Rainy Days Behind Us

 Whilst trawling through the older editions of the Bossier papers, there were two separate articles that caught my eye. At my time of writing, there was another in a series of recent heavy rains striking the region, inundating Bossier Parish and the surrounding area with more rain than anyone seems to want. Indeed, the clouds have reopened and rain once again makes its presence known as I continue. The first of these articles written for the Bossier Banner on June 16, 1898, details a great storm striking the region, bringing with it thunder, lightning, and more:

“Heavy rains fell at this place last Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The rain on Saturday was accompanied by a slight hail, and the downpour of Sunday morning was unusually heavy for this season of the year. The rain of Monday forenoon lasted about two hours, and was accompanied by frequent heavy peals of thunder and bursts of lightning. A bolt struck a post-oak shade tree within twenty feet of the residence of the editor of The Banner. [In 1898 the editor was W. H. Scanland.] The tree was struck at the height of about ten feet from the ground, ripping off the bark in a zig-zag direction from the south to the southwest, being an area of one-fourth of the surface of the tree, which is about two feet in diameter. The tree was split at the point of striking, the rift running in the same direction to the roots of the tree. It is about half an inch wide and extends perhaps half way through the tree. About ten feet from the ground is a hole an inch in diameter and an inch in depth, and near the base of the tree is a similar one, and the ground on the west side of the tree at the roots was torn into crevices. The shock was terrifying and the blaze was almost blinding in effect. There were two distinct reports and the tree was evidently struck by two bolts. This upsets the theory, or rather common belief that lightning never strikes twice in the same place.”

“At about the same moment a post-oak tree about fifty feet south of the dwelling house of Mr. H. M. Bailey, about two blocks distant, was also struck by a thunder bolt. The tree is two and a half feet in diameter, and was struck at a distance of ten feet from the ground, splitting it off from the shattered trunk, and stripping off the bark to the length of nearly 25 feet. Fragments of limbs and pieces of bark were thrown upon the house and for some distance about the premises.”

“This place was visited by another heavy rain and thunder storm Tuesday evening, continuing throughout the night and yesterday.”

Storms like these, and storms like those in the past week, led to the creation of the Bodcau Dam project and a series of levees in 1935 (which as an aside, these projects were part of the wider New Deal and the Works Progress Administration). This article, written in April 4, 1935, details the some of the various way that these works will assist the parish:

“The Banner and many citizens and officials throughout Bossier Parish were glad to learn late last week that the Army engineers had finally approved a group of Red River Valley improvements, including the Bodcau Dam and Canal Project, advocated by this publication for some years.”

“In addition to the Bodcau Project, levee work in North Bossier was also among the projects approved. It is understood that the total amount involved in the Red River program will exceed 40 million dollars.”

“The Bodcau dam would protect several thousand acres of land from overflow in this parish and would open up a very fertile section of alluvial land, south of Deans Point, the dam site, southward along Red Chute, for farming purposes. It will also protect low-lying sections of Barksdale Field from overflow.”

“The recommendations of the engineers must now go to Congress for final approval. It is understood that President Roosevelt has already placed his [okay] on the projects.”

“Work may get underway on one or more of these projects before the end of the current year some Bossier folk believe.”

“J. E. Murray, president of the Bossier Levee Board is taking an active part in trying to get these projects approved and work started with as little delay as possible. Various public and civic bodies in the parish have urged the adoption of this program, fostered by the Red River Valley Improvement Association.”

                  

It is improvements like these at Bayou Bodcau that help to ensure that when heavy rains come, like those in the past week or seen in the late 1800s, that Bossier Parish is not inundated with flood waters. Regardless, Heavy rain is not unfamiliar to our Parish and our region.

If you have any photos or other information relating to the history of Bossier City or Bossier Parish, the History Center may be interested in adding the materials to its research collection by donation or by scanning them and returning the originals. Call or visit us to learn more. The History Center is currently closed until July 2026, though staff remains available. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org. We can also be found online at https://www.facebook.com/BPLHistoryCenter/ and http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/

Images: 

• Plain Dealing 1914 Flood - (BPL HC - 1997.062.045)
• Barksdale Field 1933 Flood - (BPL HC - 2011.053.001-14)
• Barksdale Field 1933 Flood - (BPL HC - 2011.053.001-15)
• Plain Dealing 1957 Flood - (BPL HC - 1997.062.054)

Article by: Jonah Daigle

Edwald Max Hoyer: The Guardian of Bossier City

BOSSIER CITY, La. — Long before the engines of Barksdale Air Force Base echoed across the sky, and the loud lights of the casinos outlined the eastern banks of the Red River; Bossier City was a quiet, dusty agricultural hamlet. At the turn of the 20th century, the community lacked necessities, including electricity, natural gas, and a water system. It was a public services frontier that required vision, resources, and determination to transform it into an effective municipality. The man who supplied all three was Ewald Max Hoyer, a dairy farmer and businessman from Marine, Illinois.

