| Communities | Economy | History / Markers | Local Government |
| Location / Geography | Media | Parks and Recreation | Schools and Libraries |
| Parish Map | Top of page | ||
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Unincorporated areas of interest in the parish include Banks Springs, Chester, Copenhagen, Corey, Cotton Plant, Hebert, Holum, Kelly, Mount Pleasant, Spaulding, and Vixen |
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Boeuf River Ouachita River |
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History | |
| 1542 |
The Spanish explorer DeSoto travels down the Ouachita River and visits an Indian village near the present-day town of Columbia. |
| 1699 |
Iberville and Bienville pass through the area in 1699. |
| 1719 |
Around 1719 a settlement of approximately sixty pioneers led by an "Irish gentleman" is believed to have been established nearby. Other settlements followed, but by 1729 most of these early pioneers had moved out of the area following the Natchez massacre by hostile Indians. The hysteria following the reprisal also drove away friendly Indians and much of the trade in the area. |
| 1780s |
Resettlement of the area did not occur until long after
the Spanish took possession of the territory. By then, Fort Miro had been
built near Monroe and traffic
along the river had increased. |
| 1805 |
When the Territory of Orleans is divided into counties the present-day Caldwell Parish is part of Ouachita County. |
| 1806 |
In 1806 it appears that all settlers in the area were French speaking with land grants secured from the French, then the Spanish governments. Soon, however, a group of Scandinavians, believed to be Danish, established the village of Copenhagen, eight miles south of Columbia. Americans also began to move into the area, anticipating Louisiana's statehood. |
| 1838 March 6 |
Caldwell Parish was created from territory taken out of Ouachita and Catahoula parishes on March 6, 1838. Both the parish and its seat of government were named after prominent families in the region. Columbia was named the parish seat, after consideration of Copenhagen, and land was donated to establish a courthouse and streets alongside the river. |
| 1840s |
Columbia achieved its greatest importance during the glamorous period marked by the steamboat era. It became a shipping point rivaled only by Monroe and Old Trenton to the north. Most of its business was drawn from farmers in the hill sections west of the river, where there were few slaves and no landed aristocracy. They brought their cotton, timber and other products for shipment to New Orleans and other markets. Methodists have worshipped in Columbia, Caldwell Parish since before 1840. Circuit riders served the congregation until 1847, when a first pastor is appointed. Present First United Methodist Church in Columbia completed in 1911 from plans brought from Europe by a church member. |
| 1860s |
As talk of civil war began, Caldwell Parish did not agree with the growing sentiment of secession from the Union. The war was disastrous for Caldwell Parish's agricultural trade. The embargo on cotton and its sale prohibited by the Confederate government made a vast change in the prosperous conditions of the parish. Caldwell's participation in the war was limited to the soldiers being transported up and down the river by steamboat. Only one serious blow was struck at Columbia when two federal gunboats, on the way up the river to Monroe, stopped and confiscated two steamers laden with cotton. The ferry, the only means of crossing the river, was destroyed. The aftermath of the war meant impoverishment for Caldwell. |
| 1880s |
By the 1880s cotton was being grown again in quantity and river trade was reaching its zenith. The timber resources of the region began to be developed, and the industry became in fact a rival of cotton. Pipe staves became an important commodity, almost the equivalent of currency, the price of articles being reckoned in staves rather than dollars and cents. Nearly half of the present area of Columbia was one big stave yard. Also during the 1880s serious efforts were made to bring new blood into the parish. In 1882, a member of the legislature sought to interest a wealthy Irish landlord in transferring his 200 tenant families from Ireland to Caldwell Parish. The proposal involved the purchase of 20,000 acres of land, but was never consummated. |
| 1888 |
The Ouachita River was the main source of transportation from the time of the Indians until the building of the Missouri Pacific Railway in 1888. Columbia, having been a trading post since 1823, had extended its trade territory into Jackson, Winn, Grant, LaSalle and Catahoula Parishes during the ox-hauling of cotton period when shipments were being made to New Orleans. The river packet lines did a good business despite the railroad until gravel roads reached the community in 1918, and since that time, paved highways have about eliminated boat shipments. However, with the completion of a deeper river channel and port facilities, Caldwell Parish citizens have no doubt that the Ouachita River will again be a source of prosperity for the picturesque little city of Columbia. |
| 1918 |
The river packet lines did a good business despite the railroad until gravel roads reached the community in 1918, and since that time, paved highways have about eliminated boat shipments. However, with the completion of a deeper river channel and port facilities, Caldwell Parish citizens have no doubt that the Ouachita River will again be a source of prosperity for the picturesque little city of Columbia. |
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The Caldwell Parish School System includes one senior high school, one junior high school and four elementary schools. There are several private schools in adjoining parishes to provide an alternative for students not attending public schools. All public schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary schools and the Louisiana Independent School Association. The ACT average score is 18.0 for the parishËs schools. This is slightly below the regional average of 19.8 and national average of 20.6. Currently the percentages of graduating seniors attending college are 40.20% for the public schools. Annual cost in public funds to provide schooling is $2,732 per student, with a pupil-to teacher ratio of 16.51:1. Parish enrollment is approximately 1,866 students. |
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Vocational training is available at Delta-Ouachita Vocational-Technical Institute located in West Monroe, the Northeast Louisiana Vocational School, a state-funded facility in Monroe, and in the vocational program of the parish schools. Vocational training includes courses such as welding, auto mechanics, small engine repair, business, LPN nursing, machine shop, drafting and instrumentation. To assure that new and expanding businesses have a continuing pool of workers with the level of education and expertise necessary for their operations, the area’s colleges and universities, vocational/technical schools and high schools graduate trained and entry-level persons year round. Schools at all levels are augmenting their general education missions with programs explicitly connected with employment possibilities for their students. This is seen in secondary schools in career education curricula and programs such as adopt-a-school through which business contributes resources, curriculum guidance and, in some cases, instruction, counseling and the promise of jobs for graduates. Community colleges are increasing their industry-specific training and colleges and universities are developing partnerships with industry that involve human as well as technological development. |
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Education |
Within a two hour drive of Columbia are eight colleges or universities. Five of these offer doctoral degrees in the arts, sciences, engineering, medical and legal fields. These universities are nationally and internationally recognized as sponsoring extensive research activities.
