Dorcheat Historical Association & Museum, Inc.

"Night At The Museum" February 13th, 2012

2012-01-13T10:50:00.000-08:00

Return To Pearl Harbor

“Night At The Museum” With WWII Veteran Mr. Jack Holman

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum will hold its 1st “Night at the Museum” for the 2012 series of speakers on the second Monday night in February, 2012. Mr. Jack Holman will speak at the Dorcheat Historical Association and Museum on February 12^th, 2012, about the Pacific Theater of Operations and Pearl Harbor.

Jack Holman spent his childhood and teenage years in Macon, Mississippi. His family owned a 100 acre farm located three blocks from down-town, and bordering the Noxubee River on two sides. Jack and his childhood friends spent many hours on the river doing what boys do best, swimming, fishing and hunting squirrels, rabbits and quail, camping out and riding horses.

Then the world changed for Holman and his friends. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7^th, 1941. The

United States

declared war, and the rest is history. Jack spent nearly three years in the U.S. Navy in the American, European, and Pacific Theaters of War.

January 1^st, 1972 was the day Jack and wife; Mickey came to Minden, after Jack was transferred to the area with the Boy Scouts of America. Jacked retired from this organization after 26 years. The Holman’s liked Minden so much; they decided to call Minden their home.

Recently the College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, Missouri, chose Jack to return to Pearl Harbor with four other veterans and share memories of the war with ten college students. The tour lasted eleven days; Jack commented “What a tour!” Holman was also honored, to be part of group of Louisiana WWII Veterans that were treated to a day trip to Washington with the “Louisiana Honor Air” program.

Don’t miss your chance to hear about some amazing adventures. The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning room at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden, La. Museum doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with first-come, first-serve seating. Program begins at 6:00 p.m., admission is free with potluck desserts and snacks welcome.

For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish’s rich history visit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. Museum hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday 10 a.m. - noon. The museum admission is free. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.

The Bayou Questers Visit Museum In 2012

2012-01-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

Members of the Bayou Questers visited the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum on Thursday January 12, 2012.

The Questers is an international study club which was founded in 1944 by Jessie Elizabeth Bardens. Its major objectives are to stimulate an appreciation of antiques and their collection; and to encourage the preservation and restoration of existing historical landmarks. The motivating principles of the organization are to be found in the following words from Mrs. Bardens:

"Antiques are part of human history, a tangible record of the things of everyday living. A fascinating hobby, the study of antiques gives the most pleasure to those who strive to learn all they can about where, when, why and how they were made. Through discovery and knowledge of antiques, we may bring the past to life and profit by the experiences of previous generations."

Lakeside High School National Honor Society Visits Museum

2011-12-09T09:35:00.000-08:00

About 35 members of the National Honor Society from Lakeside High School in Sibley, Louisiana visited the Dorcheat Museum on Thursday, December 8th, 2011. The group had never been to the museum so their visit was a real treat for the students as well as the museum director. Many didn't know that Sibley once had a different name of Lanesville.

Christmas Time At The Museum

2011-11-22T13:54:00.000-08:00

A Glimpse of Christmas Past is the theme for the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum from now until the end of the 2011 year. Museum director Schelley Francis is encouraging everyone to come by the museum at 116 Pearl Street and take a peek at what Christmas was like over 100 years ago in Minden.

The museum is showcasing a collection of antique Christmas cards that date from 1910-1912 that were mailed to or from a Minden family. The O’Bier Cabin is decked out in pioneer style for the holidays with a tree and red & white quilts. Don’t miss taking a look at what the winter of 1892 was like in Minden with the special Minden Postcard exhibit.

Don’t forget the museum has a gift shop with some great local history gifts, cookbooks, prints and DVDs. Plus shipping and gift wrapping is available for your items.

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum will be hosting the Chamber of Commerce “After Hours” on Tuesday, December 13^th, 2011 from 5-7 p.m. at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. The theme of the evening is also “A Glimpse of Christmas Past”. So don’t miss your chance to see the museum during Christmas. The museum is free admission and free guided tours.

Museum To Host Chamber After Hours In December

2011-11-22T13:05:00.000-08:00

Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc.

Welcomes you to a “Glimpse of Christmas Past”

“Chamber After Hours”

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

From The

Dorcheat Historical Museum

116 Pearl Street

Minden, Louisiana

Tuesday, December 13^th, 2011

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

See Our History On Display & Get In The Holiday Spirit

Great Door Prizes

Please sign up for our email blast at

www.museuminminden.blogspot.com

Louisiana Travel Writers Come To Town

2011-11-22T12:53:00.000-08:00

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum was the gathering place for a Sunday breakfast hosted by Travel Host Magazine of Shreveport on November 20^th, 2011. A group of nine Louisiana Travel writers were guest at the museum on Sunday morning for a wonderful breakfast prepared by Mrs. Charlotte Martin. Main Street Coordinator; Pattie Odom and Tourism Director; Lynn Dorsey were in charge of the days agenda which started at the museum for breakfast and a tour. After a guided tour of the museum by museum director Schelley Brown Francis the group was then taken on a driving tour of Minden’s Historic Residential District by Francis. Around noon the group toured Minden’s Main Streets for a little shopping and a trip to Minden’s Art on Main Studio.

Travel writers often come in groups to our area to see what kinds of interesting things are going on in different parts of the state. This is a tourism based group so this is a great way for Minden to show what we have to offer in our area. Can’t wait to see what great stories come out of their visit!

Help Us Save Our History

2011-10-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

Dorcheat Historical Association

And Museum, Inc.

Happiness is accomplishing something you set out to do.

I know I join a number of others in being so happy that we have created a museum. Not only that, it is a very good one and our team is making it continue to move forward in many different ways. I say “our team” because we have had a remarkable number of folks join us in this endeavor. There are our private donors, large and small, our public bodies, and our businesses. There are our volunteer workers who have spent many hours painting, cleaning, keeping our financial records and archives, working on fund raisers, and soliciting donations. Then there are the donors of the objects for our displays, so very important to a museum. These have increased immensely now that our ability to display and preserve them has been shown. Certainly our “Night for the Museum” has been a team effort-- a very successful one at that!

Our paid workers, Schelley Francis and Larry Milford, are most important cogs in the team effort and continue to grow in their abilities to create and operate a museum.

We really have an amazing success! People are coming from all over to visit and enjoy the museum. Other museums have visited us to study our methods of promoting the museum, as well as our display technology.

We are calling on our supporters to provide the financial assistance that will enable us to continue to move forward in preserving our heritage.

Please fill out the enclosed card and send us your gift.

Come see us!

Thad Andress, President

P.O. Box 1094 116 Pearl Street Minden, Louisiana 71058

Click on each card to enlarge and print

Holiday Hours 2011

2011-10-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

North Louisiana United Way Meets At Museum October 12th, 2011

2011-10-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

McInnis Insurance hosted a meeting at the Dorcheat Museum Media/Learning Center room for the North Louisiana area United Way organization.

The Campbell Family “A Lasting Legacy” Packs Christopher's

2011-10-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum held its 5th and final “Night for the Museum” for the 2011 series of speakers on Monday night October 10th, 2011, to a record crowd. Cora Lou Brown Robinson, lifelong friend of the Campbell family, gave a heart-felt introduction as only a true friend can. Many of the Campbell family members traveled to Minden to attend the museum event.

Rebecca Campbell Marvin spoke first and was followed by John C. Campbell. Both spoke of their parents and uncles and the role these men played in their lives as well as the role they played in the history of Minden and the state of Louisiana. Of the seven Campbell brothers, Tom, John T., Cecil and Harry all moved to Minden from Bienville Parish. Tom Campbell served as Webster Parish Clerk of Court for 20 years. John T. Campbell and Cecil Campbell practiced law in Minden from the late 20s until they died in the 1990s. Harry Campbell served as Superintendent of the Webster Parish School Board. The brothers were significantly involved in the legal, political and educational community for over fifty years in the state of Louisiana.

At the end of the evening stories were told by audience members to add to the night’s memories. Foster Campbell, a cousin and member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission and former 26 year member of the Louisiana Senate spoke of what he had learned about being a public servant from his relatives.

If you missed your chance to hear about one of Minden’s most interesting and influential families a DVD of the evening is available for $10 at the museum. For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish’s rich history visit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. Museum hours: closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday 10 a.m. - noon. The museum admission is free. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.

DAR Donates to Preserve Webster Parish History

2011-10-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

The Dorcheat-Bistineau Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution made a memorial donation to the Dorcheat Historical Association in October. The group is scheduled to have two grave marker dedication ceremonies on October 22, 2011 for Mrs. Jo Kennon Williams and Mrs. Judy Kathryn Greer. Both of these women were longtime active DAR members and officers. The group will conduct a meeting and reception at the museum following this dedication. The donation was presented to the museum by DAR members Pat Peevy and Janice Mourad.

The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence. DAR has chapters in all fifty of the U.S. states as well as in the District of Columbia. There are also DAR chapters all over the world. The DAR motto is "God, Home, and Country." Some state chapters of DAR date from as early as October 11, 1890, and the National Society of DAR was incorporated by Congressional charter in 1896.

Martha Willis Johnson, Jane Sistrunk, Nancy Bickham, LSDAR Librarian and Betsy Moreland .

“Museum Gala Another Historic Event”

2011-09-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

September 12, 2011 Museum Gala

Monday, September 12, 2011 , the Dorcheat Historical Museum hosted its third fundraising event since the 2008 opening of the parish museum. “This fundraiser was a huge success, raising well over $25,000.” Becky Marvin & Janice Mourad, board members and gala event organizers reported. With over 150 guests in attendance, the museum was filled with anticipation of the night’s activities which included a silent auction, music by Pat Gladney and a first time viewing of artist; Larry Milford’s work on the new military exhibits located in the Media/Learning Center & Theater room.

“I think people were thrilled with the variety of silent auction items and the great variety of foods. We are so fortunate to have the support of so many people from far and wide. This year we had people sending auction items from a three state region. We are pleased with our progress and we know we couldn’t do any of it without so many generous friends and supporters of the museum.” stated Schelley Brown Francis.

B & B stays, paintings, large garden pottery arrangement, iron artwork, photography gift certificates and catering services were just a few of the over 100 items to pick from. The silent auction was a big hit with the crowd bringing in over $21,000 for the evening on the auction alone! “The members of the museum board would like to thank all of the local merchants for their generosity in helping us put all of this together.” Francis said.

The item that had everyone’s attention was an original painting by folk artist, Cora Lou Robinson. Last year Robinson’s painting of a birthday party at the Minden Community house was the number one item for the event. The 2011 painting depicted the 1941 Military Maneuvers that came thru Minden.

Robinson’s vivid memory of this event was captured on canvas for all to admire. Mrs. Robinson stated, “It was wonderful to be a child in the 1940s, especially in Minden. Even though a world war was going on, we all felt safe here. Nothing today can compare to the life we had. We created our own entertainment, and though we had no TVs, Wiis, or I-pods, no one could ever have had a better time than we did. I was six years old when the troops of the Louisiana War Games, or maneuvers, came through Minden. A convoy more than 50 miles long went through Minden on Highway 80, passing through downtown. I was watching the soldiers throw addresses to girls along the parade route and I couldn't imagine why they didn't throw me one. I will never forget that day and how proud everyone was of our soldiers and how patriotic all Americans were. I am so PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!” Once again Mrs. Robinson’s painting was the top fundraising item for the evening. The high bidder, Ann Harlan, is now the proud owner of this Cora Lou original. Harlan is a longtime collector of Robinson’s art and was thrilled to be the high bidder for the evening.

Many first time guests were amazed at the quality and beauty of the now three year old museum. “You really have something to be proud of!” a guest said. The museum is really a showplace for our area and has received quite a bit of notice from the Shreveport area on local TV stations, magazines and newspapers. This past summer over 400 people passed through the doors of the museum for private tours during the Summer Pioneer Program. With the Media/Theater room opened, it gives the museum an extra advantage of being able to offer this facility to others. “We can now rent this part of the museum out for meetings, reunions and parties, plus we have the added benefit of the theater system for Power Point or video presentations.” commented Francis. For more information on the Dorcheat Museum call 318-377-3002 or visit at

116 Pearl Street

. To sign up for updates visit the website at www.museuminminden.blogspot.com you can also find us on Facebook.

The Campbell Family “A Lasting Legacy” October 10th, 2011

2011-08-19T07:20:00.000-07:00

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum will hold its 5th and final “Night for the Museum” for the 2011 series of speakers on the second Monday night in October, 2011. Rebecca Campbell Marvin and John C. Campbell will speak to the Dorcheat Historical Association and Museum on October 10, 2011, on the role the Campbell family played in Minden . Of the seven Campbell brothers, Tom, John T., Cecil and Harry all moved to Minden from Bienville Parish. Tom Campbell served as Webster Parish Clerk of Court for 20 years. John T. Campbell and Cecil Campbell practiced law in Minden from the late 20s until they died in the 1990s. Harry Campbell served as Superintendent of the Webster Parish School Board. The brothers were significantly involved in the legal, political and educational community for over fifty years.

Don’t miss your chance to hear about one of Minden ’s most interesting and influential families. The event will be held at Christopher’s, 615 Main St. , Minden , La. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. , with first -come, first- serve seating. This program will draw a large crowd, so lawn chairs are recommended to insure a seat. Program begins at 6:00 p.m. , admission is free with potluck desserts and snacks welcome. For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish’s rich history visit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden . Museum hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday 10 a.m. - noon . The museum admission is free. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.

"Night At The Museum" September 12th, 2011

2011-07-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

“Museum Gala 2011”

Double Click on cards to enlarge them and right click to print them.

Monday, September 12, 2011 , the Dorcheat Historical Museum will be hosting its third fundraising event since the 2008 opening of the parish museum. “Last year the fundraiser was a huge success, and raised over $20,000.” Louise Snook, board member and gala event organizer reported. In 2010 over 125 guests were in attendance, the museum was filled with anticipation of the night’s activities which included a silent auction and a first time viewing of the new state of the art Media/Learning Center & Theater. This year promises to be no exception. A wonderful array of silent auction items plus lots of great food and a showing of what has been accomplished for the year is already in the works.

Cora Lou Robinson is in the process of painting 3 new original paintings for this event. Last year one of her paintings brought in over $5000 for the museum. We are really looking forward to seeing her new pieces. Other artists have also contacted us about donating original works; we are thrilled with the response. One of the artists is well known Minden artist Mrs. Chris Broussard. Broussard is also working on a new original painting. Updates will be announced as the event draws nearer.

The museum is really a showplace for our area and has received quite a bit of notice from the Shreveport area on local TV stations, magazines and newspapers. With the new Media/Theater room opening, it gives the museum an extra advantage of being able to offer this facility to others. “We can now rent this part of the museum out for meetings, reunions and parties, plus we have the added benefit of the theater system for Power Point or video presentations.” commented Snook. For more information on the Dorcheat Museum call 318-377-3002 or visit at 116 Pearl Street. To sign up for updates visit the website at www.museuminminden.blogspot.com you can also find us on Facebook.

Double click on cards to enlarge them and then you can right click on cards to print them. Please mail your response cards in with a check for $25 per person by September 1st, 2011. Dorcheat Museum P.O. Box 1094 Minden, La. 71058

WPCVB and Dorcheat Historical Association Making More Progress in 2011

2011-06-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc. and Webster Parish Convention and Visitors’ Bureau are working together to create a jewel in the Parish. “Since we began this project the Convention and Visitors’ Bureau has stood behind our efforts with the Dorcheat Museum projects.” Museum director, Schelley Brown Francis stated, “Without the WPCVBs support and help the museum would not be the showplace that it is today. I am proud to say that this organization since 2007 has seen the benefit of having a parish museum of outstanding quality. The museum has been visited by visitors from all over the world in the last few years. These visitor not only find out about history while they are taking a tour, but also what to see and do in the area while they are visiting the northern part of Louisiana. We sometimes recommend help with hotels, camping sites, restaurants, parks, and shopping or just a good spot for a family picnic and photo taking. That is why it is so great to have tourism director, Lynn Dorsey just a phone call away when I have a question or need help with a project or a visitor. Lynn and I work very well together and have really enhanced the visitor experience over the last few years. We have even given several driving tours of our historic districts to bus loads of visitors!”

In 2011 a grant award of $7,500 will be given with half the funds presented recently. The current projects in the works for the museum are the military exhibits located in the back part of the museum. This project is a big project and with the help of Larry Milford and Terry Snook should be a wonderful tribute to the armed forces of Webster Parish past and present. The museum also has plans for a KASO radio/ St. Jude exhibit that will tell the history of what Minden has done thru the years for St. Jude and the beginning days of the radio auction and the Treat family.

The museum is free admission with free tours given Tuesday-Friday. Hours of operation are Tuesday-Friday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., closed 1-2 for lunch, Saturday: 10 a.m. – noon. Special history gifts are given to each child visiting the museum. Large tours are welcome, by calling ahead and booking the date and time. The museum is up to date with social media, by being on Facebook and with email blast for those that have signed up thru the www.museuminminden.blogspot.com web site. Everyone is urged to visit the website and sign up for these email blast to find out what is going on at the museum. This is the best and fastest way you can find out about all the latest happenings.

The learning center and meeting room is now open and available for rent for meetings, reunions, parties etc. This part of the museum will be made available to outside groups for gatherings as well as a place to hear special speakers and programming at the museum. A state of the art sound and projection system was installed last year.

Francis closed by stating, “The board members for the museum are so grateful to have WPCVB behind us. The fact that they believe in what we are doing and have the vision to see how important we have become to our parish is so important. We look forward to our future of preserving our past for many years to come. We also look forward to the years ahead of us and our lasting relationship with tourism in our parish.”

Summer Is Here... Visit The Museum.... It's Free!

2011-05-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

Webster Association of Retired Teachers

2011-05-12T10:40:00.000-07:00

Webster Association of Retired Teachers Visit Museum

Thursday, May 12th, 2011 the “Webster Association of Retired Teachers” visited the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum for their annual year-end event. A special tour organized by museum board member Dr. Roy Phillips was provided by Schelley Brown Francis, the museum director. This interesting and informative tour took the members back through the time line of Webster Parish. The following members attended the event: Ms. Vila Dennis, President; Mrs. Catherine Terrell, Secretary. Members: Mrs. Marguerite A. Hayes Williams; Mrs. Mabel Jones; Mrs. Virginia Jefferson; Mrs. Mary Johnson; Mr. Nathaniel Johnson and Dr. Roy G. Phillips. Ms. Vila Dennis commented, “The tour was very informative and most enjoyable. After the tour the museum was presented a check by the group.
For your free group tour of the museum contact Mrs. Francis at 318-377-3002 or drop by the museum located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. You can also find information about the museum on Facebook and on the museum web site www.museuminminden.blogspot.com .

