This turn of the century commercial building displays a sophisticated classical facade with four colossal Tuscan columns, and a well-proportioned entablature and balustrade. It was the third home of the Rapides Bank, which went into business about ten years prior to the construction of this building. The bank initially occupied half of the present structure, renting the other half for private offices. In 1914 the bank expanded its facilities and renovated the entire building solely for use as a bank; the new design was by Favrot and Livaudais. The building was vacated in 1954 and much of the evidence of its former banking operations has since been removed. In the early 1970s, the Central Louisiana Art Association approached the Rapides Bank with a proposal that the building be renovated for use as an art museum. The Alexandria Museum of Art opened to the public in October of 1977 as the CLAA. In 1998, the Museum board raised $6 million for the renovation and expansion of the museum. The new design included new gallery space, a grand foyer, collection storage and offices in the form of a contemporary annex, designed by Barron, Heinberg, and Brocato. The new Alexandria Museum of Art was the second building in Louisiana’s history since the New Orleans Museum of Art to be designed as an art museum. The focus of the Museum’s permanent collection of over 800 original works is Louisiana and the South.

The original Union Station Depot was constructed around 1910 and later remodeled in the Spanish Eclectic style. It served the Missouri Pacific Railroad and the Texas & Pacific Railway from the early 1900s through the 1960s. Originally located on the corner of Jackson St. and 10th St., decorative components of the train station were moved in a “careful piecemeal fashion” to their present location as the vacant depot was dismantled to make way for the construction of Interstate-49. Salvaged materials were preserved, namely the portal entry facades and ticket window facade, and incorporated into the present building to maintain the historic character of the station. Contemporary alterations and additions were designed by Lewis Brown and Mike Dekeyzer as the new building was constructed to house Alexandria’s new transit center in 1987. The entire interior was designed for bus station programming to include restrooms, waiting rooms, and snack rooms with only the end facades remaining from the original railroad station.

The imposing 1903 Rapides Parish Courthouse designed in the Beaux Arts style with Romanesque elements was constructed by the F. B. Hull Construction Company of Jackson, Mississippi on this site, replacing the earlier courthouse built in 1873. It served as the parish courthouse until 1939 when the new, present courthouse was constructed by the Works Progress Administration on Murray Street. The old courthouse was in use as government offices, fell into disrepair, and was demolished in 1957. This site later became the location for the Alexandria Daily Town Talk newspaper circulation building, which stands here today. The parish jail was also located on this square, adjacent to the courthouse on the corner of Lee and 2nd St. built in the Romanesque style in 1899. It was a two-story building of brick construction with two three-story towers on its front facade, surrounded by a 10 foot brick wall. It was demolished in 1940 for scrap iron during World War II.

This residence is one of the most striking examples of the Queen Anne style that remain in Alexandria. It was built in 1897 by George A. Roberts, a Confederate veteran, Mason, and lumber and dry goods businessman. His daughter, Fannie Roberts Chase, and her husband, Henry Bright Chase, rented the house for several years and purchased it from Roberts in 1902. Henry Chase was a leading member of the community and a Mason, who was involved in both the railroad industry and insurance trade. This structure is representative of the “building fever,” fueled by the booming lumber industry of the area which struck Alexandria in the 1890s as prosperous businessmen built new residences, reflective of their wealth. The Chase house features a full length front porch supported by turned columns and railings, a front gable, asymmetrical form, colored tiles surrounding the fireplaces, patterned wallpaper, an entry hall with rooms leading off, patterned shingles, and bay windows, all typical of the Queen Anne style. It is one of the few 19th century buildings that survived the construction of the levee when the majority of 2nd St. buildings were demolished for improvements. Prior to the construction of the Chase House, this lot served as the site of the first public school in Alexandria.

As Alexandria became the center of a nine state area for the training of military personnel during World War II, The Bentley helped lodge the influx of people who came to Central Louisiana during this time for military-related purposes. The hotel also provided accommodations for several notable military officials during the Louisiana Maneuvers, including General George Patton, Lieutenant Colonel Omar Bradley, Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Second Lieutenant Henry Kissinger. Entertainers who came to perform for the troops also stayed at the Bentley during this time. Famous patrons of the hotel over the years are said to include John Wayne, Bob Hope, Roy Rogers, Cary Grant, Mickey Rooney, Governor Huey P. Long, and Governor Earl Long. Changing ownerships several times, the hotel eventually closed in 1968. It was purchased and renovated by Joe Fryer in 1972 and remained open until 1976. After an extensive renovation spearheaded by Tudor Construction Company in the early 1980s, the Bentley reopened in 1985 to accolades of “its original splendor.” Tudor Enterprises sold the hotel in 1997 to Baton Rouge developers Richard Hartley and David Vey. Hartley and Vey in turn sold it to Bob Dean in 1998, after the completion of its floor-to-floor room renovations and addition of an escalator. Dean ceased operations in 2004. The beloved hotel remained shuttered until 2012 when it was purchased by local businessman and preservationist Michael Jenkins. The hotel has since undergone a thorough and painstaking renovation.

The Hotel Bentley was named for its creator and owner, Joseph Bentley, a prominent businessman, lumber baron, and president of the Guaranty Bank and Trust Company (formerly First National Bank). It was designed in the Beaux Arts (Neoclassical) style by George Richard Mann, also the architect of the old Alexandria City Hall and the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock. The contractor was Hull Construction Company of Jackson, Mississippi, and the construction crew was under the supervision of B.H. Shenk. The cost of construction was $750,000, including the furnishings. Original features included a grand marble staircase, ornamental dome, and fountain in the main lobby. It originally consisted of 96 rooms. In 1937 the Bentley was expanded with an eight story 80- room addition at the corner of Jackson and 3rd streets and the hotel lobby was renovated and redesigned in the Art Deco style. Eugene J. Sterne, Inc. of Little Rock prepared the designs for the 1937 changes to the Bentley with C. Errol Barron as associate architect, a native of Alexandria. The renovation included the addition of a cocktail lounge called “The Mirror Room,” a 175 seat coffee shop, and a private dining room in the basement. One of the most distinguishable elements of the Bentley is the massive loggia supported by Ionic columns at the front entrance of the hotel. The grand lobby is accessible from the loggia through one of the seven sets of double doors. The exterior of the building is covered with gray brick and accented with terra cotta ornamentation in the Renaissance Revival style. Balconies on the second story depict a Union Jack motif. Large modillions adorn the cornice, contributing to the complex roofline. The stained glass windows in the basement level are said to be “salutation windows,” depicting men from different countries each with a raised glass, saluting in his native language.

The present Alexandria City Hall was erected on the site of the old 1909 City Hall, which was demolished in 1963 to enable the construction of the present structure, designed by the local architectural firm of Barron, Heinberg, and Brocato. Its construction was executed by R. J. Jones and Co. The minimalistic style of the new facility reflects the preference for modernity, progress, and new construction of the 1960s – a trend which ultimately accounted for the loss of many historic 19th and early 20th century buildings of downtown Alexandria. However we can now appreciate this structure for its unique mid-century design, which emphasizes structural function over axial symmetry, and features an exterior that is reflective of the building’s interior, utilizing modern materials such as concrete, reinforced steel, and glass. It is suggestive of the International and Brutalist styles, with the exception of a strictly ornamental honeycomb-like design present in the geometric gable of the exterior wall facing the river. The building also features underground parking. The 2nd St. side of the building consists of a large gathering space, available for use as a public facilities rental, known as “Convention Hall.

