Haughton's Early Days

The Village of Haughton
This unique picture of Haughton, Louisiana, was taken in 1910, from atop the church bell tower. A wagon loaded with a bale of cotton proceeds to the railroad depot. the three-story building in the center is the Crume Hotel. At the far left is the store of T.H. Lawrence, which was the last surviving building, until 1997, when it was dismantled. the white house on the right would burn in the 1950s. Behind it is the Edwards' home, which would burn in the 1990s. Fire has been a strong enemy of Bossier Parish's early homes and towns. Emma Patillo Collection: 0000.003.033-2

When William Purvis Haughton moved his family to Bossier Parish, he had no idea that the land he pioneered along with the Lawrence family would one day be named after him and would continue to grow as it has. Haughton's beginning goes back roughly forty years before it was officially designated as such on Sept. 1, 1884, when the VS&P railroad changed the community known as Lawrenceville to Haughton.

The name change was because when the railroad came through Lawrenceville, the train station was named Lawrence Station, but there was already a Lawrence Station in Mississippi. Dr. Paul Andrew Lawrence, the son of pioneer David Lawrence and son-in-law of William Haughton, chose to change Lawrence Station of Lawrenceville to Haughton Station. And the community from that point forward has been known as Haughton.

Being chosen as a location for a railroad station set into motion a significant growth spurt for Haughton. During the summer of 1884, the railroad was built through the community. The Bossier Banner reported on July 10, 1884, "Lawrenceville, situated ten miles south of Bellevue, on the Vicksburg, Shreveport and Pacific Railroad, is having quite a boom in business and improvements. There is life and bustle everywhere, and our new railroad town evidently has a bright future before it, in which well directed industry and liberal investments will surely be well rewarded. Success to the new town and its progressive citizens."

A few days later, the first U.S. Post Office opened with Luther E. McDade as postmaster. Of course, the post office name changed from Lawrenceville to Haughton a little over a month after the community's name was changed. The second postmaster was Milus W. Haughton, son of William.

The community continued to grow, and when talks of moving the Parish seat from Bellevue started, the citizens of Haughton wrote a letter to the editor of the Bossier Banner with their bid to be chosen for the new location. The letter was dated May 7, 1885, and was published a week later. It reads as follows:

"As there is a great deal of talk about the Parish site removal, and some little bidding for the Court House, the citizens of Haughton and vicinity desire to be heard. We will give ($3,000) three thousand dollars and one lot of ground for the parish site. Our land ranges in value from $125 to $1000 per lot; and we will give a suitable lot worth at least $500. If parties do not believe that we are in earnest, let us be awarded the parish site and the cash will be forthcoming. In the early days of Rome the crown was put up to the highest bidder, and the money this derived was given to the people. — In this, we propose to assist the people of Bossier in building a new Court House and jail. If any other community offers this amount we may raise our bid, but think that those who get the advantage of the parish site, should pay for that advantage. We are willing to do so."

The letter continues with boastings of the fruitfulness of the land, its commercial advantages, and schools. The amount of cotton they shipped out in 1884 was 3,000 bales, and the fact that they paid more for cotton than any other place. Pointing out that "everything argues in favor of Haughton. We have six business houses, boarding houses, livery stables, saw mills, and everything that constitutes a first-class village, with the ambition of a town — Within the present year Dr. Lawrence, Messrs. McClanahan, Davis, Grounds, Bullock and Odom, have built residences, and Messrs. Bryan, Radcliff, Bodenheimer, McKinney and J.F. Edwards are constructing residences. If any town, or neighborhood in the parish can beat this showing of a town less than a year old, we would like to hear from them, especially if they will offer more for the Court House."

That same year a Baptist church house and Methodist church house were erected. P.B. Holt became the editor and proprietor of the first newspaper, the “Haughton Democrat.” The village held its first election that fall, where the people elected Henry Bodenheimer as their first Mayor and for Trustees, Dr. Paul Lawrence, J.F. Edwards, J.W. Elston, D.H. Cale, D.E. Griffin, and J.G. Grounds. Come Christmas time; the people put up a community Christmas tree in the schoolhouse where they gathered on Christmas Eve. The first telephone was installed in June of 1889.

The village of Haughton continued to grow. With a population of over 1,000 inhabitants, Governor Edwin Edwards, through proclamation, reclassified the Village of Haughton to the Town of Haughton in Sept. 1975. Currently the largest town in Bossier Parish, and once it reaches a population of 5,000, it will be eligible for reclassification as a city.

To learn more about Haughton, visit the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center at 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City. Be sure to follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on FB, @bplhistorycenter on Tiktok, and check out our blog, http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/.

By: Amy Robertson

Barksdale's Little League

Source: The Observer, Aug. 23, 1957

Often referred to as America's national pastime, baseball has been enjoyed in America by player's, and spectator's alike since the game was modernized in the 1840s. In the 1920s, the American Legion formed a baseball program for teenage boys, and schools started baseball programs. But opportunities to play baseball were virtually non-existent for pre-teens until Carl Stotz of Williamsport, PA, founded Little League Baseball.

