Ouachita Parish History Tidbits

Author: Lora Diane Peppers

  • Gas Well Fire Near Monroe

    A few weeks back, I bought from ebay three photo postcards of well fires. One of them was labeled “Gas Well Fire Monroe La.”. On the back were the dates…

  • Assistant Fire Chief Harry Roberts

    Capt. Roberts cuts a dashing figure in this photograph! https://www.louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/oplib-pho%3A817 It appears to be circa 1920-1939 and he is posed outside the Central Fire Station on St. John. I found…

  • Fire Department No. 3 – 1915

    I think this is my favorite from the new collection! https://www.louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/oplib-pho%3A816 Even the fire horses are identified! This building was located at the corner of 6th and Louisville. The building…

  • Central Station, Monroe Fire Department

    A few weeks ago, a patron of the library donated a few photos of the Monroe Fire Department. They were from the collection of her uncle, who was a fireman.…

  • Men of the F.D. Thompson Post American Legion

    This photo shows the first members of the F.D. Thompson post American Legion just after WWII. I have never found out who the men were in the photo. Thank you…

  • WWII Soldiers Making a New Year’s Meal

    In honor of Monday’s upcoming Veterans Day, I give you this photo, which includes a Monroe soldier named Arzellous Howard: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/fsa.8e02776/ . I think the order is wrong and the…

  • A New Found Map Website

    If you are interested in old maps, take a look at the website oldmapsonline.org . You can type in the name of a town and then scroll through different time…

  • 1893 Worlds Fair Edition Transcript

    Years ago, I transcribed the entire May 15, 1893 Monroe Evening News World’s Fair edition we have in our Special Collections department. I printed out a copy for the Genealogy…

  • 1968 First Presbyterian Church Interior

    This postcard shows the interior of the brand new First Presbyterian Church. https://www.louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/oplib-pho%3A565 The congregation was an old one. It had been established in 1855 and had moved several times.…

  • 1976 Ark-La-Miss Fair Performers

    We recently received a collection of local concert photos and I have been researching when they performed here. I’m not at liberty to go into detail yet about the collection,…