Northeast Louisiana University 30 miles Grambling University 60 miles Louisiana Tech 60 miles Louisiana State University -Shreveport 120 miles Centenary College 120 miles LSU Medical Center-Shreveport 120 miles Southern University-Shreveport/Bossier 120 miles |
| Although it is one of Louisiana's youngest institutions of higher learning (established in 1931), Northeast Louisiana University has grown rapidly into one of the South's premier universities. It typifies LouisianaËs dedication to excellence in Higher Education. Some Facts: € Is the largest university in North Louisiana and the fourth largest public university in Louisiana, enrolling more than 10,000 students each year from every parish in Louisiana, more than 40 other states and 50 other countries. € Has a $340 million annual impact on the area's economy. € Its Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology and Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology have been ranked among the top two percent of more than 1,800 degree programs re- viewed by the state's Board of Regents. € NLU has the state's only School of Communication. Its programs have been ranked by the Board of Regents as being the best in North Louisiana, and among the top three in the state. NLU has the only photo-journalism program in the state. NLU is the only university in the state to offer degrees in Radio/Television/Film Management, Production, Performance, Film-making, and Broadcast News plus an Associate degree in Radio/Television/Film. € NLU has the first School of Construction in the nation to be accredited, the Computer Science program was the first in North Louisiana and one of the first 48 programs in the nation to earn accreditation, the Agricultural Aviation program is the first of its kind in the nation, the first undergraduate and graduate programs in Criminal Justice in the state, its Master's degree program in Substance Abuse Counseling is the only such program in Louisiana, the first Gerontology program and graduate-level Certificate in Gerontology in the state (one of only three). € Research and Service located at NLU: The Northeast Louisiana Regional Archaeologist of the Louisiana Division of Archaeology, The Office of State Director of Louisiana Small Business Development Center, The Regional Tumor Registry, The Cancer Research Center, The Museum of Zoology is ranked in the top five in the nation. The fishes collection is one of the largest and most complete collections in the nation. The Herbarium is the largest in the state and one of the fastest growing in the nation. € Research and services are provided through such programs as the Small Business Development Center the Center for Business and Economic Research, the Behavioral Economic Research Laboratory, the Human Performance Laboratory, the Marriage and Family Counseling Center, the Center for Professional Development, the Center for Research in Education, the Climatic Research Center, the Coal Lab, Continuing Education, the Soil-Plant Analysis Lab, the University Theatre, the Drug Information Center, the Institute of Gerontology, the NLU Concerts Association, the Dental Hygiene Clinic, the Senior Community Service Project, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, the Speech and Hearing Clinic, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Technical Services Center. |
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| ocated in Ruston only an hour from Columbia, Louisiana Tech was founded in 1894 and is the oldest university in North Louisiana. Associate, undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in Business Administration, Arts and Sciences, Education, Engineering, Human Ecology, and Life Sciences. An international program offers classes in Italy and Mexico. The 10,000 plus students represent every parish in Louisiana, every state in America and 49 countries and give Tech the highest graduation rate in the state. The campus and the university are a source of pride, excitement and culture for all residents of Lincoln Parish. TechËs value to the community goes way beyond its educational services. Area hospitals draw upon the international reputation of its Bio-Med Center. Research in other engineering disciplines works hand-in-hand with area businesses. The university offers a variety of facilities for use by convention groups. The university Concert Association brings outstanding entertainment to the parish every year. |
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| Founded by Charles P. Adams in 1901, Grambling State University is a multi-purpose, state-supported, coeducational institution The degree granting academic units include the Colleges of Liberal Arts, Science & Technology, Education, and Business; the Schools of Nursing and Social Work; and the Division of Graduate Studies. Preliminary training is available for medicine, law and dentistry. Non-credit continuing education programs serve the citizens of Grambling and North Louisiana. New Emphasis in Grambling StateËs Graduate School curriculum has been placed on the Ed.D. in Developmental Education, a unique offering in Louisiana. With an enrollment of Approximately 6000+, the University is small enough to provide its students with individual attention and concern, and large enough to offer them choices from a wide spectrum of curricular experiences. The guiding principles of the University embrace the motto that łEverybody is Somebody˛
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| Caldwell Parish enjoys an excellent parish-supported public library system. The library is located in Columbia, with a head librarian and a staff of six. Volumes in the library total in excess of 40,000, with approximately 120 new additions per month. The facilities offer reading and reference materials, such as periodicals, films and audio materials for all ages. The library offers summer reading programs and pre-school activities. A bookmobile serves outlaying communities in the parish on a regular basis. Grambling University and Louisiana Tech are located within an hour of Columbia. The large collections at the university libraries are available to parish residents. |
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Education |
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Librarian - Sue M. Childers P. O. Box 1499 Columbia, LA 71418-1499 Email - American Library Directory 1999-2000, R. R. Bowker |
