The Curious Town of Transylvania, Louisiana

When you're born and raised in Louisiana, you eventually learn about all of the interesting and off-beat town names throughout the State.

We've got the town of Coochie, Louisiana in Concordia, Parish. We've got Kikapoo, Louisiana in De Soto Parish.

Then there's Belcher, Mowatta, Waggaman, Shongaloo, and many more.

But out of all of the interesting and funny town names in Louisiana, there's one I had never heard of, or about until today.

I'm talking about the curiously named town of Transylvania, Louisiana.

Where Is Transylvania, Louisiana?

Transylvania, Louisiana, is a small, unincorporated community in East Carroll Parish, in the northeastern part of the state.

You'll find Transylvania, Louisiana along U.S. Highway 65, between Lake Providence and Tallulah.

Despite its eerie name, the town has no direct connection to the famous Transylvania region in Romania, known for its association with Dracula.

Well, as far as I know there aren't any Vampires in Transylvania, Louisiana but I've never been there after the sun goes down.

The town was named after Transylvania University in Kentucky, which was attended by a local landowner who later settled the area in North Louisiana.

At one point, Transylvania, Louisiana was becoming known for its vampire-themed souvenirs, including signs, T-shirts, and postcards, which play on its spooky name.

However, as it stands in 2025, the Transylvanian Louisiana General Store and Transylvania restaurant have closed.

From theadvocate.com -

"The restaurant closed its doors in 2018, and its name probably best coincides with the community's history of a Farm Security Administration agricultural project in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

Still, stories of the general store captures the fun the community once had with its name."

When it comes to the population of Transylvania, Louisiana, the numbers are all over the place.

I think I can safely say the population of Transylvania, Louisiana is somewhere in between 700 and 1,000.

At one point, the Post Office in Transylvania was a big deal, especially in October because the outgoing mail was stamped with their Transylvania, Louisiana postmark.

These days it's just a regular postmark.

Postal Clerk Mallory Payne tells theadvocate.com -

"We still get people who come in wanting the Transylvania postmark, but our postmark is just a regular postmark now.

It doesn't have a bat. It's just a quick hand stamp. It's just an itty bitty town, and there's really nothing to stop here for."

Up until 2005, Transylvania, Louisiana even had an Elementary School.

Unfortunately, that school now sits abandoned.

Although the tourist angle to Transylvania, Louisiana seems to have dried up for now, there is still something really interesting about this community.

Ancient Transylvania Mounds

Transylvania, Louisiana, is home to the Transylvania Mounds, an archaeological site of significant historical importance.

This site features remnants of ancient Native American earthworks, with some dating as far back as between AD 1 and AD 1000.

The site originally comprised up to twelve rectangular, flat-topped mounds arranged around two plazas. The largest mound stood approximately 34 feet tall.

Today, the Transylvania Mounds are located on private farmland, and access is limited. The mounds are part of Louisiana's Ancient Mounds Trail, but visitors can typically only view them from a distance.

Want to learn more about Transylvania, Louisiana?

Head over to theadvocate.com.