Ouachita Parish History Tidbits

Tag: Ouachita Parish Public Library

  • Monroe Colored High School Class of 1929

    You can see Professor M.J. Foster in front in the black cap and gown. The school building was fairly new. One of the ladies in this class is Mrs. Ollie…

  • The New Main Branch

    In 1959, photographer Earl B. Williams went to the brand new Main Branch and thoroughly documented it inside and out. The books weren’t even placed inside yet! You can see…

  • Ouachita Parish History Mural

    Back in 1958, Frances Flanders, Director of the Ouachita Parish Public Library, was in the middle of construction of the new Main Branch Library. Ms. Flanders wanted a statement piece…

  • Selber Brothers Department Store Groundbreaking – 1967

    It was recently announced that the Main Branch of the Ouachita Parish Public Library will be moving next year into a building that was once part of the Twin City…

  • A History of Library Service to the African-American Community in Ouachita Parish

    I have found another digitized thesis! This one was written in 1967 by Ms. Shirley Rush at Atlanta University. It details the history of the establishment of the Carver Branch…

  • Ouachita Parish Public Library Historical Photos

    I just wanted to take a moment and highlight what my boss has been working on. She has set up a new section on the Louisiana Digital Library to upload…

  • Ouachita Parish Public Library

    This real photo postcard shows the main branch library after it was built in the late 1950’s. The front entrance faced Stubbs Avenue, which is why it still has a…

  • A New Genealogy Page for the Ouachita Parish Public Library

    A few weeks ago, the library launched a new webpage at http://www.oplib.org. If you look at the top right section of the home page, you will see a link to…

  • A Documentation of a Movement.

    Back in 1967, Ms. Shirley Cross Russ wrote a thesis for her study at Atlanta University, documenting the movement in Monroe to give library service to the African American community.…

  • Site of the old library on Jackson.

    I took this from a window of the hospital parking garage. This was the site of the old Anna Meyer home, which became the second Monroe library building. Made me…