It all began in 1938 when Stotz was watching a bunch of kids trying to play baseball on a regulation diamond, with inadequate equipment and without the benefit of coaching and organization. He had the idea to organize a league for the youngsters, but first, he had to work out the details. So, Stotz gathered several neighborhood children and experimented with different equipment and field dimensions during that summer. He enlisted help from members of the community, and the first game was played in 1939.

Little League is a scaled-down version of organized baseball to fit youngsters between the ages of eight and twelve. The playing field is two-thirds the size of the regulation diamond, with bases 60-feet apart, and pitchers stand 40 feet and 4 inches from the home plate. The games are limited to six innings compared to nine innings in the Minor and Major Leagues. The bats and balls are the exact sizes as those used in the Major Leagues but lighter. In the interest of safety, steel cleats were banned from the league, causing sporting goods manufacturers to make special rubber sole shoes for kids.

In the beginning, they had the National Little League Tournament, now known as the Little League World Series. Its popularity snowballed, and by 1950 at least 37 states were competing for national honors in the Little League. The Little League World Series had played to capacity crowds for the previous two seasons.

Source: The Observer, Jan. 11, 1957

It's unclear to this writer exactly when Bossier Parish formed its first Little League team(s). But, in 1957, Barksdale received the first Little League franchise in Louisiana from the National Little League headquarters in Williamsport, PA., to play that year. "The franchise was presented to Col. Ralph J. White, base commander, by Master Sgt. James Lovejoy, 1956 president of the base Little Leagues. The colonel was deputizing for Col. Robert H. Borders, newly elected president for 1957 who was unable to receive the franchise in person because of TDY commitments."

Tech. Sgt. Rufus Bohannon was named vice-president of the league that year. The previous year he and Master Sgt. Delmar Cook coached the championship 3rd Triple S Wildcats to their second straight base title. That year nearly 167 boys signed up for Little League baseball, with an even greater number expected for the coming season. Five teams made up the league, and they were eligible for the state, district, regional, and World Series playoffs.

This week is National Little League week, and eighty years ago today, the first Little League game was played. Since then, Little League Baseball has become the world's largest organized youth sports program. It has grown from three teams to nearly 200,000 teams in all 50 U.S. States and more than 80 countries. In 1974 Little League Softball was created. The primary goal was to give the children a game that provides fundamental principles teaching sportsmanship, fair play, and teamwork. Valuable lessons that can be carried out throughout one's lifetime.

To learn more about sports in Bossier Parish, visit the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center at 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City. Be sure to follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on FB and check out our blog, http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/. We are excited to announce that we are now on Tiktok; follow us @bplhistorycenter.

By: Amy Robertson

Bossier Parish’s 20th Flagaversary

Flags have been used since ancient times and were originally used mainly in warfare. Today, flags are used as a symbol, a signaling device, or for decoration. One of the most popular uses of a flag is to symbolize a nation or country. In the United States, every state, territory, and federal district has a unique flag, representing the uniqueness of each.

While every state territory and federal district honors the United States flag, you can think of state flags like a first name and the U.S. flag as the last name. Each flag has deep symbolism that speaks to the history of the state, territory, and federal district—each utilizing different styles and design principles.

Each state is made up of municipalities, counties/parishes, cities, towns, and villages. Some of these municipalities have a flag, and others do not. Those which do, display a variety of regional influences and local histories to show pride and symbolize some unique aspect of the area. Louisiana has 64 parishes and 303 municipalities, but like most states, not all of them have a flag.

Twenty years ago, Bossier Parish adopted its first official flag through a contest that was open to middle and high school students throughout the parish. The contest was in response to a Lincoln Parish schoolteacher's campaign to have all parishes adopt an official flag. Police Juror Jeff Rogers initiated the contest, and in announcing the contest, he said, "We won't limit the type of design or colors because we want to use the creativity of students."

Each school held a contest and selected its winners. These winners became semifinalists in the parish-wide contest. The semifinalists were whittled down to three finalists by a Police Jury committee. Then, the full Police Jury selected the grand prize winner, announcing the winner in June of 2001.

The winner was Jennifer Hankins, a Benton High School senior. A Shreveport Times article that announced her as the winner stated that she "worked on her piece for two weeks, completing it with a little help from her family and art teacher, Rose Ann Holomon." Hankins had just started taking art a couple of years before and loved painting with oil pastels. Holomon stated that "Hankins possesses raw talent that can take her into art professionally."

Hankins' flag design won because it best represented the parish. The flag has a green background with a white triangle going from the hoist to the end of the fly. The middle is an outline of the sun with deep red-orange rays along its border, symbolizing the warm climate. In the sun's center are other symbols of the area, including water, a crawfish, the parish seal, an outline of Bossier Parish pinpointing the Parish Seat of Benton, and the dogwood flower.

When announcing the contest, Rogers, stated "The winning student artist will receive a savings bond of at least $100 and will have his or her flag design displayed in a case in the courthouse's main hall. A plaque will list the winner's name and the school the student attends."

