History of Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish, LA.  
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Carol Nelson, June, 2000

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HISTORY OF HAMMOND; "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow of Hammond"
The Hammond Vindicator, Hammond, Louisiana, July 27, 1934.

Source:  Film 395/Reel #4; 6 January 1933-28 December 1934  Hill
Memorial Library, L.S.U., Baton Rouge, LA

                "YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW OF HAMMOND"
(The history of Hammond is most interesting and no doubt quite a
number will save this splendid essay to refer to in years to 
come.  It was written by Miss Evelyn Neelis, now Mrs. John M.
Robinson during her high school days in Hammond.)

   What subject could be more appropriate for a girl born and 
reared in Hammond?  what an easy subject to write about--yet how 
hard to do it full justice.
   Perhaps many would like to know how Hammond received her name.
During the Civil War there was a large shoe factory owned by Mr. 
C. E. Cate where shoes were manufactured for the confederate 
soldier.  Of course, these shoes were sent in carload lots as 
fast as manufactured and many knew of this place as "Cate's
Switch."  Also there was a family by the name of Hammond, who
furnished meals for the railroad man, and by them it was called
Hammond.  These tow names were suggested and as Mr. Hammond had
been a resident longer and the word Hammond being more 
appropriate for a town, she was so named.  The Hammond-burying
ground with its massive oak still stands as a memorial of the
family.
   The Rogers brothers of Hammond raised and shipped the first
strawberries to the northern markets at remunerative prices, and
enjoyed a monopoly for some years because others were afraid to
embark in the enterprise fearing that shipment of twenty-five or
more crates per day would glut the markets, and, as a result of 
such overproduction, only ruinous prices would be received.
   Hammond, though scantily inhabited, was ever progressive.  Of
course, there were no school privileges and no religious 
privileges.  So immediately after the close of the Civil war, the
little band of workers fitted out a school room, engaged a lady
teacher, Miss Mary Cable, sister of George W. Cable, the famous
southern writer so well known throughout the country, and the
first school opened with about ten pupils.  this same school 
room was used on Sunday for Sunday school with Mr. Melzar 
Waterman as its superintendent.
   Such was the Hammond of yesterday, such a Hammond still seems
to be to some of our elder citizens who cling to the pleasant 
memories of the long ago and find their very greatest pleasures
in
living over in happy imagination those good old days.  But to us,
these incidents of the dear old Hammond seem to be more a legend
told by our parents and grandparents than as a Historical epoch
of this busy thrifty, progressing city of today.
   In 1889 in Hammonds's first newspaper, The Hammond Leader, the
following proclamation was published:
                               Proclamation
  "I, William E. Libby, Justice of the Peace, for the seventh 
ward, Hammond station, declare, as the result of the election
held on the third day of April 1887, the following officers to 
have been elected:  For mayor, H. C. Mooney; trustee, C. E. Cate,
E. M. Gallup, F. B. Saunders, N. D. Hendricks and F. W. Wright"
   This proclamation was the beginning of a new era, for Hammond,
already, through the beauty of the place, its magnificent streets
so symmetrically laid off, with beautiful oaks planted by its 
first settlers, Mr. C. E. Cate and K/ D. Wilcombe, had become
noted as a health resort and families with their household goods,
livestock, fine horses were arriving daily, seeking a milder 
climate, where just as easily they might take up their farming 
interests; and thus the strawberry culture grew, fruit interest
developed; wood and timber industry; until the little hamlet had
changed completely into a good sized town; a new  school house 
had to be built  to accommodate the great number of children.
   Hammond's business today is susceptible to mathematical
demonstration:  Express charges on shipments in 1900 were $7,000.
Express charges on shipment in 1914 were $30,000.  Total bank
deposits January 1, 1913, were $521,392,97.  Total bank capital
January 1, 1900, was $21,000.  Total bank capital January 1, 1914 
was$175,000.  Assessed value of property in 1900 was $900,000.
assessed value of property in 1914 was $1,285,000. Total Building
and Loan starting in 1906 shows today assets of $212,234.  
Approximate value of fruits and vegetables in 1900 was $100,000.
Approximate value of fruits and vegetables in 1914 was $750,000.
Total numbers of gallons of milk shipped in 1900 was five or ten
gallons, shipped by private party to supply drug store and one
restaurant.  Total number of gallons shipped in 1914 was 3,650
gallons per year at 18c per gallon, making a total of $6,570.
(sic)
   Freight charges collected in 1900 were 410,000.  Freight
charges in 1914 were $23,000.  The volume of business has 
increased at a low estimate $400% in the last fourteen years, and
today must be in the middle class.
   there are three flourishing newspapers, one daily and two 
weekly papers--their average subscription list amounting to 4000. 
Two good hotels with every modern improvement are opened both 
winter and summer, and one large sawmill, a brick yard with 
modern kilns for burning, two box factories, ice and bottling 
plant, pure water used by I. C. trains, known everywhere, great  
health resort, best railroad service, having sixteen passenger 
trains stopping daily and the only double track in the south.
Some of our most important public improvements are street lights,
telephones, twelve miles of paved side walks, complete water 
works system, one of the finest depots on the southern line of 
I.C. and last, but not least, a $445,000 school house with all
the modern, first-class improvement-one of the finest in the
state.
