FRANCE 1714-1763

SPAIN 1763-1801

UNITED STATES 1960-PRESENT

CONFEDERATE STATES 1861-65

UNITED STATES 1803-61

FRANCE 1801-1803

STATE FLAG OF LOUISIANA

CITY OF NATCHITOCHES

HHistoricistoric NNatchitochesatchitoches ®®

A Free Guide to Leisure and Attractions Courtesy of The Natchitoches Times

300 years of flags that haveflown over Natchitoches.

March 2015

Springtime Art Festivals

STORY ON PAGE 3STORY ON PAGE 3Melrose Arts & Crafts Festival

STEEL MAGNOLIAS AND OTHERTOUR MAPS PAGES 7-10

Entering downtown his-toric Natchitoches, visitorsfeel transported to anotherera.

Traveling along bumpybrick roads reminiscent ofpre-asphalt travel, younotice ornate ironwork onthe bridges and shops,horse-drawn carriagesaround the historic districtand locals who smile andgreet you with a friendlywave. Welcome toNatchitoches.

Founded in 1714 by LouisJuchereau de St. Denis, thecity of Natchitoches wasoriginally established as aFrench outpost on the RedRiver to facilitate tradewith the Spanish in Mexico.

The fort, which was to bediscovered, was built some-

where along the west bankof the Red River near a vil-lage of NatchitochesIndians, a Native Americangroup whose tribal namemeans “Chinquapin-eaters.”

At the time of the estab-lishment of St. Denis’ fort,navigation of the Red Riverwas prohibited by a mas-sive log jam that was bro-ken up during a flood in the1830s.

Thus, the Red Riverchanged its course, leavinga 36-mile-long oxbow lakecalled Cane River that runsthrough the downtownNational LandmarkDistrict.

Once a bustling riverportand crossroads,Natchitoches gave rise to

vast cotton kingdoms alongthe river. Affluent plantersnot only owned charmingcountry plantations, butkept elegant houses intown.

The Red River’s abandon-ment of Natchitoches iso-lated the community, pre-serving its historic build-ings and the deeply-ingrained traditions of itsresidents along the CaneRiver.

With its French, Spanish,Native American, Africanand Anglo-Saxon influ-ences, Natchitoches main-tains a colorful palette ofethnic tradition, hospitali-ty and pride in the past thatresidents share with visi-tors.

Page 2 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES March 2015

Ins ide . . .Ins ide . . .Springtime Festivals in Natchitoches.............................................................Page 3

Art Gallery opens to non-members.............................................................Page 4

En Plein air.............................................................Page 5

The story of Melrose.............................................................Page 6

Maps, Walking Tours, NSU Tour and Cane River Tour......................Pages 7-10

Basilica of the Immaculate Conception...........................................................Page 11

Remembering Camp Livingston ...........................................................Page 12

La. Sports Hall of Fame ...........................................................Page 13

Cane River Creole National Park...........................................................Page 14

Museum highlights Creole life...........................................................Page 15

They Came Out of the Sky!...........................................................Page 16

For more information on local history and events contact:Natchitoches Parish Tourist Commission

781 Front Street; Natchitoches, LA 71457 (318) 352-8072 or 1-800-259-1714

Web site: www.natchitoches.net

‘Historic Natchitoches’ is a monthly publication of The Natchitoches Times

To advertise in this publication contact The Natchitoches Times

P.O. Box 448Natchitoches, LA 71458

On the CoverSpringtime brings art festivals

to Natchitoches Parish.

Welcome to Natchitoches:Enjoy your stay in our historic town

March 2015 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES Page 3

Natchitoches is home tomany artists who show-case their art each year.Artists also come fromsurrounding areas. Someof the festivals includeThe Melrose Arts andCrafts Festival, Bloominon the Bricks and TheCane River Green Market.

Bloomin on the BricksHanging baskets, daf-

fodils and dozens of lawnand garden vendors willgreet the spring festivalBloomin on the Bricks onMarch 21st. on the down-town riverbank. Bloominon the Bricks is free andopen to the public.Nursery owners from

around the area will sellspecialized plants such asferns, bromeliads, herbsand bedding plants.Vendors will also selllawn and garden materi-als, yard art, decorativeitems, gardening equip-ment and decorativeitems.

In conjunction with“Blooming on the Bricks,”NAG hosts “Art Along theBricks” as a free outdoorfestival with music andart activities for children.The event will be March21 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.Vendor applications canbe obtained by calling thegallery.

Melrose Arts &Crafts Festival

The 41st annual MelrosePlantation Arts and CraftsFestival has been sched-uled for April 18 and 19,according to HarryThompson, chairman forthe event. The festival issponsored by the

Association for thePreservation of HistoricNatchitoches (APHN) andannually attracts morethan 2,000 visitors duringthe two-day event.

The festival will open at 9a.m. on the first day andwill open at 10 a.m. on thesecond day. Tickets are $5for adults and $3 for chil-

dren ages 6-12. Tickets forthe guided tours are $5 andinclude both structures.Viewing of the other build-ings and self-guided toursof the grounds, which fea-ture centuries old live oaktrees and various flowerbeds, are included with theentry fee. Additional infor-mation about MelrosePlantation and the Artsand Crafts Festival may befound at www.melroseplan-tation.org

Each year the festivalfeatures more the 100 ven-dors from several states.Among the items offered inpast years were originalworks of art, photographs,stained glass windows,handmade jewelry, plants,gourmet pickles and jellies,clothing, toys, woodwork-ing products, pottery, andother arts and craftsobjects. Located in south-ern Natchitoches Parish onState Highway 119, MelrosePlantation has been desig-nated as a NationalHistoric Landmark. Theproperty features eight his-toric structures dating tothe 1800’s. Guided tourswill be available for two ofthe buildings: the big houseand the African House.

Melrose Plantation was asanctuary for many artistsand writers during the“Southern Renaissance” inthe early 20th century andserved as a temporaryhome for several well-rec-ognized artists and writers.Lyle Saxon wrote his best-known novel, “Children ofStrangers,” while living atMelrose. His tale wasbased on the culture of theplantation and the CaneRiver area. FrancoisMignon resided at Melrosefor 32 years and wrote his“Plantation Memo” andseveral thousand pages ofjournal entries during that

time.Probably the best-knows

artist to live at Melrose wasClementine Hunter, aninternationally renownedprimitive artist whoworked as a field hand,housekeeper, and finally asa cook at the plantation.She was a self-taught artistwho began painting usingpaints and brushes thatwere discarded by an artistin residence. Many ofHunter’s works are on dis-play in the plantationhouse at Melrose. Her mostunique work, a series ofmurals depicting life in theCane River area, were dis-played in the AfricanHouse for many years, butthey were removed forrestoration last year andwill be displayed in theLouisiana Sports Hall ofFame and NorthwestLouisiana History Museumin Natchitoches later thisyear. Full-sized replicas ofthe murals are displayed inthe African House atMelrose, and the originalmurals will be re-installedthere once that structurehas been renovated. TheAPHN is currently under-taking that major renova-tion project and is seekinggrants and gifts to aid inthe work.

The other structures onthe Melrose Plantationgrounds includeClementine Hunter’shouse, the Bindery, theWriter’s Cabin, theWeaving House, the Barn,the Ghana House, and theIce House.

Cane River GreenMarket

The Cane River GreenMarket will open its 2015season on Saturday, April25 from 8 a.m.-noon.Natchitoches’ localfarmer’s market will fea-ture Cane River GreenMarket vendors, live musi-cal entertainment, chil-dren’s activities,anddemonstrations .

Customers will be able tochoose from a wide varietyof fresh fruits and vegeta-bles, value-added productssuch as jams, jellies, bakedgoods, farm fresh eggs, andhoney, as well as handcraft-ed items including jewelry,woodwork, and candles.

