Ouachita Parish History Tidbits

Author: Lora Diane Peppers

  • Captain Ansley Reed: Monroe’s First Black Police Officer

    Have you ever heard of Capt. Ansley Reed? You should. He is known as Monroe’s first black police officer. Mr. Reed grew up in Caldwell Parish and attended Southern University.…

  • Students Fight to Observe Black History Week in 1971

    In February of 1971, six Wossman High School students, petitioned the City school board to declare Feb. 7 – 13 as Black History Week. Their petition was withdrawn. In a…

  • Harriet Gordan Foster – Pioneer Nurse

    The name is unfamiliar to most of Ouachita Parish residents. You may have heard of her husband, Dr. Madison Wright Foster, son of Professor Madison James Foster. Dr. Foster was…

  • Bufferin and St. Timothy Cemeteries

    Have you ever visited the two African American cemeteries at Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge? They are known as Bufferin and St. Timothy. Bufferin was once called Richland Plantation…

  • Legends of Bryant’s Addition Documentary

    Please forgive the short post today. I’m still recovering from Saturday’s parades and my legs and hips are still in pain! OW! Riding a float hurts! A local filmmaker has…

  • Pioneer West Monroe Figure Ben Allen

    Monroe Morning World, November 18, 1934, Page 6. Ben Allen was born enslaved in Alabama. According to his death certificate, he was the son of Fed Allen and Willie A.…

  • Monroe Academy Graduating Class of 1914

    While going through our photo archives, I found this little gem I didn’t know we had. It shows a graduating class of the Monroe Academy (1000 Texas Avenue), which I…

  • DeSiard Street Looking East 1930’s

    What a sight this must have been! It is hard to believe this area was once packed with shoppers!

  • Varino’s Grocery Building

    Earlier this month, I saw a post on Facebook, announcing a historic grant was given to remodel the old Varino building at 200 Commerce Street in West Monroe, next to…

  • City Grocery on Catalpa

    This looks like it was taken in the 1920’s. The store opened in March, 1921 at 104 Catalpa Street, “Behind the Phoenix Drug Store”. It was owned by Mr. James…