What do you want to know about Bossier Parish's history? Or, perhaps you have important information or artifacts about Bossier Parish History that you would like to share. Donations are a large part of our collection and are vital in helping us preserve Bossier Parish's history. Visit, call or email the Bossier Parish Library History Center for help with your research. We are at 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City, 318-746-7717, history-center@bossierlibrary.org.

By: Amy Robertson

This Month In Bossier Parish History

                   June: Though the Years

Jun.2, 1960:  One of the oldest land-marks was being torn down in Plain Dealing, the two story home of  Mollie Banks Gray.

Mollie Banks Gray Hotel built about 1890.

Two story house in Plain Dealing, La with trees obscuring front.   Section on right projects forward.  Porch with gingerbread to the left.  Picket gate.

1997.062.028 Turnley Collection

Apr. 13, 1947: Mollie Banks Gray's 85th birthday. Includes J.T. Manry and unidentified friends

2003.026.020 Corley Collection

Jun. 1921: Weekly news form a 100 years ago

• Haughton Town Council was busy trying to get things in shape, visible results were repair of the well and work of the roads.

C.1900’s   This unique picture of Haughton, Louisiana, was taken in 1910, from atop the church bell tower.A wagon loaded with a bale of cotton proceeds to the railroad depot. the three-story building in the center is the Crume Hotel. At the far left is the store of T.H. Lawrence, which was the last surviving building, until 1997, when it was dismantled. the white house on the right would burn in the 1950's. Behind it is the Edwards' home, which would burn in the 1990's. Fire has been a strong enemy of Bossier Parish's early homes an towns.

000.003.033 Pattillo Collection

•  A fusillade  (series guns firing) of shots and ringing of the church bells gave warning of fire at the Boggs' home.

Benton Boggs Home.

Home of Benton Boggs, 1st mayor of Plain Dealing. Queen Anne-style house with elaborate gingerbread and unusual cap on chimney.

North West Corner of Palmetto Ave. and Perrin St. Plain Dealing, Louisiana. 

1997.062.072 Turnley Collection

• The Brushy boys challenge the Linton boys to a ball game, final score 62 to 2, in favor of Linton

Top Photo—Linton School: Emma Scarborough Lawson, Marie Lay Bumgardner, Belle Dalrymple Jenkins,  Anna Pilkinton Finnis (?),  Evie Thomas Richardson, Ida Jones,  Bob Bumgardner, Charlie Jones, Wilburn Dalrymple, Alton Dalrymple Smith, Ethel Dalrymple Ryan, Sadie Lay Dooley, Gladys Bumgardner Birdwell, Claudia Bumgardner Boylston,  Mary Belle Dalrymple Lane,  Ula May Denning Copeland, Robert Jones

1998.081.005     Young Collection

Bottom Photo—Old Brushy School

2001.025.026Rodgers Collection

• Lyles Wyche was employed at the Transcontinental Oil Company.

C.1910’s: Three boys (Harry, Lyles and J.W. Wyche) standing by their calf-drawn wagon.  A dog sits in the wagon.

Location, north Palmetto Ave looking north east from Cham Wyche house. 

1997.062.062      Turnley Collection

• William Bounds motored over to Minden.

These are the 5 sons of William Arthur Bounds and Nancy Elizabeth Watt. 

William Henry Bounds born 1890, James Murph Bounds born 1892, Walter Albert Bounds born 1893, Howard Franklin Bounds born 1985, and Chiga A. Bounds born 1897.

The boys had six sisters.

2012.059.049

June 17th: Happy National Mascot Day!

    Recognizing the luck they bring to teams, franchises, and more, National Mascot Day celebrates            these iconic figures on June 17th each year.

Airline Vikings: Percy Ashley
1978: Airline High School Yearbook

Benton Tigers (Beth Sirman and Kathy May)
1970: Benton High School Yearbook

Bossier Bearkats: Judy Nichols and Mary Compton
1958 Bossier High school Yearbook

 

Haughton Bucs: Charity Rankin
1992 Haughton High School Yearbook

Parkway Panthers: Cindi Allbritton and Cathi Disbrow
1973: Parkway High School Yearbook

Plain Dealing Lions: Connie Walker

1969 Plain Dealing Yearbook

Jun.30, 1929: A year after the original Cottage Grove Church was destroyed by fire, the first service in the new building was held on Jun.30, 1929.  The new building was made possible by the contributions of Mr. John H. Milling, family members and the community of Cottage Grove.  

Photograph of original church at Cottage Grove taken 6/20/1928. This church burned and was replaced with small brick church. Cemetery can be seen in background.

2001.052.083  Saucier Collection

C.1950’s-1960’s: Cottage Grove Memorial Presbyterian Church 

2003.026.027Q Corley Collection

First Asian American Enlists as Cadet at Barksdale

At the beginning of World War II, there were only 55 enlisted pilots in the U.S. Army Air Corps. At the end of 1941, the Army lowered cadet education requirements allowing enlisted men to apply to flight training. Instead of needing a college degree, those with a high school diploma were allowed to enlist for flight training. Between 1941 and 1942, over 2,580 enlisted men became pilots.