Springtime ArtFestivals in Natchitoches

In March, newNatchitoches Art Guild(NAG) member, Lovan

Thomas and veteran mem-ber, Char White, will exhibitworks on the guild’s new

“Spotlight Walls.” With limited gallery

space, the NAG limits itsmembership to 28 exhibit-ing artists. A new programwill allow non-memberswho qualify to exhibit theirart without the responsibili-ty of membership.

Two spaces called“Spotlight Walls” in the cen-ter of the gallery will bereserved for this purpose.Member artists who havethe need of additional showspace can also reserve thesewalls. There are still slotsavailable for 2015. For infor-mation call the gallery at352-1626.

In the early 1980s a group

of likeminded friends decid-ed to discuss and practicetheir love for art. This infor-mal gathering soon grewinto the NAG. After a time ofgrowth and learning, mem-bers recognized the benefitsof bringing their art to thecitizenry in the form ofexhibits and displays invenues provided by busi-nesses and organizations.Recognizing the need forstandards, these chartermembers developed a set ofby-laws and policies. InDecember 1992, the doors tothe permanent home of theguild, The Natchitoches ArtGallery, opened to the publicat 584 Front St., Suite 102.

Today the gallery ismaintained through corpo-rate sponsorships, com-missions from the sales ofartwork, and the commit-ment of member artistswho donate time and talentto keep quality art on handfor the enjoyment of thevisitors and residents ofNatchitoches.

To further promote artin the community the NAGparticipants in other func-tions. In conjunction with“Blooming on the Bricks,”NAG hosts “Art Along theBricks” as a free outdoorfestival with music and artactivities for children. Theevent will be March 21from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Vendorapplications can beobtained by calling thegallery.

In August, the guild con-tinues the tradition of wel-coming art to the city as ithosts The NatchitochesArt Guild Competition andExhibition. The nationalevent draws talent fromacross the country asartists vie for a position inthe exhibit and for theprizes presented to worksdeemed “award winners”by a non-member artexpert who adjudicates theevent. In addition to themonth-long exhibition, theguild hosts a reception toreveal and present theawards.

One of the most impor-tant fundraisers is the artauction. Members donateoriginal works and prints.Since its inception in 2011,Public ServiceCommissioner FosterCampbell donates his

Page 4 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES March 2015

• Recognized in 2007 as a Preserve America Presidential Award Winner

• Listed as one of the Ten Bargain Retirement Spots by U S News & World Report

• Named as a 2006 Great American Main Street Award Winner by the National Trust for Historic Preservation

• N amed as one of the 2005 Dozen Distinctive Destination in the United States by the National Trust for Historic Preservation

www.natchitochesla.gov

5335 Hwy. 6 West Natchitoches, LA 71457

Tel: (318) 214-0700 Fax: (318) 214-9721

• 25” Remote Control Expanded Cable TV with HBO, CNN, ESPN • Suites Include Microwave, Refrigerator and Coffee Maker • Complimentary Continental Breakfast • Shoney’s and McDonald’s Nearby • Free Highspeed Wireless Internet Service • Outdoor Swimming Pool • Non-Smoking Rooms • 24 Hour Front Desk • Queen Size Beds • Free Local Calls • Meeting Room • 70 Rooms

Natchitoches Art Guild Gallery opens its walls to non-members

The “Spotlight Walls” in the center of the Natchitoches Art Gallery are open to members and non-memberswho qualify to display art.

March 2015 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES Page 5

For 100 years prior to theLouisiana Purchase by theUnited States in 1803, theCreoles of the Cane RiverCountry were greatly influ-enced by their brethren inlower Louisiana. This wasespecially true in the typeof plantation houses theybuilt.

The isolation of the area,the influence of the Frenchcolonial period-style ofarchitecture did notchange in the Cane Riverarea until the late 1850s.

The architecture of theperiod reflected Frenchand Spanish traditions aswell as ideas importedfrom the Caribbean, wherean early marriage ofIndian and European cul-tures had given birth topicturesque houses thatoffered good ventilation

and ample shade.The main characteristics

of the French colonial orCreole houses were rectan-gular shapes with raised,above-ground cellars withthe main floor on the sec-ond level and storagebelow.

A gallery on the secondlevel was on at least twosides or on all four. Atticswere not used for livingspace but were nearlyalways fitted with dorm-ers. Boxed, wrap-aroundfireplace mantels werestandard features.

The number of roomsvaried, but the floor plannever included hallways.The smaller houses oftenhad three rooms positionedside by side, while the larg-er houses might have twoparallel rows of three

rooms each. A wall of cabi-nets, commonly used forstorage, was usually posi-tioned at the rear outercorners of the house.

Each room on the secondlevel had French doorsopening onto an encircling

gallery. This level wasalways the living area andit rested on a full brickbase usually raised aboutseven feet.

Examples of Creolearchitecture along theCane River Lake include

Oak Lawn Plantation, "Cherokee Plantation,Cedar Bend Plantation,Beau Fort Plantation,Robieu House and Badin-Roque House, owned by theSt. Augustine HistoricalSociety of Isle Breville.

Creole Architecture and the influences from Creole Culture

Painting for over 35years, Tate works on con-tinuing her education inthe arts, constantly per-fecting and learning newtechniques in a variety ofmediums. Her show willfocus on her endless love ofcolor, light and nature inall its shifting beauty.

Growing up her father

encouraged learning andher mother encouragedcreativity. “Both my par-ents inspired me with thethat learning is a cumula-tive thing and that’s whatkeeps me going,” said Tate.

Earning her bachelor offine arts from NortheastLouisiana University inMonroe, she continued to study under well-known

artists including DanielGreene, Alan Flattmannand Lian Zhen.

Striving to challengeherself artistically, Tateenjoys painting “en pleinair.” This means shepaints outdoors, whichincreases the difficulty ofthe art. Being in the openair creates a time limit forthe artist; the lighting on alandscape can changedrastically within the spanof a few hours.

“I try to find somethingthat will appeal to theviewer,” said Tate. “It does-n’t have to be somegrandiose subject; there’sbeauty in everything.”

Tate also challenges her-self by painting withwatercolors. “It’s a chal-

lenge in itself,” she said.“It’s in control, but if youdon’t try something harderyou’ll never get any better.

I learn something newfrom each method, tech-nique and subject matter Iwork with.”

‘en plein air’Painting Outdoors

Melrose is one of theunique plantations of theold South, its career mea-sured, not by years, but bygenerations. Its story willendure, for it is recorded notonly in fiction and firesidelegend, but on the indeliblepages of history.

The Association for thePreservation of HistoricNatchitoches has undertak-en the careful restoration ofthe eight structures compos-ing the Melrose complex.

In 1971, in the interest ofmaintaining Melrose as amonument to Louisiana his-tory, Southdown Land Co.,which had acquired theplantation, conveyed thesix-acre site and complex ofbuildings to theAssociation. In 1974, theCane River plantation wasdeclared a National HistoricLandmark.

The story of romanticMelrose Plantation beginswith the legend of MarieTherese Coincoin, who wasborn in 1742, a slave in thehousehold of LouisJuchereau de St. Denis, thefirst commandant of thepost at Natchitoches.

Marie Therese becamethe matriarch of a family of14 children—four black and

10 of Franco-Africanblood—and the founder of aunique colony of people.

Along with several of herchildren, she was sold toThomas Pierre Metoyer,who later freed her andeventually all her Metoyerchildren. Between 1794 and1803, she and her sonsreceived a number of landgrants, the lands formingMelrose Plantation beingrecorded in the name of herson Louis.

Descendants of theMetoyers live along theriver today, a people proudof their heritage and cul-ture.

It was at Melrose that theMetoyers built the YuccaHouse, the African Houseand other structures. Itmust have been a tremen-dous undertaking for themto clear the land, build roadsand fences and raise indigo,tobacco, cotton and othercrops to achieve a success-ful plantation operation.

Yucca (c.1796), the origi-nal main house at Melrose,incorporated local materi-als exclusively-heavy, hand-hewn cypress beams,uprights and sleepers, andwalls made of mud from theriver bottoms, mixed with

deer hair and Spanish moss. The African House

(c.1800), a strange lookingconstruction reminiscent ofthe straw-thatched hutsfound in the Congo, wasbuilt as a combination store-house and jail for rebelliousslaves.

