This picture popped up on a Facebook thread a couple of weeks ago and it brought to mind the story of how those trees got there. If you are unfamiliar with the story, lower South Grand street was once lined with catalpa trees with fence boards embedded in between. It was called Lovers Lane at the time because it was a great place to take a date. The story goes that it was Jean Francois Hypolite Pargoud or his son Frank who planted the trees. Another slightly different version I have heard is the fence was created from green lumber, which took root and grew into trees. I am now beginning to doubt that story.
I have transcribed the journal of Rev. Timothy Flint, who came up from Alexandria to tour the area in 1835. You can read the whole journal in some past articles I have published here. When I read the below paragraph in it, I instantly realized he was talking about Lovers Lane!
“On the fourth day of our journey, we plunged through a deep swamp on the upper boundary of your grant, passed the bridge over the bayou Mchoire–l’Ours, and having rested awhile at the pretty place of Mr. Downes, soon afterwards came in view of the long and magnificent avenue of young catalpas bounding the road that passes through Mr. Girod’s plantation. These beautiful trees, as indeed is most of similar ornament in this vicinity, are the product of the taste and disinterestedness of Judge Bry, the opulent and intelligent Genevese planter residing at the next plantation in the skirts of the village of Monroe. He reared these fine trees in a nursery from the seed, in a region where the native tree is not found, and imported them as ornaments for the roadside to all who would take the trouble to plant them out. I have not seen so beautiful an avenue of trees.”
Let me explain some things. Judge Bry is of course, Henry Bry. Henry was the caretaker of Jean Francois Girod’s extensive holdings in northern Louisiana. The argument can be made that Girod was one of the richest men to ever live in the United States. Girard’s sister was the mother of Jean Francois Hypolite Pargoud. Henry Bry was very interested in bringing silk production to Louisiana, so it makes sense he had the catalpas. My suspicion is that when Girod died, his nephew was given some of the land his uncle held in Ouachita Parish. That became lower Pargoud plantation. The catalpas had already been planted by Bry by the time Pargoud inherited the land. This is only a hypothesis though. The argument could be made that Pargoud was given the trees to plant by Bry, since Rev. Flint said he would give them out to anyone who would plant them. Still, this at least tells us that the first catalpas were brought here by Bry!
The Opelousas Post of June 12, 1845 discusses the catalpas in a few paragraphs:
Again upon a visit to Munroe [sic] in the neighboring parish of Ouachita, we were struck with the beauty of an avenue of CATALPAS, bordering the lane approaching the residence of Judge Bry; the trees were flourishing finely, presenting a thrifty appearance, although for years they had served the purpose of posts, into which the rail timber was let by morticing at the necessary intervals.
The trees were thus made to perform useful service while at the same time a most grateful shade was afforded the passing traveller.
We observed some miles below Munroe, on the Ouachita river a nursery of some three acres of the trees in a thrifty condition, and intended, when of sufficient size to be thus applied.
I would bet money that the three acre grove of catalpas was Henry Bry’s silk farm!
Ouachita Parish History Tidbits 