   Hammond is controlled by the commission form of government,
which was adopted at the last election.  The advantage of this 
over the old municipal government is, first there are fewer men
assuming the liabilities of the town; second, the work can be 
laid out systematically; third, there can be more harmony and
unity, therefore giving strength to the government.  the 
commissioners should have the cooperation of the people because
they can do much more when they have the people with them.
   Every church facility, which at one time was limited to the
Episcopal faith, that being the only missionary response to an
appeal sent every denomination for help in establishing a church
here, has been established.  Do you not think it would be better
to have more splendid public buildings and fewer protestant
churches?
   Great charitable associations, where not only the poor in our
midst are helped, but where large donations are sent forth to 
help in other less fortunate and progressive towns, have been
established.  The Kings Daughters Circle of over a hundred 
members, are doing work that is always ending a helping hand, and
uplifting some poor unfortunate.  Its night school is a great
advantage and privilege to those who necessarily have to work
during the day.  Many clubs have been organized, bringing 
together in a friendly way the best women and men of our town.
The Progressive Union, always with an insight of today's and
tomorrow's welfare of Hammond is doing many things that will 
prove beneficial to the town and should have the support of all
the people.  The parish fair association worked hard to make our
recent fair the success it was, and brought into prominence our
little burg, assuring them in another year's time that it can be
given on a larger scale, bringing in better exhibits and larger
profits.
   Besides all, this, Hammond is the commercial center of the 
growing and very prosperous adjacent country.  Twenty-five year
ago Hammond made no pretentions as a town, it was simply a 
settlement of a few splendid families, but now it has a 
population of 3,500 aggressive people, and the fame of Hammond
as a winter resort has reached every state in the Union.
   There is everything to look forward to.  We should work to
bring about a larger and more enlightened Hammond, and we shall
find with much pride our work so well done as to feel we have
accomplished to some extent the good endeavors, splendid efforts
and good results of those who have placed Hammond so forward 
among the municipalities and cities of this commonwealth.
   There can be no question that Hammond in time will be a city 
with a population of not less than fifteen or twenty thousand 
people;.  She lies geographically so as to entitle her to all the
advantages that can be given to any large city, and with her 
splendid climate and her soil capable of bringing such great 
result, the promotion of agriculture, which is the mainstay and
hope of the people of this cay, cannot be surpassed. The truck 
and dairy farms of this section will grow so that in time the 
butter, cheese and all of the by-products of the dairies will be
manufactured, and the state of Louisiana and the south in general
will receive a supply of this product from Hammond.
   Our location which calls for so much, will bring to us in 
great numbers tourists who are seeking a land that is full of 
health and a genial climate.  Drainage and sewerage are a
necessary and sure future improvement insuring good health and
good roads which are two of the utmost interests of every good
citizen.
   Owing to the European war, this section of the country will be
brought forward and people who have been spending their time in 
the foreign countries to obtain good water to drink, good air to
breathe and good scenery to enjoy will come to Hammond, as she 
has all of the advantages that can be given anyone who is in 
pursuit of the pleasures of life.
   Hammond is located so it is accessible from any part of these
United States.  New Orleans, the gateway of the south and the 
Panama Canal, is only fifty-three miles away from us with which
time we will be connected by trolley of which there already are
ten miles, and also by the lake shore auto highway which is being 
talked of and estimates being given.
   On these facts I predict for Hammond a future that no other 
city or town of this state can surpass. Its people are full of 
optimism and are workers for the advancement of the material
interest of this town.  It has many advantages over most other 
places, and will have still more for those engaged in the 
trucking, strawberry growing and milk industries, and, as others
will realize in time and take into consideration, we have no
terrible winters, our climate is mild, lands are productive,
several crops can be grown on the same land within the same year;
feed for cattle can be grown in abundance, barns do not have to
be as expensive and the price obtained for milk and all of its
products is higher than in most places.
  When people become more generally acquainted with the 
acquainted with the advantage of this section of the country, in
time not very far distant, our population will be largely 
increased by those who are looking for homes in a locality where
the climate is more conducive to their health, happiness and
prosperity, and this means that the Hammond of today will grow
more in its material worth, and will finally become the financial 
metropolis of this section of the state which it is fast doing
today.  and with all this, the beauty and delights of love of 
homes and the  undaunted  courage of her men, the true working
of the spirit of our women will live forever as of old Hammond
of yesterday.
   Let us, the people of today, leave something that will be 
worth while and memorable to those that will follow.  Each and
everyone should work to beautify and to make Hammond what I 
thing it can and should be.  with proper advertising a hospitable
people, liberal laws and a clean city, Hammond can become so 
ideal that it will forever be the cherished home and delight of 
all her citizens.