This block consists of a parking lot installed in the 1960s and what is often referred to as the downtown mini park, or “Alexander Fulton Park,” named for the city’s founder and a popular site for community events. The park was installed in the early 1980s after the buildings on this block were demolished as part of the effort to revitalize the blighted downtown area, which suffered from the displacement of local businesses and residents. The construction of I-49 around this time was expected to generate new business in downtown Alexandria, supplemented by revitalization efforts which included the construction of the new convention center, the growth of hospital facilities, rehabilitation of old buildings including The Bentley and Rapides Bank, demolition of vacant structures thought to be unusable, and the completion of the Red River Navigation Project. Purported to be the site of the city library in 1906 which held the literary collection of Thomas Courtland Manning, this block once contained a wide variety of businesses, reflecting the significance of downtown as the original commercial center of Alexandria. On the corner of the park near the Commercial Building stands the cornerstone of the City Hall building that preceded the present one. Completed in 1910, Old City Hall was designed by George Richard Mann, the same architect who designed the Hotel Bentley. It was demolished in 1963 to make way for the construction of the new city hall building that stands today. The cornerstone was moved from its original location on the 900 block of 3rd St. to its current location in the park.

The seven-story Commercial Building was Alexandria’s first “skyscraper.”Despite its continuous use over the years, the well-preserved exterior of this building has changed very little since its construction in 1915. This structure, designed by New Orleans architect W. L. Stevens in the style of Chicago architect Louis Sullivan, was built to house the Commercial Bank and Trust Company. Nicol, Langord and Johnston, a construction firm with home offices in Louisville, Kentucky, executed the construction of this prominent edifice. As typical of early 20th century Chicago style skyscrapers, the base, shaft, and cornice are well articulated, and the skeletal frame and extensive use of plate glass are emphasized in its design, with repeating geometric motifs in the cornice and between the windows, delineating between the third through seventh floors. The bank failed during the Depression in the 1930s and the building was remodeled for a shop in the 1940s. This renovation included the addition of marble facing on the outside and replacement glass. After its renovation the Commercial Building housed a great number of commercial activities, including beauty shops, newsstands, real estate agencies, law offices, dentists, watch repair, physicians, insurance agencies, exterminating companies, and many more. The Commercial Building housed a myriad of local businesses well into the late 20th century, and continues to do so today under the ownership of Michael Jenkins.

This was once the site of the grand Paramount Theatre, now a parking lot. Originally built to house the Rapides Opera House, the building initially featured live performances by touring companies as well as local acts. The Marx Brothers are believed to have performed here in the 1910s. As one of the most stylish buildings in the city, it also played a vital role in the community as a venue for political meetings, speeches, school graduations, and church benefits. It was converted to the Rapides Theatre and experienced the nationwide transition of theatres from featuring live stage performance to the motion picture “Talkies” in 1927 when the theatre was sold and the name changed to “The Paramount,” after being purchased by Saenger Amusement Co. From then on it served the AlexandriaPineville community as one of the only movie theatres in the area. It was designed by the renowned architectural firm Favrot and Livaudais of New Orleans, who designed many distinguished structures throughout Louisiana, including the present Bolton High School. The Paramount was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, but despite this recognition it was demolished in the late 1980s.

The Bolton House holds both architectural and local significance: it exists as one of the largest examples of the Queen Anne Revival style as applied to residential architecture in Louisiana and as the home of members of the Bolton family, a family of prominent local bankers. James Wade Bolton acquired the residence from Joseph Hirsch in 1899 and remodeled it in 1910 – it has changed little since. Bolton was president of the Rapides Bank and Trust Company from 1912 to 1936 and was also president of the Louisiana Bankers’ Association in 1916-1917. He served on the Rapides Parish School Board and was a proponent of quality public education, donating the site of the first Bolton High School on Sixth and Beauregard Streets. Typically in Louisiana, Queen Anne style residences follow the central hall plan with one principle floor and a wing in the rear, but are made to appear asymmetrical through the use of applied gables, dormers, semi-octagonal bays, and verandahs. The house was donated by the Bolton family to the City of Alexandria in 1979 to be used as a contemporary regional fine arts and crafts center. River Oaks Square Arts Center began operation here in 1984 under an operating agreement between the City of Alexandria and the non-profit organization, River Oaks Square Arts Center.

This one-story frame Queen Anne style cottage was the birthplace and childhood home of famed African American poet and author, Arna Bontemps. He lived here from 1902 to 1906, at which time he moved to California after a racial slur was directed towards his father who reacted to the larger implications of that incident by relocating his family. Bontemps taught at the Harlem Academy in New York as an advocate of the Harlem Renaissance, and eventually became head librarian at Fisk University after receiving his master’s degree in library science. His memories of early childhood in Central Louisiana and his home are reflected in many of his writings. The house was moved to its present location from its original location on 9th and Winn Streets in 1991 when it became endangered by the construction of I-49. It was donated to the Arna Bontemps Foundation and restored and renovated at this time due to its deteriorated condition. It now houses the Arna Bontemps African American Museum, dedicated in 1992, which serves as a landmark and promotes cross-cultural communication. The front facade features an Eastlake side porch supported by turned columns and balustrade, and a polygonal bay.

Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim, which means “Acts of Loving Kindness,” was originally established as the Hebrew Benevolent Society of Rapides Parish in 1852 in order to provide a Jewish Cemetery for burials. Their first synagogue was constructed at the corner of 3rd and Fisk Streets, completed in 1871. The second temple erected on the same site c. 1908 was designed in the Greek Revival style, over three stories tall with a dome, to accommodate the growing congregation. This site is now occupied by a parking garage. The grand Greek Revival temple burned in 1956, and the congregation moved to their new Mid-Century Modern temple at 2021 Turner Street, recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Hemenway Building was built to house the Hemenway Furniture Company, and was thus designed with a largely open floor plan to facilitate the showcasing and movement of furniture. The original design included a loading dock, a mezzanine, and a large elevator installed in the center of the structure. The five story commercial building of brown brick construction is reminiscent of the Chicago Skyscraper style. The exteriors of the first and second stories are contained in an articulated base while the third, fourth, and fifth stories are divided into bays by long brick geometric pilasters, which contribute to the monumentality of the building. Terra cotta ornamentation can be seen in the base, pilaster tops, entablature, windows, and attachment points for an awning that has been removed. It is one of the few remaining commercial buildings downtown that is over four stories high and has retained its historic integrity, despite exterior changes made to its ground floor storefront. The structure now serves as a government facility, after undergoing rehabilitation by Ratcliff Construction

The original Stonewall Hotel was a wood structure with a two story gallery that stood on this corner, newly constructed in 1895 by Mr. and Mrs. O. M. Moore. Joe Sterkx purchased the property around 1900. In order to compete with the Hotel Bentley after its completion in 1909, the Stonewall was renovated with the removal of the gallery and the addition of an exterior brick veneer, complete with white glazed bricks to create geometric patterns in the masonry. The hotel occupied the second and third floors with shops on the ground floor. The Stonewall closed between 1921 and 1928, during which time it became the Jefferson Hotel. In 1929, the entire bottom floor, with the exception of the lobby entrances, was leased out to McAdams Furniture. The Jefferson closed in 1931 and the hotel reemerged as the Stonewall Hotel with the Stonewall Bar located on the bottom floor during the 1930s, under the ownership of the McGinty’s, descendants of Joe Sterkx. It was renamed, “Astor Hotel” around 1942 and remained the Astor into the early 1950s. After the hotel closed permanently by 1953, Standard Printing Co. occupied the ground floor, closing off the entire upstairs, which remained vacant for 30 years. In 1983 the building was renovated and completely gutted from roof to slab and a new building was constructed within the early 20th century historic brick veneer walls. “301 Jackson Place” Partnership and Managing Partner, Buddy Tudor led the renovation. A large portion of the original heart pine was salvaged and reincorporated back into the building for window mullions and baseboards. The building now provides office space for a number of local businesses. The one-story commercial structure between the Stonewall Hotel and Weiss and Goldring building at 812 3rd St. was on site by 1914. It first housed a restaurant, then a department store, and later became incorporated into the McAdam’s Co., Inc. store by 1928, before Weiss and Goldring expanded into it. It briefly housed the Bridendall photography studio and book shop in the 1950s, and housed optometrists’ offices for many years. It now houses a local pub, Finnegan’s Wake.

