Category: TRANSPORTATION

Boeuf River Steamboat Days

Boeuf River steamboat days were happy days. I can tell by the twinkle in Doctor Jordan’s eye as he relates about the Era 10, the steamboat with the most beautiful whistle he’d ever heard. Some weeks he said, as many as three steamboats came up Boeuf River. Besides the Era 10, there was the Tom Parker, the Saline and the Stella Black.

The Alexander Place on Boeuf River

A low fence encloses the yard and a giant pecan tree with boughs bending near the ground stands guard at the gate to the well-kept Alexander place. Bolivar Alexander was the first to come in the early 1870s, migrating from Mississippi. Later, his brother, R. S. (Dick) Alexander, joined him and bought the present farm from a Mr. Collins in 1876. Since then, four generations have lived here and the family continues to hold deep sentiment for their home pecal beside the Boeuf.

Pickin’ and Ginnin’ in Richland Parish and A Short History on the Subject

Back in August of 1991, many Richland Parish residents will remember the excitement and buzz about the first annual “Pickin’ and Ginnin’ Festival.” The festival always drew large crowds, but after a while, the work involved to pull off a successful festival became too great, and the festival eventually ended. Jennie Joe Siscoe, who often wrote several great historical columns for the Beacon, penned this history about growing cotton in Richland Parish.