Staff Sergeant Samuel "Jake" Mardock

During that time, Samuel "Jake" Mardock, Jr. proudly became the first Chinese to be accepted as a flying cadet at Barksdale. The following announcement appeared in "The Shreveport Journal" on Thursday, Jan. 29, 1942, with the heading, "Chinese Enlists As Flying Cadet: Sam Mardock, Jr., of Tyler Accepted for Army At Barksdale Field."

"Sam Mardock, Jr., 26-year-old Chinese, of Tyler, Texas, Wednesday became the first of his race to be accepted at Barksdale Field as a flying cadet.

"'Now maybe I'll get a crack at those Japanese,' Sam said when informed that he had met cadet requirements and been accepted.

"Julian, 24-year-old brother of Sam, was accepted recently at a Texas air base for army cadet training, 'and when they lowered cadet educational requirements I didn't lose any time getting at Barksdale to try and make it myself,' Sam said.

"Barksdale's first Chinese cadet is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Mardock of Tyler, both of whom were born in China, where they have many relatives.

"' But we don't hear from them much anymore, because of the war the Japanese are making,' Sam said.

"He took civilian flight training in 1938, and has more than 200 hours of flying to his credit. He attended Tyler Junior college. His brother, Julian, is a graduate of the University of Texas."

Sam and his brother Julian were among the first Chinese-Americans to train and become official American Aviation Corp Pilots for the United States Army. After receiving "winged commando" training, Staff Sergeant Sam Mardock was stationed at Luke Airfield, AZ. During his time in service, he piloted small planes and gliders and was an aerial gunner.

The Mardock family was the first Chinese family to settle in Tyler, TX, in the late 1800s. Samuel Mardock, Sr. immigrated to the United States at 13 or 14-years-old working as a farmhand where he learned to speak, write, and read English. Then, he found work on the railroad, which eventually brought him to Texas. He settled in Tyler as a pioneer, started a restaurant, and eventually was able to bring his wife over from China.

According to asianpacificheritage.gov, there are more than 300,000 living Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander American veterans. The Mardock brothers are no longer living but are remembered for their service to their country during WWII.

What do you want to know about Bossier Parish's history? Or, perhaps you have important information or artifacts about Bossier Parish History that you would like to share. Donations are a large part of our collection and are vital in helping us preserve Bossier Parish's history. Whether researching or interested in adding to our collection, visit, call or email the Bossier Parish Library History Center. We are at 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City, 318-746-7717, history-center@bossierlibrary.org.

By: Amy Robertson

WWI and Local American Red Cross Societies

Book, "The Red Cross" by Clara Barton, 1898.
Mae Helverson Collection: 2015.010.001

This Friday marks the 140th anniversary of the American Red Cross, which was founded by Clara Barton and "a circle of her acquaintances." When World War I broke out in the summer of 1914, it experienced phenomenal growth as "the number of local chapters jumped from 107 in 1914 to 3,864 in 1918 and membership grew from 17,000 to over 20 million adult and 11 million Junior Red Cross members." Bossier Parish being the patriotic and charitable community that it is, established three Red Cross Societies during the spring of 1917.

It all began when a movement was started in April that year by the Shreveport Lion's Club during a luncheon at the Hotel Youree to establish a chapter of the National Red Cross in Shreveport. Immediately following this organization, Red Cross Societies began organizing throughout Bossier Parish. These societies served as auxiliaries to the Shreveport chapter. The first two societies were formed in Benton and Plain Dealing that May, then in Bossier City in July.

That June, the American Red Cross announced its first War Fund drive to raise 100 million dollars and reached this goal in one week. But that did not slow down the efforts of the local Red Cross Societies from increasing memberships and asking for donations. Including Drs. D. J. McAnn of Atkins and S. E. Prince of Curtis, who traveled together through the parish collecting subscriptions for the benefit of wounded soldiers and sailors, provided through the American Red Cross Society.

American Red Cross Poster, c 1918.
By Artist Wladyslaw T. Benda
Retrieved from Library of Congress,
<www.loc.gov/item/2002708897/>.

When fall came and the threat of winter just around the corner, an urgent request was made to the Red Cross headquarters by Maj. Grayson Murphy, head of the American Red Cross in France. The request was for the immediate shipment of one million five hundred thousand each of warm knitted woolen sweaters, mufflers, wristlets, and socks. The Shreveport chapter was tasked with supplying five thousand of each article listed. To meet this quota, they needed the cooperation of every woman in the six parishes under its jurisdiction. Naturally, the women of Bossier bought wool and got busy knitting.

The Caddo-Bossier Red Cross chapter published a statement at the end of 1918, giving an account of its total receipts and disbursements from the time of organization, in spring of 1917, through the end of Oct. 1918. The various receipts totaled to $115,186.73 and the disbursements totaled $80,323.47, that’s equivalent to $1,408,996 today. They also reported 13,410 knitted garments, 29,778 hospital garments, 14,544 refugee garments, and 155,783 surgical dressings made by local women and distributed to the soldiers and sailors.

