Historical Markers and Buildings
Atakapa Trace Junction
Junction, Hwy 190 (Atakapa-Coushatta Trace) and Hwy 111, between DeRidder and Merryville. U.S. Highway 190 (Atakapa-Coushatta Trace) from DeRidder to Merryville is a modern part of the prehistorical and early historical Atakapa Indians' Foot Trails ("PAKTAISH"...Atakapa) connecting their S.E. Texas bands to their S.W. Louisiana Bands, especially their Opelousas Band midst whom sat the Atakapas Trading Post. Six bands formed the tribe. Three easternmost were the 'Sunrise People'; west of them lived the 'Sunset People'. All these indians called themselves Ishaks ('the people'), not Atakapas. The latter, a Choctaw slur long shunned by the Ishaks, was first unwittingly spread, then always used, by Europeans, and Coushatta.
Beauregard Parish Courthouse
1st St., DeRidder
Beauregard Parish Jail
Courthouse Square, DeRidder
Beauregard Parish Training School
1925 - 1949 Black Education - corner of MLK Dr & Alexander St, DeRidder
The Beauregard Parish Training School consists of two buildings located on the east side of the Beauregard Parish seat of DeRidder, built in 1929. The Original elementary and high school buiildings were destroyed by a fire of unknown origin in 1929. Bids for replacement buildings were opened on July 23, 1929, with the contract awarded to P. Olivier & Son for $20,300. This amount underwrote the construction of twin, one-story, hollow tile buildings with stuccoed exterior surfaces. The State Board of Education annual report for 1930-31 shows that each of these buildings contained five classrooms. Part of the curriculum at that time : reading, writing, and math (grades 2-3); history and geography (grade 4); english, history and literature (grade 7) and algebra and geometry (the high school grades).
Unfortunately, one of the twin classroom buildings constructed in 1929 was destroyed by another fire during the mid-1930's. Instead of replacing it with a similar building, the school board elected to construct a combination classroom building/gymnasium on the site. It was completed in 1938. Both the 1929 and 1938 buildings continued to be used as educational facilities well into the post-World War II period - as the Beauregard Parish Training School until c. 1941 and as a regular public school after that date.
Burks House
A J Burks 1875 - 1899, corner of Railroad Ave & Main St, Merryville
DeRidder Historical District
80 acres, 27 buildings Roughly bounded by the RR line, Second, Stewart, and Port Sts - 1900-1924 & 1925-1949 DeRidder
DeRidder USO Building - History
Another photo from 1940's
Also known as the War Memorial Civic Center 1925 - 1949
corner of Pine & 7th Sts, DeRidder
Dry Creek High School Building
Also known as Dry Creek Baptist Camp Adult Assembly Center 1900 - 1924 on LA 113, Dry Creek
First Street School
Also known as DeRidder Grammer School; DeRidder Elementary School 1925 - 1949, 500 West 1st St, DeRidder
First United Methodist Church
1900 - 1924 corner of Pine & N Port Sts, DeRidder
Grabow Riot
South of the Beauregard Parish Airport adjacent to Grabow Rd., off Hwy 190 West and Hwy 3099. The marker is sponsored by the Galloway Family and PACE Local 4-0725.
On July 7, 1912 a riot broke out between the Brotherhood of Timber Workers and employees of the Galloway Lumber Co. In an attempt to unionize sawmill workers........there were some deaths and imprisonments.
Old Campground Cemetery
Old Campground Cemetery - Erected one mile east of Sugartown on Hwy 112, turn right on dirt road at sign. Continue about 1/2 mile to where a cemetery is visible on the left, continue into a wooded hollow and into the old campground. The Old Campground Cemetery was established in the 1820's by early Beauregard Parish settlers. This site was originally an Indian campsite. Later the wooded stretch along Sugar Creek became the community's camp meeting grounds where circuit riding ministers performed weddings, conversions and funerals.
Old Confederate Road
(1863 - The old Military Road) 11 miles east of Hwy 171 South on Hwy 26.
General Taylor ordered the construction of the "old military road" built from Niblett Bluff to Alexandria. It crossed present-day Beauregard Parish diagonally starting near the southwest corner and exiting the parish less than a mile south of its northeast corner. There is a historical marker on the east side of US-171 (near mile marker 35) where it crosses the path of the Old Military Road. The Old Spanish Trail also crossed the Sabine River at Niblett's Bluff. The significance of Niblett's Bluff is that it is as far south as one can go along the Sabine River without encountering marshes.
Shady Grove School - Community Building
Site of the Coushatta Indian Village
westbound along Highway 190 (Atakapa-Coushatta Trace) between Merryville and Sabine River, Texas-Louisiana Border.
Sugartown Academy
World War II DeRidder Army Air Base Memorial
Hwy 190 West, (Atakapa Coushatta Trace) just north of the Beauregard Parish Airport. The historical marker was dedicated on May 12, 2000. Lt. Col. Kurt Story, Commander of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment's 4th Squadron, Fort Polk, delivered the dedication message. Phillip J. Jones, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, gave the "unveiling" message.
About the Army Air Force (AFF)
The Army Air Force (AAF) was organized in June 1941 and by December 25, 1941, the first unit arrived at the DeRidder Army Air Base (DAAB). Not all airmen boarded the train to start the long journey overseas. While serving their country, 35 men lost their lives in training accidents in and around the DeRidder Army Airport and Gunner Range that is located south of Merryville, 1942 - 1945. Such accidents resulted in men succumbing to death by "burning in airplane," "hung in tree after airplane crash," "air accidents," and other accidents.
ROLL OF HONOR
Frank E. Argenio
Vernon Kenapsoni
Jno Arnold
Wallace Kettle
Phillip J. Bartan
Robert M. Laban
Thomas Canning
Wm. Mackenzie
Russell Casbett
Daniel Montgomery
Jr. Cawthorn
Ralph W. Nelson
R. W. Clasen
Cecil Patterson
Charles Colson
Elmer L. Posten
Joseph Coma
Thomas Riley
P.F. Curdy
Camillo R. Schrappa
Francis Duggan
Albert A. Siegel
R.F. Edwards
Paul Smith
Robert E. Haywire
Francis Strickland
Howard J. Hildebrandt
Arthur J. Vogel
Jessie Hudson
M.S. Warth
Hugh Jackson
Richard Wentling
Vincent Jasinski
Lawrence Zelley
Wilbar L. Johnson