Places

Map courtesy of Widipedia

1895 Rand McNally Atlas map

1911 map courtesy of My Genealogy Hound, where the larger, original map is available

Map courtesy of University of Louisiana, where the larger, original map is available

Wards 1 - 9

                 

Ward maps contributed 2021 Sep 13 by Jerri Gallagher aileron78@hotmail.com

Towns

• Antioch, a post-hamlet in the east-central part of Claiborne parish, is about 8 miles southwest of Summerfield, the nearest railroad station.
• Arizonia, a town in the central part of Claiborne parish, is situated on a branch of the Bayou D'Arbonne, about 6 miles east of Homer, the parish seat and nearest railroad station and banking town. Arizonia was incorporated on March 1, 1869. It has a money order post office and a population of about 60.
• Athens is a money order post-village in the southern part of Claiborne parish, on the Louisiana & Northwestern R. R., 10 miles south of Homer, the parish seat. This town was settled during the third decade of the 19th century. In 1846 a large area of land was given the town for school purposes, and the same year it became the seat of parochial government. On Nov. 7, 1849, the school buildings in which the offices of the parish were located were burned, with all the valuable records of the parish, and the same year the seat of justice was moved to Homer. Athens is one of the most important stations on the railroad. It has express and telegraph offices, a population of 200, and is the trading center of a fine agricultural district.
• Bethlehem, a post-village in the southwestern part of Claiborne parish, is the eastern terminus of the Blackman & Dorcheat, or the Dorcheat Valley R. R., and is about 8 miles southwest of Homer, the parish seat.
• Camp, a post-village in the central portion of Claiborne parish, is a station on the Louisiana & Northwest R. R., about 6 miles northwest of Homer, the parish seat.
• Colquitt, a post-hamlet in the northern part of Claiborne parish, is situated near Corney bayou, about 10 miles east of Haynesville, the nearest railroad station and 14 miles northeast of Home, the parish seat.
• Gordon, a post-village in the northern part of Claiborne parish, is near the Arkansas border, 6 miles east of Haynesville, the nearest railroad station, and about 12 miles north of Homer, the parish seat. It is the terminus of the Bernice & Northwestern R. R., and is the shipping and supply town for a large district in that part of the parish. In 1900 it had a population of 85.
• Haynesville, a town of Claiborne parish, was incorporated on March 18, 1861. It is situated in the northwest corner, about 15 miles from Homer, the parish seat, and is a station on the Louisiana & Northwest R. R. It has a money order post office with 2 free rural delivery routes, a bank, express office, telegraph station, telephone facilities, several good mercantile establishments, and is a good business town. In 1900 it had a population of 200.
• Homer, the capital and principal town of Claiborne parish, is located in the central part of the parish on the main line of the Louisiana & Northwest R. R., and it is the eastern terminus of the Shreveport & Northeastern R. R., hence it is provided with ample transportation and shipping facilities. It was made the parish seat in 1849, after the courthouse at Athens was destroyed by fire, and was incorporated in 1850. In 1900 the population was 1,157, and in 1908 it was estimated at 1,500. Being situated in the center of a cotton growing district, it has a large compress, a cotton seed oil mill, and ships large quantities of cotton and oil every year. It also has a bank, two newspapers, large lumbering interests, a number of good mercantile establishments, express and telegraph offices, and a money order post office form which several rural routes supply mail to the surrounding country.
• Lisbon, a village in the eastern part of Claiborne parish, is about 12 miles east of Homer, the parish seat and most convenient railroad station. It is an old place, settled in the 3d decade of the last century, and before the advent of the railroad was an important trading center. It has a money order post office, and in 1900 reported a population of 127.
• Mahon, a post-village in the northern part of Claiborne parish, is on the Bayou D'Arbonne, about 4 miles east of Oakes, the nearest railroad station, and 8 miles north of Homer, the parish seat.
• Relief, a post office in the northwestern part of Claiborne parish, is situated near the Indian bayou, about 4 miles southwest of Haynesville, the nearest railroad town, and 13 miles northwest of Homer, the parish seat. It had a population of 50 in 1900.
• Ruple, a post-hamlet in the western part of Claiborne parish, is about 5 miles southwest of Homer, the parish seat and nearest railroad town.
• Russellville, the second seat of justice of Claiborne parish, was settled in the second decade of the 19th century. A rude courthouse and still ruder jail were built for parish purposes and a store was opened. The town was named in honor of Samuel Russell, who donated the ground and urged this place as the proper location for the seat of justice of the new parish. Several desperadoes of this early period were confined in the rough old jail. In 1829 a road was opened between Russellville and Minden lower landing, at the head of navigation on Bayou Dorcheat. In 1836 the seat of justice was removed to Overton, and Russellville soon after fell into decay. The only evidences today that a village ever existed, is the old Kilgore house, which stands in an overgrown clearing.
• Summerfield, a village in the northeastern part of Claiborne parish, is a station on the Bernice & Northwestern R. R., about 15 miles northeast of Homer, the parish seat. It is in the lumbering district, has a money order post office, a good retail trade, and in 1900 reported a population of 127.

Extracted 02 Nov 2019 by Norma Hass, from Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, edited by Alcee Fortier, published in 1909, volumes 1 & 2.

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