For 104 years, the local chapter of the American Red Cross has been in operation. They "alleviated human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Its members offer aid and resources to others to prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies through immediate assistance, education, outreach and training. Today, in addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers educational programs that promote health and safety, support and comfort for military members and their families, and provide international relief and development programs."

By: Amy Robertson

Cottage Grove Holds First Columbian Club Affair

Heinze, Hermann, A. Zeese & Co, and World'S Columbian Exposition. Souvenir map of the World's Columbian
Exposition at Jackson Park and Midway Plaisance, Chicago, Ill, U.S. A. Chicago: A. Zeese & Co., Engravers, 1892.
Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2010587004/>. 

Aug. 10, 1893, was Louisiana Day at the World's Fair: Columbian Exposition in Chicago, IL. This world's fair celebrated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the New World in 1492. Dedication ceremonies for the fair were held on Oct. 21, 1892, but the fairgrounds were not open to the public until May of 1893 and ran for six months closing in Oct.

The planning began nearly ten years before the dedication ceremony. Many prominent civic, professional, and commercial leaders from across the nation participated in the fair's financing, coordination, and management. The total cost of the fair was approximately $46,000,000, which is the equivalent of nearly 1.4 billion dollars today. There were forty-six countries, 34 U.S states, and 4 U.S. territories with buildings at the exposition.

To have a state building or headquarters meant having a proper representation of their resources at the world's fair. Early estimates suggest that the appropriation needed was at least $75,000. But, the Louisiana legislature only appropriated $36,000, and $12,000 of that was earmarked for the two commissioners, which ruffled quite a few feathers. Since $24,000 was not enough money to provide proper representation, Columbian Clubs began to form throughout the state.

In an article appearing in the "Weekly Shreveport Times" on Mar. 5, 1893, the writer stated that "Louisiana was too poor – floods and legislative inaction throwing the burden of making a display upon the women of the state." An article in "The Bossier Banner" on Aug. 11, 1892, supports this statement; it reads as follows:

"It is to our credit as a parish that the ladies, always active and enthusiastic in any good cause, are evincing interest in organizing for the purpose of raising funds for our State exhibit at the World's Fair. That we have at present two Columbian Clubs, one at Cottage Grove, and one at Benton, both organized with good membership, surely speaks well for the ladies of said places and vicinity, reflecting great credit on their public spirit."

Martha "Mattie" Gilmer Swann c. 1905
Ann Fitzpatrick Graham Collection: 2003.007.016D

The writer goes on to list the names of the officers for both clubs, all women. And then admonished, "Surely all will help this cause, and before snother [sic] month rolls by we hope to have not two Columbian Clubs in Bossier parish, but a dozen, if need be, that every community of ladies may do what they can to help make a 'record' for our parish in the State work."

Earlier that year, Dr. W. M. Abney, President of the Police Jury, with the unanimous approval of the jurors, appointed Martha “Mattie” Swann as the parochial delegate from Bossier Parish to the World's Fair. She was instrumental in the organizing of these local clubs. Shortly after the article ran announcing the two Bossier Parish clubs, she visited Plain Dealing, where a third Columbian Club was organized in this parish. Again, the officers of the club were made up entirely of women from that community.

These clubs held elaborate affairs to raise money for the Louisiana State Exhibit building at the World's Columbian Exposition. The Columbian Club at Cottage Grove held the first of these affairs at Swannhaven plantation, home of Mattie Swann. Guest enjoyed supper and entertainments complete with recitations, tableaux, soliloquies, instrumental duets, horseshoe quartets, and other musical numbers. The night was concluded with an address from Mrs. Julia Rule, Pansy of the Times, "to arouse enthusiasm in our State Columbian work."

Swannhaven Plantation, Cottage Gove, Louisiana, c. late 1800s
Ann Fitzpatrick Graham Collection: 2003.007.007

Next, the Benton Columbian Club prepared a feast that was given at the Union Hotel supper-room. The write-up in the “Shreveport Times,” provides the following description. “The contributions to this supper were most generous, and some responded who were not members of the club; long tables groaned ‘neath the weight of delicious salads, cakes, beautiful jellies and appetizing pickles – all ‘home products’ – as were the barbecued meats, daintily trussed turkeys and chickens galore!”

Both events were filled with dancing and merriment, and the ladies' efforts were rewarded by the “...large and appreciative crowds, whose patriotism and pride in our fair State’s representation at the coming magnificent exposition...”

Louisiana Day, Aug. 10, 1893, World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, IL
Source: Digital Research Library of Illinois History

The Louisiana state building was an exhibit of authentic southern architectural style and was divided into eight rooms. One devoted to the Acadian exhibits, from the quaint old French colony in the lovely Bayou Teche country. Another room was devoted to the relics of the French and Spanish days of Louisiana. Richly carved antique furniture of a former Governor, which was usually kept at the museum of the Capitol building at Baton Rouge, filled one of the rooms.

There were eleven beautifully carved panels designed and executed by women of the State. And many other interesting articles, including a veranda of Louisiana woods, where each visitor was given a seedling of a cypress tree, resulting in the spread of cypress trees to areas where they were not native, of which many can be found in West Virginia.