The Big House was con-structed on the Melrosegrounds about 1833, aLouisiana-type plantationhome, the lower floor ofbrick, the upper story ofwood. Twin hexagonalgarçonnieres and a kitchenwing were added later bythe Henry family.

In the economic upheavalof the 1840s, the plantationpassed to white ownership.It was bought by Hypoliteand Henry Hertzog, who, in

turn, lost it in the aftermathof the Civil War. In 1884, theplantation was acquired byJoseph Henry.

At the turn of the centu-ry, Melrose became thehome of John Hampton andCammie Garrett Henry, thelatter known affectionatelyas “Miss Cammie” to herCane River friends. In thesucceeding years MissCammie’s patronage of thearts and preservation oflocal artifacts made Melrosejustly famous. Mrs. Henryreplanted and extended theplantation gardens, rescuedthe colonial buildings,revived local handicraftsand accumulated herfamous library of Louisianabooks and materials.

Artists and writers were

invited by Mrs. Henry tostay as long as they wished,as long as they were work-ing on some creative pro-ject. Among the many whovisited and worked atMelrose were ErskineCaldwell, AlexanderWoollcott, Alberta Kinsey,Caroline Dormon, RoseFranken, William Spratling,Gwen Bristow, Ross Pharesand Ruth Cross. One warm-ly remembered personalitywho wrote for years atMelrose was Lyle Saxon,whose “Children ofStrangers” portrays theCane River area.

Melrose is one of theattractions on the annualTour of Historic Homes thesecond weekend inNovember.

Page 6 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES March 2015

5362 University ParkwayNatchitoches, Louisiana 71457

PHONE 318.352.7500FAX 318.352.7500

REALTOR®

PLS

Visit our Web Site at:www.caneheritagerealty.com

357-8220 • 560 Front St. WE WORK EVENINGS & WEEKENDSCALL US FOR AN APPOINTMENT

Unique, romantic story unfolds at Melrose

March 2015 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES Page 7

Formerly the resi-dence for 10N o r t h w e s t e r n

presidents, theOld President’sCottage was reno-

vated for theA l u m n iCenter in 1984.Built in 1927 ofF r e n c hN o r m a n d yarchitecture,the buildinghas been desig-nated a nation-al landmark.

The historical signifi-cance of Cane RiverCountry is undisput-ed. Because of thisheritage, the federalgovernment chose

Natchitoches as thesite for the NationalCenter forP r e s e r v a t i o nTechnology andTraining. The OldW o m e n ’ sGymnasium, NelsonHall, has beenrestored for the per-manent headquartersof the center.

Northwestern State hasbeen dedicated to prepar-

ing teachers for careers ineducation since its found-ing in 1884. One symbol ofthat legacy is the one-roomschoolhouse, which wasthe St. Nichols School,which was established insouth Natchitoches Parishin 1906. The school was inuse until 1924 and wasdonated to NSU in 1981.

The archives ofWatson Libraryand theW i l l i a m s o nMuseum inKyser Hall exhib-

it historical hold-ings from thelocal and region-al culture.C o n t r i bu t i o n sfrom citizens andhistorians repre-sent archaeologi-cal resources ofIndian and ante-bellum influ-ences.

NSU Demonsplay SouthlandConference foot-ball at TurpinStadium.

The Wellness,R e c r e a t i o nand ActivityCenter is locat-ed in the heartof theNorthwester nState campusand providesmore than10,000 square feet ofspace with weightand cardio machines,basketball courts,

racquetball courts, anarea for aerobics, ajogging track andmore.

Northwestern StateUniversity has beenan important part ofthe Natchitoches com-munity since it wasestablished in 1884.Three columns of theBullard Mansion thatoriginally stood on thegrounds, serve as theunofficial symbol of theuniversity.

Northwestern’s students and facultyshare diverse talents in drama andart with the community.

The Hanchey Gallery oftenexhibits the best works of itsfaculty and students.

Northwestern State University Tour

Chaplin Lake furtherenhances the historiccampus that servesmore than 9,000 stu-dents.

The A.A. Fredericks Fine Arts Center regularly featuresperformances by the Natchitoches/NorthwesternSymphony Orchestra and theatre department.

Page 8 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES March 2015

MELROSE PLANTATION, 1796, is aNational Historic Landmark. Thecomplex includes the Big House,African and Yucca houses, weavingcabin and original home of primitivefolk artist Clementine Hunter. Theplantation is rich in history. and cul-ture that began with Marie ThereseCoincoin, an owner who was a freedwoman of color. The cultural high-

lights of the site were furthered during the Henry years as Miss Cammieprovided living quarters for writers. Clementine Hunter, renowned folkartist, painted here while employed as a domestic servant. Her muralsadorn the walls of the African House and her work is displayed in a gallerywithin the Big House. Melrose serves as the annual location for the MelroseArts and Crafts Festival in July. Tours are available daily.

OAKLAWNPLANTATION ,1830, is therestored home of“Steel Magnolias”author RobertHarling. Thisbousillage, three-story structuredisplays Creolearchitecture common to Cane River Country. The 680-foot oak avenue is the third longest in the state.

CHEROKEE PLANTATION, 1839, is list-ed on the National Register of HistoricPlaces and was the site of the famousBossier-Gaiennie duel, that was fought onthe savannah at the rear of Cherokee.This restored raised cottage is an impor-tant Creole structure and is often featuredduring the annual NatchitochesPilgrimage in March.

BEAU FORTP L A N TAT I O N ,1790, was built onthe former site ofFort Charles. It isan early Creole-style home and fea-tures an 84-footgallery and coveredrear patio. Many

special occasions are conducted at Beau Fort.

OAKLAND PLANTATION, 1821, now partof the Cane River Creole National HistoricPark contains the finest examples ofCreole architecture. The first cotton in thestate was planted on this plantation.

THE BADIN-ROQUE HOUSE isone of five structures of its typeremaining in the United Statesand the only one of its kind inLouisiana. Badin-Roque is listedon the National Register for his-toric places and has been nomi-nated for National Landmarkstatus. It is owned and main-tained by the St. AugustineHistorical Society.

THE ST. AUGUSTINECATHOLIC CHURCH is locatedat Isle Brevelle and was foundedand built by Augustine Metoyerand his brother Louis Metoyer in1803. St. Augustine Church is thefirst church in America estab-lished and maintained by free peo-ple of color. In 1829, when it wasblessed as a mission, it was giventhe name St. Augustine in honor

of St. Augustine. It was blessed as a church parish in 1856,and at that time, had four missions attached to it: St. Anns onOld River, St. Joseph at Bayou Derbonne, St. Anns, SpanishLake and St. Charles, Bermuda. The church was used as afilm site for Steel Magnolias.

MAGNOLIA PLANTATION,1830s, is one of only twoNational Bicentennial Farmswest of the Mississippi. Exceptfor the Big House, the complexis now part of the Cane RiverCreole National Historic Park.The original walls and founda-tion were reused after beingburned by General Banks in

1864. The two and one-half story structure has 27 rooms, including aCatholic chapel. The only cotton press still in its original location ishere along with the only row of brick slave quarters still standing inLouisiana. The plantation is closed to the public.

Auto Tour of the

Cane River

March 2015 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES Page 9

The AmericanCemetery represents themany cultures and coun-tries that influenced theoldest settlement in theLouisiana Purchase. Thesite is the original loca-tion of Fort St. JeanBaptiste.

Cane Country cavalierLouis Juchereau De St.Denis foundedNatchitoches in 1714.Fort St. Jean Baptistewas the French outposthe commanded. A replicaof the fort was built andpresents frequent livinghistory programs.

Several organizations that con-tribute to civic and preservationinterests in Natchitoches haverestored landmarks for use asheadquarters. The Prudhomme-Rouquier House was restored bythe Service League ofNatchitoches.

