tensas

Tensas most commonly refers to Tensas Parish, a rural parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States. The name derives from the Tensas River, which in turn traces its origin to the Taensa, a historic Native American people who inhabited the region along the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

Geography and administration: Tensas Parish is located in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain along the Mississippi River and features wetlands, bottomland hardwood forests, and agricultural land. The parish seat is St. Joseph, and other communities include Newellton and Waterproof. The area is characterized by a network of waterways and a generally low-lying landscape.

History: The Taensa people lived in the area before European contact. Tensas Parish was created by the Louisiana Legislature in 1843 from portions of Ouachita Parish, reflecting the common practice of reassessing parish boundaries in the 19th century.

Economy and environment: The parish has a rural economy anchored in agriculture and forestry, with hunting and fishing playing important local roles. The Tensas River and surrounding wetlands support diverse wildlife, and portions of the area are protected by the Tensas National Wildlife Refuge to preserve bottomland hardwood ecosystems.

In other uses, the name Tensas is also associated with the river itself and with the Taensa people, and it appears in historical and cultural contexts related to northeastern Louisiana.