When it comes to agriculture, there was also a double-decked Chinese pagoda, artistically finished off in rough rice, where samples of rice were given to the ladies that visited. In a massive pillared veranda made of sugar cane were displays of syrups, molasses, and sugars, including the old sugar-loaf cakes. There was an exhibit of ramie hemp and other fiber plants, corn, and tobacco.

Of course, it wouldn't be a true representation of Louisiana without its food and music. So naturally, a Creole kitchen served all the southern delicacies for which the state is noted, and a Creole concert company entertained the many visitors.

The World’s Columbian Exposition was the most significant world's fair in U.S. history and one of the most important in the history of world expositions. The Ferris wheel made its debut at the fair, as did the brownie, among other things. The architecture shaped the country's style for the next 25 years and the exhibits were more impressive than anything seen before. It introduced the concept of the midway, a lively entertainment zone, a feature that soon became a staple of virtually all future expositions.

By: Amy Robertson

Plain Dealing Bank Goes Belly-up

Plain Dealing Bank. Corner of Palmetto Ave. and Lynch St.
Plain Dealing Library Collection 1997.031.102

On May 3, 1904, the Plain Dealing Bank was chartered with a capital stock of $25,000 divided into 500 shares of $50. The first Board of Directors were H.H. Montgomery, President; P.G. Pye, First Vice President, and Cashier; W.B. Boggs, Second Vice President; S.H. Cochran, Dr. T.N. Keoun, N.W. Sentell, W.J. Johnston, and J.P. Keeth. Four months after the charter was filed, the bank opened its doors for business.

Although P.G. Pye was listed in the charter as the cashier, W.M. Stephenson was the first cashier when it came time to open for business. After his resignation in early 1905, Jonah Perry was elected to succeed him. Perry had been serving as the Cotton Belt Railroad agent before becoming the cashier. He temporarily employed the assistant cashier W.J. Pugh from the Bank of DeRidder to assist him in getting started with the job.

Being a cashier of a small-town bank back in those days often meant you were a one-person show. For the next sixteen years, Perry not only served its members at the cashier window processing deposits and withdrawals, but he also processed loans, maintained the bank's books, charged overdraft fees, and collected monies due, among other things. During that time, he earned the people's trust, and he even served as the Mayor of Plain Dealing from 1914-1916.

But in April of 1921, he fled to Arkansas. "Upon making his departure Sunday night, Perry left a note intimating that he was short in his accounts and announcing that the bank would have to suspend operations, but he gave no information as to where he was going." "It is stated that Perry had told his wife when he left home Sunday, that he was going to Little Rock, and instructed her to inform Sheriff Adair that he would return voluntarily when notified that his presence was desired. Sheriff Adair wired Perry at Little Rock Wednesday, requesting him to return, and a few hours later the sheriff received a message from the fugitive that he was on his way, and asked Sheriff Adair to meet him in Shreveport."

The following statement by his attorney, Thomas W. Robertson, appeared in The Shreveport Journal, "Mr. Perry denies that he got any of the money – not even a nickel. The losses were occasioned [sic] by injudiciously allowing overdrafts and the accumulation of uncollectable notes, coupled with a loose system of keeping track of profits and losses. This condition of affairs was brought about largely by the fact that he had no assistance, and the work, for several years has been entirely too arduous for him, rendering it impossible for him to perform correctly all of the various duties devolving upon him."

"According to his attorney, Perry, at the time of the crash, was worth, in notes, bonds, stocks, land and property of various kinds, in the neighborhood of $20,000, and that he surrendered it all in an effort to protect, as far as he was able, those who had lost through the bank's failure." A final audit of the books revealed that the bank had been insolvent for four or five years and the shortage was $121,000. Even with Perry surrendering his property and monies and the bank's liquidation, the members only received a small portion of their money back after waiting nearly a year.

Perry was convicted and sentenced by Judge Roberts of Minden to serve 9-10 years in the state prison. His attorney filed a motion for a new trial but was denied. He then appealed the case to the Supreme Court, which sustained the district court's verdict. Perry maintained his innocence in the embezzlement charge and that he never personally made use of the money. He was granted an early release from jail and was discharged on May 9, 1926. He died on Christmas eve that same year.

Shortly after the Plain Dealing Bank closed, the State Bank of Plain Dealing was organized, with a capital stock of $15,000 and Dr. Shea Edward Prince as president. It purchased the building and fixtures of the defunct institution and opened for business on Sep. 1, 1921.

An independent agency of the federal government, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), was created in 1933 in response to the thousands of bank failures that occurred in the 1920s and early 1930s. The National Credit Union Administration, which regulates and insures credit unions, was formed in 1935.

By: Amy Robertson

This Month In Bossier Parish History

 May: Though the Years

May 5, 1921; Weekly news from 100 years ago.

•       Ben Keeth was an appreciated caller at the Bossier Banner office.

1906: J.P. Keeth General Merchandise Store. 

South Cotton Belt Street. 