FRONT STREET of Natchitoches boasts historic sites that earnedthe oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase National HistoricLandmark designation. Santa, and the Christmas Belles as helpers,greet guests during the holi-day season at the Santa ClausHouse on the riverbank. TheRoque House, also along theriverbank, was relocated to itspresent location. An exampleof Creole architecture, theRoque House is constructed ofbousillage, a mixture ofSpanish moss, deer hair andmud.

Bells toll ante-bellum historiessurrounding thetwo landmarkchurches ofI m m a c u l a t eC o n c e p t i o nC a t h o l i cChurch, left,and TrinityE p i s c o p a lChurch, below.

The Natchitoches Parish OldParish Courthouse is home to a

genealogicall i b r a r y .

It is onSecond Streetacross thestreet fromChurch of theImmaculateConception.

Walking Tour of the Historic District

1. Tourism Information Center2. Bust of St. Denis3. Sompayrac Building4. Unter House5. Chez des Amís6. Washington Square7. Breazeale House8. Tauzin House9. Fitzhugh House10. Roque House11. Kaffie-Frederick Store12. Ducournau Square Townhouse13. Blanchard Building14. Prudhomme Building15. St. Denis Tomb Plaque16. Nakatosh Hotel

17. Old Opera House18. DeBlieux Building19. Kaffie House20. Prudhomme-Roquier House21. Tante Huppe House22. Chamard House23. Metoyer Townhouse24. Levy-East House25. Bayou Amulet26. Rusca House

27. Laureate House28. Steel Magnolias House29. Metoyer-Winbarg House30. Lemee House31. Steel Magnolias House32. Queen Anne House33. Green Gables34. Plauche House35. Steamboat House36. Nelken House37. William and Mary Ackel House

38. Fort St. Jean Baptiste39. American Cemetery40. Dismukes House41. Judge Porter House42. Fleur de Lis House43. Chaplin House44. First Methodist Church45. First Baptist Church

46. Trinity Episcopal Church47. Cunningham Law Office/

Chamber of Commerce48. Bishop Martin’s Residence49. Catholic Rectory50. Church of the Immaculate

Conception51. Old Courthouse Museum

53. New Courthouse54. Old Masonic Lodge55. Exchange Bank56. H.A. Cook Building57. Fort Claiborne Guest House58. Wells Home59. Rose Lawn House60. Wheelwright Inn61. The Blessed House

CYPRESS

S

I

D

N

E

Y

60

61

The Cunningham Law Office, left, serves as headquarters for theNatchitoches Historic Foundation and is open daily providingtourism information. The Lemee House is one of several proper-ties maintained by the Association for the Preservation of HistoricNatchitoches.

Page 10 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES March 2015

Sally Field por-trayed M’LynnEatenton, thewarm-hearted butiron-willed motherof a young bride.

Natchitoches residents were extras, includingthe late Norm Fletcher and Lori Tate. Fletcherand Tate played the bridegroom’s parents.

Robert Harling,author of“ S t e e lM a g n o l i a s , ”played the min-ister who mar-ried Shelby andJ a c k s o nLatcherie.

Drum Eatenton(Tom Skerritt)shoots at thebirds prior to thewedding recep-tion for hisdaughter, Shelby(Julia Roberts).

Truvy’s Beauty Shop was transformedinto a Christmas wonderland as the citycelebrated its annual Christmas Festival.D o l l yP a r t o n ’ squick wita n dS o u t h e r ncharm shinein her role asTruvy Jones.

Robert Harling,author of “SteelM a g n o l i a s , ”received a staron the St. DenisWalk of Honor.Each of thestars in the fea-ture filmreceived a star.Conferring theaward wasr e n o w n e dsportsman andNatchitoches resident GritsGresham.Much of thestory came from real life, based on the sacri-fices of Harling’s sister, Susan, and mother,Margaret, in his hometown of Natchitoches.

The Steel Magnolias House on JeffersonStreet was used during filming as thehome for M’Lynn and Drum Eatenton. Itis now a bed and breakfast inn.

‘Steel Magnolias’ Tour

“Steel Magnolias” stars, from left, JuliaRoberts, Olympia Dukakis, Dolly Parton,Shirley MacLaine, Sally Field and DarylHannah, portrayed six remarkable friends inthe southern town of Chinquapin.

The actresses commented onthe strength of the charactersand the sense of communitythat drew them to their parts.Meeting many of the real-lifecounterparts of their charac-ters also contributed to theiracclaimed performances.

Produced by Ray Stark, “Steel Magnolias”was directed by Herbert Ross. VictoriaWhite was the executive producer andAndrew Stone was the associate producer.

1. St. Augustine Catholic Church, La. Hwy. 493 atMelrose, Shelby’s wedding.

2.Northwestern State University Field House, postgame interviews.

3.American Cemetery on Second Street betweenDemeziere and the railroad tracks, Shelby’s funeral.

4. Lemee House, 310 Rue Jefferson, Ouiser’s house.

5.Steel Magnolia House, 320 Jefferson, Eatenton house.

6. Trinity Episcopal Church, 533 Second St., Truvy’s church.

7. Private home, 301 Rue Touline, Mrs. Robeline’s boardinghouse.

8. Chaplin House, 434 Second St., Aunt Fern’s house.

9. Walk of Honor, corner of Second Street and Rue St. Denis.

10. Blanchard Building, 700 block of Front Street, adjacent toDucournau Square, Truvy’s No. 2.

11. Riverfront behind Roque House, 800 block of WashingtonStreet, Easter egg hunt.

12. Private home, 515 St. Maurice Lane, Annelle and Sammy’shome.

13. Private home, 453 Henry Blvd., Truvy’s house.

14. Brookshire’s, Dixie Plaza Shopping Center, 318 Dixie Plazaon Keyser Avenue, shopping with Clairee and Ouiser.

15. Natchitoches Parish Hospital, 501 Keyser Ave., baby’s birth.

16. Tauzin Plantation Home, 1950 Williams Ave., Clairee’shome.

17. Odalie Lambre-Gwinn House, 1972 Williams Ave., Shelbyand Jackson’s house.

According to availablerecords, the history ofImmaculate ConceptionChurch began in 1717, or per-haps 1716, when theFranciscan, Fr. AntonioMargil de Jesus, walked the21 miles from the SpanishMission at Los Adaes to sayMass at the French military

post in Natchitoches.Services were also held inthe home of LouisJuchereau de St. Denis, com-mandant of the post, and hiswife, Dona Manuela.

The present church wasbuilt in 1857; however, it wasnot entirely completed until1892 when Bishop Durier

added the dome on the tower,constructed the presentsanctuary and sacristies,added the altar and tile floor.The church was restored andredecorated in 1955-56 whenthe front vestibule andentrance were added.

On the south corner ofthe church is a plaque com-memorating the first publicreligious service held inNatchitoches.

The date is given as 1716;however, records now avail-able give 1717 as the date.

The Rt. Rev. Msgr. A.Piegay, Vicar General, andFr. A. Andries are buried infront of the church.

All fittings and furnish-

ings, except the pews, wereimported from France: themain altar, the hand-paintedStations of the Cross, theStatue of Blessed VirginMary over the main altar,the chandeliers and the lad-der located in the choir.

The spiral staircase lead-ing to the choir is unique inthat it has no center support.The wooden Baptismal Font,beneath the staircase, washandcarved in France.

Bishop Augustin Martin,the first bishop of theNatchitoches Diocese andhis Vicar General PierreF.Dicharry, are buried in thechurch near the side altars.

Across the street are the

Rectory and the OldSeminary built in 1855 tohouse and educate seminari-ans.

The Bishop MartinMuseum is now locatedthere and is the depositoryfor early records, datingfrom 1724, and for churchartifacts including a silverbell dated 1836.

Back of the Seminary onTrudeau Street is the bish-op’s residence erected byBishop Martin.

