Ouachita Parish History Tidbits

Author: Lora Diane Peppers

  • Isaac Burnett: Grocer and Businessman

    What you are looking at is an ad in a local newspaper from 1946. That imposing man in the photo, Isaac Burnett, was a very savvy businessman. He opened his…

  • Ouachita Parish History In a Calendar

    These were done in the 1980’s by the West Monroe Historic Preservation Project. Each month featured a photo and info about the area’s past. They are rare, but if you…

  • Reported Lynchings in Ouachita Parish

    I have posted before, listing reports of lynchings that have been found in Ouachita Parish newspapers. I can see the stats that show what articles are looked at and at…

  • An African-American Man is a Guest Speaker to a White Women’s Business Club…in 1939.

    I want you to read the article for a moment, then sit back and reflect on the fact this article and photo was published in a northern paper in May,…

  • A Moment’s Pause to Reflect on a Loss.

    I decided to interrupt my usual daily post to note the passing of a friend of Ouachita Parish History, Congressman Elect Luke Letlow, who died yesterday of COVID. Luke was…

  • L.R. Powers Cash Grocery

    A former colleague of mine, Bob Powers, sent me several photos he has in his collection. One is a photo of an ancestor’s place of business, the L.R. Powers Grocery…

  • Scene on “Lake De Siard”

    This one was titled “Scene on Lake De Siard”. I really think it is the bayou. Very pretty! I bought it on Ebay.

  • Historic Walking Tour of Monroe

    Want a neat little guide to some interesting historical sites in Monroe? DoMo has you covered! https://www.downtownmonroe.org/domo/historic-walking-tour/ Note: I am going to take a few days off for Christmas. Have…

  • Fort Miro Coloring Book

    To go along with yesterday’s post, is this little gem. The Bicentennial Committee wanted to include the children, so Dr. Williams created a coloring book for them. It gives the…

  • History in a booklet

    In the 1980’s Monroe was celebrating it’s bicentennial. Dr. E. Russ Williams, Jr. was asked to put together some pamphlets on the early history of the area. The above is…