South Grand Street Covered in Snow, circa 1870.

The above photo has been reproduced several times through the years. I don’t know where the original is, or even if it is still in existence. According to the caption, this shows South Grand Street in 1870 after a snow. The bottom right bare lot is where the Austin’s building now stands. The perspective leaves me with the impression that it was taken from the Ferd Levi building (Cotton). I digress.

I tend to doubt the dating, since I found the following little tidbit that may date it: The Ouachita Telegraph, March 16, 1877:

Mr. Mealy, the photographer, has arranged his new gallery on Grand street in good style. His display of pictures is interesting, especially his views, (fifteen in number,) of snow scenes in Monroe during the recent great snow. Mr. Mealy is a good artist, and richly deserving of a liberal patronage.

Upon further investigation, I found in the January 27th edition, a description of a 13 inch snow storm that hit Monroe around New Years, the likes of which none of the area residents had ever seen. The temperature even froze the Ouachita solid! There was so much snow that it collapsed the roof of the Methodist church and the superstructure of the Wharfboat.

Oh how I wish I could get my hands on those fifteen Monroe photos of the 1877 snow!