Photos: A Brief History of Winn Parish Courthouses; Winnfield, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by: Greggory E. Davies
Date: August 2000
Other: Photos courtesy of Judge Douglas H. Allen
Text file: Jo Branch
Textfile date: 01 May 2011
 
**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
**********************************************

A Brief History of Winn Parish Courthouses

By: Bro. Robert E. Baker

     According to the best available information, the first court held in
Winn Parish was conducted in John Watson's Trading Post and Saloon
at Allbright's Prairie, eleven miles south of Winnfield at the point where
the old Alexandria-Harrisonburg road corsses the Alexandria-Claiborne
road. This was on the historic El Camino Real. Court was convened at
this site from the time Winn Parish was first officially organized in
1852 until the City of Winnfield was surveyed and declared the Parish
seat in 1853 or 1854.

     The first court house was erected in Winnfield in 1854 of log con-
struction, according to H. B. Bozeman, local historian. This building was
later moved to a location on South Jones Street and used as a residence
for many years. A larger an improved log structure was then con-
on the court house square and served as the Winn Court House
until destroyed by fire in 1868. The fire was reportedly set by the in-
famous West Cla in a successful effort to burn any record of their
activities. A two-story frame building replaced the log structure, but this
too, was burned by an arsonist 18 years later on November 23, 1886. This
time the fire was alleged to have been set by a man named "Pratt", who
was reportedly trying to destroy grand jury indictment chrarging him
with the burning of a cotton gin and hog theft. Records indicate that he
was convicted of both arson and hot theft and spent the remainder of his
life in prison.

     From tht time until 1896 court was held in temporary quarters,
principally in the S. M. Brian store building across from the present
court house, where the A & P store now stands.

     In 1896 the first brick court house, made of native home-made Winn-
field brick, was constructed. This one, too, was destroyed by fire 21 years
later on January 17, 1917. However, this time the blaze was apparently
accidental. From 1917 until 1923 court was held in what was known as 
the "Ole Opera House", where the present City Hall now stands.

     The brick structure which immediately preceded today's modern
new courthouse was completed and occupied on April 18, 1928, and
served for 38 years as the Winn Parish Court House. The building was
demolished in 1961 to make way for the beautiful new edifice which
we are dedicating today. While the new building was under construc-
tion, temporary court house offices were located adjacent to the Ilinois
Central Railroad freight office on Front Street in the building which
formerly served as the Trmont and Gulf Railroad' main office here.

     The new court house, ultra modern in every respect, was completed
and occupied in December, 1962.





Photo at, http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/winn/photos/documents/allen18.jpg


Text file at http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/winn/photos/documents/allen18a.txt