This Month In Bossier Parish History

July: Throughout the Years

July 1, 1887: The “Parish Agricultural Society” was organized. Col. W.G. Burt, chairman, addressed the meeting with setting forth the necessity of the farmer's organization Agricultural Clubs in the various wards of the parish.

July 1, 1887
Bossier Banner

Farmer's Cooperative Meeting held in Benton in William Clement home in 1927.  Man in leather jacket in center is Eli Whitley.  In second row, second from right with slicked hair is John Curtis Merritt.  John Thomas Merritt is standing, second from right.  Emmett Jones, Sr., wife Mary Lee Jones, and baby Emmett Jones, Jr are in front of picture frame on back wall.  Arthur Jones is standing in doorway, wearing black.

1998.081.093   Carol Young Collection

                   

This is the last known cotton press in Bossier Parish. owned by the McDade brothers of Fillmore, it existed until the 1950s. Raw cotton would be put into the press, whereupon the large arms would be turned and the cotton pressed into  a bale, ready for shipment to the cotton gin.

0000.004.098  Scandland collection

1930’s     Photo of Mr. Loy Beene, of the Beene Plantation, with four pair of fine mules newly-purchased from Bossier Horse and Mule Exchange, 805 Barksdale Blvd.  According to the donor, most mules were valued and valuable, but this set was of extremely good quality.

Loy Beene, of the Beene Plantation,is shown with four pairs of mules newly purchased from the Bossier Horse and Mule Exchange. Tractors would not become and integral part of the plantation until a few years later. The Beene plantation was owned by Haynesville Mercantile, which still owns large tracts of land in north Bossier City. 1997.070.001 Bob BufordCollection

C.1900’s Unknown man on a mule, photo was in the Bradford family collection.

2002.035.223D  Mr.&Mrs. Paul McKIm Collection

July 3, 1890:  Mr. G.A.Wasson was contracted to do the repairs to the Bodcau Bridge.  Contracts states the repairs were to be completed by the 14^th; first day of Court.  

                                                                                                                                                                      

July 3, 1890: Bossier Banner

This 1910 picture of the bridge across Bodcay Bayou, on the road from Benton to Bellevue, shows the crudeness of many early bridges. It was a single lane wide, and drivers had to be courteous and wait for the other wagon to clear the bridge so they would not meet in the middle.

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July 14, 1965: Highway Department Signs Contract For Bossier I-20 Project.  The Louisiana Department of Highways awarded two contracts totaling $3,145,541.  The first contract was for $1,124,560 and will be for work on the Fosters Road interchange section. The other contract was for $2,020,980 and will be for work on the Monroe-Rayville Highway. Project will link Fosters Road with McIntyre covering 17.7 miles and from McIntyre to Monroe spanning another 75.8 miles. 

July 14, 1965: Bossier Tribune

I-20 Photo, Aerial-looking E. from Old Minden Road.  Jan. 11, 1964

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I-20 Photo, Looking West at Airline Drive.

Sept 9, 1965

0000.002.020 

I-20 Photo, EBL near Bridge 603, Looking West. 
Sept 9, 1965

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I-20 Photo, Bridge 602-Looking N. at Old Minden Road.  

May 9, 1966

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I-20, Bridge no. 604  E. bound lane looking east.  May 9, 1966

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July 16, 1975: July 16. 1975: Palais Royal opens in Bossier Center. The department store featured 12 complete specialty shops within the wall consisting of 22,000 sq-ft.

*all images are from: July 17, 1975 issue of The Bossier Tribune