History — Town & Parish
From a frontier parish seat on an ancient royal road to a timber boomtown transformed by the iron horse — the story of how Many became the heart of Sabine Parish.
1843 – 1844
When Sabine Parish was carved from Natchitoches Parish in 1843, a central location on the historic El Camino Real (King's Highway) was selected as the parish seat. Platted in 1844, the town was named "Many" in honor of Colonel James B. Many, the highly popular and genial commandant of nearby Fort Jesup.
1896 – Present
For its first several decades, Many grew slowly as an agrarian frontier town. This changed dramatically in 1896 with the arrival of the Kansas City Southern Railway. The railroad connected the isolated piney woods to national markets, sparking a massive timber boom that brought new populations, daily mail, and modern commerce, defining the local economy for the next century.
Many serves as the seat of Sabine Parish. The Sabine Parish Courthouse is located at 400 S. Capitol St., Many, LA 71449. City Hall is located at 965 San Antonio Ave. and can be reached at (318) 256-3651.