This large corner commercial building originally housed the Hemenway Furniture Store as early as 1904 until it relocated to 725 3rd Street around 1918. It was close to this time that Weiss and Goldring, a department store in business since 1899, moved to this location. Weiss and Goldring was one of the oldest and largest department stores downtown until their downtown location closed in 1993, after new locations opened in and near the Alexandria Mall. This structure is representative of the spacious department stores that once stood downtown, including Wellan’s and Schwartzberg’s, the majority of which have since been demolished. In an ad for Alexandria’s sesquicentennial in 1957, Weiss and Goldring boasted that they were the first to have store-wide elevator service, air conditioning, two-way escalator service, and free undercover parking—thus, it embodied the height of fashion and was fully equipped with modern amenities. It is constructed of blonde brick, and features segmentally arched windows, louvered shutters, and two decorative pilasters on the 3rd Street facade. The Art Deco iron balcony has been removed in recent years, and placed into storage, while the original neon sign was relocated to the current mall location. The Weiss and Goldring water tower remains standing as well as the open parking garage in the rear of the property. The building is

At 10 stories high, the Guaranty Bank is one of the tallest buildings in downtown Alexandria. Designed in the Chicago Skyscraper style by renowned architect Emile Weil, who designed many of the Saenger theatres across the South, including the Saenger Theatre of New Orleans. Its construction was carried out by T. S. Moudy and Company of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Guaranty Bank was originally built as First National Bank, with Joseph Bentley as president of that institution following the death of Paul Lisso, but the name changed to Guaranty Bank and Trust Company when stockholders voted to change from a national bank charter to a state bank charter in 1921. Construction of the bank was completed shortly after its name change. The $750,000 structure provided 6,000 square feet of space for banking functions. It is constructed of reinforced concrete with stone facing on its front façade and more visible Murray St. side, and brick veneer walls on its rear façade and Desoto St. side. The building has been renovated over the years, especially the ground floor and main entrance, to the point that it appears to be a more contemporary structure. Upon close inspection, decorative details can be observed in the upper exterior of the building, such as the dentil and Greek key stringcourses and ionic pilasters, revealing its historic design. Similar to the Commercial Building, banking activities were intended for the ground floor, while offices in the upper floors were rented out by a wide variety of local businesses. This use of space continues today, although the bank in operation is now Capital One. Note the Indiana limestone panel carved with the Guaranty eagles, which was removed from the Guaranty Bank during a 1965 remodeling, located to the rear of the bank at the

Another landmark of Alexandria, the C. A. Schnack Jewelry Company Store, was designed by architect Herman J. Duncan of Alexandria and its construction was completed by Tudor and Ratcliff in 1931. It is a two-story brick commercial building with limestone facing on its façade, designed in the early 20th century neoclassical style with elements of Art Deco present in the elaborate canopy and shopfront ornamentation. It is one of the few surviving commercial structures in the state that exhibits a high architectural style, especially its interior, which was commonly reserved for banks, hotel lobbies, and upscale specialty shops during this time period. The interior features a two-story sales hall with a mezzanine at the rear accessed by a central staircase, which is illuminated by an octagonal-shaped skylight overhead. The second floor was once used as a jewelry repair room and workshop in front and storage in the rear. Carl August Schnack, originally from Hamburg, Germany, founded Schnack’s Jewelry in 1865. Schnack’s Jewelry remains in business today, but is now housed in a contemporary building. The building was acquired by Buddy Tudor and Mike Small in 1999, restored by 2005, and repurposed as a restaurant. Mike Jenkins purchased it in 2011.

A two story building in use as a saloon, operated by G. M. Houk, was constructed on this corner circa 1896, and housed a furniture store in 1900. It was expanded, doubling in size, by 1904 with the original building and the addition separated by a partition. In 1909 it housed a saloon, Standard Liquor Co., once again on the Desoto St. side with a pool room on the other side and a garage in the back of the property. In 1914 the partition was removed and the interior was opened up for the operation of a general store. By 1921 it was subdivided again, housing a restaurant along the Desoto St. side, Phoenix Drugstore, and a shop, until it was further subdivided into three stores and two restaurants by 1928. In the early 1940s, Riley Teston, assistant manager of the Heidelberg Hotel in Baton Rouge moved to Alexandria. He purchased and remodeled the building and opened Teston’s Liquor Store by 1942. The hand-painted Teston’s Liquor Store sign can be faintly seen on the front of the building today. After Teston’s closed around 1947, the building housed a variety of other businesses including the Good Friends Shop, Vogue Barber Shop, the LaSalle Café, a furniture store, a car dealership, and D’Amico’s Restaurant. After part of the building burned, the façade was altered with the addition of modern brick and plate glass windows and doors and a thick layer of plaster over the second story transom windows and side elevations. After a one year rehabilitation in 2013 by the Atwood family which involved the removal of the modern storefront treatment and exposure of the historic brick beneath, the Sandwich Shoppe, Crave, a coffee shop, and Ember’s Restaurant opened here.

This structure is composed of two buildings that date to the turn of the 20th century and were combined in the 1960s as the local men’s clothing and uniform store, Caplan’s, expanded. The taller, two story building was erected by 1896, housing a grocery store on the first floor and the meeting space for the International Office of Odd Fellows on the second floor; In 1909 it housed the Golden Rule Racket Store, similar to dry goods store or as they put it, a “headquarters for everything.” It then housed a furniture store, and by 1921 F. W. Woolworth and Co., a department store, operated here until the mid-1930s. B. Ginsberg Men’s Clothing moved to this location at this time and remained here until 1965. The adjacent one-story structure was previously in use as a dry goods/ general store; Kinney Shoes and Rose Kate’s Shoppe operated here in the 1930s. The one-story portion housed Caplan’s Men’s Clothing when they moved to this location from 1224 3rd St. in 1948. Caplan’s was founded by David Caplan, a native of Poland, when he opened a dry goods store in 1891, with his family helping to run the business. By the 1930s, Caplan’s was well established as a clothing store for men and boys that also sold work uniforms and accessories. Caplan’s initially operated out of the one-story building adjacent to Schnack’s at 916 3rd St. while B. Ginsberg operated out of the two story building between the one-story Caplan’s building and Teston’s Liquor, until Caplan’s expanded into the two story Ginsberg building in 1967, combining both structures. This building was renovated in subsequent years to give the exterior an updated modern appearance.

This structure was a newly constructed two-story building dedicated to commercial purposes in 1904, and appears to have been in use as a drugstore since 1921. A. Silber’s clothing store and Isidore Levy’s “Ladies’ Store” were located here in 1906; in 1909 it housed a dry goods and hardware store. In 1914 one side still housed a dry goods store while the other side sold paints, wallpaper, and electric fixtures on the first floor with a business college on the second. In 1921 the side closest to the corner of Murray and Third was in use as a drugstore, while the other side of the building sold boots, shoes, and hosiery with the business college still on the second floor. By 1928 the entire building was in service as a drug store. It has since housed the McKean Drugstore, Walgreen’s, Red Cross Drugstore, and Sentry Drug. It presently retains its historic use as a drugstore. The original storefront has been updated with a more contemporary design, but the historic exterior remains underneath a coat of beige paint, including original segmentally arched windows and dentil cornice. Historic images show that the building’s exterior once featured white decorative horizontal bands in the masonry above the windows, possibly incorporating the same white glazed brick that can be seen in the Stonewall Hotel building. The café is housed in half of the structure adjacent to the drugstore, at 1010 3rd St, now incorporated into this property.