"Cheap General Merchandise Store $1.00 cash for 75c "  

"Located in area of Otasco about 1906 Plain Dealing, La."
To right of Keeth store is the J.A. Mitchell Hardware store.
Left to right J.T. Manry, ? , Benton Boggs, J.T. Dudney, 

boy in front of stool is A.B. Turnley, 

boy with leg crossed is J.B. Turnely, 

unknown, Phill Haskins, A. Dudney.
1997.062.105 Turnley Collection

•  The switchboard at the local telephone exchange is now in charge of Mrs. Myrtis

C.1900’s:  Plain Dealing telephone operator for Plain  Dealing Telephone Company.  

Her name is Annie Bell.
1997.062.165 Turnley Collection

• Mr. Will Manry hurt his arm while cranking the motor of a six-cylinder automobile. 

 C.1920’s: Members of the Manry, Banks & Wheeler Families donated by Mary Wheeler Corley.

2003.026.011L  Corley Collection

May 18, 1984: Justin Wilson (1914-2001),  was a Southern American chef and humorist known for his brand of Cajun-inspired cuisine, humor and storytelling helps kick off the summer program.  While at the Bossier City/Central Branch, he read his book “Justin Wilson’s Cajun Fables” to the children and autographed books.   program at the library may 18 1984

Justin Wilson Program, Bossier Parish Libraries Central Branch, 1984

He was known for the catchphrase, "I gar-on-tee!" (I guarantee). 

May 18, 1984: Justin Wilson Program, Bossier Parish Libraries Central Branch

2020.001.0206

The Times

19 May 1984 

May 22, 1953:  Bossier City was the 10th largest city in the sate of Louisiana. 

The Shreveport Journal

22 May 1953

Aerial view of Bossier City, showing Red River, Texas Street bridge, railroad bridge, Barksdale Blvd in "old downtown" Bossier City, and Bossier High School. 

000.006.008

May 29, 1884: Bossier Parish Medical Society was organized

The Bossier Banner

29 May 1884

Dr. Elisha J. Hall of Bossier Parish.

2005.007.002Hall Collection

1920-1930’s: Mr. Cecil Kelly,  grandfather of Patrick Boggs, in his pharmacy at Stamps, Ark.  Mr. Kelly moved to Plain Dealing in 1931 and went into business with Dr. Bell.

1997.109.001 Boggs Collection

C.1900’s: Dr. Paul Lawrence is shown standing with his family in front of his south Haughton home. From left to right are T. Humphrey Lawrence, Mary Lawrence (sister to Paul), Dr. Paul Lawrence, Eva Lawrence, Myrtis Lawrence, Mary Haughton Lawrence (wife of Paul), Sudye Lawrence (youngest of nine children), and Lucille Lawrence.

1999.089.003 Cardin Collection

1915: Dr. Sidney Gardner when he practiced medicine.  Dr. Sidney Gardner was killed June 1917.

2000.071.089A     Watson Collection

Campaign Against Litter Creates State Law

It's National Keep America Beautiful Month, which is about the shared responsibility we have in building and maintaining clean, green, and beautiful spaces. Improving our environment includes planting trees, flowers, and gardens and applying a fresh coat of paint on fences, decks, and buildings. It also involves reducing waste by repurposing and reusing old items, recycling, and picking up litter on our streets, highways, and in our communities.

While the initiative for keeping America beautiful began in 1953, Bossier Parish's strong efforts started in 1929 when Lettie Van Landingham came to Bossier Parish to start her long-time career as Bossier Parish Home Demonstration agent. In a Bossier Press article written by Van Landingham, she talks about her fight against litter in this parish.

(L to R) Mrs. Cason, Mrs. Dalrymple, Mrs. Kilgore, and Miss Lettie Van Landingham
Baton Rouge, 1933

“’Thank you’ is not enough to say to the Bossier City Quota Club and all of the other people who have been so wonderful to help carry out our civic programs.

“Therefore I shall give a brief history of my work along this line.

“As a little county girl I attended Minden High School. At that time Mrs. Joe Miller was president of the Minden Civic Club. This club had annual spring clean-up each year.

“This being in the day of one horse delivery wagons, owned by the grocery stores, the merchants furnished the drivers, and all school children assisted in picking up litter surrounding the school and the downtown area and putting it in the wagons.

“Therefore, I was like the little nine-year-old boy whom I picked up one day when he was on his way to the auction barn. He said, ‘I’m going to the auction, you know once you get it in your blood you can’t get it out.’

“The first group I organized was in 1918 in a small town that needed everything. This organization was made up of high school boys and girls. We followed Mrs. Miller’s plan and the town was greatly improved. The remains of wood walks and outdoor toilets were piled and later carried away by the merchants.

“When I came to Bossier in August, 1929, one of the first things the rural women asked was to please help to get the people not to throw their litter on their roads and land.

“Plain Dealing led the way with a good clean-up program. The report was sent to a magazine which awarded them with a plaque. This was placed in the Bell Hotel where the Lions Club held their meetings. Like many other valuable things, it was burned with the hotel.

