Ouachita Parish History Tidbits

Tag: West Monroe History

  • Pioneer West Monroe Figure Ben Allen

    Monroe Morning World, November 18, 1934, Page 6. Ben Allen was born enslaved in Alabama. According to his death certificate, he was the son of Fed Allen and Willie A.…

  • Varino’s Grocery Building

    Earlier this month, I saw a post on Facebook, announcing a historic grant was given to remodel the old Varino building at 200 Commerce Street in West Monroe, next to…

  • The E.E. Johnson Service Station

    This postcard is a rare one from the 1920’s. When I saw it come up for sale on eBay, I had to have it! It came in last month. The…

  • The End of Travelers Rest Plantation

    The Ouachita Citizen, Friday, October 4, 1946, Page 1 TRAVELERS REST MANOR IS RAZED Mrs. McGuire Will Build Modern Home at Site of Landmark “Travelers Rest,” the ancient home of…

  • West Monroe Landmark Torn Down

    Ouachita Citizen, May 26, 1933, Page 1 CITY’S LARGEST BUILDING RAZED: ONE-TIME GATHERING PLACE FOR STOCKMEN NOW ONLY A MEMORY Big Structure, Its Usefulness Ended By the Universal Acceptance of…

  • 1971 Burning of Crosley Elementary

    On June 9, 1971, fire broke out in the copy room of Crosley Elementary School, located at 700 Natchitoches Street. Due to the interior being of wood, the fire quickly…

  • The Life of Ike Hamilton: From Rodeo Clown to Famous Auctioneer

    This is a wonderful interview with Ike Hamilton, whom the West Monroe arena is named for. https://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/DeltaHamilton.html

  • St. Paschal’s School – 1945

    These final photos show the Catholic school which was a part of the church. I believe this school was the first Catholic school in West Monroe.

  • St. Paschal’s Catholic Church, West Monroe

    At one of my favorite antique shops in West Monroe last week, I found a little pamphlet from 1945 detailing the history of West Monroe’s first Catholic church, St. Paschal’s.…

  • German Prisoner of War Camp in West Monroe

    Did you know that during World War II, there was a prisoner of war camp in Ouachita Parish? It sat where the West Monroe Convention Center is now. The facility…