River Landings and Ferry Locations Along the Ouachita River

Have you ever been curious as to where some of the steamboat landings were along the Ouachita river? Back in 1976, the Ouachita Council of Governments and the Monroe-Ouachita Regional Planning Commission did a two year Resource Survey study of Historic Preservation in Ouachita Parish. They were given a funding grant from the Housing and … Continue reading River Landings and Ferry Locations Along the Ouachita River →

A Ouachita Settlement Before Fort Miro?

I was reading a thesis about the effect of human settlement in Ouachita Parish on the landscape (read the whole thing here: https://shareok.org/bitstream/handle/11244/31625/Thesis-1974D-A425s.pdf;jsessionid=4D09B04F0C16F02D4D42C72D2C4605FE?sequence=1 ) when I found something I hadn't heard before. This thesis claimed that in 1719, France decided to set up a colony on the Ouachita river. The site selected was the bend … Continue reading A Ouachita Settlement Before Fort Miro? →

Steamboats at a Monroe Landing

Here is my newest postcard I have added to my collection! It was mailed in 1907. It shows two steamboats docked probably about where the Children's Museum is now. It was where the Monroe Grocery and the Keller Grocery had their warehouses and the Monroe Ice Factory sat. Docked at the landing were the Handy … Continue reading Steamboats at a Monroe Landing →

The Twin City Queen

This postcard from our collection has beloved memories for our long-time residents. You could ride up and down the Ouachita River and pretend you were transported in time to the era of steamboats and hoop skirts. Many people felt a part of their past died when the "Queen" sank at her dock many years ago. … Continue reading The Twin City Queen →

Houseboats Along the Ouachita River Levee

This is an interesting little postcard I found that I have never seen before! It shows some children riding in a ski boat along the Ouachita River with skiers in the background. It looks to date to the late 60's to early 70's. What really caught my attention were the houseboats parked along the levee … Continue reading Houseboats Along the Ouachita River Levee →

The U.S. Waterway Dredge Boat

This dredge boat traveled up and down the Ouachita dredging the river to make it navigable in 1921 when they were building the locks and dams system. This picture shows the boat docked at Monroe around this time.

The Salt Water Natatorium right after it was built.

This next photo is the Salt Water Natatorium from an angle I have never seen before. You can clearly see the Pavilion off to the right. I think in the background you can see the Ouachita River, which gives you an idea how close it was to the river!

The Ouachita Belle

Tulane has a very impressive steamboat collection. Among the collection is this beauty: https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane:75015 I think they have the date wrong though. The Ouachita Belle was built in Louisville, KY for Captain Fred Blanks' line and made it to New Orleans in December that year to start her run. She travelled up and down the … Continue reading The Ouachita Belle →

The P.M. Atkins Bridge

Postcard of the P.M. Atkins Bridge shortly after it was built. Did you know that the Lea Joyner bridge was actually originally named for someone else? In 1931, Monroe and West Monroe decided they needed a new bridge across the Ouachita to connect the two cities. On April 30, 1936, Governor James A. Noe declared … Continue reading The P.M. Atkins Bridge →

Steamboat Landing on the Ouachita – Circa 1905

This is a postcard I bought on Ebay. It shows the steamboat Frank B. Hayne at a landing somewhere in Monroe (Pine street maybe?). The postcard was written on the back with a date of 1912. The image though, has to be a bit older than that. The Frank B. Hayne was built in Jeffersonville, … Continue reading Steamboat Landing on the Ouachita – Circa 1905 →