“Stories From The Past From A Minden Native”

2011-05-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum held its 4th “Night for the Museum” for the 2011 series of speakers on Monday night, May 9th, 2011. The event highlighted the history of the Miller and Inabnett family. The evening began with an introduction of the evening by parish historian John Agan followed by guest speaker Mr. Joe Miller Inabnett. Inabnett told of his rich family history that dates back to the 1820s in the Minden area. Many that were on hand have vivid memories of Inabnett’s mother, Mrs. Roy Miller Inabnett. Mrs. Inabnett was a Minden native for over 90 years and had many rich memories of a century of change and of life as she knew it growing up in Minden. This was an emotion filled night for many including Joe Inabnett as he recounted stories and family history that had been handed down to him by his mother.
“I am so glad I was able to attend tonight.” commented one of the out of town guests that had traveled from Little Rock. “All of the speakers this year have been great! I have learned so much about our area by coming to the museum nights.” stated another museum patron. The museum is now open free of charge Tuesday-Saturday. The summer program will begin at the end of the school year with more information to be announced soon. These events will also be something that anyone interested in history will not want to miss.
If you would like to hear the story as told by Mr. Inabnett or any of the other speakers you can contact the museum for your copy of the DVD for $10 each. For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com . You can also find the museum on Facebook.

3 Heads Are Better Than One

2011-04-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

“Three Members of One of Minden’s Oldest Famlies” The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum held its third “Night for the Museum” for the 2011 series of speakers to a packed house on Monday night, April 11th, 2011. The event highlighted the history of the Drew family. The evening began with an introduction of the evening by parish historian John Agan followed by Richard Drew Carey. Carey told of his extensive research of the Drew family with visits overseas and Utah seeking more information. Drew White followed with his story of the community of Overton and the hardships this family must have faced to just survive. The final speaker was the always entertaining Judge Harmon Drew telling stories of his grandfather and father. “Everyone just loves these museum events at Christopher’s.” commented an attendee of the night. “Where else can you go in Minden on a Monday night and see everyone in town and learn something about your surroundings free of charge? We really have something to be proud of.” stated another museum patron. The museum is now open free of charge Tuesday-Saturday. The next speaker will be Mr. Joe Miller Inabnett on May 9th, 2011. The summer program will begin at the end of the school year with more information to be announced soon. These events will also be something that anyone interested in Minden’s rich history will not want to miss. If you would like to hear the story as told by the Drew family members you can contact the museum for your copy of the DVD for $10 each. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com . You can also find the museum on Facebook.

Help Make History… Come Often

2011-04-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum is one of Minden’s great spots to visit. You can see bits of history and learn while you are enjoying the sights and sounds that this museum offers. At a recent board meeting admission cost was discussed and voted to be dropped as a way to give back to the community. Board members present for this decision were Cora Lou Robinson, Richard Campbell, Ann Harlan, Charlotte Martin, Janet LaBruyere, Louise Snook, Becky Marvin, John Agan, Janice Mourad and museum director Schelley Brown. Several board members stated that this year the museum has had 100s of visitors from all across the country. Many are so impressed with what our small parish museum has to offer. On a recent trip to Minden, Rick Rowe of KTBS 3 was just amazed at the quality of our Webster Parish museum. We want people to feel that they can drop by on an everyday basis and see what is new at the museum. Exhibit work changes so rapidly and if you don’t come in often you miss things. With free admission everyone can use the museum like they use the library. It is a facility with lots of material for school projects, genealogy research, or just to bring children and visitors to learn about our rich heritage. We want everyone to feel welcome and not limited to access because of a fee. The popular “Nights for the Museum” are another way that the museum offers history and entertainment for the people of Minden and the surrounding area. These events have become the place to be in Minden. The last speaker before the summer break will be Mr. Joe Inabnett on May 9th, 2011. Then the “Summer Pioneer” program for children will begin. All children that visit the museum receive a history filled book about our area. “I have found that the adults love the activity book as well as the children!” commented Brown. For meetings, parties, reunions, and other functions the new Media/Learning Center room is perfect. This room has a surround sound theater system and 90 chairs and available tables. This room is the perfect spot for non-profit organizations to have meetings or for small business meetings. Call for rates and availability on this area of the museum. The museum gift shop is a place to go for local items such as the popular museum cookbooks, Cora Lou Robinson prints, “Night for the Museum” DVDs and local history books. “We ship too!” commented Ms. Brown. The fourth and newest cookbook is in the works. These books are a great gift and filled with local history. The newest book is dedicated to stores and restaurants of the past in Minden. If you have not visited the museum at 116 Pearl Street you are really missing a local treat. Hours of operation are Tuesday-Friday 10:00 A.M.-4 P.M. closed from 1-2 for lunch. Saturday hours are 10:00 A.M.-noon. Special tours can be arranged by calling 318-377-3002. Find the museum on Facebook and visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to read more about Webster Parish history and sign up for the museum email blast about current happenings.

April 11th, 2011 "Night For The Museum" The History of the Drew Family in Webster Parish

2011-03-09T10:42:00.000-08:00

“The Drew Family a part of Webster Parish History since 1820s”
The Drew family and their part in our rich Louisiana history, will be the subject of the April 11th, 2011, Dorcheat Historical Association Museum’s “Night For The Museum”. Drew White, Richard Carey and Judge Harmon Drew will present a presentation of their family that dates back to the 1820s in our area.
European Settlement would begin in earnest a few years after Freeman and Curtis when the first settlers came to Webster Parish, following the waters of Dorcheat Bayou. The first settlement would occur in 1822, when Newitt Drew came to Louisiana from Middle Tennessee. Drew's trade was that of a gunsmith. He settled at the head of Lake Bistineau and a small settlement that would be called Overton named after the presiding judge for the area. This area soon grew up around him and his grist mill at the confluence of Cooley Creek and Dorcheat Bayou. By 1835, Overton would become the seat of Claiborne Parish. River commerce drove the community’s economy and soon warehouses and docks spread for nearly a mile along the Bayou.
However, the unhealthy location of the Overton settlement proved to be its demise as repeated outbreaks of Swamp or Yellow Fever devastated the population. By the late 1840s almost all residential presence at Overton had vanished and the business trade disappeared by the mid 1850s. Today nothing remains of this former parish seat, but a few graves in a cemetery atop a hill, isolated among gravel pits along Dorcheat Bayou.
Don’t miss your chance to hear about one of Minden’s most interesting families. Event will be held at Christopher’s, 615 Main St., Minden, La. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with first come, first serve seating. This program will draw a large crowd so lawn chairs are recommended to insure a seat. Program begins at 6:00 p.m., admission is free with potluck desserts and snacks welcome. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish’s rich history visit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. Museum hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday 10 a.m.-noon. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.

Minden’s Forgotten Literary Giant

2011-02-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

“One of Minden’s Great Mysteries”
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum held its second “Night for the Museum” for the 2011 series of speakers to a history seeking group on Monday night, March 14th, 2011. The event highlighted the life of one of the South’s and Minden’s forgotten literary greats, Ada Jack Carver Snell. Snell was the subject of Dr. Donnis Taylor’s doctoral dissertation, making Taylor the expert on the subject of Ada Jack Carver: that is to say if anyone can be on someone whose life was surrounded in mystery and reclusiveness.
Dr. Taylor’s extensive research on this woman that died in 1972 in a nursing home in Minden was evident. From the earliest writings of Carver, to her life at home with her parents, later her life here in Minden and then the tragic death of her young son were all highlighted in the evening’s museum event.
“I think everyone really came away with a feeling of who, what and why about Ada Jack, especially after hearing the tragic story of the scalding death of her child.” commented an attendee of the night. The whole story of Carver may never be truly known, but Dr. Taylor’s work has uncovered many unanswered questions and cleared up dates and contradictions of the past. Carver began to publish in 1915, but her most intense creative activity occurred in the mid-1920s with works published in Harper’s and several other well-known publications of that era. There will always be numerous unresolved mysteries surrounding the relationship between her life and her work. Ada Jack Carver Snell died in December of 1972 and is buried at the Minden Cemetery by her husband and infant son.
If you would like to hear the story as told by Dr. Taylor you can contact the museum for your copy of the DVD for $10 each. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com . You can also find the museum on Facebook.

“Ada Jack Carver Snell, Minden’s Forgotten Literary Giant”, will be the subject of the March 14th, 2011, Dorcheat Historical Association Museum’s “Night For The Museum”. Dr. Donnis Taylor will be speaking about one of the South’s greatest women authors. Dr. Taylor was born in El Dorado, Arkansas and lived there until she moved to Ruston to attend Louisiana Tech. In the middle of her freshman year, she married Sonny Taylor, a Ruston native. In 1963, the couple moved to Minden, when Sonny was hired to teach and coach at Minden High School. Dr. Taylor began her teaching career in Webster Parish, spending one year in Dubberly and four in Sibley before transferring to Minden High School, where she is remembered by many for teaching English twenty-four years before “retiring” from the public school system to enter higher education.
She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Louisiana Tech, and earned the Doctor of Philosophy degree at Southwestern Louisiana University (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette). Shortly after her retirement from Webster Parish, she accepted a position at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, where she is presently an associate professor of English, teaching Comp I, Lit I, and Advanced Composition. Every three years, when Southern Lit is offered, she teaches that as well, which gives her an opportunity to teach the works of Ada Jack Carver, alongside those of other great Southern writers.
Taylor is an active member of the Arkansas Philological Association (APA) and in 2009 served as the organization’s state president. She has presented numerous papers at APA and other professional conferences, and most of them have been about Ada Jack Carver, the subject of her doctoral dissertation. Four years ago, Dr. Taylor was awarded a Southern Arkansas University faculty research grant, which enabled her to do even more extensive research on the Minden author. One of the results of that study was the publication of one of her papers on Carver in the nationally circulated Philological Review, a juried literary journal published by the Arkansas Philological Association.
Ada Jack Carver Snell was born in Natchitoches in 1890. She married John B. Snell, in 1918 and moved to Minden. Born into an upper-middle-class Baptist family, Ada Jack Carver was raised in an atmosphere of distinction and ease in Natchitoches. The rich heritage and atmosphere of Louisiana’s oldest settlement filled her days as a youth. She would later remember these experiences with her colorful and descriptive writings of life in Louisiana.
Carver began to publish in 1915, but her most intense creative activity occurred in the mid-1920s with works published in Harper’s and several other well known publications of that era. There are numerous unresolved mysteries surrounding the relationship between her life and her work. Ada Jack Carver Snell died in December of 1972 and is buried at the Minden Cemetery by her husband and infant son.
Don’t miss your chance to hear about one of Minden’s most interesting past citizens. Event will be held at Christopher’s, 615 Main St., Minden, La. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with first come, first serve seating. Program begins at 6:00 p.m., admission is free with potluck desserts and snacks welcome. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com . You can also find the museum on Facebook.

Standing Room Only For POW Stories

2011-02-22T12:38:00.000-08:00

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum held its first “Night for the Museum” for the 2011 series of speakers to a standing room only crowd, on Monday night, February 21st, 2011. The event highlighted the early life of Bill Barkas and first cousin, Dr. Mattie Jacks Mosley. Both of whom are POW survivors from WWII in Manila.
This event was a lesson in survival and being proud to be an American citizen. The crowd traveled back in time to the years 1942-1945 in war torn Manila. Mosely and Barkas described in vivid detail their experiences and earliest childhood memories of life in Manila during the war years. Barkas went on to include his pride in becoming an American citizen and what it means to him.
It was early Monday morning, the 8th of December 1941, just hours after the Pearl Harbor attack, Zero fighters of the Empire of Japan flew to the Philippines in tight formation from the north, directing their attention to Manila, bombing strategic military targets. Panic quickly surged through the city of 800,000. The civilians of Manila prepared for the worst as banks were mobbed; stores were quickly emptied of canned goods and supplies. Within a few days, the Commonwealth President Quezon quickly declared Manila an "Open City" to avoid further destruction of what was then known as the “Pearl of the Orient”.
During this time over 3700 Americans, British, Australians and other Allied civilians would be interned at the centuries-old University of Santo Tomas. Prisoners built private shacks or shanties for their families around campus buildings, after the Japanese occupation of Manila, Santo Tomas main building was used to hold civilian POWs, and classrooms for sleeping quarters from January 4, 1942 - February 3, 1945.
These prisoners endured many hardships including the lack of food, water, and disease. Both Barkas and Mosely remembered the lack of food and water. Mrs. Mosley described how sick they became after they were finally given food, as their bodies became accustomed to foods again. Many were just skin and bones at their release including her parents. She said her parents would not let pictures be taken of them due to how much weight they had lost during the three year period.
Santo Tomas University was liberated by the US Army 1st Calvary Division (8th Regiment, 1st Brigade). Mrs. Mosely told of seeing General MacArthur in the streets and the thrill of being picked up by one of the first tanks rolling down the streets during the American liberation of the city. She described being scooped up by an American soldier and placed on the top of the tank as her parents followed behind. The first wave of soldiers was backed by five tanks from the 44th Tank Battalion. The university still educates to this day. A plaque, dedicated in 1954 tells the history of the main building as an internment camp.
The next “Night For The Museum” will be held March 14th, 2011. It will feature Dr. Donnis Taylor and with her presentation about Ada Jack Carver Snell. Snell is considered one of the South’s forgotten literary giants and one of Minden’s sometimes forgotten greats.
Events are held at Christopher’s, 615 Main St. in downtown Minden, La. Doors open at 5:30 with refreshments served at 6:00 p.m., free admission, first-come, first-served seating. Guests are welcome to bring their favorite appetizer or dessert. Drinks are provided. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192. Or visit the web site at www.museuminminden.blogspot.com or join on Facebook.

POWs speak at the first 2011 “Night For The Museum”

2011-01-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

POWs speak at the first 2011 “Night For The Museum”
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum will hold its first “Night for the Museum” for the 2011 series of speakers on February 21st, 2011 . Cora Lou Robinson is the chairwoman in charge of finding speakers this year. Cora Lou has an exciting lineup planned for the five guest speakers for 2011. This year admission will be free to these popular events with donations accepted and of course the popular potluck desserts and snacks welcomed.

The first event will highlight the early life of Bill Barkas and Dr. Mattie Jacks Mosley, both of whom are POW survivors from WWII in Manila . Barkas moved to Minden in 1967 and has a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech in Agricultural Engineering. He was born in the Philippines to an Australian father and Filipino mother. Bill became a US citizen on April 29th, 1965. Married to wife Edie, the couple has three children (Jessica, Bill Jr., Hanna) and 10 living grandchildren. Bill and Edie will be celebrating 54 years of marriage in March of this year. The couple is a member of the First United Methodist Church of Minden.

Dr. Mattie Jacks Mosley is a first cousin to Barkas. Dr. Mosley, Emeritus Professor of Library Science, LSU Shreveport retired from there in 1998. She has a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech in English, a masters in library science from LSU-Baton Rouge; and a Ph.D. in library and information science from the University of North Texas in Denton . Mattie was born in the Philippines. Her mother was Australian, and her father was American. She is married to Thomas Mosley and has two sons, Thomas Jr. and Chris, and three grandchildren. She has written articles for various professional journals and served as consulting editor for the Salem Press. She has served as president of the Louisiana Association of School Librarians and in various capacities for the American Library Association. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Performance Award on two occasions while at LSU-S. Since retiring, she enjoys traveling the world and the United States. The Mosleys are active members of St. James Episcopal Church in Shreveport. Mattie also is a volunteer at Live Oak Retirement Center.

This should be a very moving and educational night for Minden citizens as we travel back in time to the years 1942-1945 in war torn Manila. “You don’t want to miss this history filled evening of a first hand account of struggle and survival by two POWs.” Events are held at Christopher’s, 615 Main St. in downtown Minden, La. Doors open at 5:30 with refreshments served at 6:00 p.m., free admission, first-come, first-served seating. Guests are welcome to bring their favorite appetizer or dessert. Drinks are provided. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192. Or visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/

Let's Make History In 2011

2011-01-14T12:22:00.000-08:00

Let’s Make History In 2011
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116 Pearl Street is looking forward to the New Year and especially the lineup for the popular “Nights for the Museum” which will kick off in February. These history filled Monday nights have become the thing to do in Minden since they began in March of 2008. Christopher’s has hosted 25 speakers so far with an average attendance of 125 history lovers. “The museum board members are thrilled with our success and the attendance to the events. We never dreamed when we started that people would look forward to these evenings as much as they do. So much history was being lost in Minden every year as our older generation passed away. Now we have preserved so many wonderful stories and this year will be no different” stated Schelley Brown.
Brown commented, “Cora Lou Robinson is the speaker chairwoman this year and she has a wonderful lineup planned. These events are free of charge with donations accepted this year. As in the past potluck appetizers and desserts are welcome.”
The museum board is making plans for the parish schools. This year we want to encourage teachers to bring classes to the museum to learn a little more about the area where they live. Last year we had over 300 children come through for our Summer Pioneer program. This year we will expand that program for the summer offering free summer admission again. Teachers and groups are urged to call Schelley Brown at 377-3002 to make tour arrangements.
The new state of the art Theater system is also a new feature that was installed this year. This gives the museum the opportunity to host meetings and parties for outside organizations and it is available to book for parties and reunions. This system is similar to what the Minden Civic Center offers on a little smaller scale and is a great asset for our city. This room is perfect to show DVDs, PowerPoint presentations or slide shows. The Media/Learning Center also houses the work in progress LAAP exhibit and the military exhibit that should be completed this year. This exhibit highlights WWI to current conflicts and also honors the men and women killed in action from Webster Parish. Working on this exhibit, the museum has learned of a Webster Parish man that was killed on the Battleship Arizona at Pearl Harbor. Donations have been steady to put this exhibit together and Larry Milford, Richard Campbell and Terry Snook are working to make this a proper tribute to our soldiers.
New exhibits are in the works and new ideas are on the board for local artist Larry Milford to use his magic in creating a first class museum. “Every first time visitor we have is amazed at the quality of the museu. It’s always a “WOW” when they walk in the door! We have had visitors from other countries this year that have been so impressed at what we are doing here in Minden, La. It makes you so proud of your community.” said Ms. Brown.
If you would like to tour the museum, the hours of operation are Tuesday-Friday 10a.m.-4.p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch) Saturday 10a.m.-noon. Large tours are conducted Tuesday-Friday and by appointment on Saturdays. For more information visit the museum at 116 Pearl Street or call Schelley Brown at 377-3002. Visit the website at www.museuminminden.blogspot.com or join the museum on Facebook to keep up with the latest news.

