Monroe Sanitarium

No, this is not St. Francis Hospital! I think this is Riverside Sanitarium, which was on South Grand street. St. Francis was a few years away when the above photo was taken.

E.C. Drew Home, circa 1910

Last month, a patron brought in a magazine published in 1911, showing photos of Monroe I have never seen before. The patron let us digitize it and I took photos with my phone. It will eventually be put online at the Louisiana Digital Library. Over the next few weeks I will share the photos I … Continue reading E.C. Drew Home, circa 1910 →

Rio Vista Hotel Apartments

Here is one building I never knew about! This little postcard popped up for sale on eBay and you know I had to have it! It was identified as the Rio Vista Hotel in Monroe, dated 1948. I had never heard of it! Apparently, the first mention of it in the papers was in 1938 … Continue reading Rio Vista Hotel Apartments →

Lovers Lane – Circa 1910

I really wish this view was still around! The postmark on the back was January 22, 1910. Very few of those catalpas remain on South Grand!

Interior of Mealy Studio

This grainy interior shot of the Mealy studio is a rare one indeed. It is dated 1911. Eli Mealy himself had died three years before, but the studio was bought by photographer W.C. Church. Church kept the Mealy name. The Mealy Studio building still stands just down from the old Austin's Restaurant. KM Designs is … Continue reading Interior of Mealy Studio →

South Grand Around 1910

I think I have shared a black and white version of this photo before. It shows South Grand Street around 1910. The postcard was postmarked 1913. On the far left is the old Hotel Monroe. You can see the trolly car turning down Wood Street. The courthouse square is the grove of trees just past … Continue reading South Grand Around 1910 →

Railroad Competition Mystery

Ok people. I'm stumped. I THINK, this may be at the corner of DeSiard and South Grand streets. I bought this off of Ebay the day before Thanksgiving and I've been stumped ever since. The problem with it being South Grand and Desiard, is the one story building immediately to the left in the image. … Continue reading Railroad Competition Mystery →

Lovers Lane Catalpas

This picture popped up on a Facebook thread a couple of weeks ago and it brought to mind the story of how those trees got there. If you are unfamiliar with the story, lower South Grand street was once lined with catalpa trees with fence boards embedded in between. It was called Lovers Lane at … Continue reading Lovers Lane Catalpas →

Riverside Sanitarium

This building stood at 3001 South Grand Street (where the Riverside Nursing Home is now). It was built in 1925 by the pastor of First Baptist Monroe, Rev. Tripp. The two people standing on the front steps are unidentified. https://louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/oplib-pho%3A803

Grammont and South Grand Near the Turn of the Last Century

I love this photo postcard! What you are looking at is the corner of Grammont and South Grand Streets, taken from the top of the City Hall bell tower. On the right is the Meyer Brothers Warehouse [torn down in 1921], straight ahead is the big white building that was Central Savings Bank & Trust … Continue reading Grammont and South Grand Near the Turn of the Last Century →