Hoyer moved to the community in 1893 alongside his wife, Minnie Bassenberg Hoyer, a native of St. Louis. At the time, the area was known as Cane City, and the landscape was dominated by farmland and the Red River, which separated the community from the commercial hub of Shreveport. Upon arriving, the Hoyers settled on a farm and began purchasing cattle. Ewald then set up a dairy business that would be the largest dairy barn in North Louisiana by 1903. Four years later, the barn sold more than 7,500 gallons of milk per month, a figure that required immense capability to manage without the conveniences of modern milking technology.

Yet the farm's success was hampered by the region's lack of infrastructure. For years, residents of the unincorporated community were forced to drive their horse-drawn buggies across the river to Shreveport simply to secure clean water. Growing fatigued, Hoyer took matters into his own hands. In 1902, using his own resources, Hoyer drilled the first deep-water well in Bossier Parish. This provided a reliable water source for the community. The presence of a reliable water supply spurred interest from real estate developers, who later sold more than 700 residential and commercial lots. The promise of these sales was that the community would secure a traffic bridge across the Red River and be officially incorporated as a recognized village.

That promise became a reality on April 18, 1907. Recognizing the growth and need for formal governance, Gov. Newton C. Blanchard officially issued a proclamation incorporating the village and naming it Bossier City. When it came time to select a leader for the new village, Gov. Blanchard did not have to look far. Acting on the recommendations of businessmen and prominent figures, Blanchard appointed Hoyer as the first mayor. His peers cited his administrative prowess, success in scaling the region's largest dairy operation, and his investment in the community's infrastructure.

Hoyer’s tenure as mayor was defined as a brand of public service. He never accepted a cent as mayor. In fact, he functioned as the city’s primary financier. When Bossier City needed a seat of government, Hoyer used $1,200 of his own money to fund the construction of the first city hall. Furthermore, because the village government lacked a treasury, Hoyer advanced the funds needed to cover the municipality's expenses. As mayor, Hoyer delivered the promises made by early developers. He was instrumental in lobbying and securing the federal funds required to construct a traffic bridge across the Red River, linking the economies of Bossier City and Shreveport and ending the era of costly river crossings.

In 1909, the city held its first municipal elections. The citizens voted to re-elect Hoyer for a second term. During this term, the pillars of a community were erected: Bossier City saw the construction of its first schoolhouse and first church. Despite his success, in 1910, Hoyer’s political career was cut short when his wife, Minnie, fell severely ill. Prioritizing his family over politics, Hoyer stepped down as mayor. To be closer to medical care, the couple moved into what is now known as Shreveport’s Bliss-Hoyer House in the Fairfield Historic District. Despite that, Hoyer did not severe ties to the community he helped build.

He kept multiple investments in the community, ranging from real estate development to funding construction for several residential subdivisions. Even through the days of the Great Depression, Hoyer stayed a voice of Bossier City’s inevitable expansion, believing that the area was destined for greatness. He lived to see his faith confirmed multiple times. In 1923, Hoyer watched with pride as population growth prompted Gov. John M. Parker to reclassify Bossier City from village to town. Then, on Aug. 9, 1951, the ultimate milestone was reached. Following the post-World War II boom and the massive influx brought by Barksdale Air Force Base, Gov. Earl K. Long issued a proclamation making Bossier City an official city.

The municipality threw a massive celebration, headlined in local newspapers as "A City Was Born." The festivities featured a parade beginning at Fort Smith Park. Elaborate floats showcased the industries that had driven the city’s growth: cotton, oil, agriculture, and the military. Seated as a guest of honor at the 1951 celebration was Ewald Max Hoyer, who was 88 years old. Hoyer addressed the crowd and reminisced about the sparse hamlet he had moved to in 1893. He marveled at how a community of a few isolated families had exploded into a municipality of more than 15,000 residents, earning the designation as the "Fastest Growing City in Louisiana."

