This very beautiful church stood on the corner of St. John and Oak streets, right across the street from the Courthouse. The cornerstone was laid with great pomp and ceremony on March 29, 1871 by the Masons. It was completed at a cost of $10,000. The first services were held on December 8, 1872. A fire burned the building on December 27, 1923 and the building was condemned. The Jewish congregation invited them to use their temple until a new structure could be built. A site was selected at the corner of North 4th and Glenmar. The new cornerstone was laid on October 25, 1925. By Easter Sunday of 1926, the new building was ready for services. The congregation has been there ever since!
Interestingly, the site of the old church was used to build the Vaughn-Wright-Bendel Clinic. The old clinic building is now an office building for the Sheriff’s department!
Ouachita Parish History Tidbits 