KTBS Coverage of The Hunter Family

2011-01-13T06:30:00.001-08:00

http://www.ktbs.com/video/26478210/index.html This is a great story about Minden and the Hunter Family of Minden

Help Make Us Grown in 2011

2010-11-16T10:16:00.000-08:00

Click on each picture to enlarge to print then right click on the picture you wish to copy!

Ghost Walk 2010

2010-11-16T10:05:00.001-08:00

A great day for history November 13th, 2010 at the Minden Cemetery! Hosted by the Dorcheat Historical Association and Museum.

7th Old Minden Cemetery Ghost Walk 2010

Click on the album to view each picture.

Pratt-Lewis Duel
It was August 18, 1868 when Clarence Pratt and John Lewis of Minden Louisiana decided to settle a dispute of Honor between the prominent families. Lewis and Pratt are buried about 100 feet from each other in the Old Minden Cemetery.

Click on the link below to see more great pictures from the day.
http://picasaweb.google.com/RebelWolfSpirit/OldMindenCemeteryGhostWalk2010

Cora Lou Robinson Giclee Drawing December 1st, 2010

2010-10-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

On December 1st, 2010 the Dorcheat Museum will be drawing for a $300 value 50" x 24" canvas Giclee of Cora Lou Robinson's 1984 original art work "Minden, La. My Hometown Main Streets" circa 1940s.
Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Cora Lou Robinson and Easley’s Fine Art and Frame are teaming up for a fundraising project for the museum. December 1st, 2010 the museum will be drawing for a work of art for $5 for each ticket. This collaboration will be in the form of 50 x 24 Giclee canvas prints of one of Cora Lou’s original 1984 art works that was originally done for Minden Bank.
Cora Lou Robinson stated, “I was thrilled back in 1984 when Minden Bank asked me to do a painting for their 50th anniversary. I was not only pleased because I was asked, but because I love to paint my heritage--my memories of growing up in Minden. I paint a life, not perfect, but filled with all the wonderful things that matter in the world-- family, friends, church and the wonderful place where I grew up. Mine is a life I would not change a minute of and a place in time I wouldn’t change for any other.
Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “I am very excited about the museum being able to offer this reproduction of what many remember as a small print that was given away and later sold through the bank many years ago. To be able to get the artwork the same size as the original painting and on canvas is almost as good as having the original. The detail and colors are so much more vivid that the small prints. You may also purchase a Giclee canvas for $300 through Easley’s Fine Art and Frame studio in Minden. Artwork must be ordered and paid for at the museum located at 116 Pearl Street. Kerry Easley is also offering a 20 % discount on framing with your purchase.
Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, P.O. Box 1094, Minden, La. 71058 (be sure to include you name, address and phone number with your check), or you can purchase a canvas print for the cost of $300. For more information you can contact the museum at 318-377-3002 or visit the web site at www.museuminminden.blogspot.com

Cypress Area Garden Club Visits Museum

2010-10-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

On October 22, 2010 about 30-40 members of the Cypress Area Garden Club from the Benton area visited the Dorcheat Museum for a goup tour. This group spent a full day in Webster Parish visiting local attractions. This is just a few of our visitors in this picture.

Minden High Homecoming 2010

2010-10-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

Minden High Homecoming 2010

Minden High School Homecoming 2010. Many class memebers from the 50s, 60s and 70s enjoyed activites at the museum October 15th and 16th. Click on album to see all the pictures.

"A Lesson in Salt" with Mr. Jeff Girard

2010-10-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

“A Lesson in Salt” with Mr. Jeff Girard
On October 11th, 2010, “Night for the Museum” celebrated archaeology month. “We were so excited to have Assistant Professor of Anthropology at NSU Mr. Jeff Girard as our special guest speaker for the evening. Everyone learned so much from his topic on the “Archaeology of the Lake Bistineau Salt Works,” stated Schelley Brown.
Many were made aware of the ongoing work in the lake area by the state archaeologist. With the recent fires in the Lake Bistineau lake bed and the burning off of underbrush, everyone was surprised to discover how rich this area is in archaeology artifacts dating back to prehistoric times. Everyone that attended was pleasantly surprised in the rich history of the lake and our area.
Girard has an M.A., Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin. His fields of interest include: Site Distribution Patterns; Late Prehistory of the Southeastern and Southern Plains; Archaeological Method and Theory.
Girard has more than 20 years experience in archaeological research in the Southeast, Southern Plains, and Southwest. As regional archaeologist at NSU, he works with landowners in the identification and preservation of cultural resources on private land, carries out research projects in areas where little information is available, and promotes awareness of cultural resources through public presentations throughout northwestern Louisiana. Recently, he directed NSU's archaeological field school excavations at a major mound site in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. He has an ongoing project concerned with understanding landform and human settlement changes in the Red River floodplain of northwest Louisiana.
All DVD’s from previous speakers are available at the Dorcheat Museum located at 116 Pearl Street. These make a great gift, so drop by the museum and pick up your little piece of Webster Parish history today.” stated Schelley Brown. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192. Or visit the web site at www.museuminminden.blogspot.com

“Museum Gala A Historic Event”

2010-09-15T08:48:00.000-07:00

“2010 Museum Gala A Historic Event”

“Museum Gala A Historic Event”

Monday, September 13, 2010 , the Dorcheat Historical Museum hosted its second fundraising event since the 2008 opening of the parish museum. “This fundraiser was a huge success, raising over $20,000.” Louise Snook, board member and gala event organizer reported. With over 125 guests in attendance, the museum was filled with anticipation of the night’s activities which included a silent auction and a first time viewing of the new state of the art Media/Learning Center & Theater. This room will also house the military exhibit covering WWI to present day conflicts.

“Master Chef” Jim Begbie provided a lavish assortment of foods which included a variety of cheeses, sushi and caviar. “I think people were really pleased with the variety of silent auction items and the wonderful variety of foods. We are so fortunate to have the support of so many people from far and wide. We have been pleased with our progress and we know we couldn’t do any of it without so many generous friends of the museum.” stated Schelley Brown.

Golf trips, B & B stays, appliance gift certificates, photography gift certificates and catering services were just a few of the many items to pick from. The silent auction was a big hit with the crowd bringing in over $11,500 for the evening on the auction alone. “The members of the museum board would like to thank all of the local merchants for their generosity in helping us put all of this together.” Brown said.

The item that had everyone’s attention was an original painting by folk artist, Cora Lou Robinson. Robinson’s painting of a birthday party at the old Minden Community House was a top fundraising item for the evening. Many local people were depicted in the painting which was from a memory of one of Robinson’s own birthdays. The high bidder, Mrs. Margaret Evans, is now the proud owner of not one, but two Cora Lou originals. Mrs. Evans was also the winner of the St. Jude original that was raffled off at the 2010 Minden St. Jude Auction.

Many first time guests were shocked at the quality and beauty of the now two year old museum. A member of the 8th Air force Museum was in attendance and was quite impressed with what has been done in Minden. “I think what Larry Milford and others have accomplished is quite amazing for a small town museum.” a guest said. With visits this summer from Louisiana tourism professionals, we know by their input that we are doing things the right way.

The museum is really a showplace for our area and has recently received quite a bit of notice from the Shreveport area on local TV stations, magazines and newspapers. This past summer over 300 people passed through the doors of the museum for private tours during the Summer Pioneer Program. With the new Media/Theater room opening, it gives the museum an extra advantage of being able to offer this facility to others. “We can now rent this part of the museum out for meetings, reunions and parties, plus we have the added benefit of the theater system for Power Point or video presentations.” commented Brown. For more information on the Dorcheat Museum call 318-377-3002 or visit at 116 Pearl Street. To sign up for updates visit the website at www.museuminminden.blogspot.com you can also find us on Facebook.

October 11th, 2010 "Night for the Museum" with Mr. Jeff Girard

2010-08-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

Digging Up Bones “Night for the Museum” With Mr. Jeff Girard
October 11th, 2010, “Night for the Museum” will celebrate archaeology month. “We are excited to announce that Assistant Professor of Anthropology at NSU Mr. Jeff Girard will be our special guest speaker for the evening. This will give us an opportunity to learn about our very early history in this area,” stated Schelley Brown.
Girard has an M.A., Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin. His fields of interest include: Site Distribution Patterns; Late Prehistory of the Southeastern and Southern Plains; Archaeological Method and Theory.
Girard has more than 20 years experience in archaeological research in the Southeast, Southern Plains, and Southwest. As regional archaeologist at NSU, he works with landowners in the identification and preservation of cultural resources on private land, carries out research projects in areas where little information is available, and promotes awareness of cultural resources through public presentations throughout northwestern Louisiana. Recently, he directed NSU's archaeological field school excavations at a major mound site in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. He has an ongoing project concerned with understanding landform and human settlement changes in the Red River floodplain of northwest Louisiana.
This will be the last “Night for the Museum” series for 2010. These popular events have drawn an average crowd of around 200 per evening. “Many of our guests come from all over the country. The museum board is so pleased with the response from the community. All DVD’s from previous speakers are available at the Dorcheat Museum located at 116 Pearl Street. These make a great gift, so drop by the museum and pick up your little piece of Webster Parish history today.” stated Schelley Brown.
Events are held at Christopher’s, 615 Main St. in downtown Minden, La. Doors open at 5:30 with refreshments served at 6:00 p.m. Free Admission to this event. First-come, first-served seating. Guests are welcome to bring their favorite appetizer or dessert. Drinks are provided. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

The Civil War Years In Minden

2010-08-18T08:06:00.000-07:00

Don't miss our newest book about Minden's rich history!

This book contains 24 of Webster Parish Historian, John Agan's columns dealing with the Civil War Era in Minden. Cost of book is $25 plus $5 for shipping and handling. Mail your check to Dorcheat Museum P.O. Box 1094 Minden, La. 71058

"Night At The Museum" September 13th, 2010

2010-07-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

Join us for an evening of Food, Fun, Festivities and Fundraising....We will be unveiling the new state of the art Media/Learning Center and Theater....Catered by "Master Chef" Jim Begbie.....Silent Auction... Cost $25 Per Person payable to Dorcheat Historical Museum.... Must send money by September 1st, 2010 to P.O. Box 1094 Minden, La. 71058.
Don't miss this night of history. For more info call Schelley Brown at 318-377-3002.

If you have something that you think we could use for our silent auction and you would like to highlight your business please give me a call at 318-423-0192.

New Book To Benefit the Museum

2010-07-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

This book could be called Minden, Louisiana:1838-1938, but it's not really a history. When I Was a Little Girl and After, Too is the memoirs of a Southern lady who lived her life in the middle of her family's history. Treeby Miller Andress--a Minden High School and Newcomb College graduate, teacher, wife and mother of three--provides a humorous account of her own early days in Minden and a somewhat more serious account of her ancestors' lives. They were prominent business, civic and church leaders for the entire hundred years covered. This book was compiled by son, Thad Andress as a loving memorial to his grandmother and mother. Click on card for information to order book. Cost is $15 plus $5 for ship and handling.

Mail you checks to Dorcheat Museum

P.O. Box 1094 Minden, La. 71058 or visit the museum at 116 Pearl Street.

Spend your summer as a History Pioneer

2010-05-19T10:13:00.001-07:00

Be a History Pioneer at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum. The Webster parish museum located at 116 Pearl Street is offering free summer admission to everyone, beginning with the end of the school year. Tuesday – Friday special 30 minute to 1 hour tours will be offered for young and old. Each child will receive a special museum activity book when they visit plus everyone will learn a little Webster parish history. Schelley Brown commented, “I hope that all parents and grandparents will take advantage of our free admission programs this summer. With the high cost of summer activities for children we wanted to be the place you can come to for an hour or so without having to spend a dime. We want to be able to fill a void for our visitors and children on summer vacation in our area. I have several types of tours for all ages plus I plan on having antique cars and tractors on display throughout the summer in front of the museum. We hope to have our theater room finished before summer is over which will be a great bonus for everyone. The museum is a fun place to visit and I know that everyone will enjoy the history activity book that they will receive at the end of their tour.” For group tours it is suggested to call ahead. For more information call the museum at 377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com .

Sometimes History Happens Right In Front Of You

2010-05-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

Elshout and VandenOord Story

Click on album above to see all the pictures
A story right out of “A Band Of Brothers”
The Elshout and VandenOord Story

Sometimes you not only get to hear history but you get to witness it. So was the case at the May 10th, 2010, “Night For The Museum”. The remarkable story of WWII bravery in war torn Holland was told by Michael Elshout and Marcel VandenOord. A moving introduction these young men, by Cora Lou Robinson, set the tone for the evening.
First to speak was Michael Elshout, grandson of Leo Elshout. Michael started his talk with the phrase, “I once knew a man…” He spoke of his grandfather Leo’s bravery, courage, and dedication to his family and his country of Holland and his love for America. Leo Elshout and his relatives were heroes to nearly 50 allied soldiers during “Operation Market Garden” in September 1944. Hiding glider pilots from German soldiers for almost 2 months, this family risked their lives to save others from almost certain death.
Operation Market Garden was the code name of an operation planned by the allied forces to take control of three strategic bridges in Holland. The allied forces of Britain, the United States, and Poland sent gliders and paratroopers into the countryside of Holland, which was heavily occupied by German forces. September of 1944 would change many lives forever. Two soldiers, Tinsley Connell from Minden and Leo Elshout from Holland, crossed paths that September. This day would begin a journey that would become a life-altering event for both. Connell would later sponsor Elshout so that he could come to Minden.
One particular part of the story dealt with the 101st Airborne Division. The American soldiers were cautious and not as trusting as the British soldiers that had landed the day before. When Leo and his cousin, David arrived at the site of the glider landing, Leo showed the American soldiers the note that the British soldiers had written, saying that Leo was to be trusted to help. The American commander was Russell Vaught. Vaught at one point during the rescue held a gun to Elshout’s back and told him that if anything went wrong, he would kill him first. Fortunately for the soldiers and Elshout, all arrived safely to their hiding place.
For Elshout’s acts of bravery he received a Presidential Citation signed by then General Dwight D. Eishenhower and was presented with the King’s Medal for Courage by the British Counsel in New Orleans.
Next to speak was Marcel VandenOord cousin to the Elshout family. Marcel’s father was also a key participant in underground operations during WWII Holland. Marcel told of the hardships his parents endured in their native country before arriving in Minden. He also told of his mother’s arrival in New York and that she was quite surprised when she was told that she had not reached her final destination of Minden yet!
Schelley Brown commented, “The event that topped the evening was in the final minutes when all the members of the family were asked to take the stage for questions. It was during this time that funny events and stories were shared by members of the audience. It was then that two strangers, a man and a younger woman sitting on the front row stood up. As the gentleman choked back tears the room fell silent. He introduced himself as ‘My name is Joe Vaught and it was my father that held the gun to Leo’s back. I have been searching for this family for many years. Leo Elshout saved my father’s life.’ You could have heard a pin drop as the tears began to flow from everyone’s eyes. The young woman stood up and introduced herself as Kristi Vaught.”
This father, daughter team had come a long way to tell their part of this story. Kristi had flown in from Honolulu, Hawaii to ride from Houston, Texas with her father. Kristi had found the story on the museum web site several months ago. Brown said, “She had contacted me but never really said why she was interested in the story. We were all shocked to have this part of history played out right before us all at Christopher’s. The Elshout and VandenOord families were equally as surprised and pleased. Kristi also supplied all of us a diary that was written during this time by a possible Elshout relative. She has been doing research on this for 13 years or so. I think Joe and Kristi will be back soon. They were so taken with our town and our people that I feel sure they will be visiting us again.”
The May event was the last in the 2010 series of speakers before the summer break. The “History Pioneer Program” has now started at the Dorcheat Museum. Free admission to the museum all summer long. Special tours will be given Tuesday – Friday and by appointment. All children will receive a special history coloring book with their visit to the museum. Museum board members hope everyone will take advantage of the free summer programs. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

2010-05-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

Cruisin For A Cure Wheels Through Time Show & Shine 2010

Click on Album above for pics

Weatherman Reports Of Hail, Tornados and Rain Hampers 2010 Show

The “2010 Cruisin’ For A Cure Wheels Through Time Show and Shine” once again is hampered by weather. Schelley Brown show promoter stated, “We had great pre-registration of 79 vehicles. That is usually 1/3 or sometimes ¼ of the number that will actually show up for a show. I knew from the week long weather reports that we may have some problems. People started calling from Mississippi, northern Arkansas and south Louisiana on Tuesday and Wednesday about the weather and if we were going to postpone. You just can’t postpone this type of event because you have no way to contact folks after you do so much wide spread advertising. With the threat of hail and tornados you are going to lose a lot of folks. We ended up with 116 registered by the end of the day. People just can’t take the chance of coming out with these types of vehicles. They have too much money invested to risk any damage. Many still came to the show they just came in the everyday cars. We did still have one group of motorcyclist come from north Arkansas. They ended up trailering the bikes and unloading at the Holiday Inn to attend for the first time.”
The weather turned out fine with the exception of a little rain around 8 a.m. other than that the overcast day was fine for show goers. The silent auction was a big success and the R & V Works fish cooker raffle went over big this year. With the help of show volunteers over 1000 $1 tickets for the cooker were sold and over $3,000 was made with the silent auction. Total numbers are not in for the show with outstanding bills still to be paid but Brown reported that even with the weather issue they could still end up with around $7-8,000 to split.
David Barnhill was the lucky winner of the $500 vehicle prize money. David graciously turned around and presented $300 to Terry Gray the grandfather of Brock Haines Cassell a recent St. Jude patient. The Ark-La-Tex Antique and Classic Car Association was the $200 club winner for the most pre-registered cars with a total of 8 cars registered before the April deadline. Margaret Evan was the winner of the fish cooker. Margaret graciously donated the cooker to the Dorcheat Historical Association to use in an upcoming September event.
“I have so many people to thank this year. I could not have done this years show without all my corporate and individual sponsors and the Webster Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau. Without our money sponsors we could not even start to do a show. Besides sponsors I also have to thank the Hunters and Coca-Cola of Minden for their continued support from the very beginning in 2004, Durwood Blake and Billy Reeves help with sound equipment, Ronnie Sale for his help with the stage and electrical, the members of the Dorcheat Bottom Band with guest Aubrie Stahl and Hunt Powell these folks rocked the fairgrounds, Mike Spillers aka “Elvis” the King of Rock n Roll in Minden, the city of Minden employees, Larry Tims of Fairway Carts, Jimmy Hall and his crew from Party Express Catering with their great food, Wayne Hatfield of Hatfield Ice in Homer, members of the Ark-La-Tex Antique and Classic Car Association, members of the Dorcheat Historical Association museum for all of their volunteer help at various task and stations during the day, my good friends Debbie & Barry Warner and Pam Holley for their help with registration since 2004, Joe Morgan for his expertise in fish cooker raffle ticket sales, Mitzi and Mike Madden for all that they do in so many ways, Danny Francis for his constant help and support, John and Melinda Parnell, Eddie and Katie Sangid, Shawn Lewis, Lynn Dorsey, Lou and Terry Snook for lots and lots of extra hard working hours before, during and after the show. All of these people and many more are what make this show work and run smoothly. Without them I would never attempt to do this.”

