| 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 Belah, Eden, Good Pine, Hester, Little Creek, Midway, Nebo, Nickie, Rogers, Routon, Searcy, Standard, Summerville, White Hall, White Sulphur Springs, Trout Post Office and Zenoria, |
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Little River Saline Bayou Saline Lake |
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There are no State Historical Markers in LaSalle Parish. |
History | |
| 1770s January l |
A number of the first settlers came from Spain which acquired the territory from France in the 1760s. These pioneers were not inclined to farming, but spent their time hunting with the Indians and fur trading. Those who did become farmers obtained grants from the Spanish government and took to the hills since, there were no levees to protect them from river overflow. These early settlers went to Natchez, Mississippi, or to Alexandria to do their trading and brought back their yearly supplies. They would unite in small parties for protection against outlaws and take slaves along to care for the pack horses. When a stranger wanted to go from Natchez to Alexandria, it was necessary to get a passport, and a guard to go with him. Bread was made from corn grown on the farms and domestic meat was supplemented by that of bear, deer, turkeys and other game, which was plentiful in the virgin forests. |
| 1800 January l |
The first established trail was blazed by Davis Jones from Alexandria to Harrisonburg in 1800. This trail became the ³Three-Notch Road² since Jones scored three notches beneath blazes on the trees to mark the trail. |
| 1803 January l |
Immediately after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, settlers began moving to the bluffs on the western shore of Catahoula Lake and the northern bank of Little River. |
| 1807 January l |
The first store was established in 1807 at Catahoula Prairie near Rhinehart landing by Oliver Morgan and John Henry. |
| 1805 |
When the Territory of Orleans is divided into counties
the present-day LaSalle Parish is part of Rapides
County |
| 1820s |
When the Territory of Orleans is divided into counties
the present-day LaSalle Parish is part of Rapides
County Early in the 1800s when the "Texas Fever" struck the people of the lower Atlantic and eastern Gulf states, another trail was blazed out through what is now LaSalle Parish, this one from Harrisonburg to Burr Ferry on the Sabine, passing through the points where Rosefield, Summerville, Tullos and St. Maurice later sprang up. By the late 1820s and early 30s much of the hill section was being settled, especially along the creeks where game was plentiful, bottom and hammock lands were productive, and the hills and bluff lands covered with virgin pine were very similar to their homelands. These hill dwellers were first known as the Bible Readers and later as the Piney Woods Dwellers. As the population grew, different "settlements" began to shape up and take on names, usually the names of the churches or geographical features, such as Eden, Mt. Nebo, Antioch, Belah, Beulah, Salem, Mars Hill, Chalk Hill, Hemps Creek, Magnolia and Pine Grove. As was the custom in the early days, Mt. Nebo church house was also a school house. The first school was taught by ³professor² Lias Williams in the middle 60s. The Nebo school district was the first in Louisiana to vote taxes for maintenance and support. |
| 1833 |
White Sulphur Springs was established as a nationally famous spa and resort in the period between 1830 to 1850 by Joseph P. Ward, a man from White Sulphur, Virginia. He was on his way to Texas in 1833 when he made camp by the springs. Ward was so sure of the possibilities here that he built a big two-story hotel, a saloon, a gambling house, a spacious dance hall, a general store, and extensive quarters for his slaves. The ventureËs success exceeded all expectations. Sportsmen, vacationers, and adventurers, as well as the ill, gathered here from all parts of the country. There was phenomenal fishing in Trout Creek and Little River. There was the tranquility of sylvan glades and many trails for pleasurable hiking. There were gambling places and dance halls, but most visitors, including famous people, came to take the cure by drinking from the springs. People flocked to the area until 1911, when its fame came to an end because of a decision by the state health authority. |
| 1910 January l |
LaSalle Parish was created on January l, 1910, when an act of the Louisiana legislature carved it out of the western half of Catahoula Parish. The new parish was named in honor of Robert Cavalier de LaSalle, the great French explorer who took formal possession of ³All the lands drained by the Mississippi River and the tributaries thereof² for France in the name of King Louis XIV in the year 1682. It is strange that LaSalle was the last of the great explorers in Louisiana to have a geographical division named after him, since he had such an important part in the early exploration of the state. |
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The LaSalle Parish School System includes seven elementary and middle schools, two junior high schools and two high schools. There are private schools in nearby parishes to provide an alternative for students not attending public schools. All public and private schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and the Louisiana Independent School Association. ACT average score is 20.0 for the parishËs schools. Currently the percentages of graduating seniors attending college are 36.72% for the public schools. Annual cost in public funds to provide schooling is $2,632 per student, with a pupil-to teacher ratio of 18.02:1. Parish enrollment is approximately 3,004 students. |
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Vocational training is available at a branch of the Rod Brady Vocational Technical School, a state-funded facility located in Jena and in the vocational program of the parish schools. The Huey P. Long Memorial Vocational Technical Institute is located in Winnfield and is available to parish residents. Vocational training includes 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 LaSalle are four of LouisianaËs finest colleges. They offer doctoral degrees in the arts, sciences, engineering, and medical fields. These universities are nationally and internationally recognized as sponsoring extensive research activities. Northeast Louisiana University 75 miles Grambling University 105 miles Louisiana Tech 110 miles LSU-Alexandria 40 miles |
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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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| Located in Ruston a little more than an hour from LaSalle Parish, 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. | |
| 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 Grambling University embrace the motto that ³Everybody is Somebody² | |
Director - Gloria Rambo 221 N. First St P.O. Drawer 3199 Jena, LA 71342-3199 Email - lslibl@lasalle.lib.la.us Lasalle Parish enjoys an excellent parish-supported public library system. The library is located in Jena near the LaSalle Parish Courthouse, with a head librarian and a staff of seven. Volumes in the library total in excess of 45,000, with approximately 120 new additions per month. There is a branch located in Olla. Both facilities offer reading and other reference materials, such as periodicals, films and audio materials for all ages. A childrenËs reading program is available during the summer. American Library Directory 1999-2000, R. R. Bowker |
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