Ewald Max Hoyer passed away in 1957. By the time of his death, the population of the city he had breathed life into had swelled to 25,000. Today, Bossier City boasts a population approaching 70,000 and serves as an economic force for the state of Louisiana. Through his own labor and unwavering dedication, Ewald Max Hoyer ensured that the foundation of Bossier City was poured so strongly that it would last for generations to come.

If you have any photos or other information relating to the history of Bossier City or Bossier Parish, the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center may be interested in adding the materials to its research collection by donation or by scanning them and returning the originals. The History Center remains closed while our new exhibits are installed, but you may contact History Center staff by phone or email. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org. Don’t forget you can explore many of our collections on our website, www.bossierlibrary.org. Look for the History and Genealogy page under Resources and then choose Collections Database. We can also be found online at https://www.facebook.com/BPLHistoryCenter/ and http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/

Images: 

• Mayor Max Ewald Hoyer portrait from the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center, courtesy of Mrs. Stella Stokes.
• Bliss-Hoyer House, Shreveport, LA. Photo by Billy Hathorn, 2008, at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Article by: Creshaun Harris

Population Growth Spurs Bossier’s Status as City

Just as 2026 marks America’s 250th birthday, so too does the year mark a milestone for Bossier City. Exactly seventy-five years ago, Bossier officially became a city.

Plans were announced to mark the auspicious occasion. Newspapers heralded the event with headlines proclaiming “A City is Born.” The Planters Press newspaper of Bossier Parish announced a competition on August 30, 1951 “for civic-minded Bossier citizens and their neighbors to compete for honors … in a contest from which will emerge a new slogan for this newborn city.” A contest to design an official flag for Bosser was also proposed. Festivities were planned at Bossier High School’s Memorial stadium where crowds could cheer this landmark episode in Bossier’s history.

It's right there in the name, so hasn’t Bossier always been known as a city, you may ask? The answer is no. Simply having city in the name didn’t make it so. Population numbers came into play. In April 1907, Louisiana Governor Newton Blanchard issued a proclamation incorporating Bossier City as the Village of Bossier City because the area had at least 250 inhabitants. Bossier had developed from property once owned by Mary Bennett Cane along the Red River where the Louisiana Boardwalk and Margaritaville Casino now stand. It was known as Cane’s Landing, a spot where steamboats would dock. According to the book “Images of America Bossier City” by Kevin Bryant Jones, the term Bossier City was being used to describe this area as early as 1884. The parish had been called Bossier since its formation in 1843.

By the Roaring Twenties, the Village of Bossier City had grown and its population topped one thousand. Time for an upgrade. In March 1923, Governor John Parker declared Bossier to be the Town of Bossier City. And thus it remained for the next 28 years.

According to an article in The Planters Press from October 11, 1951, a community needed to have at least 5,000 inhabitants to be a city. U.S. Census Bureau records show Bossier had three times that number by ’51. I’m not certain why Bossier wasn’t proclaimed a city sooner, but all was ready by September of that year and excitement was building. A local polio outbreak caused a postponement of events until the following month, but plans for a celebration remained firm.

The Planters Press enthusiastically promoted those plans. “Ceremonies exceedingly appropriate to the outstanding occasion, representing an indescribably important historical demonstration, will usher in the formal classification of the community as the City of Bossier City,” stated the article of October 11. Five days later, the party got started.

A crowd estimated to number about 7,500 people turned out at Bossier High’s stadium on a Tuesday night and heard a proclamation read aloud from Governor Earl Long officially designating Bossier as a city. A parade, with floats depicting industries that aided in Bossier’s growth, passed the reviewing stands. Bands from Bossier, Byrd and Fair Park high schools, as well as Barksdale Air Force Base, performed for the crowd. The first-place entry in the city slogan contest - “Next Door Neighbor to World’s Largest Airbase”- was announced, authored by Bossier resident Irene Vinson, and the winning design for a city flag was unveiled, created by Velma Hagert of Bossier. The evening concluded with a fireworks show.

Achieving the status of city was a giant leap forward for Bossier. “This is something we have been striving towards for years,” Mayor Hoffman Fuller was quoted as saying in The Shreveport Times, October 17, 1951. The little settlement that sat in the shadow of its neighbor across the river had grown up.