These buildings were established here circa 1909: The larger structure closest to the corner of Johnston and Third was the Stag Hotel, a three-story building divided by a partition with a bookstore and saloon on the ground floor. The building adjacent to this housed a twostory clothing store. By 1914 the clothing store was converted to a saloon, and the hotel was renamed the “Annex Hotel,” still located on the 2nd and 3rd floors with a saloon and book/stationery store on the ground floor. By 1921 the 2nd and 3rd floors were used for offices with the first floors occupied by the bookstore and a drugstore, and the adjacent building in use as a restaurant. In 1928 the restaurant at 1022 had been converted to the Home Theatre, which showed moving pictures and was replaced with dentist, optometrist, and real estate offices by 1931. The larger corner building was converted to strictly shop space, operating as the Federal Clothing Stores and Adrion’s Drug Store. 1022 housed a wide variety of businesses throughout the 20th century including an ice cream store, clothing stores, a hat shop, a military supply store, and photography studios. By the 1940s, Franklin’s clothing store for women moved into the corner building and Morris Koblen’s jewelry store was established here as early as 1938. Mr. Koblen began his establishment by peddling watches and pocket knives to sawmill workers. The second floor of the building was remodeled for offices in the 1950s; the interior retains this appearance. The exterior was also completely renovated with addition of acrylic covered square metal caps to cover the brick façade for a mid-century update – these have recently been removed to reveal the historic exterior during a rehabilitation by the Trotters.. The building was owned by the Bertrand Weil Co. at one time, hence its name, and housed Koblen’s Jewelry Co. and a wig shop into the 1990s before the present clothing store, DC’s Suits and More, and Studio 1016, a nightclub, moved to the ground floor.

This well-preserved brick commercial building in the Renaissance Revival style features segmentally arched windows and lion’s head ornamental brackets. A fruit stand stood on this site in 1909. The present structure was erected by 1915 and housed Joseph M. Goldberg’s jewelry store, with prominent display windows to showcase Goldberg’s merchandise. Retaining its historic use as a jewelry store, the The Gem Jewelry Co. occupied this structure from the early 1940s through the 1980s. The structure also housed the Honolulu Conservatory of Music and the Bay-Le Sewing Room, while Goldberg continued repairing watches on the second floor. The original shop front was replaced with a new marble shop front in an Art Deco-inspired style circa 1940. It has recently been renovated utilizing historic preservation tax credits and now serves as an event space and photography studio.

This turn of the century commercial building features a shallow stepped parapet gable and one centrally placed set of four windows flanked by two sets of tripartite windows on the second floor. It was in use as a haberdasher, or hat maker, recently after its construction. As early as 1915 it was in use as a store, selling clothing, boots, and shoes. It housed the J. C. Penney Co. department store from the 1920s until 1955, at which time it became vacant after J. C. Penney relocated down the street. In 1957 Walgreen’s purchased 1010 3rd St. and remodeled it into a diner, which is now Sentry Grill attached to Sentry Drug. By 1960 Newstadt’s Shoe Store operated out of 1012; the evidence of this remains written in the floor of the recessed shop front entrance. After another period of vacancy, 1012 housed a hosiery shop, a business college, and Bialy’s clothing store in 1982. This portion of the building at 1012 now serves as the location for J. B. Photo Studios. Half of this building is still incorporated into the adjacent drugstore at 1002 3rd St. and its 1957 interior appearance has been maintained.

A two-story structure stood on this site as early as 1909 and housed a Masonic lodge on the second floor and furniture store; prior to this twostory commercial building the site was occupied by a large dwelling. Only the first floor was subdivided into smaller spaces for multiple shops with the second floor left open. In subsequent years it contained a variety of businesses, including an ice cream factory, an electric motors dealer, offices, a baby powder manufacturer, and a car wash. It was vacant from 1929 to 1931 possibly due to a fire and/or renovation. By the mid-1930s, the building was reduced to a one-story structure and the present Art Deco exterior was applied. It retained the same layout as the two-story that stood here throughout the early 1900s, indicating that the original building was renovated, or that a new onestory structure was erected in its place. It was subdivided into six separate stores by the 1950s, housing the Pincus & Murphy Music House, Bolden’s Pharmacy, and insurance and real estate agencies. It was primarily vacant during the 1960s, and was reoccupied by insurance agencies, law offices, and a mimeograph service business in the 1970s. It continued to house a motley assortment of businesses into the 1980s, including a printing business, a restaurant, Charles Errick’s Hair Department, and offices. It now functions successfully as a coffee shop and retains its historic commercial character and Art Deco style, expressed in the geometric parapet and detail of the stucco exterior.

Originally built as Rapides Savings and Loan Association in 1968, this Postmodern structure stands out in Alexandria’s downtown landscape due to its unique exaggerated, sculptural design, conceived by the architectural firm of Barron, Heinberg, and Brocato. The two story portion of the building that fronts Murray St. was constructed in the 1960s, replacing a Gulf Service Station. The tall, glass wall portion was added in the early 1970s. It became Louisiana Savings Association in the late 1970s and currently serves as office space. This is an example of Postmodern architecture in that it is functional yet defies conventional building design with its almost triangular, prismatic shape, and primarily reflective steel frame and plate glass wall construction. The two-story portion of the building that fronts Murray St. is significantly shorter than the glass wall portion.

This Alexandria Kress Building was built in 1939 as one of the hundreds of fiveand-dime Kress department stores across the country. The chain of S. H. Kress & Co. 5-10-25 Cent Stores was established in 1896 by Samuel H. Kress, and operated until 1981. Kress wanted his stores to exist as works of architecture to be appreciated by the public. The Kress brand was recognizable through noticeably stylized architecture, which distinguished the Kress store from its competitors. Despite the ultimate closure of Kress stores in the 1980s, preserved Kress buildings throughout the country have become great examples of adaptive reuse. The Alexandria Kress moved from its previous location on Third St. to the larger facility on this site. The building was designed by Edward F. Sibbert and Charles T. Roberts in the Art Deco style, constructed predominantly of blonde brick. Edward Sibbert designed more than fifty Art Deco S. H. Kress & Co. stores between 1929 and 1944. While the form of the building is primarily horizontal, the window placement and decorative elements give the structure a more vertical appearance. After closing in 1974, it housed the Brown Furniture Store, and was subsequently used as bank offices and storage for Rapides Bank. It was renovated in 2003 and is now known as the Rapides Foundation Building with the ground floor in use as the Hearn Stage/Kress Theater. The Kress store had a sign where the Rapides Foundation sign is currently located in the same style as the original sign, and another horizontal sign above the canopy.

