Ouachita Parish History Tidbits

Author: Lora Diane Peppers

  • West Monroe Celebrates It’s 140th Birthday!

    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 Barbarossa Baseball Team – 1914

    Did you know West Monroe had a baseball team? In 1933, the above photo was published in the Ouachita Citizen. It was asked if anyone recognized the players. All they…

  • Doc’s Saloon Bar is Carried Away

    This clipping makes my jaw drop. It is a photo from the Citizen in 1972, just a few days before I would be born just right across the river! It…

  • “The Men Behind the Desk”

    Back in 1951, the Monroe Morning World and the Monroe News Star published a daily article with photo, profiling local (white) business owners. The News Star, which published only Monday…

  • Monroe City High School’s Last Graduating Class’ Gift to Monroe

    Back in 1931, Neville High School was being built. It would replace the old high school building which stood where Anna Grey Noe park is today. The old building was…

  • A Parade Down DeSiard, circa 1937.

    This last photo from the collection I bought, is a bit of a puzzle. The seller claimed the three photos were from 1937, but the flood photo was 1932. There…

  • The Frances Hotel

    This is my second photo, showing the Frances Hotel. Such a gorgeous building! I am so glad it was saved! I cannot for the life of me, figure out what…

  • Monroe Skyline during the 1932 Flood

    Back in July, three Griffin photos came up for auction. I bought them. I will share all three in the next three posts. This first one shows the Ouachita River…

  • Unidentified Photos (Not Mealy)

    I have heard of Harper of course, but I have never in my life heard of Jackson & Wilson! On the back of the lady’s photo was written, Mrs. J.M.…

  • Unidentified Mealy Photos

    I have an Ebay addiction. The other day I found many Monroe area photographs for sale and bought them. Here are some Mealy photos from the lot. All are unidentified,…