If you have any photos or other information relating to the history of Bossier City or Bossier Parish, the History Center may be interested in adding the materials to its research collection by donation or by scanning them and returning the originals. Call us to learn more. We are currently closed for renovations, but can still be reached by phone at (318) 746-7717, and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org. We can also be found online at https://www.facebook.com/BPLHistoryCenter/ and http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/

Images: 

• Velma Hagert (left) holds her winning design for the official flag of Bossier City, as Dee Hall looks on/The Planters Press, Sept. 13, 1951. Photo by Jack Barham
• The Shreveport Times, October 16, 1951

Article by: Kevin Flowers

FOURTH OF JULY – Then and Now

Happy Fourth of July, 2026, and the semi-quincentennial (250th!) anniversary of our nation’s founding, when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The thirteen newly-proclaimed states (not colonies), broke their allegiance to the British monarchy by attesting, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In 2026, across the country, communities will observe this milestone anniversary and reflect on America’s history in various ways.

Here in the History Center, we can find details of how the holiday was celebrated as far back as the 1850’s, in the earliest issues of the Bossier Banner newspaper. In July 1859, when the country was only 83 years old, The Bossier Banner reflected upon the meaning of the day, and also announced a celebration worthy of a momentous occasion in north Louisiana fashion, a fish fry. The July 1, 1959, Banner announced the Parish’s free July 4th fish-fry would be held at Inabnett bluff, near Bellevue, which was then the Parish seat. The editor wrote, “Now everyone is expected to be in attendance who desire to enjoy the ‘fisherman’s luck,’ to their heart’s content on the ‘[glorious] fourth.’ For remember dear readers, this is our national day of jubilee—when the eagle, that proud bird of liberty, flew aloft [and] devoured the English lion.”

The 1859 Fourth of July fish fry jubilee’s attendance and activities were described in the July 8th issue of the Bossier Banner: “The Fourth of July Fish-Fry which came off on that renown day of ‘American integrity,’ at the Inabnett Bluff, near this place (the Bossier Banner’s Bellevue office), passed off very pleasantly—only a too sudden visitation of the watery element somewhat checked the fun and frolic of the participants.”

The embellished article, typical for the time, continued on to say that, despite the rain, “Bossier’s beauties, a portion of them, gathered there with smiles and sunshine, sending for miles around the warmth of their affections for the love of –the Fourth!…We would have given a sight draft (a written demand for imminent payment) of twenty-five cents, on the Police Jury, to have been present on the occasion.” The editor noted that there were “squads” of young gentlemen present as well. They were apparently forced to keep their distance from the ladies…due to the size of their hoop skirts.

Bear in mind that at that time, stories of Independence Day celebrations only included about half the parish’s population; by the 1860 Census, the population of the parish was about 8,000, over 4,000 of whom were enslaved. The Declaration of Independence’s assertion of the self-evident truth that “all men are created equal” came closer to fulfillment on January 1, 1863, when the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, freeing people enslaved in the South. The celebration for that proclamation, and the day that it was announced and enforced in Texas, became Juneteenth, or Emancipation Day. Like the 19th century July fourth celebration described above, Juneteenth also became known as “Jubilee day.” Check out our June 17, 2026 local history article to learn about the history of Juneteenth “jubilees” in Bossier Parish.

This year on July 4th, among other events, Bossier welcomes the whole community to the South Bossier Park off Caplis Sligo Rd. for an Independence Day festival as part of the KTBS 3 Freedom Fest Finale and the nationwide America250 birthday celebration. Gates open to the public at 5 p.m.

Bossier Parish Libraries History Center in the Bossier Central Library complex remains closed while our new exhibits are installed. Don’t forget you can explore many of our collections, including stories and photos of Fourth of July and Juneteenth celebrations on our website, www.bossierlibrary.org. Look for the History and Genealogy page under Resources and then choose Collections Database. Feel free to contact History Center staff by phone or email for assistance. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org. All Bossier Parish Libraries will be closed Friday, July 3rd for the Fourth of July holiday.

Images: 

• Stone Engraving of the Declaration of Independence, National Archives
• Fourth of July fish fry article, Bossier Banner Progress, July 8, 1859, p. 2
• Logo of America 250, the United States Semiquincentennial Commission

Article by: Pam Carlsile

Service Across the Sea – N. B. Carstarphen and the A.E.F.