At one time a similar butlarger edifice was directlyacross from the residence onthe corner of Second andTrudeau streets, with a widebrick walk between the two.

March 2015 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES Page 11

The Natchitoches meat pie is aregional dish whose ingredientsinclude ground beef, ground pork,onions, peppers, garlic, oil, and apie shell.

Natchitoches meat pies are oftenfried in peanut oil because of theoil’s high smoking temperature.

A number of restaurants in thehistoric district in Natchitochesserve meat pies, and frozen pies areavailable from grocers in northernLouisiana.

It has a savory meat filling in acrescent-shaped, flaky wheat pastryturnover. It is similar to a Spanishpicadillo beef empanada. Varietiesare throughout the colonies of theSpanish Empire.

This meat pie is not generallyavailable from other ethnic regionsof Louisiana “The Picayune’sCreole Cook Book” published 1901by The Times Picayune of NewOrleans contains nothing compara-ble to Natchitoches meat pies in itslist of over a thousand recipes.

Recently, Natchitoches meat piessold at food booths have becomepopular at the New Orleans Jazz &

Heritage Festival.The recipe has evolved over the

last 300 years. Ground pork or porksausage is now blended into theground beef for additional flavor.

Onions, bell pepper and whenused garlic and parsley provide aro-matics. Ground black pepper andcayenne pepper are added to getattention without being uncomfort-able.

Flour is added to browned meatand vegetable mixture to dry, thick-en and loosely bind the filling.

The meat filling can be used inother foods (e.g. tacos, tamales,enchiladas, stuffed bell peppers) butthe turnover crust is a defining ele-ment.

Traditional size is approximately4 ounce (by weight) on 5”- 6” diame-ter pastry dough.

The filling should be made theday before to allow flavors of theingredients to meld.

Filling, dough and tools shouldbe chilled before assembly. Warmfilling will cause the dough to disin-tegrate.

In the first part of the 20th centu-

ry, meat pies were sold from homekitchens or from carts by street ven-dors.

By 1967, Natchitoches meat pieswere produced in commercialkitchens. Now, they may be orderedonline. This progression hasallowed more people to experience

the memorable meat pies and theirfame continues to grow.

The Meat Pie Festival, held inSeptember, celebrates theNatchitoches meat pie.

The festival draws visitors fromaround the globe to sample the tastypies.

Meat Pie is tasty treat identified with Natchitoches

The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception; A combination of beauty & history

EXIT 138 of I-49

318-354-0010

• Award Winning Property • Newly Renovated • FREE Hot “On The House” Breakfast • FREE High Speed Internet Access • FREE Local Calls • FREE H BO & Expanded Channels • Pay-Per-View Movies & Video Games • In-Room Coffee Makers & Hair Dryers • FREE In-Room Microwave Available • FREE In-Room Fridge Available • Outdoor Pool & Fitness Center • Guest Elevator & Conference Room

1-800-HAMPTON (426-7866)

www.hamptoninn.com/hi/natchitoches

Meat pies are good eaten by themselves or with dirty rice.

Page 12 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES March 2015

BY: RICKEY ROBERTSON

During World War II,Louisiana had many famousmilitary bases located with-in her boundaries. Thesebases were the home tomany different units, fromarmor, infantry, cavalry, andartillery units. Last monthwe visited Camp Beauregardand this month we will visitCamp Livingston. CampLivingston was located a fewmiles north of Pineville nearthe little town of Ball,Louisiana. When the armydecided to build the newarmy camp it was to beknown as “Camp Tioga”. Itwas renamed CampLivingston in honor ofChancellor Robert R.

Livingston, who had negoti-ated the Louisiana Purchasefrom France in 1803. CampLivingston, besides beingthe permanent home of the32ndDivision, would alsobecome a designatedinfantry replacement center.The 28th, 32nd and 86thInfantry Divisions wouldalso at various times duringthe war call CampLivingston home.Construction was began onSeptember 16, 1940. A total of21 million dollars was spentin the building of CampLivingston. Needing hous-ing for the 32nd Division assoon as possible, the armycould not wait on favorableweather conditions, so con-tractors worked 50 days in

the rain and mud laying outthe camp and some of itsbuildings. The post wouldconsist of 35 administrativebuildings, 19 sets of officer’squarters, 223 mess halls, 19recreation buildings, 20 postexchanges, 2 guest houses, 2service clubs, 2 tent theaters,234 latrines, 18 infirmaries,37 repair shops, 4 fire sta-tions, 1 post laundry, a largecold storage plant, 1 bakery, 1shed for storing hay, 9 stablesfor horses and mules, 5 ord-nance magazines to storeammunition of all types, adental clinic, 1 post office, 1telephone and telegraphbuilding, 46 warehouses, 26service stations with at least52,000 gallon capacity, andone central gas station withat capacity of 72,000 gallonsof gasoline.

To provide water for thislarge camp, nine gravelwalled wells, all over 400 feetdeep and equipped with tur-bine pumps were drilled.These large pumps wouldtransfer and deliver waterinto three surface reservoirseach with a million galloncapacity. To provide for thetreatment of the water, achemical treatment facilitywas built. For fire protectionfor the post, over 340 firehydrants were connected tothe water system, with fourfully equipped fire stationsstationed strategicallythroughout the camp.

Besides the water facilitiesthe post also had a large andproper sewage an garbagedisposal facility. A 10 tonincinerator was erected andover 35 miles of sewer lineswere laid, which was in turnlinked to the modern sewageplant.

The Camp LivingstonStation Hospital when builtwas capable of housing andtaking care of over 1250patients, and included 1administrative building, 9officers and nurses quarters,4 officers and nurses messhalls, 9 barracks for enlistedpersonnel, 4 clinics, 1 infir-mary, 41 wards, a PX, 6 store-houses for medical sup-plies,3 recreation buildings,a Dental Clinic, and 1morgue. There were over6450 feet of enclosed and cov-ered walkways connectingall the buildings. At the sta-tion hospital there was atotal of 82 buildings housingall these different sections.Colonel Henry C. Michiewas the first commandingofficer of the station hospi-tal at Livingston.

While the camp was beingconstructed and permanenttype buildings were underconstruction, there were 885officers tents and 6756 enlist-ed men’s tents to house thepersonnel. Many of the tentsthat the soldiers lived inwere similar to cottages withcanvas tops. Each tent hadfloors and framing for wallsand were covered with can-vas. These tents were sealedagainst the weather and hadsome sort of gas heating andelectric lights. Officers tentswere occupied by 2 officersand enlisted tents had acapacity of 8 men. Each com-pany had a permanent wood-en building housing themess hall and kitchen, andanother for latrines andshowers.

Over 18000 men worked onconstructing CampLivingston. One thing ofimportance was that withthis many workers, the campwas built and completedwithout a single fatal acci-dent.

Some other interestingfacts about Camp Livingstonand the construction of thebase shows that it took 12,484kegs of nails, 150,000 barrels

of cement, 2500 electricalpoles, and 11,500 plumbingfixtures just for the perma-nent buildings.

After the 32nd (RedArrow) Infantry Divisiondeparted Livingston for thePacific, the 38th Divisionarrived and began combattraining. By 1944 the 38thdeparted and headed for thePhillippines, where theywould become known as the“Avengers of Bataan”, asthey recaptured the BataanPeninsula that had been cap-tured by the Japanese in1942. The last full division totrain extensively was the86th (Blackhawk) InfantryDivision. The 86th was thelast of the complete divi-sions to complete combattraining in Louisiana andwere shipped to Europe as areplacement division forunits decimated during theBattle of the Bulge. Duringits history Camp Livingstontrained over 500,000 men onits 47,000 acre’s and onNovember 7, 1945 it wasplaced on an inactive statusby the War Department andon September 25, 1946 it wasdeleted by the army as anactive military base. Oncethe base was deleted,destruction of all the vari-ous buildings was accom-plished by bidders . Many ofthe smaller buildings andvehicles were sold to localpeople, with the larger vehi-cles and buildings andattachments were sent tovarious military basesthroughout the UnitedStates. Today, the LouisianaNational Guard continues touse the old rifle and machinegun ranges that were builtduring World War II at CampLivingston. Also, for the lastfew years, veterans from thevarious units still come andvisit the sites where theywere housed. Now tall pinesand underbrush cover theold building sites. The lastfew years the men of KCompany 343rd Infantry86th Division have been hav-ing their reunion inAlexandria La. They contin-ue to travel out to their oldcompany area on the oldbase. They still rememberthe locations of the manycompany buildings and

Remembering Camp Livingston

continues on page 14

A collection of base-balls signed by sluggerMel Ott, Archie Manning’sNo. 8 New Orleans Saintsjersey and a souped-upFord Thunderbird thatbecame the fastest car inthe world in 1963 are just afew of the artifacts thatmake the Louisiana SportsHall of Fame and Museumin Natchitoches an up-close, personal and unfor-gettable fan experience.

