History of Dorig LA located next to Richland Parish Louisiana Submitted for the USGenWeb Archives by Sue Metcalf, 08/10/2004 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** The story of Dorig, LA. as written by Sue Metcalf giving the location and how the area got its name and special memories of the contributor. The land where Dorig was located joined the Richland Parish line. There is truth in the story about the name Dorig. It was from the name of the Girod family spelled backwards according to my mother. Girod was/is pronounced Gero or Gerow. My parents were married at Dorig July 25, 1920. I always enjoy thinking about this special little place and the stories I have heard of that area.  The Girod family is not to be confused with the village of Girard in Richland Parish. Dorig was only a post office in a store owned by Mr. Landeaux and located just inside Caldwell parish on La. Hwy 133. My parents were married at Dorig July 25, 1920 although Mother and Grandpa lived in Richland Parish across Beouf River. I suppose Mom and Dad crossed the river in a boat to the nearest place they could get married. Mr. Landeaux might have been a Justice of the Peace, that I am not sure of. Later as a child in the late 40's and early 50's we lived in Richland Parish but just across the parish line so I remember seeing the little store building that Mother always said was also the post office. I can still see this as plain today as when I was a child living their and our farm bordered the Caldwell Parish line.  The Douciere's store and farm was across Beouf River (on Hwy 132) from the Landeaux home place. In summer the river was very low.  There was a walkway of boards attached to post and you could walk across and I am sure we were not the only family that used that means of crossing without a boat.  I only remember crossing there once but will never forget because I could not swim and was afraid of water.  My mother was the only one that could "dog paddle" a little and she "froze" while we were coming back across and daddy had to get her off the walkway.  If you have never walked on anything like that it is not easy done.  With each step the board go down and the other board come up.  The board were just above the water the best I remember.  Dad was tall and even though he could not swim it didn't seem to bother him because the water was probably no more than hip deep to him.  Mother often spoke of the Landeaux's and Girod's which lived a few miles farther south on this same highway. Some of the Girod grandchildren were near my age and we played together. I had the privilege of attending a family reunion of a friend at the Landeaux home a few years ago shortly before it was destroyed by fire. The store building was gone at that time but I did hear the daughter of the Landeaux's talking about it. The home was really something for when it was built (not sure when it was) and was in the process of being restored when faulty wiring caused the fire.I have a lot of memories of this area. The Laudeaux home was an important place during the 1927 flood as it was one of the few places that was high and not covered by water.   My mother and two older sisters spent the night there before they left the next day for a Red Cross camp in the hills of Caldwell Parish south of Columbia.  She said there were 50 passengers, the things that they were allowed to carry with them and crew on the boat as it went down the middle of what is now Hwy 133.  They docked at one of the banks in Columbia and then departed from there to the camp. I am not sure what means of transportation they use to get to the camp.  Dad stayed behind to help get some cattle to higher ground.  My mother often talked about how afraid she was as a young woman of 24 with two small children, not knowing where she was going, how long they would be there, what conditions she would find the house they were living in when they returned and the fact that she left her dad (which was 65 years old) camping in the upper part of a cotton gin which was located very near the Landeaux family cemetery on their property. Yes, there is truth in the story about the name Dorig