Mr & Mrs Hallie Earl Townsend

The Townsend house was built in 1890 as a parsonage by the Baptist Church of Ruston on land donated by Robert Russ, founder of Ruston. For 18 years the house was used as a home for ministers.

During these years, a kitchen, bath, back porch and an additional bedroom were added. The original house was almost square with a hall 30 feet long down the middle. It is believed that the house was moved in parts from Vienna, LA the old parish seat.

In 1908 T. B. Meadows purchased the house form the church for use as rental property. In 1920 Mr. and Mrs Hallie Earl Townsend and their son moved in the dwelling and remaind there 58 years, until Mr. Townsends death in 1978. Because of their love for the home, the Townsends preferred renting the house to locating elsewhere.

In August 1980, Linda Lou Ropp bought the house from Lucy Meadows Deason, who had inherited it from her grandfather.

Mr. Townsend whose name the house still bears, was a pioneer educator in Lincoln Parish, serving as first principal of Ruston High School and continuing until retirement in 1952. He is remembered as a Christian gentleman, and his wife is remembered as the first woman in the parish to vote. Mrs townsend died in 1982 at the age of 94.

Built in 1985, the Townsend home, a modest Queen Anne Revival frame clapboad, is believed to be the city's second oldest recorded structure. And it is also believed to be one of two remaining structures that were moved from the old Parish Seat (Vienna), to the current parish seat (Ruston.)

The information for this site was taken from a pamphlet entitled "Centennial Historical Tour" Ruston, Louisiana, 4/14/1983. A copy of this pamplet was provided by the Division of Historic Preservation, Louisiana. Without their assistance this page would not have been possible.

 

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