Housed in a dazzling $23million museum buildingdeveloped and operated bythe Louisiana StateMuseum system in part-nership with theLouisiana Sports WritersAssociation and the city ofNatchitoches, theLouisiana Sports Hall ofFame Museum honors theachievements of thestate’s greatest athletes.

Founded in 1959, butlacking a permanent homefor its collection of por-traits and memorabiliauntil now, the Hall hasmore than 300 men andwomen on its roster. Somecarry famous names suchas Vida Blue, EddieDelahoussaye, “PistolPete” Maravich, WillisReed and Joyce Walker,but others are relativelyunknown today. NewOrleans-born Audrey“Mickey” Patterson, forexample, was the firstAfrican-American womanto win an Olympic medal.Visitors will see the TeamUSA jersey she wore in a200-meter dash that wonher the bronze medal atthe 1948 games in London.

“The main goal indesigning exhibits andselecting artifacts was toinspire people, especiallyyoung people, to thinkabout greatness,”Louisiana State Museumdirector Mark Tullos said.“Every object here tells astory. Seen together, theycreate a visitor experiencethat we hope is both uplift-ing as well as entertain-ing.”

Indeed, the museum iscrammed with fun stuff tolook at. Items on displayinclude vintage varsityletter sweaters, antiqueduck and turkey calls, ablack and gold 1967 Saintscheerleader’s outfit, a col-lection of whistles from

Louisiana’s top highschool sports coaches,hand-carved water skisbelieved to be the first toskim across Cane RiverLake and famed outdoors-man Grits Gresham’s fieldtypewriter on which hetapped out features for thenational magazines SportsAfield and Gentlemen’sQuarterly. The typewriteris among many artifactsdonated by his family forthe Grits and MaryGresham exhibit inSportsman’s Paradise, alarge gallery focused onhunting and fishing.

Two of the most spec-tacular objects on displayare the Louisiana GolfAssociation’s amateurchampionship trophy, athree-foot-high sterlingsilver replica of theLouisiana State Capitolcommissioned in 1934, andL.W. “Knot” Farrington’sstreamlined and modifiedFord Thunderbird whichhe drove to a world speedrecord of 241.78 mph atBonneville Salt Flats inUtah in 1963. A self-taughtmechanic, Farringtonnamed his dream car“Hel’s Angel” after hiswife Helen. Now 93,Farrington kept the car inthe garage of his Metairiehome until 2011 when heloaned it to the Museumfor display.

Coverage of profession-al and college teamsports—football, baseballand basketball—is high-lighted with iconic uni-forms, autographed gameballs, photographs andinteractive media captur-ing historic games andmajor players. In GreatMoments, a seven-minutevideo produced by film-

makers Michelle Benoitand Glen Pitre, visitorscan relive the glory ofBilly Cannon’s tackle-breaking punt returnagainst Ole Miss in 1959,Warren Morris’ game-win-ning home run for LSU inthe 1996 College WorldSeries and Kim Mulkey’sNCAA championship bas-ketball games as aLouisiana Tech LadyTechster and later as headcoach for BaylorUniversity.

Touch-screen technolo-gy delivers even moresports greatness in theimpressive Hall of Famegalleries near the mainentrance. Visitors can callup life stories, career sta-tistics and even the mostmemorable quotes ofevery Hall of Famer pastand present.

The newest membersare also recognized withhand-painted portraits,including basketball greatShaquille O’Neal, tennisstar Chanda Rubin andnine other 2013 inductees.

The Hall opens to thepublic July 2 in a 27,000-square-foot buildingshared with the NorthwestLouisiana HistoryMuseum. Designed byTrahan Architects of NewOrleans, the buildingevokes the region’s agri-cultural heritage with sin-uous molded stone interi-ors suggesting slow-mov-ing rivers and linearearth-colored exteriorcladding inspired byplowed fields.

Located at 800 Front St.,the museum is open 10a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdaysthrough Saturdays and 1

p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.Admission is $5 for adults;$4 for students, seniorsand active-duty military;and free for children 12and younger.

The Natchitoches prop-erty is the newest culturalattraction in theLouisiana State Museumsystem, which was found-ed in 1906 with a missionto collect, preserve, inter-pret and present thestate’s rich history andcultural and artisticachievements.

The Louisiana StateMuseum system includeshistoric properties in NewOrleans—including theCabildo, Presbytere, OldU.S. Mint, Madame John’sLegacy and 1850 HouseMuseum—as well as muse-ums in Baton Rouge,Thibodaux and Patterson.

March 2015 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES Page 13

La. Sports Hall of Fame offers unforgettable sports history experience

Designed by Trahan Architects of New Orleans, the new 27,500 square foot museumcomplex evokes the region’s heritage with linear earth-colored exterior claddinginspired by plowed fields sinuous molded stone interiors suggesting slow-movingrivers. Credit: Photo courtesy of Trahan Architects.

FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES HOTEL TO OPEN IN NATCHITOCHES, LOUISIANA

Hotel features bold, contemporary new look & flexible design

• 74 Rooms• FREE Wi-Fi• Complimentary Hot Breakfast EVERY Morning• Outdoor Swimming Pool• Exercise Room• Valet Laundry Service• Located 5 minutes from downtown• 45 minutes from Alexandria

www.fairfieldinn.com(318)354-8007 • (800)228-2800

150 Hayes Avenue • Natchitoches, LA

FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES HOTEL TO OPEN IN NATCHITOCHES, LOUISIANA

Hotel features bold, contemporary new look & flexible design

• 74 Rooms• FREE Wi-Fi• Complimentary Hot Breakfast EVERY Morning• Outdoor Swimming Pool• Exercise Room• Valet Laundry Service• Located 5 minutes from downtown• 45 minutes from Alexandria

www.fairfieldinn.com(318)354-8007 • (800)228-2800

150 Hayes Avenue • Natchitoches, LA

MMRRSS.. JJAANNEEHHeeaalleerr && AAddvviisseerr

Do you feel lost? Areyou confused? Areyou missing some-thing in your life? Call,come or write to Mrs.Jane. She will tell youyour Past, Present,and Future. She willremove BAD LUCK,Reunite you with yourLOVED ONE, andhelp you with DRUGPROBLEMS...Call immediately!

331188--335577--992211774364 Hwy 3278 Natchitoches, LA 71457

Page 14 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES March 2015

Along the banks of pic-turesque Cane River is anational park that pre-serves significant pieces ofAmerican history. CaneRiver Creole NationalHistorical Park includesOakland Plantation and theoutbuildings at MagnoliaPlantation. MagnoliaPlantation is privatelyowned.

The park's mission is topreserve the resources andcultural landscapes of theCane River area and toenhance the understandingof its peoples and tradi-tions.

Park rangers at the twosites will help visitorsexplore the French andSpanish colony ofLouisiana, and what thatmeant to the origins of thecotton plantations alongCane River. Visitors willgain a greater understand-ing of Louisiana's planta-tion economy and its laborpractices of slavery and

later tenancy, and get a peekinto the lives of the peoplewho lived on the planta-tions.