This large commercial building originally housed a jewelry store, a sporting goods shop, a pool hall and cigar shop, and a grocer with each store separated by a partition on the ground floor, and a dance hall on the second floor. A “pilastered wall” is indicated in a 1928 map – this exterior wall is still present today and has been revealed with the recent removal of the modern exterior on the Washington St. side of the building. The dance hall, the Blue Roof, remained on the second floor, with the ground floor housing shops, including the Pure Food Grocery. By 1938 S. Van Skye Insurance, Tru-Value Dress shop, and Skye’s Coffee Shop were located here. Caplan’s Men’s Shop moved into the building by 1940. By 1942 Kushner’s Jewelers was also in operation. Tru-Value expanded to occupy 1126 and 1130 at the corner of 3rd at Washington while Caplan’s remained. In 1954 Stein’s men’s clothing moved in next to True-Value; by 1960 Holly Dress shop and Bell Brothers shoes were tenants in the building. It housed the Tru-Value Shop until the 1960s, at which time it was replaced with Rhealee Accessory Department Store. It was renovated in 1981 when it was converted to the O’Neal Department Store, with the addition of metal cladding and modern brick to the exterior of the building. In more recent years it was used for the operation of “Louisiana Nightmares,” a seasonal haunted house. The owner, Al Turner, seeks community input for future use ideas for this building that would contribute to downtown development.

This two-story Colonial Revival residence features a two-story pedimented portico supported by four colossal Roman Doric columns, each with a capital featuring molded leaf form detail. The layout of the house is two rooms wide by two rooms deep with a rear wing; the rooms are en suite, meaning that there are no hallways connecting the rooms. There are claims that the house is a remodeled circa 1870s structure that was heavily altered, but its current appearance reflects more of an early 20th century style with the exception of the Italianate attic window. There are two front doors located within the front gallery and a second story balcony upheld by three consoles, or decorative, scroll-shaped brackets. The tympanum contains a Palladian window shaped vent. The interior is relatively unadorned, with twelve foot ceilings, single pane doublehung windows, and an Arts and Crafts style staircase with its heavy square newel posts. It was known as the Ferguson Rooming House in the 1950s while occupied by Mrs. Lucie B. Ferguson. By 1960 Rose R. Bland occupied the residence with Mrs. Lucie Ferguson, and eventually became the sole occupant of the house.

Once owned by Dr. Randolph, a prominent medical doctor, this twostory residence was constructed for him and his family by John Osbourne by 1895, as stated in the Louisiana Democrat. It was designed in the Georgian Revival style, featuring a central front door with full transom and sidelights, five bay symmetrical façade, and a tongue and groove one-story porch supported by wood box columns and balustrade. The house is raised on brick piers. The window placement on the second story facade reflects the placement of the five bays on the first floor. The building underwent renovation in the 1980s as it was modified to house offices for “Investment Strategy Corp.” It continues to function as office space under the ownership of Herman M. Savoie, Jr.

The first lodge of the Alexandria Masons was established in 1819. They erected this facility, designed by Herman J. Duncan of Sam Stone, Jr. & Co. in 1927, moving from their previous location at Fourth and Desoto probably due to overcrowding. The ground story is rental commercial space, and was historically rented to shops to generate funds to maintain the building, while upper floors were used by Masons as a Masonic temple. The second story contains a large auditorium with a simple proscenium, as well as supplementary office and service spaces. There is a secondary auditorium on the third floor and two additional auditoriums on the fourth floor, all simply designed with non-sloping floors. The Fourth and Johnston Street facades of the building have nearly identical styling. Both feature an elegant piano nobile with three central windows enclosed by pedimented frames and inscribed within round arches. The exterior features decorative brickwork in contrasting colors. Presently owned by Michael Jenkins, he purchased this structure in 2003.

The Main Library of the Rapides Parish Library System began serving the Alexandria and Pineville community from the fourth floor of the Rapides Parish Courthouse in 1942. To accommodate the increase in library patrons, Librarian Marion Taylor and Board Chairman Frank O. Hunter called for the construction of this new library at its current location, 411 Washington Street, and construction was complete in 1965. It was designed by Gene Glankler of Glankler and Broadwell, and Dekeyzer and Boutte, architects and engineers. Its construction consists of precast concrete with exposed quartz aggregate and glass in the late Mid-Century Modern style, arranged with a horizontal emphasis despite its tall, vertical windows. The library features repeating groups of three narrow arched floor to ceiling windows and recessed panels divided by pilasters, clerestory windows, skylights, and an inverted barrel vault ceiling

This unique landmark continues to tower over the buildings of downtown Alexandria as an integral component of its skyline and landscape. It was originally built as a water tower, or “water works stand pipe”; this type of standpipe was typical of the late 19th century. Initially erected to supply water to the town by equalizing water pressure, the tower stood next to the Parish Jail and Fire Station No. 1 which existed on this block c. 1909 before the present day fire station was established; at this time the tower’s capacity was 210,000 gallons. It is 140 feet tall and between 16 and 18 feet in diameter, composed of hand-riveted iron plates with decorative metal cresting along the top and triangular brackets at the base. At one point there were hundreds of these 19th century standpipes across the country – since replaced by modern water towers.It was almost demolished and used for scrap iron, estimated at 300,000 pounds, for the war effort in 1942. The Lee St. water tower remains and represents the evolution of water system technology in Alexandria.

This historic residence was built by Henarie Morrison Huie, who founded the Alexandria Daily Town Talk with his uncle, Edgar McCormick. Huie and his wife Margaret lived here until they built a new home at the corner of St. James and Fifth St. One of their two daughters, Myrtle Huie, moved into this residence with her husband, Joseph Dellmon, after they married in 1918. Joe Dellmon began working at The Town Talk in the early 1920s, eventually becoming Supervisor of Maintenance and Staff Photographer. Myrtle was an active member of the newspaper’s board of directors and became president of McCormick and Company, Inc., publishers of The Town Talk. Joseph and Myrtle lived here until their deaths in the 1970s. The home was originally designed in the Queen Anne style, and was completely altered with the replacement of its wood siding with red brick masonry in the 1930s, giving it a more mid-20th century Colonial Revival appearance. Iron posts and balusters, a fanlight, sidelights, and iron railing along the roof and portico were also additions made to the house. Despite the removal of its original historic exterior, the home is significant for its association with the Huie and Dellmon families. After a 17-year vacancy, the HuieDellmon Trust was donated to the Rapides Parish Library in 1993 to provide additional office and storage space for the overcrowded Main Branch Library building on Washington St. It also serves as a meeting place for library events and other organizations.

Historically located at the corner of Third and Scott, this structure is the “annex” portion of what was originally the Baptist Hospital, precursor to Rapides Regional Medical Center. The Alexandria Sanitarium was purchased by the Louisiana Baptist Convention in 1917 as it became too difficult for the hospital to operate as a private proprietary institution. This four-story addition was constructed in 1918 soon after the transfer of the hospital, adding 50 beds. A functional structure, it originally featured a parapet gable and modillion cornice, and at one time was bedecked with awnings over each of the windows. It was incorporated into modern additions constructed in the 1940s and 1950s and its historic appearance is hidden; some original windows remain, while many have been replaced, and parts of the modillion cornice, dentil stringcourse, and pilasters are visible. In 1993 the annex was still in use as the “C” wing of the hospital. It now serves as a rehabilitation facility.

The Alexandria Holocaust Memorial was installed in memory of the millions who perished during the Holocaust, in addition to all victims of genocide and inhumanity. The memorial takes the form of an obelisk, standing 18 feet high due to the significance of that number in Jewish tradition, and weighs 15 tons. Central Louisiana played a vital role in preparing American troops for duty in WWII during the Louisiana Maneuvers as they were trained at the facilities of Camp Beauregard, Livingston, Claiborne, and Polk, as well as the Alexandria Air Base. Thus, this monument also serves as a memorial to troops trained in the area during this time and those who contributed to bringing the Holocaust to an end.

