In 1762, King Louis XV of France secretly gave Louisiana to Spain in the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

In 1800, the secret Third Treaty of San Ildefonso transferred possession of Louisiana back to the French, although Spain continued to administer the land until 1803.

In order to avoid a war over the border, the two countries agreed that the land in contention would remain neutral and free of armed forces from either side.

However, even with the border dispute, several pioneers did settle the land during this period and were eventually given 3rd class homestead claims.

[4] The Adams-Onís Treaty, signed in 1819 and ratified in 1821, recognized the U.S. claim, setting the final Louisiana western border at the Sabine River.

Opelousas County included the entire southwestern section of the state, and extending almost to the Mississippi River in the northeast.

For a short period after the fall of New Orleans during the Civil War, Opelousas was not just the county seat but was the state capitol (until it was permanently moved to Baton Rouge).

[6] Although one faction wanted the town of Singer to be the parish seat, DeRidder was chosen by a majority of voters on October 15, 1912.

(Today, the unincorporated community of Singer still exists and includes a post office, store, and school.)

However, on December 3, 1912, an election was held for the offices of sheriff, clerk of court, assessor, coroner, superintendent of public education, police juror, justice of the peace, constable, and members of the school board in each of the wards in the parish.

[9] The rapid influx of so many military personnel created problems that stemmed, in part, from alcohol overconsumption.