Parish History: Early Parish History, 1938, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: September 9, 1938 Winnfield News-American Winn Parish Boundary Lines Established Over 80 Years Ago Long Leaf Pine Covered Area Salt Springs and Saline Bayous Furnished Salt For Early Settlers. Game Abounded. Land was Favorite Haunt of Early Prospectors. Farming Was Successfully Conducted. Advent of Railroads Was Beginning of New Era. Located in the heart of the Pelican State within a half day's journey from the South's largest city, Winnfield for many years has enjoyed substantial gains in industrial development, but its greatest opportunities are yet to be developed. Eighty-six years ago Winn Parish boundary lines were chalked on the map of Louisiana. The territory, over 970 square miles in area, was almost inaccessible, yet out of this great wilderness was to be hewn the homes of settlers who saw untold opportunities for development. Of the total area, the long-leaf pine country covered about 850 square miles. The land was hilly in character. There were many flats marked by salt springs and in the early days, by a primitive process, settlers who came to these springs secured enough salt for a year's supply. Farming was conducted on a rather large scale and back in 1879 there were 22,548 acres in cultivation. Cotton and corn were the major crops, sweet potatoes and sugar cane were raised in substantial amounts and four acres of rice are said to have been planted. The war shattered the plans and hopes of the pioneers in this and other parts of the state, who with true fidelity joined the cause of the Confederacy. Four years on the battlefield spelled ruin for many of the men. Prospectors Paradise After the reins of political and business activity were picked up and trading reached a half-way normal trend Winn Parish began to discover itself. In addition to great farming opportunities, the fine grazing lands opened a new avenue of revenue. The innumerable small streams and bayous and good range induced farmers to consider stock-raising. This was a hazardous venture due to the prowling timber wolves, but, nevertheless, the venture proved to be a fair one and it has been said that so wild was the country that up until comparatively few years ago, deer grazed with the cattle. The early settlers were not long locating the marble quarry later discovered to be a limestone rock formation. This great deposit located on the old Mathis place on the Natchitoches road was the source of much speculation. Thousands of dollars were spent by stockholders in first one company and another formed to exploit it, but about all it ever amounted to in those days was a lot of digging. Then came some dreamer who revived the hopes of many by declaring the virtues of asphalt lands south of Winnfield. Along the Saline and Dugdemonia the salt springs attracted great attention. This proved to be a little more valuable to the residents than did the marble and asphalt because salt was extracted from these springs as early as before the war. Long before the Civil War a deep artesian well was drilled by a man named Drake. Here he established a saw mill and grist mill. He also cleaned out Saline Bayou and shipped salt and lumber to the Red River and thence to market. Surely a child of Coronado ventured to this section because the tales of marble quarries, asphalt fields, and later silver deposits find considerable space in the history of this section. The old silver mine, property of William H. Jack was said to have been rich in ore. In 1881 William H. Boult discovered in Section 19, Township 11, Range 3, near the limekiln of war days a large cave. John Matthews, the owner of the land, states that before the mouth of the cave lowered in 1871, the heavies rock would be removed during the night. No doubt old stories of this cave and mine were spiced with experiences of the explorations of the early Spaniards and old padres, or perhaps this was an ancient mine of some Indian tribe. If the mine ever yielded much paying ore, likely it was cached in some unknown place. Industrial Activity Begins The clink of the surveyor's chain was sweet music to the ears of the people in this section and when the first railroad was built in this vicinity by William Buchanan and saw mills to cut the giant timbers were established, a new era was to appear. Hitherto, contact with the outer world was an experience few could care to live again. For forty years during which time five railroads and numerous large and small saw mills, stave mills, shingle mills, a large iron foundry that manufactured car wheels, locomotives and saw mill machinery and other equally important industries have operated in Winn Parish. The great salt deposit was not in the salt springs of pre-war fame, but waited half a century to be discovered. A salt dome of undetermined size was discovered less than ten years ago by an oil prospector and today, located just four miles from the heart of the city is the $1,500,000 plant of the Carey Salt Company. Within five minutes of the court square, where the old explorers discovered a peculiar rock formation thought to be marble is quarried a limestone rock by the Solvay Company that is shipped to Baton Rouge where it is processed to serve many purposes. Oil was discovered in this parish a few years ago but has the greatest pool been tapped? Here is material for the dreamer, here is the opportunity for some deep testing. Who knows where the salt dome ends and streams of oil begins? The salt and all the limestone that his quarried out of the hills, the millions of feet of timber that have been cut and manufactured here for various purposes, the railroads and all the industrial development is but a mere beginning. The greatest opportunity lies in the undeveloped farm land. Experiments Point A New Way The experiments conducted along the Tremont & Gulf Railway line point to another era for Winn Parish. According to A. L. Smith, vice president of the road, this parish could become one of the sweet potato markets of the world. Few, too, few sections in Louisiana are devoted to the cultivation of this crop. With the proper organization Winn Parish could become a truck-farming center. Served by three railroads the produce could be shipped with no delay to the largest markets in the country. Here hills are covered with grasses and stock-raising should be seriously considered by the people. At some ancient date, a great upheaval occurred in this parish. A rock substance was pushed surfacewards and a mighty salt dome rose nearly to the top of the ground. For generations a great rock finger that was to be called the "Devil's Chimney" marked the spot where two giant deposits lay buried. This generation is as eager for a sign as were the ancients, a sign is given, but it is unheeded. The sign is this: Ideal year-around climatic conditions, mild winters, ample rainfall, and plenty of glorious sunshine. These combined with the services of the greatest agricultural extension service of any state in the Union should encourage Winn Parish people to greater accomplishments.