St. Francis Xavier Cathedral is one of the most recognized and revered landmarks in downtown Alexandria, in addition to being one of the few remaining sizable buildings that date to the 19th century in the area. It was constructed from 1895-1899, under the direction of Father Menard, after the church that preceded this one burned in 1895, despite being one of the few buildings in Alexandria to have survived the Civil War. Funds were slowly raised for the new building through donations, contributions, and fundraisers. It was designed by Nicholas J. Clayton as the first brick Gothic Revival church in the city. As construction began, sand for the mortar was extracted from a sandbar in the Red River at the end of Lee St., and the foundation brick is said to be repurposed brick donated from the remains of Mooreland Plantation. The contractor was August Toussaint, who also constructed the rectory. Noted for its spectacular and detailed stained glass windows installed in the 1940s to replace the original leaded-glass windows, it boasts the largest rose windows in the state. The Latin cross church has a five bay nave, a tall transept, and a semi-octagonal apse. It has heavily proportioned gables and simple lancet arches with “Y” tracery. These early Gothic features are mixed with later Gothic features, including rose windows, the three part entrance, and the 135 foot tower with its four center arches. The square tower, added in 1907, is surmounted by crenellation and four small corner towers. Many repairs and alterations were made under the direction of Father Nuedling between the 1920s and 1940s including a new marble communion rail and steps, the addition of 12 new lanterns for interior lighting, a new pulpit, the installation of new stained glass from the Jacoby Art Glass Co., and the covering of the wooden tongue-and-grove center beading ceiling with Masonite, a type of manmade hardboard. The cathedral continues to serve the parishioners of Central Louisiana.

This church was erected between 1920 and 1922 to accommodate the growing congregation with a modern building. The church was designed by J. E. Green, church architect of Birmingham, to be “entirely distinct in architecture” but comparable to other edifices of public worship in Alexandria. The structure is constructed of brick trimmed with stone and features a temple-like facade. Four massive classical Ionic columns composed of Bedford stone support a portico at the main entrance, and a pediment with a semi-circular window in its center. A modillion cornice runs along the roofline. The green ceramic roof tiles and deep overhang are suggestive of the Mediterranean Revival style, while the arched windows are Romanesque giving it an overall eclectic appearance. Jacoby Art Glass Company of St. Louis, Missouri produced the stained glass windows (the majority of which have been removed). A one-story brick church school facility was added in 1952, to accommodate the increase in membership and church school enrollment. In 1990 it was purchased by the Rapides Parish School Board to serve as the Curriculum Center.

Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Bolton donated this piece of land on Sixth and Beauregard Streets, for the location of a new high school in 1914. The necessity of a new school was realized with the continued growth in enrollment of Alexandria Central High School, precursor to Bolton. The building was a three-story fireproof structure constructed of gray brick and stone with twenty-eight rooms, costing $120,442. The design and construction were carried out by the same firms that constructed the present day Bolton High School: architects, Favrot and Livaudais, and the Caldwell Brothers Construction Company. It featured a marble stair case leading from the front lawn to the second floor, an octagonal shaped lobby, a study hall that could accommodate 400 students, a library, and a biology and natural history wing. The name was changed from Alexandria Central School to Bolton High School at the completion of the structure, in honor of the donor of the site. Classes were held in this facility until 1926, when the Vance Avenue location opened due to lack of space to accommodate the increase in enrollment from 400 to 900 at the Beauregard location during its eleven years of operation.

Emmanuel Baptist Church is a surprisingly late example of twentieth century Gothic Revival architecture, designed by Favrot and Reed, a successor firm of Favrot and Livaudais. Erected in 1950, at a time when minimalistic design was in style, the building exhibits a multitude of details and features derived from the middle period of English Gothic architecture, giving it a sense of antiquity, despite its more recent construction. From the beige brick exterior, the church appears to be a two-story gabled structure with one-story shed roof side aisle extensions. The majority of the front gabled façade is composed of a large central pointed arch, constructed of cast stone; two smaller pointed arches are set within the large arch, flanking the three entrance doors. A rose window is set within the top of the large pointed arch, with trefoil design inside and outside of the window, and the name of the church is displayed within a quatrefoil design below the rose window. The bell tower is attached to the main building at one corner and features slight crenellation and tracery. Figural stained glass windows are set in pointed arch windows which are decorated with cast stone tracery throughout the upper stories The stained glass windows produced by the Jacoby Stained Glass Studios of St. Louis, Missouri depict the life of Christ. The interior configuration resembles that of a traditional Anglican or Catholic church, with a nave and side aisles, rather than a standard Baptist auditorium plan. The ceiling features exposed dark wood beams. A large addition was made at the rear of the sanctuary building in 1960 of similar exterior materials, and an arcade was built to connect them. The first Emmanuel Baptist church was constructed in 1897 as a wooden sanctuary on this site, after moving from Pineville where Emmanuel was first established as the “Alexandria

The U.S. Post Office and Courthouse is a remarkable, imposing structure, and one of Alexandria’s most substantial examples of Depression-era Art Deco style. It was designed by Shreveport architect, Edward Neild, with supervision from James A. Wetmore, Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department. It was constructed under the Public Buildings Act and Federal Employment Stabilization Act, precursors to the Works Progress Administration program. The contractor was Algernon Blair Construction Company of Montgomery, Alabama, whose lowest bid was accepted at $217,774. The radiating form of the pavilion is reflective of a stepped pyramid or temple. It contains three stories, a basement and a penthouse. The exterior base is composed of pearl white granite, with exterior walls clad in smooth, buff colored limestone. Two-story wings flank the larger, nine-bay central portion of the building, featuring chamfered corners at the roofline.

This structure was built as a residence for J. T. Charnley and his wife, Eva, in 1906. Mr. Charnley was a native of Wisconsin who played a role in the manufacture of one of the first soda pop drinks in this area. It is a one-and-ahalf story five-bay center hall cottage, or enclosed dogtrot, in the Greek Revival style. The symmetrically placed bays and windows and central front entrance, suggest American influence. The two interior chimneys indicate a Creole influence. It is constructed of a wood frame on a brick pier foundation with a full length single story front porch and clapboard siding. The front entrance features sidelights, a transom, and classical columns and balustrade supporting the gallery. It is now in use as the law office of Eugene P. Cicardo.

This two-story residence is designed in the Classical Revival style. It features a two tiered portico supported by Corinthian columns with terra cotta capitals on brick pedestals and a circular window in the front-facing gable. It was constructed with a port cochere and second story wing above. The house was built for Dr. Marvin Cappel, a prominent medical doctor and coroner, after his marriage to Eulalie Sentell in 1921. He served in World War I and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star. Dr. Cappel worked at Central Louisiana State Hospital, a psychiatric care facility. After his death in 1929 the house was occupied by his widow and family into the 1950s. A life insurance and finance company occupied the building in the 1970s. After a long period of vacancy, the house was recently renovated and will be used as office space.

The old Alexandria Public Library stands on the center square of the original town plat commissioned by Alexander Fulton in 1805. The center square was reserved for public use “solely for advancement of learning and culture.” In 1907, Mr. S. S. Bryan of Alexandria and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie each offered $10,000 to the city for the construction of a free public library. The Board of Aldermen designated a lot in the center square and hired the New Orleans architectural firm of Crosby and Henkel to design the building in a similar style to that of other Carnegie libraries throughout the United States. It opened as the Alexandria Public Library on April 8, 1908. It has been the home of the Alexandria Genealogical Library and History Museum since 1971. Constructed in the Beaux Arts style of brick and terra cotta, the library is raised above grade on a stuccoed basement which contains service and storage areas and now houses the Louisiana History Museum. The main section of the building is faced in brick with red colored mortar. It is articulated with squared pilasters with terra-cotta molded capitals and oeil-de-boeuf motifs along the necking. These pilasters support a narrow brick entablature with a pronounced cornice. The entablature is topped with a slight parapet and a spreading hip roof covered in red adobe tile. Unlike the party wall commercial buildings that compose a large portion of the buildings downtown, it is a freestanding pavilion which adds to its monumental appearance despite its relatively small size. The vast majority of the buildings downtown are products of the builder tradition, with minimal stylized elements. The library is one of very few structures which represent the work of a high style architect, being an academically designed Beaux Arts style building. It features applied classical elements, an axial layout and ornamentation around the entrance. The detail above the main entrance depicts an open book flanked by two torches, denoting the purpose of the building.

