Louisiana

In 1884, the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific Railroad put a line across north Louisiana, and the town of Ruston was born. The first settlers came from nearby Vienna--literally bringing their homes with them--to establish a community that would become a major cotton shipping point and an educational center for the region. In this captivating study of Ruston's storied past, historic images shed light upon the town's beginnings, its enterprising leaders, and the institution for which it is best known, Louisiana Tech University.
The photographs within these pages reflect all aspects of life in Ruston, from the community's involvement during the war years to the businesses established by early residents, and from the building of the university to the influence of the railroad and the cotton industry. The collections of local photographers Bob Pfister, Colonel Marbury, John Green Davis, and Edwin "Red" Woodward are all featured in this unique pictorial retrospective; many of these rarely seen images came from a collection of glassplate negatives stored for over thirty years in shoeboxes in a backyard shed. Although some were forever lost to the forces of nature, what remains is a treasured glimpse of days gone by that will find a special place in the hearts of those who call Ruston home.

Founded in 1838 and located in extreme northeastern Louisiana, Madison Parish has a rich and colorful history. It is the setting of Kate Stone's best-selling Civil War diary, Brokenburn, and played an important role during that era-Generals Grant, Sherman, and McClernan assembled their troops in Madison Parish months before their assault on Vicksburg. Sarah Breedlove, better known as Madam C.J. Walker, was born in Madison Parish and ultimately rose from a lowly washerwoman to the first black female millionaire in the United States. Images of America: Madison Parish, containing over 200 black-and-white images, highlights the history of this fascinating community through photographs, drawings, and maps. Included are Civil War scenes, the 1907 bear hunt by President Theodore Roosevelt, and numerous professional photographs of the disastrous 1927 flood that paralyzed the parish and surrounding areas for several months.

Although Webster Parish was not founded until 1871, the settlement of the area began as early as 1818 in southern parts of the parish as well as in areas east of the parish's lifeline, Dorcheat Bayou. The town of Minden had been the economic center of the old Claiborne Parish since the 1840s and would go on to become the seat of Webster Parish. While Minden and the southern part of the parish had a varied economic base and a relatively slow and steady growth, the northern end of the parish experienced a much different pattern of expansion. Settlement in the areas of Springhill and Cotton Valley did not begin in large scale until the arrival of the railroad around 1900, but the timber industry and the oil boom caused these areas to develop rapidly. Pictures of the growth emerging from the Cotton Valley Oil Field and the presence of International Paper in Springhill give the reader a glimpse of how northern Webster Parish emerged during the twentieth century. Additional photographs of people, homes,
and businesses throughout the parish complete the story of life in a long-ago era, a time marked by a growing prosperity in a young and optimistic America.

Founded in 1835, Minden, Louisiana, quickly developed a reputation as a pioneering force in education and culture in the formerly untamed frontier of Northwestern Louisiana. The early settlers of Minden and their contributions to the rich history of the community are the subject of this engaging pictorial retrospective.
Included in this volume are rarely seen images of leaders of the antebellum era, such as John and Christopher Chaffe, and prominent figures from the Reconstruction period, such as John Sidney Killen, the state representative from Minden when it became the seat of the newly-created Webster Parish in 1871. Also included are photographs of Mayor Robert Floyd Kennon, twenty-five years before he became the governor of Louisiana; the three Webster Parish courthouses; and the Minden Male Academy and the Minden Female College, both constructed in the early 1850s. A series of photographs shows the 1916 post office under construction, in operation, and being replaced by the People's Bank and Trust. Rare images of the Minden Lumber Company, one of the country's largest before it was destroyed by a fire in 1918, and pictures of the devastating 1933 tornado are included as well.

Metairie is often considered the dull stepchild of New Orleans--a concrete "Anywhere, USA" lined with shopping malls frequented by fast-food eating, drive-up-daiquiri-drinking, cultureless suburbanites. Despite stereotypical misconceptions, sons and daughters of New Orleans who call Metairie home are every bit as colorful, talented, devious, and gracious as their relatives in the city. Johnny Wiggs kept New Orleans jazz alive. Verne Tripp invented
"perma-press" and pioneered use of the electron microscope. On Atherton Drive, David Ferrie plotted a Cuban coup. Peter Gennaro left his father's bar to become a Broadway star. Shirley Ann Grau raised her children here while writing novels. Al Scramuzza built a crawfish empire and coached Metairie children. Ellen Degeneres found national fame, while Becky Allen won our hearts at home. Those who may not be widely known but have impacted lives in the community and afar are also included in this book, which is a tribute to the people of Metairie.

A city's history is made by its people, and for over 165 years the people of Shreveport, Louisiana have been building a rich heritage. From everyday residents to community leaders, from educators and clergy to entertainers and celebrities, Shreveport's citizens have created a lasting legacy. Here, readers are presented with a collective portrait of the city, including images from both its distant and not-so-distant past. Photographs of ordinary as well as extraordinary people, revealing their lives and their culture, preserve significant moments in time. While it is not possible to include them all in a single book, this volume does much to create a picture of the numerous talented, industrious, and spirited citizens who have contributed to the community's development. Their names are found on local streets, parks, buildings, and monuments; yet, their stories are often unknown. In this volume, readers will meet some of these colorful figures, putting faces with the names that present-day Shreveport residents know so well.