The home demonstration club women and I worked in many ways to improve the sanitation and beautification of the parish. The members of the Police Jury also assisted and on April 8, 1949, passed ordinance No. 182. A few years later, through our efforts, the state passed a law prohibiting dumping litter on the highway.

“In 1953 Mrs. M.E. Tipton had the idea of getting the heads of the departments together and trying to accomplish more. This was done, the meeting being held at the State Highway building with representatives of the Police Jury, lumber companies, highway department, women’s organizations and others present.

“The name ‘Keep Bossier Beautiful’ was selected for the organization and Harry Balcom was elected president. We worked closely with the state organization, ‘Louisiana Associated Clubs for Roadside Development, Inc.,’ with Mrs. H.H. Harris of Alexandria as chairman.

“This organization, ‘Keep Bossier Beautiful,’ has worked continuously since it was organized and has contributed much to the improvement of highway beautification and sanitation.

“Thier first meeting of the 1967-68 year was held at the Amber Inn October 11 at 12 noon.

“Again thanking all of those individuals and organizations who have assisted in making our parish a more beautiful and better place in which to live.”

Keeping Bossier beautiful has been important to Bossierites since its beginning. Looking at newspapers from the late 1800s, you will see admonishments in there like "Clean up your yards" and "Clean up the front yard; tack on that loose board or picket, slick up and make home and its surroundings as neat and cheery as possible. You will live just as long, have just as good crops and feel a great deal better if you tidy-up a bit. Try it."

What do you want to know about Bossier Parish's history? Visit, call or email the Bossier Parish Library History Center for help with your research. We are at 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City, 318-746-7717, history-center@bossierlibrary.org.

By: Amy Robertson

Bringing the Library to the Community

Librarians of the Bossier Demonstration Library project at the opening of the Benton Branch Library
20 Sep. 1940, Source: The Bossier Banner 26 Sep. 1940

Libraries are a quintessential part of how people learn and engage with their community. The arrival of public libraries gave Americans previously unprecedented access to books and other educational materials. They are open to all and focus on serving the needs of the general public.

At the core of the public library's mission is community access to its collections, which traditionally included books and periodicals. Today, public library collections include so much more. By adapting to and embracing technologies, libraries began including microfilm and taped recordings, and now they provide a large variety of digital collections, databases, and virtual programs.

A critical role in serving the public is through programmings such as educational classes, summer reading for kids, discussion groups, community events, and hosting concerts, art exhibitions, and gaming. Public libraries adapt to their communities' changing needs, not only with changing technologies but also during times of crisis such as wartimes, natural disasters, and pandemics.

Another vital role of the public library is outreach. Outreach allows librarians to put a friendly face on library services and to meet our patrons where they are—used to reach nonusers, infrequent users, and the underserved. Understanding that not every community member can come to the library, outreach involves providing services outside the library walls.

In an article for the American Libraries Magazine, Abby Johnson asserted, "Just as the community belongs in the library, the library belongs in the community." Often, a library's most critical work is the work done outside the library and in the community, where it can reach the underserved, nonusers, and infrequent users.

In the early 19th century, librarians reached rural communities by horseback or horse-drawn carriages to carry books and periodicals to patrons. With the automobile's introduction, motorized bookmobiles began appearing in 1920 but were not widespread until about 1942. Whether powered by a horse or by a motor, the bookmobile was and, in many communities, still is an excellent method of reaching out to community members that cannot reach the library.

Bossier Parish opened its first public library in 1940, starting with only four branches and a bookmobile to reach the parish's more rural communities. By 1952, the bookmobile was making 61 stops every two weeks. The bookmobile served our community's rural members for 28 years until mechanical issues, and the changing needs of its patrons took it out of commission.

The last operating BPL bookmobile c. 1968
Emma Pattillo Collection: 0000.011.010a

In 1977, the Bossier Parish Libraries once again bought a bookmobile, but this time it was used to create a new branch in the Koran community. A Louisiana State Library bookmobile scheduled for the junkyard was acquired by parish librarian Lynda M. Netherland. The state agreed to donate the retired bookmobile if the Bossier Parish Library would cover the transportation cost to relocate it to its new home. The repurposed bookmobile was used as the Koran branch until 1987 when a portable office building replaced it, quadrupling its book capacity.

Source: The Bossier Press-Tribune, Photo By: Tom Bryson

Outreach has always been an essential part of the Bossier Parish Library, which has always adapted to changing technologies and changing community needs. Today, we provide a delivery service we call BPL Delivers, offering services to homebound Bossier Parish residents who have a condition restricting their ability to leave their place of residence without assistance.

We also show up in places you love to be, like the Bossier Night Market, Bloom Festival, and other community events. We bring library materials and activities to local community groups such as after-school programs, nursing homes, schools, treatment facilities, and more. Our vision is to support the changing needs of Bossier Parish by re-evaluating community needs and seeking opportunities to enhance user experience.

For the past eighty-one years, the Bossier Parish Library has proudly provided access to various materials, programs, and technologies that enrich, educate, and inspire the residents of this great parish. To learn more about the Bossier Parish Library's history, visit the BPL History Center at 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City.

By: Amy Robertson