The Plains

Called "Porter's Plain" after 17th century settler

John Porter, this level expanse of about one square

mile was sparsely inhabited into the mid-18th century.By the time of the American Revolution, patriot

Captain Jeremiah Page had settled here, establishing

a prosperous brick-making business. An important

crossroads ...

The Nona Mills Lumber Company

Organized in 1898, the Nona Mills Lumber Company of Nona, Texas established a saw mill at Leesville in 1899. Company officers were Pres. F.L. Carroll, Vice Pres. G.R. Ferguson, Sec. Treas. J.N. Gilbert, and Asst. Treas. L.B. Pikin. Serviced by ...

Pine Chapel

"In commemoration of Pine Chapel Cemetery one half mile north of this spot, and Pine Chapel Methodist Church on this spot about 1787, together with Pine Chapel School House near this spot, being the first public institutions in the Wilderness. ...

Pilot Island Site

Historic Shipwrecks

J.E. Gilmore ·

Type: wooden schooner ·

Built: 1867, Asa Wilcox, ·

Three Mile Bay, N.Y. ·

Length: 137.7' ·

Beam: 25.4' ·

Propulsion: sail, 2 masted.

Forest ·

Type: wooden scow-schooner ·

Built: 1857, David Lester, ·

Newport, Mich. ...

Kansas City Southern Railroad Depot

The Mission Revival style Kansas City Southern Depot opened in 1916. It symbolizes the great Vernon Parish lumber boom of the early 20th century. Closed in 1968, Kansas City Southern leased the Depot to Vernon Parish. Placed on the National ...

Stephen Tyng Mather

July 4, 1887 - Jan. 22, 1930

He laid the foundation of the National Park Service, defining and establishing the policies under which its areas shall be developed and conserved unimpaired for future generations. There will never come an end ...

Escape Tunnels

The ground at this end of the prison is pocked with deep holes - either tunnels or wells. Overcrowding disguised the digging. Beneath the sea of tattered shelters, prisoners could work undetected with mess plates, spoons,and canteen halves.

It is tempting ...

St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Complex

When Poste du Rapides was established in Pineville the Catholic mission of St. Louis des Apalachees was founded. Mass was said in private homes in the new town of Alexandria. A chapel built in 1817 was the first church of ...

6 - pounder Field Gun

With these guns, a few guards were able to control thousands of prisoners. Canister could cut a wide swath through a crowd.

Gun tube:

Bronze, 884 lbs.

Smoothbore, diameter 3.67 inches

Projectile:

Solid shot, Case shot, Canister

Range:

Solid shot 1,523 yds.

Case shot 1,200 yds.

Canister effective to ...

Rapides Parish Governors

Four 19th century Rapides Parish residents served Louisiana as governor.

Joseph Marshall Walker (1784-1856), a Bayou Rapides cotton planter, was governor 1850-53 -- the first to be installed in the newly-designated Baton Rouge capital. During his administration improvements were made in ...