Today marks the 140th anniversary of the founding of West Monroe. The story goes that the railroad men, when they crossed the river would say they were “…west of Monroe.” The name stuck, and now encompasses the former towns of Trenton and Cottonport.
It is no secret to area residents that there is a minor rivalry between Monroe and West Monroe. You can see a hint of it even as soon as West Monroe was founded! In the following editorial in the Ouachita Telegraph of October 3, 1883, there were calls to annex Cottonport into the jurisdiction of Monroe!
“West Monroe.”
Why should not Monroe and Cottonport be consolidated? The Railroad Company has christened its depot in the latter place “West Monroe” and that is a step towards it. The old name may cling to the place for a while with some but it will be known hereafter as West Monroe. But what we want is to see the jurisdiction and territory of Monroe extended so as to include Cottonport. Let the necessary steps be inaugurated to accomplish that end.
Ouachita Parish History Tidbits 