Chitimacha Indian tribes. In 1682, the French explorer La Salle claimed the area that now encompasses Ascension — and much, much more — for France. There were no objections. He didn’t tell the Native Americans.

The parish has municipalities: two cities, Gonzales and Donaldsonville, and one town, Sorrento.

Gonzales

The city is known as the “Jambalaya Capital of the World.” It is home to the annual Jambalaya Festival and boasts a huge Cabela’s store known for its hunting and fishing equipment and outdoor gear, and the nearby Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, a $55 million equestrian facility on 250 acres that also is used for conventions and shows. Currently, Ascension Parish government is moving to buy the facility from the foundation that owns it.

Donaldsonville

This small city on the West Bank of the Mississippi River is known for its attractive historic downtown area that is often filmed in period movies. The city has a rich heritage of food, music and culture and is home of the African-American Museum. It is connected to the East Bank by the Sunshine Bridge, which was started during the administration of Gov. Jimmy Davis, a singer known for his song, “You Are My Sunshine.”

Sorrento

Sorrento is home to the River Parishes Community College, a highly regarded two-year educational institution. The town was named after a city in Italy by a German entrepreneur who built a railroad through the area.

Growth

Ascension is the fastest-growing parish in Louisiana. Most residents live in the unincorporated areas of the parish’s East Bank — Prairieville, Dutchtown, Geismar and St. Amant.