A Great Partnership For Tourism

2010-04-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

Schelley Brown, Larry Milford, Thad Andress from museum except check from Kerry Easley and Lynn Dorsey from Webster Parish Convention and Visitors' Bureau.

Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc. and Webster Parish Convention and Visitors’ Bureau have been working together for many years on the Dorcheat Museum. Museum director, Schelley Brown stated, “Without the WPCVB the museum would still be working on the first phase of the project. I am proud to say that this organization through the last several years has seen the benefit of having a parish museum. The museum is the go to place for out of town visitors that are searching for information and a place to experience something a little different than what many small towns offer. They not only find out about history while they are taking a tour, but also what to see and do in the area while they are visiting the northern part of Louisiana. We sometimes recommend hotels, camping sites, restaurants, parks, and shopping or just a good spot for a family picnic and photo taking. We have gone beyond just giving out and preserving historical information when it comes to our visitors. That is why it is so great to have tourism director, Lynn Dorsey just a phone call away when I have a question or need help with a project or a visitor.”
Since 2007 WPCVB has been a huge supporter of the museum. Brown commented, “When we first started working on the museum. The board knew that we would need a lot of money to get off the ground to complete the construction and repairs on just the building. That was before we even thought about the exhibits. I was hired to help raise awareness and money in 2007.” The board begin working with WPCVB soon after. The first year the museum was generously awarded $50,000 to get started on the front room exhibits. This amount of money from tourism freed up the money that the museum was raising with cookbook sells and donations to repair the roof and totally rework the front half of the 116 Pearl Street building. In 2008 a matching grant of $25,000 was awarded with the museum exceeding that amount in expenditures for the year on more exhibits for the front room. In 2009 another matching grant of $20,000 was given to upgrade exhibit lighting and enhance new exhibits that were being built in the front area. Again the museum far exceeded their expenditures for the year. During this time Dorcheat Historical Museum produced a brochure that was distributed state wide to travel centers that was funded by WPCVB. This brochure has been a big help in getting the word out and in fact is in need to be reorder soon.
In 2010 the grant award of $5,000 was given. The current projects in the works for the museum are the reconstruction era case, police and public officials and commerce exhibits. The theater room and military exhibits located in the back part of the museum will soon be a learning center and meeting room. This part of the museum will be made available to outside groups for gatherings as well as a place to hear special speakers and programming at the museum. A state of the art sound and projection system is currently being installed. Hopefully by the beginning of the school year this section of the museum will be up and running.
Brown closed by stating, “Neither I nor my board members can ever fully express our gratitude to WPCVB for believing in us and having the vision to see what we would become for our parish. We look forward to our future of preserving our past for many years to come. I also look forward to a long and lasting relationship with tourism in our parish.”

History Buffs Turn Out For “A Night for the Museum” with Mr. John Agan

2010-04-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

Monday, April 19th, 2010, was a special night for history lovers. John Agan, lifelong resident, local author, newspaper columnist, history teacher and the official Webster Parish Historian was the guest speaker at The Dorcheat Historical Association’s “A Night for the Museum”.
Agan took a look at Minden’s past leading up to and during the Civil War years. John Agan presented an informative night dealing with this trying time in Webster parish history. John’s extensive research on the subject was evident by all the facts that he presented in his talk. Schelley Brown stated, “I think a lot was learned tonight about Minden. I think everyone found out things that they never knew about the town that we live in. We had quite a few new faces this month which I was pleased to see. Our goal is to offer programs that will draw in different people with different interest.”
The next event will be held May 10th, 2010. You don’t want to miss a wonderful tribute story of World War II courage. Learn about the Dutch families of the Elshouts and VandenOords and how they came to settle in Minden after World War II. Brown stated, “This is a story that everyone needs to hear!”
“Night for the Museum” events are held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden, Louisiana. Doors open at 5:30. Everyone is asked to bring a favorite snack or dessert. Refreshments will be served at 6:00 P.M. Program will begin at 6:30. Admission is $5 and everyone is welcome. For more information on “A Night for the Museum” please contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com . Reservations not required. First come, first serve seating.

LAMcon10 THE FUTURE IS NOW!

2010-04-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

Dorcheat Historical Association Museum Members In Baton Rouge

Louisiana Association Of Museum Annual Meeting and Conference 2010 was held Monday April 12th and 13th at the Old State Capital building in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Schelley Brown, director Dorcheat Historical Association Museum and Eddie Hammontree, collections cataloger attended the annual event. This event is an assemblage of museum employees from across the state for idea and information exchange with others in the field.
Key note speaker for the event was Dr. Lonnie Bunch III, the director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. This is a yet to open venture for the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. This new museum will be built next to the Washington Monument in the near future. Bunch spoke of the vast work that is yet to be done on this project and how this new museum should make an impact on everyone that visits. Bunch has worked with the Smithsonian for many years and has acquired many artifacts and images for this new museum. Schelley Brown stated, “I learned a lot from listening to Dr. Bunch, about the importance of how exhibits are presented to the public to make the most impact visually and emotionally. I also learned the great deal of time it takes to get a museum started.”
Brown and Hammontree also learned that the Dorcheat Museum was right on target for what our local facility is trying to accomplish with local parish history. Brown commented, “The very first meeting that we attended was about spreading the word through new social media. We have been doing this since day one. We have a Facebook group where we get the word out to those members about upcoming events, we list on the internet sites, we are working on a new email marketing program, we have our Blog that is updated weekly about each event and happening dealing with the museum. About the only thing we are not doing is using Twitter. In fact we were surprised that many were not familiar with these applications.”
Eddie Hammontree commented, “As far as activities we seemed to be at the forefront. Compared to other museums we seem to offer more programs to the public on a regular basis. One conference attendee that knew about the Dorcheat Museum commented she was envious of the public response to our programming.” It is good to know that our local museum is on track to be a top notch facility for our area.

Minden Cruisin For A Cure Wheels Through Time Just Around The Corner

2010-04-09T08:58:00.001-07:00

Saturday May 1st, 2010 will be the 7th year in Minden, Louisiana that antique and classic transportation enthusiasts have rolled into Minden. This show is no longer just a car show it is now a car, motorcycle, tractor and anything that rolls show & shine.
Held at the Minden, Louisiana Fair Grounds, you don't want to miss the 7th annual open class vehicle show and shine. If it has wheels you need to bring it out. This year’s show will include a silent auction, raffle items, $500 cash drawing for one lucky vehicle entry, good fun, good people and a great time. Live music will be provided by Minden’s own Elvis, Mr. Mike Spillers and the Dorcheat Bottom Band with a few special guests including Aubrie Stahl to keep toes tapping for most of the day. The chrome will be blinding and the music rocking. Bring your lawn chairs and spend the day!
Lots of goodie-bag items, plenty of Coca-Cola NASCAR products and maybe even a few surprises before the day is over. Most of all lots of GREAT CARS, Tractors, and Motorcycles (over 300 vehicles have registered in the past with 4000 spectators attending this event)! Food vendor this year will be Jimmy Hall and his Party Express Catering from Minden. Their great food will be a great addition to the show! Members of Boo Benefit Rally will be on hand with the 2010 Harley Davidson and trailer that will be raffled off in October 2010 in Jefferson, Texas. Richard Clark from Cruisin’ Style Magazine will be on hand to cover the show in an upcoming issue. Local photographer Jeff Scott Photography will be another new addition to the show. You will be able to have your vehicle photos turned into a work of art. This year the show has added available vendor and swap meet spots. Please call 318-423-0192 if you would like to be a vendor or have swap meet spot needs.
Show organizer and promoter Schelley Brown reports, pre-registration is going great. This year the extra incentive for pre-registering is two chances in the hopper for the $500 cash drawing that will be given to a lucky show participant and $200 to the club with the most members pre-registered, Brown exclaimed, “This year, with many folks in need of extra money, I thought this would be a good way to get folks to travel the distance to come to Minden. Coming to a show is an expensive endeavor with gas, hotel and food cost on the rise. We are praying for beautiful weather and big crowds! I hope everyone in the area will come out and show their support and see the beautiful cars, trucks, tractors, bikes and just enjoy the day. The advertising for this show is sponsored in part by the Webster Parish Convention & Visitors’ Bureau. This show is a big economic impact for our community. Many of these visitors come for the weekend not just for the day of the show. They eat locally, stay in a hotel, and buy gasoline. They do a lot of spending at our local businesses. I hope the people of Minden welcome them as they visit our area.”
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc. are two great causes that benefit from the 2010 event. Brown commented, “The show has given $73,000 to St. Jude since 2004! Next years plans are in the works to give ½ of the net proceeds to the Susan Komen foundation for breast cancer research in North Louisiana. Giving to any cancer research is something that I feel strongly about. Our local history is something that I am also passionate about. I am proud that the show has been able to give $13,000 to the Dorcheat Museum.
For more information please contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192 or iluvoldcars@yahoo.com .
For more information on the car show and registration information and forms visit the web sites. www.mindencruisinforacure.com and www.mindencruisinforacure.blogspot.com .

Minden Curisin For A Cure Wheels Through Time 2010

2010-03-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

Saturday May 1st, 2010 will be the 7th year in Minden that vehicle enthusiasts have come together to show they care. Held at the Fair Grounds, you don't want to miss this show & shine, games, silent auction, $500 cash drawing plus other great prizes, live music, good fun, good food, good people and a GREAT time! Lots of goodie-bag items, plenty of Coca-Cola products. Most of all lots of GREAT CARS, TRACTORS & MOTORCYCLES (over 300 vehicles have registered in the past with 4000 spectators attending this event)!
After much thought and advice from other enthusiasts I have made a change. Due to the growth of the show, and the cost and time involved there will be NO JUDGING OR TROPHIES THIS YEAR! I HOPE ALL OF YOU WILL JUST COME TO HAVE FUN AND SUPPORT THE SHOW! Remember it isn't about winning. We are all winners when it comes to this show. Info # 318-423-0192. PLEASE SAVE THE DATE! Web site updated soon!
This car show has given $73,000 for cancer research since 2004 and $13,000 to the Dorcheat Historical Museum. Two great causes that are important to our community benefit from your show support. See you in May! www.mindencruisinforcure.com

Claiborne Electric Co-op Grant To Help Us!

2010-03-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

Co-op members donate more than $22,000 to local causes
Seven charitable organizations in the communities served by Claiborne Electric Cooperative recently received a total of $22,138.34 in grants from Co-op members participating in the Operation Round Up program.
Grant recipients included Dorcheat Historical Association & Museum, First United Methodist Church of Minden, J. E. Harper Elementary School, Dubberly Police Department, Haynesville Elementary School, Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Cross Roads Community Center.
Operation Round Up is a community service program that gives Claiborne Electric members the option to allow their bills to be rounded up to the next whole dollar. The difference in the actual bill and the rounded amount is deposited into the Operation Round Up Trust Fund. The funds accumulated are dispersed to charitable causes in the communities served by Claiborne Electric.
The program is governed by the Claiborne Electric Operation Round Up Trust Board. The board consists of nine Claiborne Electric members from across the Co-op’s service area. The board receives and reviews applications for the funds, makes decisions about allocation, and disperses the funds accordingly. The Trust Board met March 16 to assign donations. During the week of March 22, grant checks were presented to representatives of the recipient organizations.
Dorcheat Historical Association and Museum is located in Minden. The museum features exhibits on local history. More than 1,000 people visited the museum last year, with many repeat visitors. The organization was granted $7,500.00 to aid in renovating an area that is currently used for storage into a theatre with a seating capacity of 80.
First United Methodist Church of Minden’s Ramp Up ministry was granted $5,440.55. The ministry is used as a means to construct wheelchair ramps for people in need. Between March and December of 2009, 17 wheelchair ramps were constructed through the program. The grant will be used to purchase lumber and metal materials for the ramp-building ministry. The grant will purchase enough materials to build five ramps.
J.E. Harper Elementary School is a public school serving 340 students in Webster Parish. The school was granted $3,278.00 to purchase an interactive whiteboard, commonly known as a SMART board, with a projector and a stand. The whiteboard is a highly technological teaching tool and will be used in the school’s 3rd – 5th grade classrooms.
Dubberly Police Department serves 290 residents in the south Webster Parish town. The department was granted $499.95 to purchase a vehicle partition for a patrol unit. The partition will be used to create a barrier between an officer and the person in the backseat of the patrol unit.
Haynesville Elementary School is a public school serving 240 students in Claiborne Parish. The school was granted $2,769.85 to purchase classroom computers. The computers will be used in the special education classroom of teacher Mary Presley.
Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Department serves 16,500 parish residents. The department was granted $1,499.99 to purchase a new office printer for the Tax & Civil Department. The printer will replace the one currently in use, which does not work properly.
Cross Roads Community Center is located in south Claiborne Parish and serves as a voting precinct and a place for community events. The organization was granted $1,150.00 to make repairs to the aging building. The repairs will include having the outside of the center professionally cleaned, scraped, painted and sealed.
The recent grants approved by the Trust Board pushed the organization’s donated total to $325,309.42. The program has been used to award 81 grants to organizations, individuals and families since the first grants were dispersed in Oct. 2007.
For more information on Operation Round Up, or to obtain a grant application for an individual, family or organization, please contact Joey White or EmmaLee Tingle at 318.927.3504.

March 25, 2010
Contact: EmmaLee Tingle
Claiborne Electric Cooperative

Following Your Roots From Devonshire, England to Minden, Louisiana

2010-03-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

Minden’s early citizens were a diverse group. Many long journeys from across the waters ended in Minden, Louisiana for one reason or another. Surprising to visitors doing family history research, many of these original families still call Minden home. Museum director Schelley Brown commented, “When someone comes in the museum with a noticeably different accent, I always ask them where they are from. I am always surprised by what they tell me and the reason why they are visiting Minden and the Dorcheat Museum.”
A recent visit from Veronica Franklin and John Bone from Devonshire, England was a dream come true. Franklin was traveling the United States coast to coast in an RV, with the mission of tracing her family tree. When she walked in the door of the Dorcheat Museum she was shocked to say the least at what she found. Ms. Brown exclaimed, “She told me she was researching her family and had I ever heard about the Chaffe family? I smiled because I knew I was about to make her day. I said we have lots of Chaffe artifacts and even more information. I told her “in fact” the president of the Dorcheat Historical Association was a man named Thad Andress and that Mr. Andress’s grandmother was a Chaffe. I think I could have knocked her over with a feather after that!”
Her planned one day stay ended up being a two day stay in Minden. A museum tour, followed by a tour to the old Minden Cemetery to see the graves of ancestors, a tour through the Minden Historic Residential District; to point out old family homes was given by Brown. A phone call to Mr. Andress (third cousin once removed of Franklin) resulted in a tour of St. Johns’s Episcopal Church, dinner with the Andress family and many hours of looking at photos, letters and old family history to the delight of both Andress and Franklin. Franklin told Schelley and Mr. Andress, “Minden is the best place she had been so far during her trip to the United States.” Thad Andress commented, “This was a highlight in my life to meet this relative from England.” Andress had traveled to Devonshire in the past but had never searched out long-lost family members.
This is what the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum hopes to achieve for many people that are doing research on their families. To learn more about the museum you can visit Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. - 4p.m. (closed 1-2 for lunch) or Saturday 10a.m – noon. The museum website is www.museuminminden.blogspot.com . For special group tours call 318-377-3002. Help us make history in 2010.

Museums Are Always A Work In Progress

2010-03-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

A Work In Progress For 2010, The Back Room Of The Museum!

“If you haven’t been you are really missing out!”, stated museum director Schelley Brown. We have been open less than two years now but we are constantly moving forward. This year the museum is working on completing the back room which will be a learning center, theater / meeting room. This back room will also house a Webster Parish military exhibit. The military exhibit will highlight WWI to present with a special exhibit on Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant.
“The back room will be seat between 80-100 people and will be available to organizations for meetings and special gatherings. We hope to have programs available soon for our school children in this room. The cost of this project is a factor that we are always working on. We hope that people will come by and visit the museum and want to be a part of this addition to our city and especially our parish. We have many out of town visitors coming in and they just can’t believe how nice the museum is. In fact some or just plain shocked!” exclaimed Ms. Brown.
Ms. Brown remarked that local artist Larry Milford has been busy with new lighting systems and getting quotes and bids for the theater sound system and projection equipment. The museum has a wonderful piece of marble that came from the old court house that will be the base for the stage area. Seating will need to be ordered and exhibits will need to be finished. An estimate of $100,000 will be needed for the back room completion. The large case for the military exhibit is now in place. This case is a huge start for the 2010 project.
If you would like to join the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc. please contact Schelley Brown at 318-377-3002 or drop by the museum located at 116 Pearl Street.

You can mail your tax deductible donation to:

Dorcheat Museum
P.O. Box 1094
Minden, La. 71058

Dorcheat Historical Association Museum Hours:
116 Pearl Street Minden, La.