Originally constructed to house First United Methodist Church, this structure is one of the only significant examples of turn of the century Romanesque Revival style remaining in Alexandria. It was designed by architect W. E. Matthews and the contractor was L. H. Baldwin. The cornerstone was laid on October 20, 1907. Four different congregations have occupied this building, but it is currently occupied by the Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. The gable fronted facade is flanked by square towers with heavy cornices and pyramid roofs. The four-story corner tower contains a belfry and is topped with a decorative finial. An arcade runs between the towers, forming the entrance portico. Round arch windows punctuating the smooth brick exterior are emphasized by narrow brick voussoirs. The base is clad with alternating bands of smooth and rough-faced stone, in contrast with the brick construction of the exterior walls. Marbled (slag) stained glass windows are in the Arts and Crafts style.

Ed Hixson and Jim Hixson settled in Central Louisiana in 1907 and purchased the Hoyt Funeral Home and Livery Stable, located at Fourth and DeSoto Streets, equipped with three horse drawn vehicles and handmade caskets. They relocated their business to 3rd and Beauregard Streets in 1910. In 1937, they relocated to their current location, 701 Jackson Street. This Colonial Revival structure is reminiscent of the mansions throughout the Garden District with its two-story pedimented portico, supported by six colossal Doric columns, broken swan’s neck pediment over the front entrance, and multipaned, round arched Palladian style windows.

The Rapides Parish Courthouse is typical of a courthouse designed under the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) Program, most of which are characteristic of the masculine, streamlined Art Deco style. It was constructed as the extravagance of the Art Deco style dwindled in popularity due to the austerity that emerged with the advent of World War II. The structure exhibits Art Deco elements with Stripped Classicism, a style that combined modernity with classical forms and very little ornamentation — a common form for governmental buildings designed between the World Wars. This seven-story courthouse was built to replace the 1903 Beaux-Arts style courthouse on 3rd St. after its thirty-six years of service. It was designed by C. Errol Barron, Charles T. Roberts, Edward F. Neild, D. A. Sondal, and Edward F. Neild, Jr., with construction completed by James T. Taylor. It is clad with smooth limestone, giving it a cohesive and monumental appearance. It is designed as a towering angular structure, composed of rectangular shapes, the sleek exterior broken only by deeply set vertical bands of windows, divided by dark, rectangular panels and long unornamented squared pilasters. The only exterior ornamentation is seen in the front doors and the two reliefs that flank the front entrance: a blind woman representing Justice with scales and an old man with a scroll and book representing Wisdom. The front doors are Art Deco in style with a geometric motif. In the mid-1970s the courthouse was remodeled and a four-story annex and jail were constructed on the adjacent lot. The Brutalist annex contains a covered parking garage, and is connected to the courthouse by a skybridge on the second, third, and fourth floors across Johnston Street. The Confederate Monument in the front of the Rapides Courthouse once stood in the yard of the 1909 City Hall building, where it was originally dedicated in 1914. It was erected by the Thomas Overton Moore Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy. The statue was moved when the Old City Hall was demolished.

The main building facing Murray St. was constructed in 1940 as the Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company, while upper and rear additions were added in the 1950s and 1970s. The style is difficult to pinpoint, but it contains some Classical Revival and Art Deco elements, with stylized components concentrated on the first floor. The building features squared, multi-paned windows set within recessed arched openings on the ground floor, the exterior of which is clad in stone while the upper three floors are of red brick masonry. The front façade is symmetrical, with a central bay and three bays equally spaced on either side. A pronounced dentil brick stringcourse divides the third and fourth floors. The recessed entrance is flanked by two Doric columns, supporting an entablature. An Art Deco style balcony sits atop the entrance, and matches the hand rail in the same style. The telephone company that was housed here eventually evolved into South Central Bell in 1969 and became BellSouth in the 1980s, the main telecommunications company serving the Alexandria-Pineville area into the 21st century. It now houses AT&T and the Alexandria and Pineville switchboard, as well as several other local business offices.

A surviving example of modest commercial vernacular architecture typical of the area, the Red River Candy Company opened between 1932 and 1933, selling wholesale candy – it was the only business in Alexandria to produce candy for wholesale purchase. An advertisement for the Red River Candy Company reads, “Exclusive Candy Jobbers Catering to the Best of Candies for the Best People.” It was originally constructed as a one-story brick shop with attached wood frame residence for William B. Calhoun and his wife Margaret. They eventually moved in the 1950s. In 1968, the Red River Candy Company was the only business operating on the block – the rest of the buildings were vacant. It closed later that year, after operating for almost forty years. It is in fairly good condition, considering that the majority of commercial vernacular buildings in Alexandria are in a state of deterioration or demolished. Residents recognize it for its well-preserved painted signage, proclaiming at the base of the wall: “Enjoy some every day.”

St. James Catholic Church began as Sacred Heart School, a mission which was started by the Sisters of Divine Providence in San Antonio, Texas when they opened a one room school for African American children in 1884. A new school was constructed for this purpose in Alexandria when Father Menard purchased property between Fisk and Beauregard Streets. It opened in 1902 when 80 pupils were enrolled. Father Marcos of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral established a separate African American Catholic church, associated with the school, and formed the Sacred Heart Parish. In 1915 a church building was constructed for Sacred Heart. It was renamed St. James at this time in memory of the brother of Father Joseph Smith who donated money for the building. The church was constructed at a cost of $7,500 by the LeGras Brothers Construction Company. It is of predominantly red brick construction with round arched stained glass windows in the side elevations, surrounded by white stone window surrounds. A plain, white entablature wraps around the building, and two colossal ionic columns support the brick pediment. The classical temple façade is expressed within brick masonry, giving it an eclectic appearance. A pentagonal cupola sits on the roof, topped with a dome and a cross.

Shiloh Baptist Church was established in 1882 when several members of Union Baptist Church began holding services in a small frame building on this site, thus making the congregation one of the oldest African American congregations in the city. The first cornerstone for the present structure was laid in 1890 with a membership of 225. The church was completed in 1904, designed in the Renaissance Revival style with Romanesque elements, including the tripartite round arches expressed in the square corner tower and large round arches in the gables, in addition to its dense massing. The church housed services for Shiloh Baptist as well as programs for Central Louisiana Academy, a private school for African Americans, which was located directly behind the church. It played a significant role in the community, accommodating great speakers and local community leaders. Booker T. Washington is said to have visited here shortly before his death in 1915. The congregation moved out of the building in 2006 to a different location. The building stands vacant and ready for adaptive reuse.

Forts Randolph and Buhlow are two earthen forts that were constructed between 1864 and 1865 in anticipation of a Union invasion in the spring of 1865. The forts were completed under the command of Captain Christopher M. Randolph and Lt. Alphonse Buhlow, military engineers. After Union occupation of the area during the Red River Campaign resulted in the burning of approximately one third of the structures in Alexandria and Pineville, the Confederate troops undoubtedly wanted to be prepared for another possible invasion. Over 800 Confederate troops were assembled at the forts to defend against the awaited Union attack. The forts were surrendered to Union forces without opposition on June 3, 1865.

