Holden, Livingston Parish, Louisiana
File prepared by D.N. Pardue



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From the book entitled "The Free State - A History and Place-Names Study
of Livingston Parish" by the members of the Livingston Parish American
Revolution Bicentennial Committee in cooperation with the Livingston 
Parish Police Jury and the Louisiana American Revolution Bicentennial
Commission, 1976.  Reprinted by permission.  Dedicated to the memory of
Reuben Cooper and Raymond Riggs.

HOLDEN is a small, unincorporated community located on US Hwy. 190 between

Albany and Livingston.  At present, the community has a post office, a public

school, two churches - Firest Baptist Church which, historically, was the

Tickfaw Baptist Church, and the United Pentecostal Church - plus a number of

businesses.

     Holden is situated in Section 39, T6S-R5E, a Spanish headright section

granted to Micajah "Cage" Spiller.  Section 40, immediately south of 39, was

claimed by Micajah Spiller for his minor daughter Eliza, and Section 38, im-

mediately north of 39, was claimed by Jeremiah "Jerry" Spiller.

     La. Hwy. 441, which runs through Holden in a northwest-southeast direction,

is an old road that connected Springfield with Baton Rouge and with points in

Mississippi. In 1907 the east-west construction of the Baton Rouge, Hammond and 

Eastern Railroad intersected the old Springfield Road.  This fact necessitated

the placing of a flag stop here initially and ultimately a depot.

     When the railroad purchased land through Holden, one of the people selling

rights-of-way was James Mahlon Holden, an early settler.  He is the person for

whom the town is named.  Another person who contributed to the economic growth 

of the community was James "Jim" F. McCarroll, owner of the McCarroll Lumber Co.,

who established a sawmill there about 1909.  He is the person who had the town

surveyed into lots, and contracted with the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad

Co. to lease rail from them for a spur track to his mill which was situated south

of their line on the east bank of the Tickfaw River.  On the map showing the lo-

cation of the leased rail, the spur is named Cooper's Spur.

     Mrs. Letha Cooper of Albany said her husband, Sinclair Cooper, constructed

the railroad spur from the main line, and because of this, the community was

referred to as Cooper's Spur.  However, some of the residents wanted to change

the name because they felt that since Mr. Cooper was not originally from there,

someone who was would be more deserving.

     After the Coopers had moved from holden, some of the townspeople approached

Sinclair Cooper and suggested that the town's name be changed to honor J.M.

Holden, and he agreed.

     On May 26, 1909, the Louisiana Railroad Commission ordered the Y&MV to es-

tablish a flag stop at the crossing of the Springfield Public Road and its BR,H&E

tracks.  In April, 1913, the railroad was ordered to construct a side track, or 

spur track, at or near Holden Station.  It was "to be used by the public in 

shipping produce from the farms located nearby."  The order was cancelled a month

later when the Commission learned the railroad had built the side track without

notifying them.

     On Oct. 17, 1916, representatives of the railroad and some citizens of Holden

(Messrs. McCarroll, Drumwright and Sharp) met with the Commission, and plans for a

depot were discussed.

     Post office records indicate the Holden Post Office was established Dec. 8, 1909

with Bunyan Drumwright as postmaster.  The office still exists.

     The decline of the town corresponds with the decline of the railroad facilities.

The last of the facilities to be obtained was the first to be lost; that is, the

depot closed shortly after World War II.  The use of the siding track continued to

decline until it was removed in 1973.  Thus, all that remains of the relationship

between Holden and the railroad is the road crossing, which is the same relationship

which existed in 1908 when the railroad was built.

     The town is no longer declining, however, as its growth is no longer dependent

on a single mode of transportation, a single agricultural crop, or a single industry.

But like the rest of Livingston Parish, it is benefiting from the superb highway

system, most importantly, Interstate 12, diversified farming (poultry and beef cattle),

and industries (even if the residents have to commute to them.) --Clark Forrest, Jr.

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