Closed Monday,
Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. closed from 1-2 for lunch
Saturday 10 a.m. – noon
Closed on Sunday
Museum is available after hours by appointment.
Cost is $4 adults and $2 children with group pricing available for groups
Based on the age of the group, tours last 30 minutes – 1 hour

“Monday Night Football At Christopher’s Was A Big Success”

2010-03-09T09:21:00.000-08:00

March 8th, 2010, “Night For The Museum” with Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame member Dr. Charlie Hennigan was a big success with guest from as far away at Grand Bay, Alabama and Grand Berry, Texas. “Many of our guests come from all over the country for these events. Many of the speakers draw in old class mates and it is always a reunion of sorts at nearly every event.” stated Schelley Brown. Hennigan was introduced by longtime friend Mr. Richard Carey. Carey began the evening remembering some key highlights of early days at Minden High School as well as living in Houston while Hennigan was with the Oilers.
Many remember Charlie Hennigan as possibly the best athlete to come out of Minden. Hennigan a 1953 Minden High School graduate went on to become a record breaking football player for Northwestern State University and the Houston Oilers. Hennigan was also known as part of “The Dirty Six”, a group of young, rambunctious boys that ruled the neighborhood known as “Oak Ridge Addition” off the Shreveport Road. Another member of that group of boys was Mr. Red Cupples. Cupples made a special presentation to the museum of an autographed Houston Oilers football that was given to him as a gift by Hennigan many years ago.
Hennigan told of his early life her in Minden and of his late parents. The evening was a treat and an inspiration to all those that attended. Hennigan is humorous and motivational all at the same time. His word of wisdom and his wit were highlights of the evening. It was easy to see why Charlie Hennigan was a successful professional athlete and why many of his records still remain unbroken.
Charlie Hennigan played with the Houston Oilers. He scored the first touchdown in Oilers history. In 1961 he started all 14 games and established himself as a superstar in the American Football League by gaining 1,746 yards receiving, a record that stood for 34 years. He was the first professional football player to catch more than a hundred passes in a single season (101 in 1964) and to twice gain over 1,500 yards in pass receiving (1961 and 1964).

He holds the all-time records for most games (3) in a season with over 200 yards receiving, and most games (11) in a season with over 100 yards receiving. Hennigan had the All-time AFL single game record of 272 yards receiving, against the Boston Patriots on October 16, 1961. He was an American Football League All-Star five straight years, 1961 through 1965, and is a member of the All-Time All-AFL second team, and a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame He went on to a successful career with a Doctorate in Education, and as a motivational speaker and teacher.
“April 19th, 2010 is Confederate History month with Webster Parish Historian Mr. John Agan as guest speaker. Learn about Minden’s history during the “War Between The States”. This is sure to be a history filled night and a must hear for any history buff from our area.” commented Ms. Brown.
Events are held at Christopher’s, 615 Main St. in downtown Minden, La. Doors open at 5:30 with refreshments served at 6:00 p.m. Admission to each event is $5.00 per person. First-come, first-served seating. Guests are welcome to bring their favorite appetizer or dessert. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

From Holland To The U.S., Operation Market Garden World War II The Elshout And VandenOord Story

2010-03-05T10:25:00.001-08:00

May 10th, 2010, “Night For The Museum” will be a moving story of courage and heroes during WWII. Hear how two families’ lives would be changed forever by an act of bravery in the war-torn country of Holland during WWII. “This is an amazing story that you don’t want to miss”, stated museum director Schelley Brown. This WWII story will be told by family members, Jan Elshout and Marcel VandenOord.
Operation Market Garden was the code name of an operation planned by the allied forces to take control of three strategic bridges in Holland. The allied forces of Britain, the United States, and Poland sent in gliders and paratroopers into the countryside of Holland, which was heavily occupied by German forces. September of 1944 would change many lives forever. Two soldiers, Tinsley Connell from Minden and Leo Elshout from Holland, crossed paths that September. This day would begin a journey that would become a life-altering event for both.
Leo Elshout’s was honored for his actions during “Operation Market Garden” after coming to Minden. He received a Presidential Citation signed by then General Dwight D. Eishenhower and was presented with the King’s Medal for Courage by the Brithish Counsel in New Orleans. The Elshout and VandenOord families become productive Minden citizens and a part of our rich history.
The May event will be the last in the 2010 series of speakers before the summer break. Events are held at Christopher’s, 615 Main St. in downtown Minden, La. Doors open at 5:30 with refreshments served at 6:00 p.m. Admission to each event is $5.00 per person. First-come, first-served seating. Guests are welcome to bring their favorite appetizer or dessert. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

April 19th, 2010 Webster Parish Historian John Agan To Speak On Confederate History

2010-02-11T11:43:00.000-08:00

Large Turnout Expected For “A Night for the Museum” with Mr. John Agan
Monday, April 19th, 2010, will be a special night for history lovers. John Agan, lifelong resident, local author, newspaper columnist, history teacher and the official Webster Parish Historian will be the guest speaker at The Dorcheat Historical Association’s “A Night for the Museum”. John is a 1976 graduate of Minden High School and earned a B.A. in History, a M. Ed. in Social Studies Education and a M. A. in History from Louisiana Tech. He did work toward his Ph.D. at both the University of Mississippi and LSU. He is currently an Instructor of History at Bossier Parish Community College. He has written four books on local history and since 2000 has written a weekly column on local history for the Minden Press-Herald. He is a member of the First Baptist Church where he has served as a Deacon. Sunday School Teacher and on the Board of Trustees. John is also am a member of the Minden Cemetery Association Board, the Germantown Colony Museum Commission, the Advisory Board of Cultural Crossroads and the Board of the Dorcheat Historical Association. Mr. Agan was appointed by the Police Jury as the designated official historian of Webster Parish.
April is Confederate History Month and in remembrance of those soldiers and the happenings in our area during that time period, John Agan will present an informative night dealing with Webster parish history during the Civil War years. Learn about the many men that fought in the War Between the States and also learn some important information about the Confederate camp located in Minden. Museum coordinators are expecting a large turnout, so you may want to bring your lawn chairs just in case of a shortage of seating! “John Agan has such a keen memory for detail. Minden is so lucky to have him and we should be so appreciative of his work and knowledge. I don’t know where I would be with some of my projects without him. “Ghost Walk”, that benefits the Minden Cemetery, would never have happened without John helping me every year with scripts and information. The Dorcheat Museum would be in the same shape, I am afraid, without John’s knowledge.” stated Brown.
For this event museum director, Schelley Brown is encouraging everyone that might have artifacts or pictures related to our area to please notify the museum. “Night for the Museum” events are held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden, Louisiana. Doors open at 5:30. Everyone is asked to bring a favorite snack or dessert. Refreshments will be served at 6:00 P.M. Program will begin at 6:30. Admission is $5 and everyone is welcome. For more information on “A Night for the Museum with Mr. John Agan” please contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com . Reservations not required. First come, first serve seating.

Great attendance in spite of bad weather for Reverend Ben Martin

2010-02-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

Monday night, February 8th the 3rd season of the popular “Night for the Museum” events began with a great crowd in spite of the rain and cold weather. In celebration of Black History Month, Reverend Benjamin J. Martin was the first speaker for the 2010 season. Museum director Schelley Brown commented, “I was very pleased with the turnout. Reverend Martin’s speech was very informative on the history of the Black Race. I think everyone here took away something from the evening. Creating a museum and museum exhibits are a big responsibility. The museum Board of Directors has stated from the beginning, history is something that needs to be told. Good or bad, controversial or not, subjects come up in history that everyone needs to know about. If we don’t tell what has happened in the past, chances are events such as the Holocaust and Slavery could be repeated.”
The Dorcheat Historical Museum located at 116 Pearl Street is a timeline of not only our local area but of outside events that affected our parish. Everyone is encouraged to drop by and see what an amazing job local artist Larry Milford has done in the last 19 months. This museum is something that everyone in Minden should be very proud of and a place that everyone should visit on a regular basis. There is always something new at the museum.
March will be standing room only with football great Charlie Hennigan. April is Confederate History Month and May will be a moving tale of World War II from the Elshout and Vandernoord families. There will be a summer break in June, July and August. We will pick up again in September, with the finale set for October. The popular events will be $5 per person this year with all money benefiting the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum.
Held at Christopher’s, 615 Main St. in downtown Minden, La. Doors open at 5:30 with refreshments served at 6:00. Admission to each event is $5.00 per person. First come first serve seating. Guests are asked to provide their favorite appetizer or dessert. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192. For more information on the museum visit the web at www.museuminminden.blogspot.com

Dorcheat Historical Museum Making Great Progress In Just 19 Months

2010-01-28T13:42:00.000-08:00

Dorcheat Historical Museum Making Great Progress In Just 19 Months
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum is the culmination of a dream that began in the fall of 1974, when, under the leadership of Mrs. Beth Drew White, the organization was formed to preserve the history of Webster Parish. Through the ensuing years the organization suffered many setbacks and trials, but the museum now represents a triumph over these difficulties. Today these dreams have turned into reality, with the purchase of a building from the DePingre family the museum is here to stay. This mortgage-free building now houses and preserves our history for our future.
The official museum of Webster parish opened its doors located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden, La. on June 10th, 2008. At that time, only a very small portion of the front room was complete. After a year of renovations and a year of raising awareness of our local parish history the Dorcheat Historical Museum Board of Directors decided that is was time to open the doors to show people what had been accomplished and what the plans were for the future.
Since 2007 local artist Larry Milford has made great progress in his overall vision of what each exhibit depicts and how it explains our local history. Museum director Schelley Brown has made additions to the museum with sound effects and video presentations on many of the exhibits. Brown stated, “This past summer I was able to go to the Smithsonian Museums, Mt. Vernon, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Gettysburg and many other historic sites, to see if what we were doing on a small scale measured up to these grand exhibits. I was pleased to see that some of what we have incorporated in our exhibits is in line with the large scale exhibits in these well known places. Museums are not quiet places to look at artifacts these days. They are filled with interactive, sights and sounds.”
“We have spent well over $300,000 in the past few years. From 2007-2010 the museum has received several substantial grants from Webster Parish Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Webster Parish Police Jury, the City of Minden, Coca-Cola Bottlers Association Foundation, Cultural Crossroads, Louisiana Main Street Program, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, and the Jr. Service League. All of these grants help greatly with research, exhibit construction and building repair cost. While those grants are extremely important private funding from individuals’ plays a very important part in the great progress we have achieved. These individual type donations are the ones that keep us operating on a day to day basis. We have had some very generous people that are committed to this project and a few generous volunteers and others that have donated their services and time.” commented Brown.
Brown stated, “The fundraising and membership drives never stop with a museum. Dorcheat Museum is constantly working to increase members, donations, and events to raise money. My goal is to have everyone in Webster Parish become at least a $20 a year member, buying one of our products, coming to one of our many events or visiting the museum. We still have work in the front to be completed, back theater room to finish and our military exhibit just to name a few. We estimate spending at least another $100,000 this year on exhibits to get where we want to be. A museum is never complete!”
More progress has been made by the recent hiring of Ms. Eddie Hammontree, retired director of Webster Parish Library. Ms. Hammontree is now cataloging the museum collection into the Past-Perfect IV museum software program. This program will be helpful to anyone doing research in the future. Eventually the museum hopes to have the museum collection online. The Bossier Parish museum uses this same software for their online collection.
The third season of speakers will begin in February. For two years the popular “Nights for the Museum” were free to the public. With the increase of postage and printing the museum board felt the need to charge a small fee of $5 per event for the 2010 season, while nearby areas charge much more. Brown stated, “Our first year and into our 2nd year Ty Pendergrass and Argent Financial funded the food for the events. Museum board member, Charlotte Martin was put in charge of refreshments. As the crowds grew by leaps and bounds, we felt it was time to make a change and everyone that attends the events agreed. The events now are potluck, giving the feeling of the close-knit community that we are. Everyone loves coming with something they have prepared special for the evening.”
Many are familiar with the popular cookbooks, Cora Lou Robinson prints, DVD speaker series and books that the museum offers as fundraisers. Another way that they also raise money is with the car show that Schelley Brown created in 2004. Brown stated, “I started the show in 2004 to give back to my community in the best way I knew how. I had always given money to St. Jude Minden Auction and so this was a way to for me to add extra to that. Many times after that first year because of the amount of work involved in putting on the show, I considered to cease doing it. By the third year it had gotten too big to stop. It takes almost a year to plan this show and involves a great deal of work. Anyone that is involved with me knows the amount of time that is spent in putting on the May show. I had been asked by several organizations in the past to put on shows and events for them including the Dorcheat Historical Association. I turned many of them down because of the time involved. When the Dorcheat Museum Board hired me they asked if I would continue doing the show. I really wanted to stop at this point but since I was hired to raise money for the museum I instead decided to change the name and type of this show and redirect where some of the net proceeds went. The show this year gives money to St. Jude in fact we have given $73,000 since 2004! St. Jude is a wonderful cause that I feel strongly about. In the future I have thought about giving half of the money to the Susan Komen foundation for Breast Cancer research. Giving to any cancer research is something that I feel strongly about. I think it is only fair that the Dorcheat Museum benefit for the amount of hours that are spent on this show by me. (The show has given $13,000 to the museum so far) After all they are paying my salary while I work on it. The name of the show now is “Cruisin’ for a Cure Wheels Through Time Show and Shine”. I left the words “For A Cure” in the title because I will always give half of the money to something dealing with some type of illness or disease. It is no longer just a car show it is now a car, motorcycle, tractor and anything that rolls show & shine. Show and shine means it is no longer a judged show.’ For more information go to http://www.mindencruisinforacure.com/ or http://www.mindencruisinforacure.blogspot.com/
The museum board is currently made up of President; Thad Andress, Treasurer; Richard Campbell, Secretary; Ann Harlan, Charlotte Martin, Janet LaBruyere, Marcus Wren, Cristola Walton, Pat Stephens, Louise Snook, Webster Parish historian: John Agan, Cora Lou Robinson, Ben Hunter, Dr. Roy Phillips, James H. Smith, Carleton Prothro, Lonnie Simpson, Ronnie Broughton, and Richard Noles. “As of our January meeting we are currently looking for a few new recruits to join our board as working volunteers”, stated Brown. Anyone with an interest in history and preservation is asked to drop by the museum or call 318-377-3002. For more information on the museum visit 116 Pearl Street from Tuesday – Saturday or visit http://www.musueminminden.blogspot.com/

"Night For The Museum With Louisiana Football Hall Of Fame Member Charlie Hennigan"

2010-01-20T13:50:00.001-08:00

March 8th, 2010, “Night For The Museum” will be one you don’t want to miss. Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame member Dr. Charlie Hennigan will be the second in the 2010 series to speak at Christopher’s in downtown Minden. These popular events have drawn an average crowd of around 200 per evening. “Many of our guests come from all over the country. The museum board is so pleased with the response from the community.” stated Schelley Brown.
Many remember Charlie Hennigan as a 1953 Minden High School graduate that went on to become a record breaking football player for Northwestern State University and the Houston Oilers. Others remember him as part of “The Dirty Six”, a group of young, rambunctious boys that ruled the neighborhood known as “Oak Ridge Addition” off the Shreveport Road. However you remember him, you always remember his wit and humor and love of the game and his friends in Minden.
Charlie Hennigan played with the Houston Oilers in their first year, 1960, after having worked as a schoolteacher. He scored the first touchdown in Oilers history, but played in only 11 games. After a promising rookie season, in 1961 he started all 14 games and established himself as a superstar in the American Football League by gaining 1,746 yards receiving, a record that stood for 34 years. Hennigan was the first professional football player to catch more than a hundred passes in a single season (101 in 1964) and to twice gain over 1,500 yards in pass receiving (1961 and 1964).
He holds the all-time records for most games (3) in a season with over 200 yards receiving, and most games (11) in a season with over 100 yards receiving. Hennigan had the All-time AFL single game record of 272 yards receiving, against the Boston Patriots on October 16, 1961. He was an American Football League All-Star five straight years, 1961 through 1965, and is a member of the All-Time All-AFL second team, and a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame He went on to a successful career with a Doctorate in Education, and as a motivational speaker and teacher.
Events are held at Christopher’s, 615 Main St. in downtown Minden, La. Doors open at 5:30 with refreshments served at 6:00 p.m. Admission to each event is $5.00 per person. First-come, first-served seating. Guests are welcome to bring their favorite appetizer or dessert. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

TalkZone Travel'n-On Radio Interview With John Agan

2009-12-23T10:21:00.000-08:00

Hear local historian John Agan talk about the Dorcheat Museum on TalkZone Travel'n-On Radio. This tour was conducted on December 8th, 2009 click on the link to learn about the history of our area.
http://www.talkzone.com/archive.asp?aid=43038

2010 "Night For The Museum" Kicks Off In March

2009-12-23T09:08:00.000-08:00

The 3rd season of the popular “Night for the Museum” events will begin soon with the Reverend Benjamin J. Martin as the first speaker for the 2010 season. Museum director Schelley Brown commented that this year the museum will have a total of at least 6 speakers. The season begins with Black History in February followed in March with football great Charlie Hennigan. April is Confederate History Month and May will be a moving tale of World War II from the Elshout and Vandernoord families. There will be a summer break in June, July and August. We will pick up again in September, with the finale set for October. The popular events will be $5 per person this year with all money benefiting the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum.
Reverend Martin entered Morehouse College in 1959 on a Merrill Early Admission Scholarship after completion of the eleventh grade. He was awarded a Woodrow Wilson-IBM Graduate Fellowship to attend graduate school at Purdue University. Martin attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the Morehouse School of Religion.
Ordained to the Gospel Ministry in July of 1987, Reverend Martin moved to Minden in 1998 and followed in his father B.F. Martin’s footsteps as pastor of the Saint Rest Baptist Church. In the last 10 years the church has expanded outreach ministries to include Habitat for Humanity, medical and teaching missionaries to Jamaica, the Angel Tree project and many others. St. Rest Baptist Church was formed in 1865 and is one of the oldest churches in Minden. The history of St. Rest is an important part of our Webster Parish history.
Reverend Martin is also active in our community, serving as a member of Webster Parish Jury Commission, Webster Parish Community Services Board and Webster Parish Convention and Visitors bureau. Martin is also involved in scouting, is an amateur radio operator, a radio-controlled model airplane enthusiast and an avid gardener.