Visitors can learn aboutthe families, both ownersand enslaved, who built theplantations, whose descen-dants stayed for many gen-erations and may live in theCane River area today.

Guests can find out why aplantation is more than justa "Big House" and learnabout the historic and con-temporary definitions ofthe word "Creole." Thoseinterested can study thevernacular architecture ofthe park's 45 historic build-ings and get ideas abouthow they adapted toLouisiana's climate.

Oakland Plantation con-ducts tours seven days aweek at 1 p.m. MagnoliaPlantation is open forground tours Saturday andSunday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

To reach OaklandPlantation from

Natchitoches, take Hwy. 1south to the village ofNatchez and turn left at theflashing yellow light on toHwy. 119. Follow Hwy. 119and turn right at the stopsign on to Hwy. 494.Continue approximately 4

miles to Oakland Plantationon the right-hand side ofthe road.

From Interstate 49, takeexit 127, the Flora/Cypressexit. Head east towardsCypress on La. 120. Crossover La. Hwy. 1 and contin-

ue for approximately 4miles on Hwy. 494. OaklandPlantation will be on theleft.

For more information,contact Oakland Plantationat (318) 356-8441.

Cane River Creole: A National Park just down the road

streets where they lived forso many months while train-ing for combat.

The high for servicemenstationed at CampLivingston was in 1942 whenit reached 42,500 men onpost. This number did notinclude the hundreds ofcivilian workers in all thecamp facilities. In CampLivingston’s 5 year history,over 350,000 troops weretrained in over 245 differentunits. These units included 2cavalry units, 24 AntiaircraftArtillery (AAA) units, 40ordnance units, 4 fieldartillery units19 engineerunits, 15 signal units, 19 mil-itary police units, 16 postalunits, 3 bands, 2chemicalbattalions, 1 medical supplycompany, 2 medical gas com-panies, 1 medical sanitarycompany, and 1 tactical con-trol company. Also at vari-ous times the 3rd and 4thArmies were headquarteredthere.

Ewart Bray arrived earlyin 1940 with the 106thCavalry Regiment. After thePearl Harbor attack, thisunit lost about half its com-pliment to a unit ordered toPanama for duty guardingthe Canal Zone . Just prior to

coming to Camp Livingston,the cavalry had lost theirprized sabres, and now atLivingston, the 106thCavalry was re-designated ahorse-mechanized unit asmotor vehicles and armoredvehicles were received. Nowthe cavalry had lost its hors-es and spurs, but Mr. Braystated that he and other cav-alrymen held onto theirprized cavalry boots. Mr.Bray left Camp Livingstonand fought in France,Germany, and Austria. Hiscavalry training and combattraining in the LouisianaManeuvers prepared him forthe war in Europe.

Jerry Newman, a businessowner near the old entranceroad to Livingston, statedthat an elderly man and hiswife stopped by his businessasking for directions toCamp Livingston. Jerry gra-ciously gave him directionsand asked if he could helphim any other way. The gen-tleman was a World War IIveteran who had been sta-tioned at Livingston duringthe war. He told Jerry thathis unit was activated foroverseas shipment with nowarning. Several days priorto his unit shipping out, hehad won several hundreddollars in a card game.

Afraid someone would stealhis winnings out of his footlocker, he came up with aningenious idea to hide themoney. He got a coffee canfrom the mess hall andplaced all the monies in it,then, since all the barrackshad a concrete front doorstep, he moved the step infront of his barracks andburied his treasure there.Unable to retrieve his moneyupon departure, it had takenhim over 50 years to get backto Livingston. For severaldays Jerry saw the couple asthey traveled back to the oldbase in their attempt to findthe location of his company

area. According to Jerry, theold veteran did not find histreasure and he and his wifeleft to return to their homeup north.

Now all that is left ofCamp Livingston is it’smany streets crisscrossingthe area. The old swimmingpool is still there, but it hasno water in it. During hunt-ing season hunters are ableto hunt wild game where sol-diers bivouacked andtrained for combat. Let’scontinue to remember CampLivingston and the famousunits that trained at thatbase! They marched into his-tory !

Remembering Camp Livingston (CONT)

With vibrant exhibitshoused in a striking exam-ple of contemporary archi-tecture, the LouisianaState Museum’s NorthwestLouisiana HistoryMuseum in Natchitochesbrings 3,000 years of histo-ry forward to the uniquecultural traditions thatsurvive—and thrive—inthe region today.

Encompassing flat, fer-tile river valleys and pine-forested uplands, north-west Louisiana has been acultural crossroads sincepre-Columbian times.From their homelandsalong the Red River, CaddoIndians traded with tribesas far away as Mexico andthe Great Plains and,beginning in the 1600s,with Spanish and Frenchexplorers.

A distinctive Creole cul-ture developed inNatchitoches, founded in1713 as the first permanentEuropean settlement inLouisiana. Free andenslaved Africans left astrong imprint on theregion’s architecture, lan-guage and art. Meanwhile,traditional Southern folk-ways evolved in small com-munities living close to theland and coping with theboom-or-bust cycles of thefarming, timber and petro-leum industries.

“This museum tells thestory of how diverse popu-lations came together tocreate a rich and vitalregional culture,”Louisiana State Museumdirector Mark Tullos said.“It also celebrates the lifestories of artists, writers,entrepreneurs, humanrights leaders and otherswho embody the region’s

resourceful and resilientspirit.”

The Great Women exhib-it, for example, profilesnovelist Kate Chopin, con-servationist CarrieDorman, arts and litera-ture patron CammieHenry and painterClementine Hunter, who isalso represented by 12original works of art.

Visitors will find a fasci-nating array of artifacts,paintings, photographs,maps, books, furniture,household goods, farmimplements, textiles,weapons and other materi-als—many loaned by localcollections. Specific arti-facts include 18th centuryreligious medals, forged-iron equestrian gear fromLos Adaes—a former capi-tal of Texas, Spanish mis-sion and trading post—and

a vintage gasoline pump,advertising signs and con-sumer products from thetypical early 20th centuryplantation store. And torepresent northwestLouisiana’s earliest civi-lization, the State Museumcommissioned the notedcontemporary Caddo pot-ter Jeraldine Redcorn tocreate three hand-coiled,wood-fired clay vessels inthe archaic “Natchitochesengraved” style.

The NorthwestLouisiana HistoryMuseum opened July 2, aspart of a $23-million,27,000-square-foot museumcomplex shared with theLouisiana Sports Hall ofFame. Designed by TrahanArchitects of NewOrleans, the buildingevokes the region’s agri-cultural heritage with sin-

uous molded stone interi-ors suggesting slow-mov-ing rivers and linear earth-colored exterior claddinginspired by plowed fields.

The history museum has3,500 square feet ofexhibits arranged in sevenmajor themes. LivingTraditions, for example,explores present-day hand-crafts, cuisine, social cus-toms and flourishing sub-cultures such as the CaneRiver Creole community ofIsle Brevelle.

Eye-popping graphicsand a seven-minute videoby documentary filmmak-ers Michelle Benoit andGlen Pitre enhance the vis-itor experience.

Located at 800 Front St.,the museum is open 10a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdaysthrough Saturdays, and 1p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Admission is $5 for adults;$4 for students, seniorsand active-duty military;and free for children 12and younger.

The Natchitoches prop-erty is the newest culturalattraction in the LouisianaState Museum system,which was founded in 1906with a mission to collect,preserve, interpret andpresent the state’s rich his-tory and cultural andartistic achievements.

The Louisiana StateMuseum system includeshistoric properties in NewOrleans—including theCabildo, Presbytere, OldU.S. Mint, Madame John’sLegacy and 1850 Housemuseum—as well as muse-ums in Baton Rouge,Thibodaux and Patterson.

-LouisianaTravel.com-

March 2015 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES Page 15

Nobody knowsNatchitoches better!

