Concordia Parish

Concordia Parish is an administrative division in central Louisiana with agricultural lands and woodlands, with the Mississippi River forming its eastern boundary near Vidalia. Four incorporated municipalities lie within its borders: Clayton, Ferriday, Ridgecrest, and Vidalia, with the last serving as the parish seat.

The parish was established in 1807 and received its name from a Spanish mansion called Concord located across the river in Natchez, Mississippi. This naming reflects the colonial period when European settlements shaped the identity of the region.

The area contains numerous Native American archaeological sites from the Marksville, Troyville, Coles Creek, and Plaquemine cultures that reflect the long history of human settlement in the region. Visitors can observe evidence of these ancient peoples throughout the landscape.

The area is shaped by waterways, so be aware of rivers when exploring the different communities within the region. Spring and autumn offer the most pleasant conditions for visiting.

The area is almost entirely surrounded by rivers and contains about 50 square miles (130 square kilometers) of water surface. This unusual geographic situation creates a landscape shaped by waterways.