"HILL CREST MEMORIAL A VALUABLE ASSET"

Hill Crest Memorial Park receiving the Bossier Chamber of Commerce monthly Commercial Beautification Award in 1981.
Bossier Chamber of Commerce Collection; 1998.047.249

In its July 27, 1956 issue The Bossier Press praised Hill Crest Memorial Park for its value to Bossier Parish.

“The Hill Crest Memorial Park has proven to be a valuable institutional asset to all of Ward 2 and Ward 6.”

“The cemetery, located on a beautiful rolling hill tract, has been accepted by scores of Bossier families as their choice of a final resting place. Many families which did not have burial plots in Shreveport cemeteries have reserved plots in the Hill Crest Park, and some who had previously made arrangements elsewhere have sold their lots in order to reserve burial space in the local institution.”

“Interest in Hill Crest has been especially high at Haughton, Red Chute and Fillmore, where residents feel that its perpetual care features offer distinct advantages.”

“There is no cemetery located in the city limits of Bossier City, and Hill Crest was established to fill this need. Most of the residents of Bossier City are from families who formerly lived in the hill lands. To them, a cemetery or burial park must be situated on high ground and should be in beautiful rolling hills. Hill Crest Memorial Park meets all of these requirements.”

“Gracing the tract are large handsome pine trees, well planned drives and beautiful landscaping.”

“President of the corporation which established the park to serve this area is W. A. Gandy of Bossier City, a civic church and financial leader. Mr. Gandy and other leaders in the movement decided in the beginning that Hill Crest Memorial Park should be second to none in beauty and in planning.”

“The park maintains a business office on East Texas Street in Bossier City, where families may make plans at any time instead of waiting until a death occurs in the family, when emotional pressures may prevent wise decisions.”

Hill Crest Memorial Cemetery was founded in 1954 and has offered funeral and cremation
services since 1985. To learn more contact the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center.

By: Ann Middleton

R&R (Read and React) with History, July 2018

The latest offering in the History Center's R&R (Read and React) with History series will be a four-week reading, short film and discussion series facilitated by Dr. Rose Harris, Ralph Bunche Endowed Professor of Political Science at Grambling State University. This series will center on the book Lighting the Fires of Freedom—African American Women in the Civil Rights Movement by Janet Dewart Bell. This collection of riveting oral history interviews was just recently published in order to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1968.

Participants in this series will learn about the Civil Rights Movement in general as well as how so many of the movement's pivotal strategies were conceived and driven by women. An example featured in the book is Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat for a white passenger, inspiring the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This refusal was not the spontaneous and private act of a tired seamstress, as often portrayed in popular narratives of the incident, but rather the result of Mrs. Parks’ clear-eyed and courageous community activism. Her role, like that of so many other African American women, as a creative or organizing force of the Civil Rights Movement has often gone underappreciated or even unseen.

This series will meet on four consecutive Tuesday evenings, July 3—July 24, 2018 at 6:00—7:30 p.m. at the Bossier Parish Libraries Historical Center, 2206 Beckett St. Bossier City, LA, adjacent to Bossier Central Library. The program is FREE. Please call the History Center to pre-register at (318)-746-7717. Spaces and books are limited. Light supper will be provided.

"RED LAND SEMINARY"

The July 30, 1959 issue of the Bossier Banner-Progress told the story of historic Red Land and
its equally historic seminary/community center.

“Historic highlights of early Bossier Parish and its educational system were vividly revealed on
May 30th during formal dedication of Red Land Seminary, Inc.’s new $6,000 building for
community betterment.”

“A legal child of pioneer Red Land Seminary, a member-owned private educational institution
and first school in Bossier Parish with a history dating back to March 12, 1858, the new Red
Land Seminary, Inc. was re-chartered after much legal research on April 22, 1958, by a small
group of community-spirited men, some of whose grandparents founded the original seminary.”

“Using proceeds derived from oil wells and leases on the ancient 17-acre tract originally patented
in 1858 by Major Robert Wyche, a Civil War veteran and later sheriff of Bossier Parish, the
governing Board of Directors constructed a modern community center with auditorium and a
well-equipped kitchen under whispering pines where forefathers tread with slates and dinner
pails.”

“About 80 people attended the dedication services and outdoor dinner. Vice-President W. H.
Rogers, Route 2, Plain Dealing, welcomed the group and explained the purpose of the rechartered
Seminary which stands within the shadows of Salem Baptist Church, another historic
landmark of Bossier Parish.”

“W. A. Johnson, secretary-treasurer of the project and a director of another home-owned, nonprofit
service institution, gave the history of the re-chartered organization along with some
interesting highlights of early education in the parish.”

“Guest speaker was Frank Kennedy, attorney for Fair Oil Company which under-wrote the
expenses for the complicated legal research work to re-charter the old Seminary. The Shreveport
lawyer said his searching of moldy records of the parish and state took him back to the original
state legislative act of 100 years ago which first created Red Land Seminary.”