City of Minden Supports The Museum

2009-12-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

Mayor Bill Robertson proudly presents a check from the City of Minden to Thad Andress, President of the Dorcheat Historical Association & Museum, Inc. The Mayor and city council deem this an appropriate gesture for an organization that is dedicated to perserving our past for future generations. They encourage others to support the museum and museum activities by becoming members or simply through a a tax deductible donation. Mayor Robertson encourages everyone to visit the museum located in downtown Minden; it is a great place to learn about Webster Parish.

Holiday Hours

2009-11-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

Dorcheat Historical Association Museum Holiday Hours
The Dorcheat Historical Association announces special holiday hours.
Closed November 26th-30th
Closed December 24th-28th
Closed December 31st- January 4th
“We would like to accommodate any out-of-town visitors during this holiday season. The museum board members have asked that if anyone would like to see the museum to please give us a call at 318-423-0192. We want to show off the museum and may be able to do so during the holidays by appointment only.”, stated museum director Schelley Brown.
The museum would also like to remind you of ways to support the museum under the Christmas tree this year. Show your support and purchase one or all of the three very popular museum cookbooks, Cora Lou Robinson’s Hunter Playhouse prints or giclee and also her recently offered “Minden Main Street” 1940s giclee, the popular “Night for the Museum” DVD sets make a great gift for anyone that loves the history of our area. We also have the new John Agan book that makes a great stocking stuffer. The museum offers shipping plus you receive free gift wrapping! Don’t forget to shop early at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116 Pearl Street. Remember the musuem is a 501 c3 so you are urged to become a member or donate now for your 2009 deduction!

Marathon On Broadway A Fun Time But A Long Time!

2009-11-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

Fun Times! The Dancing ended at 3:00 A.M. with the $1000 prize split among 3 couples. Sidney Johnson and Gloria Hillman of Shreveport, Devon Armstrong and Molly White of Texarkana and Viola Chanler and Ashley Rhame of Minden.

The Cora Lou Robinson's "Main Street" raffle was won by Michele Simineaux.

Dorcheat Historical Association Museum Has A Busy Weekend Planned For November 6th & 7th

2009-10-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum will be spreading the word about history all over Minden for the November 6th – 7th Festival of Memories weekend. Museum director, Schelley Brown commented, “The museum board is very excited about the festival weekend. We are giving away $1000 just for dancing! Plus we are giving two one-night stays in Jefferson Texas at The McKay House B & B. We want to invite you to put your dancing shoes on for the evening even if you don’t want to compete in the 24 hour “Marathon on Broadway”. We need people to register even if they don’t dance but for a few dances. All the money benefits the museum so just come out and have fun.”
This dance marathon reminiscent of the marathons that became fads during the depression era will be a step literally back in time, with dancers competing for the chance to win some big money! This event will take place at the Minden Civic Center as a fundraiser for the museum. The event will be open to the public for viewing with a $5.00 admission fee. Food and drinks will be available for purchase on site provided by Coca-Cola of Minden and Party Express Catering. Participants will be in 3 categories with dancers as young as 12 allowed to dance with a guardian’s permission. Prizes awarded in all categories plus a Grand Prize of $1000 will be awarded to one lucky winner. Pre-registration is $20 per person, $25 per person day of event. Day of registration will begin Friday November 6th at 4:00 p.m. with the dance to start at 6:00 on. Age divisions are as follows 12-40, 41-59, 60 plus. Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “The different age groups will be dancing for different lengths of time. But anyone that would like can dance the entire time to compete for the $1000 Grand Prize. If you dress in 1920s – 30s costume you can also earn extra break passes. This is going to be something that we hope our teens as well as our 40 plus crowd participates in!” Don’t miss lots of fun, music and food for everyone. Brown stated she also needs volunteers to help with this event.
Another great event that the museum is participating in for the weekend is the Saturday November 7th, “Artisan’s Fair” held at the First United Methodist Church located at 903 Broadway. John Agan; Webster Parish’s historian will be on hand signing and selling his newest book. “Remembering Minden, Echo’s Of The Past” book is just a collection of a handful of Agan’s popular Minden Press Herald column stories that have become a must read for anyone interested in our parish history. John will also be selling the must have museum cookbooks, Cora Lou Robinson Hunter’s Playhouse prints, and the popular “Night for the Museum” DVDs. All of these items will make great Christmas gifts plus it will all benefit the museum.
Don’t forget to purchase your $10 raffle ticket for the Cora Lou Robinson and Easley’s Fine Art and Frame 50 x 24 Giclee canvas prints of one of Cora Lou’s original 1984 art works “Minden Main Street” that was originally done for Minden Bank. As part of the November “Festival of Memories” celebration one $300 value print will be raffled off.
Cora Lou Robinson stated, “Now 25 years later canvas reproductions of my painting are being made available with all the profit going to the Dorcheat Museum-- a very deserving place. I hope the person who wins the print that will be given away during the “Festival of Memories” celebration on November 7th loves Minden and what it represents as much as I do.”
Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “I am very excited about the museum being able to offer this reproduction of what many remember as a small print that was given away and later sold through the bank many years ago. To be able to get the artwork the same size as the original painting and on canvas is almost as good as having the original. The detail and colors are so much more vivid that the small prints. You may also purchase a Giclee print through Easley’s Fine Art and Frame studio in Minden. Artwork must be ordered and paid for at the museum located at 116 Pearl Street. Kerry Easley is also offering a 20 % discount on framing with your purchase.
To help get the project get started the museum is offering several ways to receive your copy of this nostalgic look of Minden in the 1940s. You can register for the Marathon on Broadway dance which will take place on November 6th & 7th at the Minden Civic Center (the cost to register for the dance is $20-- this will get you in the hopper twice if you register for the marathon), you can purchase a raffle ticket for $10 each from the museum and several other locations around Minden, you can mail a $10 check to the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, P.O. Box 1094, Minden, La. 71058 (be sure to include you name, address and phone number with your check), or you can purchase a canvas print for the cost of $300. For more information you can contact the museum and Schelley Brown at 318-377-3002, 423-0192 or visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ .

The 2009 Season End A Big Hit

2009-10-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

“Night For The Museum”--- The History of Cotton Valley with Mr. Lonnie Simpson A Big Success In Spite of Rain
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc. 10th and final “Night for the Museum” of 2009 was another big hit in spite of the terrible weather. Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “I was a little worried with the terrible weather and the creeks rising over the roads. But when I opened the doors at 5:30 it was business as usual with another large crowd in attendance. The events have been bringing in between 150-200 people every month and have become the place to be in Minden to learn a little history as well as socialize with friends, neighbors and many visitors from out of town. The museum board members have been extremely pleased with the past two years. Next year we will have a few changes due to the cost of postage and cards that we mail out. We will only have 6 speakers and we will charge $5.00 for each event. I don’t believe that this will hurt us and it will surely help the museum’s efforts. I am looking forward to the 2010 speakers and welcome any suggestions for subjects.”
The night began with Simpson being introduced by another longtime educator Mr. Carleton Prothro. Simpson told the history of his hometown--- Cotton Valley, Louisiana and his memories of what it was like in the early 40s and 50s. Simpson was born in 1937 and graduated from Cotton Valley High School in 1956. His stories of the early settlers, teachers, businesses and industries that once thrived entertained and educated the crowd. He also told of the tragedies of several fires and the 1947 tornado. Mr. Simpson ended the evening by mentioning the local legend of Sallie Baker and some important facts about her.
Each museum event has been recorded and made into a DVD. These DVDs are a part of the fundraising efforts of the always expanding and progressing new museum. If you have not been able to make it to these events you can purchase each yearly collection series for $75.00. With each complete set you will receive a special $20 Minden 1950s DVD as a gift to you. Speaker DVDs are also sold separately for $10 each.
The next museum event is the “Marathon on Broadway” dance open to everyone. This event will be held at the Minden Civic Center November 6th -7th. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

Don't Miss Your Chance To Own This Work Of Art

2009-10-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, “Folk Artist” Cora Lou Robinson & Kerry Easley of Easley Fine Art Team Up Again

Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Cora Lou Robinson and Easley’s Fine Art and Frame are teaming up for a new fundraising project for the museum. This collaboration will be in the form of 50 x 24 Giclee canvas prints of one of Cora Lou’s original 1984 art works that was originally done for Minden Bank. As part of the November “Festival of Memories” celebration one $300 value print will be raffled off.
Cora Lou Robinson stated, “I was thrilled back in 1984 when Minden Bank asked me to do a painting for their 50th anniversary. I was not only pleased because I was asked, but because I love to paint my heritage--my memories of growing up in Minden. I paint a life, not perfect, but filled with all the wonderful things that matter in the world-- family, friends, church and the wonderful place where I grew up. Mine is a life I would not change a minute of and a place in time I wouldn’t change for any other.
Now 25 years later canvas reproductions of my painting are being made available with all the profit going to the Dorcheat Museum-- a very deserving place. I hope the person who wins the print that will be given away during the “Festival of Memories” celebration on November 7th loves Minden and what it represents as much as I do.
Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “I am very excited about the museum being able to offer this reproduction of what many remember as a small print that was given away and later sold through the bank many years ago. To be able to get the artwork the same size as the original painting and on canvas is almost as good as having the original. The detail and colors are so much more vivid that the small prints. You may also purchase a Giclee print through Easley’s Fine Art and Frame studio in Minden. Artwork must be ordered and paid for at the museum located at 116 Pearl Street. Kerry Easley is also offering a 20 % discount on framing with your purchase.
To help get the project get started the museum is offering several ways to receive your copy of this nostalgic look of Minden in the 1940s. You can register for the Marathon on Broadway dance which will take place on November 6th & 7th at the Minden Civic Center (the cost to register for the dance is $20-- this will get you in the hopper twice if you register for the marathon), you can purchase a raffle ticket for $10 each from the museum and several other locations around Minden, you can mail a $10 check to the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, P.O. Box 1094, Minden, La. 71058 (be sure to include you name, address and phone number with your check), or you can purchase a canvas print for the cost of $300. For more information you can contact the museum at 318-377-3002 or visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ .

“Claiborne and Webster Parish… Once We Were One” Draws A Large Claiborne Parish Crowd for the September “Night For The Museum”

2009-09-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc. “Night for the Museum” was another huge success. The monthly event welcomed a large crowd from Shreveport, Claiborne Parish as well as the regular attendees from Minden and surrounding areas.
Monday, September 14th, 2009, Beverly Smith the ninth guest speaker for 2009 told the history of our two parishes and the close ties that bind us. Board members of the Ford Museum were on hand to support Ms. Smith in her appearance at Christopher’s in Minden. Linda Volentine, museum director of the Ford Museum was on hand to talk about the new Images of America “Claiborne Parish” book that has recently been published and is now available at the Ford Museum. Many of the guests were able to purchase a copy at the end of the evening.
Beverly Smith’s abiding interest in the history of Claiborne Parish and North Louisiana was evident. Her title of "Claiborne Parish historian," was obvious as she told the crowd of the early life of the parish and how pioneer life must have been. Smith has served three terms as president of the North Louisiana Historical Association and three terms as president of The Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum in Homer.
The tenth and final speaker in the 2009 series will be the presentation of Cotton Valley history by Mr. Lonnie Simpson. Mr. Simpson will be speaking on October 12th, 2009. The museum already has an exciting list of speakers lined up for its history filled 2010 schedule. Each event has been recorded and made into a DVD. These DVDs are a part of the fundraising efforts of the always expanding and progressing new museum. If you have not be able to make it to these events you can purchase each yearly collection series for $75.00. With each complete set you will receive a special $20 Minden 1950s DVD as a gift to you. Speaker DVDs are also sold separately for $10 each.
The events will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden, on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30 refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m. with speakers to begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events but donations to the museum are welcomed. If you would like to help with refreshments by bringing cake, cookies, or sandwiches please do so. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

"Marathon on Broadway"

2009-09-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

Dorcheat Historical Association Takes Part In Festival Of Memories… By Remembering the Great Depression
The Dorcheat Historical Association invites you to put your dancing shoes on for the November 6th - 7th, 2009 24 hour “Marathon on Broadway”. This dance marathon reminiscent of the marathons that became fads during the depression era will be a step literally back in time, with dancers competing for the chance to win some big money! This event will take place at the Minden Civic Center as a fundraiser for the museum. The event will be open to the public for viewing with a $5.00 admission fee. Food and drinks will be available for purchase on site. Participants will be in 3 categories with dancers as young as 12 allowed to dance with a guardian’s permission. Prizes awarded in all categories plus a Grand Prize of $1000 will be awarded to one lucky winner. Pre-registration is $20 per person, $25 per person day of event. Age divisions are as follows 12-40, 41-59, 60 plus. Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “The different age groups will be dancing for different lengths of time. But anyone that would like can dance the entire time to compete for the $1000 Grand Prize. If you dress in 1920s – 30s costume you can also earn extra break passes. This is going to be something that we hope our teens as well as our 40 plus crowd participates in!” Don’t miss lots of fun, music and food for everyone. Brown stated she also needs volunteers to help with this event. For more information please contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

Don't Miss The 2009 Season Finale! "Night For The Museum With Mr. Lonnie Simpson"

2009-08-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

Don’t miss the season finale for Dorcheat Historical Association’s “Night For The Museum”--- The History of Cotton Valley with Mr. Lonnie Simpson
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc. announces the 10th and final “Night for the Museum” of 2009. The monthly events have been a huge success with very interesting speakers. The events draw in between 150-200 people every month and have become the place to be in Minden to learn a little history as well as socialize with friends, neighbors and many visitors from out of town.
Monday, October 12th, 2009, the tenth and final speaker of the 2009 series will be Mr. Lonnie Simpson. Simpson will tell the history of his hometown--- Cotton Valley, Louisiana. Simpson was born in 1937 and grew up in Cotton Valley. Graduating in 1956, he later went on to earn a B.S. from Northwestern University in 1960. He then began his career in the Webster Parish Education system by teaching 6th grade at Stewart Elementary for 6 ½ years. He later became principal at Richardson Elementary followed by becoming principal at Sibley High for a year. Simpson returned to Stewart as principal remaining at this school until his retirement. Married to wife Hannah, the couple has one daughter, Stacey, who lives in Calhoun, Louisiana, and one granddaughter Hannah, who resides in Alexandria, Louisiana. The Simpson’s hobbies include riding horses, reading, and working with daylilies.
Each previous event has been recorded and made into a DVD. These DVDs are a part of the fundraising efforts of the always expanding and progressing new museum. If you have not been able to make it to these events you can purchase each yearly collection series for $75.00. With each complete set you will receive a special $20 Minden 1950s DVD as a gift to you. Speaker DVDs are also sold separately for $10 each.
The museum already has an exciting list of speakers lined up for its history filled 2010 schedule with a few changes in store to benefit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum.
The October event will be held at Christopher’s, located at 615 Main Street in Minden. Doors open around 5:30; refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m.; speakers begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for this event but donations to the museum are welcomed. If you would like to help with refreshments by bringing cake, cookies, or sandwiches please do so. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

Prothro’s “Telling Tales Out Of School” Draws A Packed House

2009-08-11T13:54:00.001-07:00

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc., 8th “Night for the Museum” of 2009 was a huge success. Monday, August 10th, Carleton Prothro was the eighth guest speaker for the 2009 season. Prothro known by many as “The Colonel” told of his many comical experiences at Minden High School. From the introduction by Dr. Richard Cambell and Thad Andress, the mood for the evening was already set.
Non stop laughter was in store for the 200 plus that attended the monthly museum event. The many pranks that have been played, memorable excuses from class, and tales of caught skippers were told by one of Minden’s most beloved educators. “Prothro’s ways of telling a tale were better than any professional comedian” said many that attended the evening. Always a smile on his face and a joke on his lips is what most people think of, when they think of this Minden icon. His humor sometimes questionable brought many a smile and much laughter for many former students, faculty members and longtime friends.
These monthly events have been a huge success with very interesting speakers talking on a wide variety of subjects. Each event has been recorded and made into a DVD. These DVDs are a part of the fundraising efforts of the always expanding and progressing new museum. If you missed this event be sure to go by the museum and pick up your copy today for only $10! Get the complete 2008 set for $75.
The museum has two more speakers lined up for its history filled 2009 schedule. The September speaker will be Beverly Smith Claiborne Parish historian with Lonnie Simpson to follow in October with the history of Cotton Valley. The events will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden, on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30 refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m. with speakers to begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events but donations to the museum are welcomed. If you would like to help with refreshments by bringing cake, cookies, or sandwiches please do so. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

Big Crowd For An Emotional Evening For Dorcheat Museum

2009-07-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

An Emotion Filled Night For The Museum

On Monday, July 13th, 2009, Dr. William Wilkins was the seventh guest speaker for the 2009 season. Wilkins, known to many as Billy, spoke to a crowded room of history seekers at Christopher’s on Main.
Dr. Wilkins started the evening off with an emotional introduction of what he would be speaking about. His tearful memory of his mother on the day she lost her life in the tornado of 1933 was a very moving moment for everyone in the room. Wilkins also had many happy memories of his boyhood spent in Minden in the 20s and 30s. He named many of his childhood friends and the fun they had. He told of skating all over the city, building forts and fishing in Dorcheat Bayou. He said back then you felt like you knew everyone in town. After the tornado Dr. Wilkins moved to Shreveport with his father. He later would become a member of what we call “the greatest generation”. Billy Wilkins went to war during WWII and his stories of the war were as emotional as his stories of his mother. Dr. Wilkins was one of the many veterans that recently were honored in Washington D.C. with the Louisiana Honor Air group. Many rounds of applause were heard during the evening for what Wilkins and his generation have done for all of America.
“This night was an emotional look back at Minden’s history”, Brown stated. “This kind of response is what we hoped for when we started this in 2008. We want to teach history in a fun and exciting way and I think we are doing that. We are also capturing these history lessons on DVD. These are a valuable tool for learning, as well as fundraising. The events have included a wide range of subjects from the Civil War, WWII, the 1940’s and 50’s recreation at Hunter’s Playhouse, Black American history and each is available for $10 each or the entire 2008 series for $75.”The museum has an exciting list of speakers lined up for its history filled 2009 schedule. The events will be held at Christopher’s, located at 615 Main Street, in Minden on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30, refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m, and speakers begin their programs at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events, but donations to the museum are welcomed. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

