When the French lost the rest of Louisiana to Spain, her vast territory east of the Mississippi, including West Feliciana, went to England in 1769 and became known as West Florida.

In the 1770’s settlement near the current location of St. Francisville began around a monastery and cemetery established on the bluffs by Spanish Capuchin monks from across the river, and for the rest of the century the area was dominated by Spain and England, both encouraging settlement with large land grants. In 1779 the governor of Spanish Louisiana, Bernardo de Galvez, ousted the British from that portion of West Florida he called Feliciana.

In the mid 1800’s the large planters who harvested immense acreages of cotton, sugarcane and indigo along the Great River Road from New Orleans to Natchez comprised more than 2/3 of America’s known millionaires of that period.

The Republic of West Florida stemmed from a respectable rebellion, which pulled off a successful coup in 1810, establishing for 74 days an independent republic with its capital in St. Francisville. In 1812 the Felicianas became part of the State of Louisiana. During this period, the famed Bonnie Blue flag flew over the West Florida Repbulic.

In 1850 Bayou Sara was the largest port between New Orleans and Memphis. Bayou Sara was located below the Bluff on the bank of the Mississippi River.

In 1807 the first lots were sold in the Town of St. Francisville. St. Francisville would continue on as the oldest town chartered in the Florida Parishes.

In 1824 the larger Feliciana district separated into two parishes, East and West, with the Old Courthouse in St. Francisville becoming the judicial and legislative seat for West Feliciana.

During the 1820s the parish was home to the naturalist and artist, John James Audubon. He came to live at Oakley Plantation, now the Audubon State Historic Site, to teach drawing to Eliza Pirrie, the daughter of the owners. The pay was low, but the job was ideal, because it allowed him time to roam and paint in the woods. More than 80 of the birds in his Birds of America were painted in West Feliciana Parish.

A project began In 1980 and expanded in 1982 saw the residential and commercial structures lining Royal and Ferdinand Streets listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Historic preservation remains important to the parish, and tourist visit the parish to attend the Audubon Pilgrimage and visit the many plantation homes, gardens and historic churches.

The parish is also home to two state historic sites, Audubon and Rosedown State Historic Site.