St. Charles Parish

Founded in 1807, St. Charles Parish is one of Louisiana’s original parishes, bordered by Lafourche, Jefferson, St. John the Baptist, and Lake Pontchartrain. Bisected by the Mississippi River, the parish sits within both the Barataria Basin to the south and west and the Pontchartrain Basin to the northeast. Covering 279 square miles, St. Charles is steeped in history, with roots tracing back to the “German Coast,” a settlement founded by German immigrants in the early 18th century.

St. Charles Parish’s economy transitioned from agriculture to industry in the early 20th century with the discovery of oil and the rise of petrochemical plants. The parish is now home to major industries, including refineries and chemical plants. Historic sites such as Destrehan Plantation, built in the 1790s, and the Bonnet Carré Spillway, which controls flooding from the Mississippi River, highlight the parish’s blend of rich cultural heritage and industrial progress.