Night For The Museum With Beverly Smith Claiborne Parish Historian September 14, 2009

2009-07-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

“Claiborne and Webster Parish… Once We Were One” will be the September theme for Dorcheat Historical Association’s “Night For The Museum”
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc. announces the 9th “Night for the Museum” of 2009. The monthly events have been a huge success with very interesting speakers.
Monday, September 14th, 2009, Beverly Smith will be the ninth guest speaker for the 2009 season. Ms. Smith will be speaking on the history of our two parishes and the close ties that bind us. This is certain to be an evening you don’t want to miss!
Beverly Smith has an abiding interest in the history of Claiborne Parish and North Louisiana. Considered by many to be the "Claiborne Parish historian," she has served three terms as president of the North Louisiana Historical Association and three terms as president of The Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum in Homer.
Ms. Smith is a native of Homer and a graduate of Homer High School and Louisiana State University. A lifelong learner, she recently completed the Master of Liberal Arts program at LSU in Shreveport where she was honored by being inducted into the Omicron Delta Kappa leadership fraternity. Beverly Smith resides in Homer.
The tenth and final speaker in the 2009 series will be the presentation of Cotton Valley history by Mr. Lonnie Simpson. Mr. Simpson will be speaking on October 12th, 2009. The museum already has an exciting list of speakers lined up for its history filled 2010 schedule. Each event has been recorded and made into a DVD. These DVDs are a part of the fundraising efforts of the always expanding and progressing new museum. If you have not be able to make it to these events you can purchase each yearly collection series for $75.00. With each complete set you will receive a special $20 Minden 1950s DVD as a gift to you. Speaker DVDs are also sold separately for $10 each.
The events will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden, on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30 refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m. with speakers to begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events but donations to the museum are welcomed. If you would like to help with refreshments by bringing cake, cookies, or sandwiches please do so. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

"Telling Tales Out Of School" with Carleton Prothro August 10th, 2009

2009-06-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

“Telling Tales Out Of School” will be the August theme for Dorcheat Historical Association’s “Night For The Museum”
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc., announces the 8th “Night for the Museum” of 2009. The monthly events have been a huge success with very interesting speakers. Each event has been recorded and made into a DVD. These DVDs are a part of the fundraising efforts of the always expanding and progressing new museum.
Monday, August 10th, Carleton Prothro will be the eighth guest speaker for the 2009 season. Prothro known by many as “The Colonel” will be speaking on his many comical experiences in the Webster Parish school system. This is certain to be an evening you don’t want to miss!
Prothro is a graduate of Byrd H.S. and the University of Arkansas. He was married to Lois Price in 1957, and the couple has two sons: Carleton who lives in Danbury, Ct. and works for Bunge Corp in White Plains, New York and Lance who lives in Las Vegas, and is a geologist for Dept of Energy. The Prothro’s have two grandchildren: granddaughter, Whitney, whom recently became employed by St. Jude, and currently lives in Pittsburg, Pa., and grandson, Hunt, who is a junior at Auburn University.
Carlton’s career includes his military service of 27 years of active and reserve duty. He retired in 1981, with the rank of colonel. He is most known for his teaching career from 1958-1995 as teacher, counselor, assistant principal, and Title 1 coordinator. It is this part of Prothro’s life that will be the focus of the evening. The many pranks that have been played, memorable excuses from class, and tales of caught skippers will be told by one of Minden’s most beloved educators. Always a smile on his face and a joke on his lips is what most people think of, when they think of this Minden icon. His humor is sometimes questionable, but always brings a laugh to anyone within hearing distance.
The museum has an exciting list of speakers lined up for its history filled 2009 schedule. The events will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden, on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30 refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m. with speakers to begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events but donations to the museum are welcomed. If you would like to help with refreshments by bringing cake, cookies, or sandwiches please do so. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

“The Tales of Two Treebys” Draws a Standing Room Only Crowd”

2009-06-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

On Monday June 8th, 2009, Joan Andress Williamson was the sixth guest speaker for the 2009 season to pack Christopher’s on Main. Speaking to a standing room only crowd, Mrs. Williamson spoke from the memoirs written by her mother Treeby Miller Andress and her grandmother Treeby Chaffee Miller.
This night was truly a look back at Minden’s history; the stories written so many years ago brought back memories and unveiled a glimpse of the past for many. Joan’s grandmother was the daughter of Christopher Chaffe, one of Minden’s early pioneer families. Joan’s mother, also named Treeby, was equally interesting and filled with many stories from the 20s, 30s and 40s era of Minden. “These stories reflected a bygone era that most of us would never have known anything about. These two women were not professional writers but were very gifted writers and conveyed their life experiences with the written word in a manner that was spell-binding. The Andress family is very fortunate to have this connection to their past in this form.” commented museum director Schelley Brown.
Brown also stated, “This kind of response is what we hoped for when we started this in 2008. We want to teach history in a fun and exciting way and I think we are doing that. We are also capturing these history lessons on DVD. These are a valuable tool for learning, as well as fundraising. The events have included a wide range of subjects from the Civil War, WWII, the 1940’s and 50’s recreation at Hunter’s Playhouse, Black American history and each is available for $10 each or the entire 2008 series for $75.”
The museum has an exciting list of speakers lined up for its history filled 2009 schedule. The events will be held at Christopher’s, located at 615 Main Street, in Minden on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30, refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m, and speakers begin their programs at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events, but donations to the museum are welcomed. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

Miller Andress, Joan Andress Williamson, and Thad Andress

Jr. Service League 5k A Big Success For Dorcheat Museum

2009-06-05T08:15:00.000-07:00

Jamie Barnett, Spring Spectacular race coordinator, far left, and Lela Lemoine, Jr. Service League president, far right, present Dorcheat Historical Association Museum Director Schelly Brown with a check in the amount of $2,800, proceeds from this year’s race.

The Junior Service League of Minden presented the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum a check in the amount of $2,800 Wednesday afternoon, proceeds from this year’s 9th Annual Webster Parish Spring Spectacular 1 mile fun run/walk and 5K run/walk.
This year’s race attracted approximately 115 runners and walkers who enjoyed a post party, complete with entertainment, refreshments and door prizes.
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc. was established to promote a strong sense of community pride by preserving the past for future generations. Their goal is to make patrons aware of Webster Parish’s historical assets and significance by promoting, teaching, involving and displaying history in many unique ways for the Webster Parish community and for others outside of the area.
The museum, which opened in June 2008, is located in the heart of Minden’s historical downtown at 116 Pearl St. To learn more about the museum, visit http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/.
Race winners were: Overall Female Open - 1. India Tucker and 2. Cherie Bonner; Female 14 and Under - 1. Bailey Hassell and 2. Alayna Robles; Female 15 to 24 – 1. Kelsey Hunter, and 2. Ashley Tyman; Female 25 to 34 – 1. Melissa Easter and 2. Anna Sanders; Female 35 to 44 – 1. Starla Townsend and 2. Staci Jo Kendall; Female 45 to 54 - 1. Anita Meeks and 2. Carol Twyman; Female 55 and over – 1. Jenneth Merriman and 2. Carolyn Smith; Overall Male Open Winners – 1. Trey Allen and 2. Michael Fontana; Male 14 and under – 1. Tyler Robles and 2. Cade Clemons; Male 15 to 24 – 1. Zachary Landers and 2. S. Southerland; Male 25 to 34 - 1. Gary Wilson and 2. Mac McGuire; Male 35 to 44 – 1. Micheal Harper and 2. Baudilio Rodriguez; Male 45 to 54 – 1. Micheal Meeks and 2. Richard Twyman; Male 55 and over – 1. Tad Jurgens and 2. Ramon Bosworth.
The Junior Service League would like to thank the following race sponsors for their support in making this year’s Spring Spectacular a tremendous success: $200 Level Sponsorship – Pitman’s Metal Words, Best Western of Minden, Dr. Scott & Dr. Elizabeth Phillips, Up-and-Running, First United Methodist Church of Minden, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Minden, Inc., Waller Petroleum, Inc., Gina Almond – Allstate Insurance, The Grove Golf Course, Wal-Mart Supercenter of Minden, Erin E. Soleto, MD, Blazer Construction, Wise Insurance Agency, LLC, TG Garden & Gifts, Age Less Medical Spa, Mark Wise – Big Dawgg Productions, briancarlisle.com; $150 After Race Party – Dr. Carlos & Dr. Kathryn Irizarry; and $100 Registration Tables – Minden Presbyterian Church and Thad and Oneta Andress;.
Additional sponsors include: $75 Water/Check points – Jeanne Martin State Farm and Minden Athletic; $50 Distance Markers – Nedra T. Kelly, Minden Family Medicine, Richland State Bank, Sentell Law Firm, Madden Supply, LLC, and State Rep. Jean M. Doerge.
Other financial support was provided by: Elm Street Dental Center, LLC and Performance Physical Therapy; Door Prizes – Concepts, Crawfish Hole, Dorcheat Historical Museum, Embroidery House, Fanette’s, Mary Kay – Emily Walker, Merle Norman, Music Mountain Water, and Oak Alley Boutique; Post Race Party – Copeland’s Restaurant, Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro, Domino’s Pizza, Subway (Homer Rd.), Save-a-lot, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Minden, Inc., Dixie Paper, Brookshire’s, Interstate RV Park, and The Good Life Health Food Store and Deli.
A special thank you goes to Minden Presbyterian Church for the use of their gym and to Jeanne Martin State Farm for the water at the water check point.
Founded in 1931, the Junior Service League focuses on serving the Minden area through projects such as the annual 5K run/walk, which raises money for worthwhile organizations around Webster Parish; the Treeby Miller Andress scholarship, presented each year to a deserving high school senior; and the Angel Tea, which provides area school children with uniforms and school supplies during the Christmas season.
In addition, the League supports the Girl Scouts of Minden by maintaining the “Girl Scout Hut,” where the scouts hold weekly meetings. The hut also serves as a meeting place for the League’s monthly meetings.

Night For The Museum With Dr. William Wilkins July 13th, 2009

2009-05-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

“The Worst Day in the Life of an Eleven Year-Old Boy, Seventy-Six Years Later”
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc announces the 7th “Night for the Museum” of 2009. The monthly events have been a huge success in 2009 with 10 speakers scheduled to speak this year. Each event has been recorded and made into a DVD. These DVDs are a part of the fundraising efforts of the always expanding and progressing new museum.
Monday July 13th, 2009, Dr. William Wilkins will be the seventh guest speaker for the 2009 season. Dr. Wilkins experiences in Minden will highlight the worst year of his young life. The year 1933 was especially devastating for many in the area with fire, tornado, drought, flooding and failed banks. Dr. Wilkins life was altered forever in the tornado with the loss of his mother as she struggled to protect him for the deadly wind. His family ties go back many generations and have many interesting connections to much of Minden’s history. Many early Minden residents remember Dr. Wilkins uncle longtime veterinarian, and his aunts’ one of whom was married to Minden’s oldest living Confederate soldier Mr. T.A. Glass.
Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “This museum is so important to our area. Historic venues drive tourism in a big way in the state of Louisiana and this is our way of not only preserving history but helping the city of Minden and Webster parish by creating history related events in our area. Last year with our June opening we wanted to get the word out about the museum and what better way to do that than to tell our parish history from people that have lived it or whose grandparents experienced it.” The events have included a wide range of subjects from the Civil War, WWII, the 1940’s and 50’s recreation at Hunter’s Playhouse, Black American history. Each event has been attended by 150-200 plus guests. Many of these people travel a great distance to attend the monthly events.
The museum has an exciting list of speakers lined up for its history filled 2009 schedule. The events will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30 refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m. with speakers to begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events but donations to the museum are welcomed. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

"Minden and Webster Parish Matters"

2009-05-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

May is National Preservation Month. The theme for 2009's National Preservation Month is “This Place Matters”. Preservation Month raises awareness about the power historic preservation has to protect and enhance our communities and the places that really matter to us. They do this by celebrating the diverse and unique heritage of our country's cities and towns www.preservationnation.org . The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum along with Minden Main Street coordinator Pattie Odom did their part in the city of Minden, Louisiana with their contributions to history with the “Night for the Museum” May event.
On Monday May 11th, 2009, Mr. Richard Noles was the fifth guest speaker for the 2009 season to pack Christopher’s on Main. Noles a 5th generation citizen of the Heflin area is well known for his work in education. But many learned Monday night about his family and the history of what was known as Noles Landing along with some Heflin facts.
Noles brought along some priceless family heirlooms that went hand in hand with his story. One such artifact was a horn dating back over 150 years. This horn was an important part of the operation of Noles Landing after the Civil War and used to signal from one side of the lake to the other for passengers wanting to cross over to the landing.
The Noles family settled in the Heflin area in 1854. The family still lives on this same land acquired by a land grant. Noles learned much of his family history from a great aunt and other family members as he was growing up. Noles love of history was evident as he highlighted subjects ranging from Bayou Dorcheat, the steamboats at Noles Landing and his ancestors of the Civil War.
Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “I am very pleased at how these events are being received by the public. We now have over 750 names in our data base for the museum. Many of these have attended our monthly events at one time or another. These people are now traveling from Ruston, Arcadia, Shreveport, Haynesville and East Texas on a monthly basis to hear our speakers with a monthly attendance of 150-200. This kind of response is what we hoped for when we started this in 2008. We want to teach history in a fun and exciting way and I think we are doing that. We are also capturing these history lessons on DVD which is a valuable tool for learning as well as fundraising. The events have included a wide range of subjects from the Civil War, WWII, the 1940’s and 50’s recreation at Hunter’s Playhouse, Black American history and each is available for $10 each or the entire 2008 series for $75.
The museum has an exciting list of speakers lined up for its history filled 2009 schedule. The events will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30 refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m. with speakers to begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events but donations to the museum are welcomed. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

"A Night For The Museum" with Mrs. Joan Andress Williamson June 8th, 2009

2009-04-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

Two Treebys’ Memories of Minden “Stories I Grew Up With” Presented by Joan Andress Williamson

Joan Andress Williamson of Sewannee, Tennessee will be the speaker for the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum’s June 8, 2009 “Night for the Museum” presentation. Her talk will be a presentation of the writings of the Two Treebys. Mrs. Williamson’s grandmother was Treeby Chaffe Miller (Mrs. R.H. Miller) and her mother, Treeby Miller Andress (Mrs. Harry Andress), both of whom have written very entertaining memoirs of their lives in Minden. Both were lifelong residents of Minden, Mrs. Miller, 1865-1953, Mrs. Andress, 1905-1976.

Mrs. Williamson is an honor graduate of Minden High School and Newcomb College of Tulane University. At Minden she was selected for Girls State, a trombonist in the Minden High Band, a Grig staff member, and a swim team participant. She was President of her class at Newcomb.

Marrying Samuel R. Williamson, Jr., of Springhill, she moved with him to the sites of his educational endeavors, the U.S. Military Academy, Harvard University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and finally the University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee. Assisting Dr. Williamson in many ways, the most lasting recognition of her contributions was at Sewanee. There, the Board of Regents dedicated a huge stained glass window at the University Chapel in her honor. All the other windows are recognition of deceased persons. Joan was recognized for her work with the foreign students at Sewanee, but even more for her hospitality that she provided for the Board of Regents, the faculty, the students, and the townspeople.

In addition, Joan has been very active in the Episcopal Church and has served in leadership positions in numerous civic organizations. Joan and Sam have three highly educated children, Dr. George Williamson, a history professor at Alabama, Dr. Thad Williamson, a political science professor at Richmond, and Treeby Brown who has Masters from Duke. Treeby is a consultant in maternal and child health policy. Joan and Sam are blessed with four grandchildren and the couple now resides in Sewanee, Tennessee.

This will be the 6th in the series of speakers for the museum for 2009. These popular events are held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in historic downtown Minden, Louisiana. Admission is free with donations accepted to benefit the year old museum. Doors open at 5:30 with “first come, first serve seating.” Refreshments begin at 6:00 p.m. with program beginning at 6:30 p.m. For more information about the museum contact museum director Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192 or visit the museum located at 116 Pearl Street. Museum hours and information http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/

"A Night For The Museum" with Mr. Richard Noles May 11th, 2009

2009-03-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

Click on picture to enlarge
When Steamboats traveled Dorcheat will be just one of the subjects for the next museum event!
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc announces the 5th “Night for the Museum” of 2009. The monthly events have been a huge success in 2009 with 10 speakers scheduled to speak this year. Each event has been recorded and made into a DVD. These DVDs are a part of the fundraising efforts of the always expanding and progressing new museum.
Monday May 11th, 2009, Mr. Richard Noles will be the fifth guest speaker for the 2009 season. Noles a 5th generation citizen of the Heflin area is well known for his work in education. His many years of service with the education system of our area is extensive; Webster Parish school board from 1966-2003, teacher at Minden High, counselor, teacher at Sibley High, Principal at Cotton Valley, Dubberly elementary, Browning elementary and Heflin elementary, plus special education director, elementary director, and superintendent at Central office. Noles now serves on the Board of Directors of the Claiborne Electric Co-op and has been the Secretary-Treasurer since 2004. Museum director Schelley Brown’s comment, “Richard Noles has certainly made his mark in the history of education in our parish. We are very fortunate to have someone of his capabilities serving on our 2009 museum board.”
The Noles family settled in the Heflin area in 1854. The family still lives on this same land acquired by a land grant. Richard and wife Judy have raised 5 daughters on this longtime family property. Richard and Judy love cattle farming, gardening, travel and reading as hobbies. They are members of the Heflin Baptist church and serve on many other organizations that benefit their community.
Noles love of history will be highlighted at the May museum event with subjects ranging from Bayou Dorcheat, the steamboats at Noles Landing and his ancestors of the Civil War. This night will not only be fun and entertaining but should be highly educational for the people of our area. Don’t miss the 5th night for the museum!
Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “Last year with our June opening we wanted to get the word out about the museum and what better way to do that than to tell our parish history from people that have lived it or whose grandparents experienced it.” The events have included a wide range of subjects from the Civil War, WWII, the 1940’s and 50’s recreation at Hunter’s Playhouse, Black American history. Each event has been attended by 150-200 plus guests. Many of these people travel a great distance to attend the monthly events.
The museum has an exciting list of speakers lined up for its history filled 2009 schedule. The events will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30 refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m. with speakers to begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events but donations to the museum are welcomed. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

A Taste Of Minden "A Taste Of Yesterday and Today"

2009-03-23T13:51:00.001-07:00

Click on picture to enlarge

Sunday, April 26th, 2009, come join the Minden – South Webster Chamber of Commerce and The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum for “The Taste Of Minden” “A Taste of Yesterday and Today”

The Minden Civic Center will be the place to be for a nice Sunday afternoon of tasting and sampling from all your favorite catering companies and restaurants from our area. Serving begins at 11 A.M. for those that go to early church services and last until 2 P.M. This year the Dorcheat Historical Association will be hosting Museum Tours from Noon-3 P.M. plus the “Taste of Yesterday cookbooks I & II” will be on sale inside the Civic Center. Tickets Available Now! $10 Adults / $5 Children through April 17th, 2009 and $12 Adults / $7 Children at the door. Contact the Chamber Office for more information at 318-377-4240. Don’t miss all the food & fun and a little history.