“To understand the significance of the dedication to north Louisiana culture and to Bossier
Parish in particular, here is a gist of the history of Red Land community and the venerable
Seminary, as related by Mr. Johnson, a native of Red Land who taught in various Louisiana
schools for 38 years.”

“After General Andrew Jackson defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans and later
cleared the central South of hostile Indians, countless thousands of mostly small farmers from
the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia and Alabama rolled westward in wagons in search of new land
on which to establish homes.”

“Shunning the now richer bottomlands because of mosquitoes and uncontrolled floodwaters, they
had established a recognizable community at Red Land by 1830. Long before Shreveport and
Bossier City were founded, Red Land boasted families from every state east of the Mississippi
River and south of Ohio, except Florida.”

“Prior to the founding of Red Land Seminary, it was customary for families to employ private
tutors to [teach] the traditional ‘three Rs.’ if this were impossible, education went lacking. By
1858 community leaders decide[d] that a cooperative effort would improve the educational
situation.”

To find out more about the old Red Land Seminary and about Salem Baptist Church come to the
Bossier Parish Libraries History Center.

By: Ann Middleton

Register Now For R&R with History

"FLAG DAY"

Flag Day is June 14^th.  In its June 17, 1920, issue the Bossier Banner carried the following article about the special day.

“Since the day when Betsy Ross, 144 years ago, sewed upon a flag symbolic of our union, the United States Navy with its ships and its men has always upheld the best traditions of our flag.  History tells us of many a fleet striking its flag under the stress of battle, but the stars and stripes have never been lowered by a United States fleet to signify surrender.”

The call of the flag all down through our history has been answered by the even tread of our manhood, coming from the work-bench, the field and desk.  Our first convoy of troop ships sailed away from America on Flag Day, June 14, 1917, under the command of Admiral Gleaves.  The ships were filled with earnest, determined men who were the first tap of the mighty hammer that was to sound the doom of the hope of Germany for world domination.”

“Colors at sea, on board warships, is an impressive ceremony.  At sunrise the flag is hoisted and at sunset it is lowered while the crews of the various ships stand at attention and salute until it is finally folded carefully and put away for the night.  Sunset to the troops and crews of the various ships, away from home for the first time in their lives answering the call of the flag, called forth hidden emotions.  The flag to these men seemed to be a symbol of might and determination.  Many months later, after our flag had been carried victoriously through the battles that tried men’s souls, these men boarded the same ships for home; in the dying sunset it seemed to be a forgiving flag as it was slowly lowered and seemed to issue a warning again that the legion of American manhood following it was ready at all times to defend its honor with their lives.”

Find out more about local Flag Day celebrations by visiting the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center.

By: Ann Middleton

This Month In Bossier Parish History

June: through out the years

Census records has been conducted by the United States government since the 1790’s, they are taken every 10 years. The 1830-1880 and 1900 censuses were taken June 1; the 1890 census was as of June 2 .

1850; Bossier Parish Census record for population was 6,962, (https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/bossierparishlouisiana/PST045217 https://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/)

2017; Bossier Parish Census record for population is 127,634.  (PopulationofStatesandCountiesoftheUnitedStates1790-1990.pdf)

Hershel and Geneva Wyatt:

1999..134.016

Cliff Cardin Collection

Jun. 16, 1955: Bossier Banner pg 4a . Plain Dealing will become the “crossroads of northwest Louisiana” when miller’s Bluff bridge is formally opened June 20th, 1955. It will be the first bridge over the Red River north of Shreveport.

The Miller’s Bluff Bridge was about a mile north of HWY 2 between Plain Dealing and Hosston and bout a mile below the old Miller’s Bluff Ferry.

                                             

Miller’s Bluff Ferry: This picture was taken by John H. c. 1910.                    

1997.054.096-2

Beulah Findley Collection         

Miller’s Bluff Bridge: Bossier Banner; Jun. 16, 1955

William Coody Ferry : On the Red River

202.035.276

Mr. and Mrs. Paul  McKim Collection

Unknown Ferry: c.1920

2003.026.066 Mary Wheeler Corley Collection

June 19, 1843: On this day, the first meeting of the Bossier Police Jury was held with William Burns presiding. Police Jury members were: William Crowley, Isaac Lay, B.J. Williams, Joseph Graham, John C. Scott. (served has clerk).  The Appointed attorney was Andrew J. Lamton and J.A.W. Lowery for constable.  In 1843 the Parish seat was established in town of Freedonia, by the in of the year the town was renamed “Bellevue”.  In the 1890's, the Parish seat was  moved to Benton.

 Bossier Parish Courthouse:  Bellevue, built in 1853

0000.004.114

Scanland Collection

Bossier Parish Courthouse: Benton, c.1900’s

0000.001.011

Bossier Parish Library Collection