Visit our website:www.collinsandstamey.com

Collins & StameyR E A L E S T A T E304 College Ave. • 357-1262

1000 University Parkway, Natchitoches, LA

• FREE High Speed Wireless Internet • FREE Continental Breakfast

• FREE 32” remote controlled flat screen TV w/Expanded Cable, HBO, CNN, ESPN

• FREE In Room Coffee Maker & Hair Dryer • FREE In Room Microwave & Refrigerator

• Outdoor Swimming Pool • Close to Downtown Historic District

Across from NSU

N EWLY R ENOVATED ! 318-352-4426

History museum highlights Creole rural life

A vintage gasoline pump, advertising signs and consumer products from the typical early 20th century plantationstore and original paintings by folk artist Clementine Hunter illustrate rural life in northwest Louisiana.

Page 16 HISTORIC NATCHITOCHES March 2015

By Rickey Robertson

Clarence is hardly a spoton a Louisiana road map. Itis most identifiable by beinga crossroads where presentday La. Hwy. 6/84 crossesU.S. Hwy. 71 and is locatedon the east bank of the RedRiver. Nothing of impor-tance ever happens inClarence, Louisiana does it?Yes, there was one verygreat event that happenedthere in 1941 that foreverchanged the organization ofthe United States Army.

By late August 1941, over470,000 men of the U.S.Army began to convergethroughout the Sabine area,the large area denoted forthese maneuver exercises inLouisiana. Complete divi-

sions of men, vehicles andequipment began pouringin and preparing for theupcoming maneuvers.Every unit that was to par-ticipate in the maneuvershad months to prepare forthese exercises. That is, allbut one. On August 29, 1941,only 16 day before themaneuvers were to begin,the 502nd ParachuteBattalion received ordersfor one company to proceedto Louisiana. But there weremany problems that ham-pered their movement toLouisiana. These problemsincluded only 13 transportaircraft for the paratroop-ers, shortages of weaponsand shortages of equip-ment. Only 100 men wouldbe available on such short

notice. U.S. Army GeneralHeadquarters announcedthat the parachutists wouldbe made available secretlyto both the red and bluearmies in succession.General Headquartersbelieved that there would beno real test of airborne war-fare during the Louisianamaneuvers. How wrongwere they to be!

September 17, 1941 was awarm clear day inLouisiana. Phase 1 of themaneuvers had begun onSeptember 15, 1941 withcompany a 502nd ParachuteBattalion being assigned toGeneral Kruegar’s BlueArmy. At Clarence,Louisiana it was harvesttime. This little town was afarming community thathad vast fields of cottonthroughout the area. It wastime for the cotton harvest.Field hands, both white andblack, had hit the fieldsearly to get a start on thevast harvest. At 9:30 a.m. thefield hands heard heavy air-craft engines approaching.As they looked up to watchthe aircraft pass over, some-thing they had never wit-nessed happened. All of asudden the 13 transportplanes started droppingsomething! What in theworld was happening? Whatis that hanging under thatwhite umbrella lookingthings? No one knew butthey all had one thing ontheir minds and that waslet’s skeedaddle out of here!What in the world is takingplace? The owners of thefields and the field handsscattered and headed forsafety. They all rememberedin 1939 the Orson Wellesradio broadcast of the “menfrom mars” that had landedin America and the firstthing these folks thoughtwas that the Martians were

landing right on top ofthem! They headed to theirhomes where they armedthemselves with rifles, pis-tols and shotguns for protec-tion. But no, they weren’tMartians! It was 127 men ofcompany 502nd ParachuteBattalion making a combatjump into the area. Yes, anactual airborne assaultbegan right at Clarence,Louisiana.

Once the paratroopers hitthe ground, everyone wasable to see that these wereU.S. Army soldiers thatcame out of the sky. Oneman exclaimed in excite-ment, “They came out of thesky!” and pointed skyward.No one had ever seen oreven heard of a parachutistwho came from the sky suchas these men had. But themen of the 502nd, with mea-ger parachute training andinadequate material andsupplies had made a verywell organized and executedair drop. Yet it could havebeen different because atthis time in early U.S.Airborne operations, themen jumped separate fromtheir equipment and onceon the ground they had togather their equipment,supplies, ammunition andweapons, then rally togeth-er and begin their advancetoward the enemy.

What a day of disruptionand mayhem these para-troopers caused! They com-mandeered vehicles, cap-tured Red Army troops andblew up a pontoon bridge! Itwas two hours before anyresistance could be gath-ered by the surprised RedArmy that consisted of ananti-aircraft battery firingtheir guns at the paratroop-ers on the ground. And oneplatoon of paratroopersraided the Red SecondArmy Headquarters atWinnfield then escapedback toward Clarence,where they captured a RedArmy DivisionHeadquarters before beingsurrounded. When wargame umpires arrived tosort out the destructioncaused by the paratroopersand to assess damage andcasualties, something unex-pected happened. Parachutetroops were not listed in thetable of organization andequipment for the U.S.Army and they were dis-qualified by the umpireseven though they hadaccomplished unheard ofresults! No one in the U.S.Army chain of commandexcept GeneralHeadquarters in

Washington D.C. knew ofthis new type of unit in theU.S. Army. Even theumpires in these large-scalemaneuvers were baffled bythese parachute troops.

Even though this wasmore of a suicide missionwith no link up availablewith other Blue Third Armytroops, these parachutetroops succeeded in dis-tracting and most impor-tantly, embarrassing theRed Second Army. But mostimportant GeneralHeadquarters now had itseyes opened and was able tosee the importance of air-borne units in the upcom-ing war in Europe thatloomed on the horizon. Andsomething that changed theU.S Army from just a fewparachute battalions camefrom the adventures of acompany 502nd ParachuteBattalion’s 127 men in theLouisiana maneuvers. AtCamp Claiborne, Louisianathe 82nd Infantry Division,of Sergeant York fame ofWorld War I was garrisoned.With orders fromWashington, D.C. Aug. 15,1942 the division formed forthe last time at the paradeground on Camp Claiborne.The new orders were readorganizing the 82ndAirborne Division (AllAmerican) and the 101stAirborne Division(Screaming Eagles) intoAmerica’s first twoAirborne Divisions. Asnames were called somemen went to the 82nd andsome to the 101st. CorporalKennith Dixon of Anacoco,La. was picked and wentinto the 101st Airborne.From Camp Claiborne theseunits were shipped out forparachute and glider train-ing. These became the twofamous airborne units thatlanded on D-Day night inNormandy and completelydisrupted the German armyso that the invasion land-ings could take place. Andthe rest is history!

In conclusion, from 127men who jumped intoClarence, Louisiana,evolved America’s airbornedivisions. Louisiana has thebragging rights on this firstcombat parachute jump inUnited States Army historyeven though it was maneu-vers and, most importantly,is the location and homewhere America’s AirborneDivisions were formed. Andas we remember these greatfeats in our history inLouisiana, remember theywere airborne! Airborne allthe way!

They Came Out Of The Sky!

NATCHITOCHESPECANS, INC.

LITTLE EVA PLANTATION

Farm Fresh Pecans • Pecan CandiesGift Tins • Unique Gifts

CALL FOR A FREE BROCHURE

439 Little Eva RoadCloutierville, LA 71416

318.379.0272

WWW.NATCHITOCHESPECANS.COM

STORE HOURS: Jan. 2-Oct. 14

Fri-Sat 9am-5pm

Oct. 15-31Mon-Sat - 9am-5pm

Nov. 1-Dec. 23Mon-Sat 9am-5pm

Sun 1pm-5pm

but don’t forget our ... Red Beans & Rice with Sausage Southern Fried Catfish Platters

and for dessert our Cane River Cream Pie

Open Mon-Sat 7am-3pm for Breakfast & Lunch

Open later on Saturdays for NSU and City Events Meat Pie Restaurant

A Natchitoches Tradition Come join us and choose from our unique menu featuring a blend of Soulful Louisiana Creole Flavors.

622 Second Street • Natchitoches, LA • 352-3353

We’re famous for our award winning MEAT PIES and CRAWFISH PIES