Ouachita Parish History Tidbits

Author: Lora Diane Peppers

  • Missouri Pacific Railroad Booster Club Song Fest, 1942

    Anyone recognize these faces? https://www.louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/oplib-pho%3A175 This happened in February, 1942 in the Booster Club Hall in Monroe. It is a part of the Ouachita Parish Public Library’s photo collection.

  • The New Madrid Earthquake of 1811-12 felt in Ouachita Parish

    Wednesday I was thumbing through a book we have called, “The Muse Family of Pointe Coupee Parish” compiled by Mrs. Katie Prince Ward Esker in 1943. The Muse family is…

  • The Officer Down Memorial Page

    This website maintains a database of all known law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. Their names are on a memorial in Washington, D.C. Here are…

  • Historical Markers in Ouachita Parish

    I found a neat little database listing the historical markers to be found in Ouachita parish. Did you know we have a marker written in French? Click on each one…

  • Turn of the Century South Grand

    I found this postcard for sale online. I have never seen that angle before. To give you an idea of where you are, the lady on the right is standing…

  • DeSiard Street is Paved!

    …or about to be! Back in November, 1898, Mayor Dr. Andrew A. Forsythe had just been elected. It seems he hit the ground running! This appeared in a New Orleans…

  • Interior Shots of the old Paramount Theater

    I found some great shots I had never seen of the interior of this old theater. http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/1067/photos It is absolutely gorgeous! Such a shame this building is gone.

  • Two Unidentified Monroe Portraits

    I found these on the Portal to Texas History page. One is a Mealy photo and the other is a Harper photo. This first one is the Harper photo of…

  • Interior of the Monroe Country Club

    These are rare views of the inside of the Monroe Country Club: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-150325156/view https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-150325055/view They were taken in the early 1910’s and can now be found in Australia! Side note:…

  • Ivory Joe Hunter at the Three Mile Inn

    Jack Angell founded the Three Mile Inn way back in the 1930’s. During WWII, it became an NCO Club for Selman Field. It is said it had a glass dance…