The First World War, The Great War, or the War to End All Wars was one of the most devastating conflicts ever conducted in human history. Beginning in 1914, the world would be ravaged by the new destructive forces devised for this new conflict. No longer were armies content to form orderly columns, as the Western Front especially devolved into a mess of tangled and conflicting trench lines, trading lives and war materiel for marginal changes in the positioning of armies. There were three motivating incidents that led the United States’ intervention into the Great War: German resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, the sinking of the RMS Lusitania (a British ship carrying American passengers) at the hands of said submarines, and finally the infamous Zimmerman telegram, the German attempt to lure Mexico into joining the Central Powers in exchange for portions of American land. These incidents resulted in the United States to officially join the Entente, commonly known as the Allies. To lead the American Expeditionary Force (A.E.F.), the United States’ contribution to the international coalition, General John J. “Blackjack” Pershing was selected. There, among his famously well-trained and talented staff at the General Headquarters, was a Plain Dealing native by the name of Newton Blanchard (N. B.) Carstarphen

                       

Mister Carstarphen was born January 28, 1894, in Plain Dealing Louisiana to Mr. Edward M. and Mrs. Sallie Wilson. N. B. attended Georgetown University in Washington, D. C., in the 1910s to study law before graduating in 1917. While in D. C., he served as the private secretary to Louisiana Senator Joseph E. Ransdell as well as a messenger for the Committee on Public Health and National Quarantine. After his graduation, Newton volunteered for the upcoming European war effort on July 13, 1917. Newton Carstarphen’s law degree landed him a position as an Army Field Clerk, assigned to the United States General Headquarters (G.H.Q.) as an adjunct. For a period of twenty-six months he served in the A.E.F., throughout both the American involvement in the Western Front offenses, as well as the drawdown of American soldiers in Europe post-armistice. For his service to General Headquarters, Mr. Carstarphen received commendation for exceptional and meritorious service. At least one source claims that Newton served as aide-de-camp and personal courier for General Pershing himself, trusted with carrying secret military movements to the intended recipients.

The A.E.F., at the insistence of General Pershing, maintained a mostly independent command structure from the French and British armies, under his insistence that the A.E.F. would fight more effectively beneath their own flag. On May 28, 1918, the United States saw its first major action in the closing months of the Great War, at the battle of Cantigny. It is important to note, however, that this battle did not occur in a vacuum. The German armies assigned to the Western Front had spent the past two months expending the very last of the Empire’s strength in the German Spring Offensive, partly to end the war before the fresh and invigorated American

Army could arrive upon the shores of France and Belgium. The British Expeditionary Forces, as well as the French Army, were both exhausted from the past four years of brutal conflict. Whilst the A.E.F. would serve with distinction, and come to be a major contributing factor in bringing an end to the Great War, it was only through the immense suffering of the Allies that gave the United States this opportunity.

The remainder of 1918 saw vicious fighting, with the German military being forced to come to terms with their eventual defeat as became increasingly clear when the Spring Offensive failed to materialize the promised victory. On the Eleventh Hour, of the Eleventh Day, of the Eleventh Month, the guns of the Western Front would fall silent, with the signing of the armistice that gave way to the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. For his efforts in leading the United States to victory in the Great War, General Pershing was elevated to a position of which he has only two equals: General of the Armies of the United States. As for Mr. Carstarphen, Newton returned to the United States and attended Loyola University for his Masters in Law, before joining the Louisiana Bar Association in 1921. His career was one as high-powered lawyer and high-ranking politico in Louisiana politics, before his death on June 10, 1983. The Great War was viewed as the War to End All War, and while this adage would ultimately prove false, it was not through a lack of effort or bravery on the part of the Allies, and the American Expeditionary Forces served their parts valiantly in that titanic struggle.

If you have any photos or other information relating to the history of Bossier City or Bossier Parish, the History Center may be interested in adding the materials to its research collection by donation or by scanning them and returning the originals. Call or visit us to learn more. The History Center is currently closed until July 2026, though staff remains available. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org. We can also be found online at https://www.facebook.com/BPLHistoryCenter/ and http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/

Images: 

• Newton Blanchard Carstarphen - Lilla McLure and J. Ed Howe, History of Shreveport and Shreveport Builders Vol. 1, Page 433.
• General John J. "Blackjack" Pershing - United States Library of Congress (LOC Control #: 2004672051)
• Plain Dealing High School, where N.B. Attended - BPL History Center (1997.031.040)

Article by: Jonah Daigle