How Tallulah Became the Parish Seat

From the August 14, 1975 Centennial Edition Madison Journal
Minnie Murphy

Tallulah, born of love, nurtured by war, grew lustily. The rich plantations surrounding her paid tribute from their glorious fields of cotton and corn; people from afar came and drank of the Mississippi's waters, listened to the trill of the mocking bird, lingered and made their homes. The aspiring railroad which had brought into existence the little town of Delta at its starting point reached Monroe, th en rested thirty years in its westward trek, but it was, nevertheless, a life giving artery to the country and kept the terms along its line in touch with affairs beyond their borders.

Tallulah became a shipping point of importance and as she prospered, grew ambitious for political honors and sprouted a little seed of jealousy that Delta, upon the destruction of Richmond, should have been given the Parish Seat.

Delta was at the extreme eastern border of the parish; it was no longer an active town, created and killed by boomers and greedy politicians, and though the Louisiana Legislature had, by Act No. 69, of the year 1868, put the stamp of approval upon the removal of the Capitol thereto, Tallulah yet felt that hers was the logical site. Because of this unrest an election was called to take the sense of the voters. Delta, however, was not without pride and tenacity and did not give up without a struggle.

What was left of the old Delta courthouse, probably in the 1960’s

Many good and influential citizens who owned property there objected to the removal, and meetings were held, indoors and out; doctors, lawyers, businessmen and laborers, white and black argued and harangued the question pro and con.

Election day came at last, a winter's day, in the year 1883, ever memorable for its piercing wind, its sleet and snow, as though the very elements were protesting against the destruction of the hopes of the little town. The result of the election showed a large majority in favor of the move; Delta was beaten at the polls, but she did not intend to say beaten.

Able lawyers were among her partisans and it was feared they might enjoin through the courts the removal of the public records, but energetic citizens, on the other side of the question had anticipated and prepared for just such an action.

Henry Bry Holmes, then Sheriff of Madison Parish, and husband of Kate Stone of Brokenburn, masterminded the removal of court records from Delta to Tallulah

An empty freight car was shunted on the railroad siding nearest the court house that afternoon, and by shaded lanterns, in the middle of that wild night, the public records, books and papers, were hurriedly, but quietly loaded into the car, and when the good citizens of Delta awoke next morning, they found themselves no longer in the parish capitol.

The paraphernalia of local government was now in Tallulah, the new home, and she all unprepared for her suddenly acquired honor, was forced to house the dignity of the Court rather humbly in empty stores and back bedrooms, unto 1887, when the present spacious and handsome Court House was erected, and Tallulah became a real Parish Site, in appearance, as well as in name.