Why West Monroe is not Trenton.

Interesting twist on the reason behind the name!

Ouachita Citizen, March 21, 1941, Page 1

West Monroe’s Post Office Difficulties Began Back in 1883 When Cottonport as Town Name Was Vetoed By Department

Why proponents of a change in name for West Monroe selected the name Trenton instead of the name Cottonport was told to a Citizen reporter this week by one of the leaders in the movement.

According to the Citizen’s informant, Trenton was two miles north of the present West Monroe, while Cottonport was situated in the heart of the present West Monroe and therefore it is natural to assume that the city should have kept the name Cottonport or adopt it if determined to abandon the name West Monroe.

Why West Monroe was born back yonder in 1883 was explained in this way: L.D. McLain made a resurvey of the town when the railroad came through and it was intended to name the new station Cottonport and plans to that effect were carried forward until it developed that there was already in existence in Louisiana a postoffice called Cottonport. This forced the inhabitants of the town to choose another name and as the town of Trenton was still in existence, it was manifestly impossible to use the name Trenton, although several attempts had been made to induce the people of Trenton to move their residences and stores to the railroad. If they had done so then, there would never have been a West Monroe and Trenton would have had a continuous history as a Louisiana municipality.

With one Cottonport already in existence and the people of Trenton resisting all efforts to induce them to come to the new railroad station, the name West Monroe was given the town across the river from Monroe. However, one by one, and then by twos and threes, Trenton families did move down the river to the new town and business languished to such an extent that in 1886 the mayor and aldermen of Trenton met and by formal resolution surrendered the municipal charter, but by that time the town of West Monroe was three years old.

Thus it will be seen, says the Citizen’s informant, that Cottonport, the name of the Crosley plantation on which the new town was to be located, was selected as its name and abandoned with regret. Trenton was wanted as a name for the new town, but the proud dwellers of that town were not ready to surrender.