Category: Uncategorized

Map of the Small Communities of Ouachita Parish

Wednesday, my boss found a map of Ouachita Parish pasted in the front cover of one of our Peters Funeral Home Records books. It appears to be hand drawn and shows all the little communities that were here in the early 20th century. Did you know where Breard Springs was? I didn't either, but it … Continue reading Map of the Small Communities of Ouachita Parish →

31 Nights of Halloween (2021 Edition/Night #1): A Jonestown Victim’s Grave is Identified

Every October, Ms. Antley posts nightly stories about local graves in North Louisiana. I look forward to her posts every October! They are well researched and interestingly written. This post is about a local victim of the Jonestown Massacre. I was the librarian she mentions in this post. It was very moving for me and an honor to have a hand in finding Miss Willis’ grave again.

For The Love of History

November 18, 1978 is one horrifying date in world history. It will forever be marred by the remembrance of Jim Jones and the demise of the residents of his “Jonestown” settlement in Guyana. His followers had joined him in hopes for a better future, instead they had no future. In that day, he convinced over 900 people to willingly drink poison (or in some cases—force feed it to their children). Days later, the U.S. and Guyanese government took over the brutal task of identifying the dead and returning them home.

Initially, the United States had felt it was best to dig a mass grave and bury them there but Guyana officials refused to entertain that idea. This tragedy may have taken place in their soil but they did not want the burials or bad energy left behind.

Jones had followers from all over the United States. In fact, he had…

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HISTORIC HASLEY:  Secrets From The Grave 

Last year, the Ouachita Parish Public Library’s Genealogy and Special Collections Department applied for and won a Rebirth Public Library grant* from the National Endowment for the Humanities.  Our project was to create a virtual cemetery tour of some of the burials in Hasley cemetery, West Monroe.  The fruits of that labor are now available to the public.  … Continue reading HISTORIC HASLEY:  Secrets From The Grave  →

The Red Knights: An Unknown Confederate Unit

While browsing along the other day, I stumbled across this little document found in the Boston Anthenaum. It has no date on it, but it clearly was printed during the Civil War. It was calling on local men in the Monroe area to organize a rifle company to fight the Federal army (I won't use … Continue reading The Red Knights: An Unknown Confederate Unit →

The First Car in Monroe…Owned by a Woman?

I may have just found out who had the first car in Monroe! It may have happened all the way back in 1901! This little society article appeared in the Times-Picayune (New Orleans) December 9, 1900, page 15: Miss Laura Wright, one of our most popular and beautiful young women, has won an automobile in … Continue reading The First Car in Monroe…Owned by a Woman? →

Stevie Wonder Comes to the Civic Center

Did you know that the great Stevie Wonder came to the Monroe Civic Center in 1970? Yep! Among the hits he sang that night were : "Yester-You, Yester-New, Yester-Day", "My Cherie Amour" and "Up-Tight". Our public computers still don't have internet access, but staff computers can get on the net. Please be patient with us, … Continue reading Stevie Wonder Comes to the Civic Center →