BAILEY’S DAM 1864

Bailey’s Dam was constructed to enable Admiral David Porter’s Red River flotilla to cross the falls and rapids of the Red River at Alexandria, as Union forces under the command of General Nathaniel Banks retreated after the Battle of Mansfield in their attempt to capture Shreveport in the spring of 1864. The rapids were particularly impossible to cross due to seasonal low water and signaled imminent capture by the Confederate army. Lt. Col. Joseph Bailey designed a dam to raise the water level and enable safe passage of the Union gunboats, so they could continue their passage to the Mississippi River. He constructed cribs on both sides of the river, filling them with timber from Pineville and wood and materials from dismantled buildings in Alexandria and the surrounding area. The dam was successful and allowed for the safe passage of Porter’s ships south on May 13, 1865. The dam was visible until the Army Corps of Engineers constructed a series of locks and dams in the 1980s, raising the level of the river.

The Hebrew Benevolent Society of Rapides Parish was established to purchase this plot of land for a cemetery. The earliest burial was that of Augusta Bernstein in 1852. This small group of Jewish families proceeded to form Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim in 1859 under the leadership of Isaac Levy, Henry Greenwood, and Julius Levin. It is unknown why the cemetery was established prior to the founding of the congregation, although it may have been due to the sudden outbreak of yellow fever which claimed six Jewish lives in the early 1850s, necessitating the establishment of a burial site.

Mt. Olivet Chapel is one of the oldest structures in the Alexandria-Pineville area, and is also one of a handful of examples of the Gothic Revival style in Central Louisiana. It features a rectangular form, steeply pitched roof with flared eaves, brackets beneath the eaves, lancet windows, and board and batten siding. Originally a church, it was established as a mission of St. James Episcopal Church, the cemetery of which was already located on the site chosen for the construction of Mt. Olivet. The design of the church is attributed to Richard Upjohn, a renowned church architect known for his use of the Gothic Revival style. The church was used by the Union Army during the Civil War, and was thus spared from burning. After serving as a chapel, a separate parish renamed “St. Peter’s,” and then a chapel again, the building served as a school and community center. The chapel is presently owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana and is open for occasional services.

Mt. Olivet Cemetery was the name selected for the site before it was acquired by St. James Episcopal Church in 1858. There were existing graves on this land and the earliest surviving marker is dated 1824. Many prominent citizens of the community are buried here, including Gov. Thomas Overton Moore, Louisiana’s secessionist governor; Dr. Thomas Maddox, a participant in the Sandbar duel; Henry Hardtner, the “Father of Reforestation”; George Bolton, founder of Rapides Bank; Edgar McCormick and Henarie Huie, founders of the Alexandria Daily Town Talk; and Senator John Overton.

This cemetery is located in the proximity of what was originally the Poste du Rapides, the first colonial military outpost in the area (c. 1770). The Poste du Rapides grew to become present day AlexandriaPineville. Burial grounds were established on the cliffs above the river at the Grand Rapids to avoid flooding of the graves. Etienne Marafret Layssard was designated as commandant of Rapides on February 12, 1770, and thus began the Poste du Rapides. No marked graves, however, have survived from this time period. The oldest marked burial in the Rapides Cemetery dates back to 1809, belonging to that of Pierre Baillio, son of Pierre Baillio II, founder of the present day Kent House. Ennemond Meuillion, Revolutionary War veteran and commander of Post du Rapides in 1803, is also buried here, as well as many distinguished families, early settlers of Central Louisiana, and veterans of all U.S. wars. The Rapides Cemetery is the oldest public cemetery in Central Louisiana. Sometime after 1774 and before May 19, 1798, the Rapides Cemetery tract of land was designated and used as a public burial ground when Ignace Mailloux ceased to reside on the property. It contains some of the finest examples of 19th century ornamental cast iron fence in the state, and the only documented remaining examples in Rapides Parish. Many of the grave markers and structures throughout the cemetery indicate architectural pretension due to design and materials used, particularly imported stone.

This cemetery is located in the proximity of what was originally the Poste du Rapides, the first colonial military outpost in the area (c. 1770). The Poste du Rapides grew to become present day AlexandriaPineville. Burial grounds were established on the cliffs above the river at the Grand Rapids to avoid flooding of the graves. Etienne Marafret Layssard was designated as commandant of Rapides on February 12, 1770, and thus began the Poste du Rapides. No marked graves, however, have survived from this time period. The oldest marked burial in the Rapides Cemetery dates back to 1809, belonging to that of Pierre Baillio, son of Pierre Baillio II, founder of the present day Kent House. Ennemond Meuillion, Revolutionary War veteran and commander of Post du Rapides in 1803, is also buried here, as well as many distinguished families, early settlers of Central Louisiana, and veterans of all U.S. wars. The Rapides Cemetery is the oldest public cemetery in Central Louisiana. Sometime after 1774 and before May 19, 1798, the Rapides Cemetery tract of land was designated and used as a public burial ground when Ignace Mailloux ceased to reside on the property. It contains some of the finest examples of 19th century ornamental cast iron fence in the state, and the only documented remaining examples in Rapides Parish. Many of the grave markers and structures throughout the cemetery indicate architectural pretension due to design and materials used, particularly imported stone.

Huey P. Long Hospital was the first of eight charity hospitals established in Louisiana as part of Huey P. Long’s vision in the 1930s to provide medical care to the state’s indigent population. Pineville was chosen as the site for the hospital due to its central location within the state; two charity hospitals already existed in New Orleans to the south and Shreveport to the north. Construction for the three-story blonde and red brick clad hospital was completed in 1939 under the administration of Governor Leche, opening as MidState Charity Hospital. The name was changed soon after it opened in honor of Huey P. Long. The 247-bed hospital and 17 additional structures sit on a 20 acre campus. The main building was designed in the Streamline Modern style, with a horizontal, streamlined form, ribbon windows, flat roof, and rounded two-story porch extensions. After over 70 years of service, the facility closed in 2014.

This building once housed all of Pineville’s city offices, including the fire station, city court, jail, library, mayor’s office, judge’s chamber, police department, and utilities office. When court was not in session, the courtroom housed the public library and driver’s license bureau. Restored to its 1935 appearance, it now operates as a municipal government museum. The facility was designed by Errol C. Barron, in as modern a style as could be afforded during the Great Depression. It is constructed of various shades of brown, textured brick, arranged in decorative motifs, reminiscent of the Art Deco style.

The Alexandria National Cemetery was established in 1867 on a site in Pineville after it was authorized by an Act of Congress on February 22, 1867 in the wake of the Civil War. It contains the remains of veterans who have served in every war, representing every branch of service since the 1860s. The United States, through the Secretary of War, took possession of this 8.24 acre parcel from the succession of Francois Poussin in 1871. Initially, there were 1,378 interments, 871 unknown, 507 known. Bodies were removed from many sites throughout Louisiana and Texas
and reinterred here. As of February 28, 1997, there were 7,647 sites used for the interment of 9,683 casketed remains and 57 sites used for the interment of 114 cremated remains.

The cemetery was originally enclosed with a picket fence, later replaced with a brick wall in 1870. The entrance is enclosed by wrought iron gates that date to 1938, which replaced an original wooden arch and double doors. The 1879 lodge was demolished and rebuilt in 1931. The Flag mound and flagstaff were replaced in 1950. The surveyed center of the state of Louisiana is located in the cemetery and identified by a square marble marker. Records indicate that there were two large gun monuments near the main entrance with an inscribed shield attached to one. These monuments were subsequently removed, but the shield was preserved and restored, and attached to the flagpole in 1953.