Livingston Parish was one of the earliest settled parishes of the state, with both French and Spanish colonists settling here in the early 1700s in the Lake Maurepas area. To get to New Orleans the early settlers traveled the Amite River to Lake Maurepas then crossed the narrow pass into Lake Pontchartrain. At that time, the industry primarily was centered on farming, lumbering, and harvesting fish and seafood from the waterways. Livingston became the parish seat in 1941 when the courthouse was moved there from Centerville. The town of Livingston was incorporated on November 4, 1955, with the following officials: Winson Hoover, Mayor; Victor Smart; Fuqua Sibley and Willie Lee Duffy, Aldermen; and Johnnie Sartwell, Marshall. The growth of the community was lead by the construction of the present Illinois Central Gulf rail line in 1854 and 1856.

In the following years to come the parish was embroiled with the rest of the country in the Civil War. Some 14 engagements of the Civil War were fought in Livingston Parish between 1862 and 1865. They included eight battles fought in the vicinity of the Amite River, one at Benton’s Ferry, two at French Settlement, two in the Springfield area and one on the Tickfaw River. In 1869, the parish lost territory when Tangipahoa Parish was created. It later gained additional land when Maurepas Island was made part of the parish. Today, Livingston Parish has eight municipalities, with Denham Springs being the largest. Other municipalities are Albany, French Settlement, Killian, Livingston (the parish seat), Port Vincent, Springfield and Walker. As in the past, the harvesting of forest products and being the parish seat still plays a major role in the economic life of the town.