Jr. Service League To Host Event For Museum

2009-03-04T08:56:00.000-08:00

The Jr. Service League Of Minden's 9th Annual Spring Spectacular Run/Walk will be held Saturday April 18, 2009.

This year the proceeds will benefit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum. For more information on the Run/Walk or to register online you can visit http://www.sportspectrumusa.com/ and go to the events page and scroll down where you see the April 18th event listed. We hope all of you walkers and runners will show your support and help us preserve our past for our future. You can also go to the Minden Event page with this link http://www.sportspectrumusa.com/raceDetail.php?ID=32

"Night For The Museum" With Mr. T.C. Bloxom Jr. "The Chief"

2009-02-05T15:09:00.001-08:00

April 13th, 2009 “The Chief” Talks To A Standing Room Only Crowd

When you are known by one name, it gives you a certain status symbol. That was evident on Monday April 13th at “The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum’s 4th “Night for the Museum”. Known to many as simply “The Chief”, Mr. T.C. Bloxom, Jr. a longtime Webster Parish citizen and public servant that grew up in Minden spoke to a standing room only crowd. “The Chief” only recently retired from his position as fire chief of Minden after being involved with the fire department since he was a volunteer fireman at the age of 15. As police chief of the Minden Police Department, Bloxom’s stories were just a fraction of what he has witnessed in Minden and our surrounding communities. He has saved several lives and influenced hundreds more. Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “I was so excited that he agreed to do this for us. The stories that he told were both humors and on the very serious side. The Chief has many wonderful stories and was only able to tap into a few of those in the short time Monday night at Christopher’s. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed listening to him as was apparent from the standing ovation. His unique way of telling stories was a real inspiration to everyone in attendance.”
An added treat for event attendees was a short presentation by movie director; Mr. Jeffrey Goodman. Goodman’s movie “The Last Lullaby” was filmed in Webster Parish and will be coming out in May. Goodman showed a movie trailer of the film to the audience and also talked a little about the film industry in our area. Afterward, Goodman attended the museum to answer more questions about production and filming in Webster Parish. He was also pleased at the way the museum has showcased films shot in the parish.
The monthly events have been a huge success in 2009 with 4 speakers having spoken. Each event has been recorded and made into a $10 DVD. These DVDs are a part of the fundraising efforts of the always expanding and progressing new museum. To purchase your DVD of “The Chief” just drop by the museum Tuesday-Friday 10a.m.-4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch) with Saturday hours 10a.m.- Noon.
Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “Last year with our June opening we wanted to get the word out about the museum and what better way to do that than to tell our parish history from people that have lived it or whose grandparents experienced it.” The events have included a wide range of subjects from the Civil War, WWII, the 1940’s and 50’s recreation at Hunter’s Playhouse, Black American history. Each event has been attended by 150-200 plus guests every month. Many of these people traveled a great distance to attend the monthly events. Museum board members are looking forward to the next 3 speakers that are lined up. May 11th, 2009 will feature Mr. Richard Noles, June 8th, 2009 will feature Mrs. Joan Andress Williamson and July 13th will highlight the life and a tragic event dealing with the tornado of 1933 and the life of Dr. W.C. Wilkins.
The events will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30 refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m. with speakers to begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events but donations to the museum are welcomed. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

4th “Night For The Museum” will feature a man know simply as “The Chief”

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc announces the 4th “Night for the Museum” of 2009. The monthly events have been a huge success in 2009 with 10 speakers scheduled to speak this year. Each event has been recorded and made into a DVD. These DVDs are a part of the fundraising efforts of the always expanding and progressing new museum.
Monday April 13th, 2009, Mr. T.C. Bloxom Jr. will be the fourth guest speaker for the 2009 season. Known to many as simply “The Chief”, Mr. Bloxom is a longtime Webster Parish citizen and public servant that grew up in Minden. “The Chief” only recently retired from his position as fire chief of Minden after being involved with the fire department since he was a volunteer fireman at the age of 15. He still serves as police chief of the Minden Police Department. Bloxom has witnessed many changes in Minden in his years serving our community. He has also saved several lives and influenced hundreds more. Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “We are so excited that he has agreed to do this for us. He has wonderful stories and I know that everyone is going to enjoy listening to him. He has a unique way of telling stories and it will be a real inspiration to hear him tell about the things that he has been a witness to in our area.”
Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “Last year with our June opening we wanted to get the word out about the museum and what better way to do that than to tell our parish history from people that have lived it or whose grandparents experienced it.” The events have included a wide range of subjects from the Civil War, WWII, the 1940’s and 50’s recreation at Hunter’s Playhouse, Black American history. Each event has been attended by 150-200 plus guests. Many of these people traveled a great distance to attend the monthly events.
The museum has an exciting list of speakers lined up for its history filled 2009 schedule. The events will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30 refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m. with speakers to begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events but donations to the museum are welcomed. It is recommended that you bring a lawn chair due to the large crowds. Seating goes quickly. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

Sarepta, Louisiana and Trace Adkins Country Music Star

2009-02-03T09:06:00.000-08:00

One of the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum's famous list of people, Country Music Star Trace Adkins features his home town of Sarepta, Louisiana located in Webster Parish in this Music Video "Your Gonna Miss This". To learn more about Trace Adkins you can visit his offical web site http://www.traceadkins.com/ or read his new book "Trace Adkins A Personal Stand" Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck.

Webster Parish Gets World Wide Recognition

2009-02-03T08:46:00.000-08:00

Webster Parish gets World Wide recognition during Super Bowl 2009

This is the "Year One" movie trailer comercial spot that was aired during Super Bowl 2009. This movie was filmed between Sibley and Doyline along Dorcheat. Movie features many local stand-in actors and actresses from our area. Major star Jack Black is the main character.

March 9, 2009 "Night For The Museum With Mr. Don Hinton"

2009-01-22T12:41:00.000-08:00

Click on photos to enlarge

1950s Photo of Don Hinton and his Dairy Barn

Click to enlarge photos

Monday, March 9th, 2009, the third in the 2009 “Night for the Museum” series will be a night you don’t want to miss. Mr. Don Hinton longtime businessman and dairyman will be the guest speaker. “I know that Mr. Hinton is as excited about speaking as we are at having him, for this special night of history.” stated Dorcheat Museum Director; Schelley Brown.
Born south of Ruston in 1912, ninety-six year old, Mr. Don Hinton first came to Minden in 1935. During this time he worked for the Soil Conservation Service dealing with erosion and flooding problems in our area. In the late 30s Mr. Hinton went into the Dairy business renting Ferndale Farm Dairy until he was able to purchase it ten years later. He would be influential in the local dairy business until the early 1980s. Mr. Hinton has lead a busy life being involved in many aspects of Minden and Webster Parish history. He is very active in the First Methodist Church of Minden, was past president of the Webster Parish Fair Association, longtime member of the Chamber of Commerce and is still one of the regular attending Minden Lions Club members. Don’t miss you chance to hear how our town unfolded and became what it is today from a very active and longtime citizen.
“Night for the Museum with Mr. Don Hinton” will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden, Louisiana. Doors open at 5:30 P.M. with refreshments served from 6 P.M.-6:30 P.M. program will begin promptly at 6:30 P.M. with museum tour following the end of the evening. These events have brought in 200 plus attendees on a regular basis so arrive early for good seating or bringing your own lawn chairs are recommended. For more information about this special evening or the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc. Contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192 or visit the Dorcheat Museum located at 116 Pearl Street. Make sure to visit the web site for all updates and current events at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/

Another successful “Night for the Museum”
The place to be was Christopher’s on Main Street was held on Monday March 9th, 2009.
Mr. Don Hinton, longtime business man and Webster Parish citizens kept the packed house of over 200 entertained and informed about the way things were in and around our area back in the 1930, 40’s and 50’s. Mr. Hinton’s event was expected to draw a large crowd. People began arriving as soon as the doors opened at 5:30.
Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “Every month you wonder how much bigger can our crowds get and every month they grow. The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum board is thrilled with the turnout every month. We are making great strides in saving and preserving our history with these monthly speakers. The museum is always changing and we are going to be a work in progress for a longtime. We encourage everyone to come to the events put on by the museum. The museum needs your support and this is something that the people of our area can be proud of. We also need your support in items, artifacts and old photos that people may have tucked away in an attic or trunk.”
The next speakers on schedule are “Chief” T.C. Bloxom, Jr. Monday, April 13th, 2009 followed by Mr. Richard Noles in May. We know that both of these will be standing room only so we encourage everyone to get to Christopher’s early. Doors open at 5:30. Speakers begin at 6:30. Lawn chairs are welcome.
For more information on the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc you can call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192 or visit the museum web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/

Rick Rowe and KTBS 3

2009-01-18T07:26:00.000-08:00

It's a new year and time for our first Community Caravan of 2009. You may not realize it, but Webster Parish is a place with a lot of history. Rick Rowe's hanging out in a log cabin, but he's not in the wilderness! He's checking out a new museum in Minden, Louisiana. Click here to see the coverage of the Dorcheat Museum and Bayou Dorcheat. http://www.ktbs.com/news/Rick-visits-Minden-23587/

February 9th, 2009 "Night For The Museum" with Dr. Roy G. Phillips PhD.

2009-01-13T13:22:00.000-08:00

This program is funded under a grant form the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the state affiate of the
National Endowment for the Humanities.

The opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily represent the views of either the Louisiana Endowment for
the Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Click On Pictures To Enlarge Them
In Celebration of Black History Month the February “Night for the Museum” features local author and researcher Dr. Roy G. Phillips, PhD.
Monday, February 9th, 2009 will be the 2nd in the 2009 series of museum speakers. Held monthly at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Downtown Minden, Louisiana. Doors open at 5:30 with speakers starting at 6:30. Admission is free of charge but donations are welcome. Get there early to get a good seat!
Don’t miss this exciting evening dealing with subjects from over 200 years ago through today. Hear about the struggles of one family from Africa through Slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow Segregation, World Wars, the Great Migration of black families out of the South and the tumultuous civil rights era of the 1960s, and beyond. Hear Dr. Roy G. Phillips tell of his travels to Africa and his exciting research on his own family. Hear how Dr. Phillips underwent DNA testing to find out what tribe his family came from. Find out about his remarkable close contact of the descendants of the plantation owners that had once owned his great grandfather and other relatives in the Shreveport and East Texas area. See a slideshow presentation of family and historical photos from the years of research done to complete his book “Exodus from the Door of No Return.”
This year marks a milestone year for African American citizens young and old, with the newly elected first black president in the United States. The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum is currently working on the Black History of Webster parish. The museum were recently awarded an Outreach Grant from Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities for up to $2,500 for research being done by help of Dr. Roy G. Phillips, PhD and Mr. James H. Smith entitled “The History of the African American in Webster Parish”.
Dr. Roy G. Phillips, PhD, is a retired campus president at Miami-Dade College, Homestead campus. After sixty years, he returned to his native home in rural Webster Parish outside of Minden. Encouraged by a conversation with renowned author Alex Haley, he researched his own family history back to their native land in Africa and published a book on his findings.
His co-researcher is James H. Smith, a well-known longtime educator, principal in the Webster Parish Schools system, advisor, and volunteer in many youth programs in the parish. Mr. Smith is quite knowledgeable about the Minden area where he has been a life-long resident. Historian John Agan will assist them in their work. Museum designer, Larry Milford will design exhibits based on their research.
Thad Andress; Dorcheat Historical Association President said, "Having read Dr. Phillips book, which includes Mr. Phillips personal history, I have complete confidence this research is in good hands."
Phillips and Smith are beginning research for the African-American exhibits at the Dorcheat Museum. They are contacting persons throughout the parish who have knowledge of this particular part of our history. Where practical and with the permissions of the persons involved, Phillips and Smith will make audio-video recordings of their interviews. This oral history will be valuable for future researchers as well as making interesting exhibits. All periods from 1800 to the present will be covered. Broad spectrums of topics of historical significance are covered including, slavery, reconstruction, occupations, churches, education, etc. In addition they will attempt to find printed information, manuscripts, pictures and artifacts that are of historical importance.
For more information about this and other museum functions visit the museum at 116 Pearl Street, contact Schelley Brown at 318-377-3002 or visit the museum site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ .

Dr. Roy G. Phillips

Click on above album to see the museum event photos.
Understanding Slavery an Important Lesson to Learn
The 2nd in the 2009 series of “The Night for the Museum” was another big success. Schelley Brown; Dorcheat Museum Director commented, “This event in celebration of Black History month was a true learning experience for everyone that attended. Dr. Roy Phillips spoke about his research of his family, slavery and his roots back to Africa. Dr. Phillips became involved in his family research after speaking to Alex Haley of Roots fame many years ago and was later able to write his own family history in his book that will be available soon at the museum. I think everyone in attendance learned a lot about the origins of slavery and its effects.” Brown also commented that, “Both Dr. Phillips and Mr. James Smith have been a real asset to the museum, with their work on the Black History of Webster Parish. We are so lucky to have them doing this work for us. I am so pleased with the response from the community that the monthly events are creating. When history excites people that has a positive effect on what we are tying to do with the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum.”
One surprise for the evening was a $5,000 check that was presented to museum association President; Mr. Thad Andress from Cultural Crossroads President; Julie Vogel. Julie spoke of the importance in the community to support art and history projects. The evening was successful with donations from others at the end of the evening in support of preserving our parish history.
A tour of the museum was followed, with a look at the work being done on the Slavery and Reconstruction exhibit. This work is being done by local artist Larry Milford. Milford’s touch is seen throughout the museum with the layout and wonderful murals that are part of the overall look of the museum. The museum has 10 speakers scheduled for the 2009 series with Mr. Don Hinton in March, Mr. T.C. Bloxom Jr. in April and Richard Noles to speak in May. You will not want to miss these next three speakers. The events are held at 6:00 P.M. on the 2nd Monday of the month, at Christopher’s located on Main Street in Minden. If you haven’t been to 116 Pearl Street to see what Minden has to offer you need to make a point of dropping by and spending some time. Help the museum preserve our history for our future. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192 or go to the museum site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/

John Stillmon Willis, Jr. Draws One Of The Biggest Crowds Yet

2009-01-13T04:27:00.001-08:00

Mr. John Stillmon Willis, Jr.

Click on album above to see all pictures.
Monday January 12th, 2009, was the evening for one of the biggest crowds yet for a “Night for the Museum.” They came to hear Mr. John S. Willis the first guest speaker for the 2009 museum season. Museum Director; Schelley Brown stated, “I knew Mr. Willis was going to draw a large crowd from the amount of calls we begin receiving early last week. You could have heard a pin drop as Mr. Willis told of his many missions in such detail with twist of humor and through a few tears shared by the crowd. It is amazing to see someone with that kind of memory for detail share those moments in their life. I am so pleased with the response to these historic events. We had a crowd tonight of over 200, we had to go next door to get more chairs! People waited in line to get a chance to talk to Mr. Willis and thank him for what he did in WWII. It was a very moving night for everyone.”
Mr. Willis a longtime Webster Parish citizen grew up in the Doyline area of the parish. John Stillmon Willis, Jr. was born on the Willis farm south of Doyline to Ada Kennon Willis and John Stillmon Willis, Sr. in June of 1919. Mr. Willis spoke of his amazing experiences. He spent four years in the service, the later three years in the Army Air Corps. His combat service was as a B-17 Pilot out of Deephen-Greene Airbase with the 452nd Bomb Group in England. The average casualty rate for the Bomb Groups was a staggering 77% with his unit having an 85% casualty rate. Willis flew amazingly 35 missions. Mr. Willis even had a humorous encounter with the famous Lieutenant Colonel James “Jimmy Doolittle (Doolittle’s Raiders) that resulted in a surprise brand new B-17 for Mr. Willis. Many remember Mr. Willis and his late wife Mrs. Lillian Life Willis as a part of the Webb Hardware family. These two played important parts in the fabric of our community. They retired in 1988. Lillian died in 2006.
Black History Month will bring a very special “Night for the Museum”. In February we have a very special speaker on schedule Mr. Roy G. Phillips will be sharing his research of his family roots all the way back to Africa. This is an extraordinary journey that you don’t want to miss with more information to follow soon.
Many speakers are already lined up for an exciting and history filled 2009 schedule. The events will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30 refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m. with speakers to begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events but donations to the museum are welcomed. DVDs are available for all of the museum speakers. The 2008 collection is now on sale for $75 for 9 speakers. Mr. Willis’s DVD will be available by the end of the week for $10 each. Contact the museum at 377-3002 for information. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

Dorcheat Historical Museum

2009-01-02T15:18:00.000-08:00

Written by John Agan
Friday, 02 January 2009
Published in the Minden Press Herald
The past year was bittersweet for me in many ways; however, the highlight of the year was the opening of the Dorcheat Historical Museum. In the past I have written about the struggles that were endured over more than a half-century to bring this museum into existence.
This week’s Echo of Our Past will be more an Echo of Our Present and Our Future.
Although they didn’t know it, I am turning this space over to a couple of guest columnists this week – President Thad Andress and Executive Director Schelley Brown of the Dorcheat Museum.
Recently a newsletter was begun for members of the Association and it the first edition much of the story of the great things that took place this year was related.
So, today I am going to reprint some of the things from that newsletter, so that those of you who haven’t yet had the chance to participate in our museum will be brought up to date. My hope is that by the time the next quarterly newsletter is released, you will be a member and be able to read the news first hand.
To give credit in advance, most of what you read was written by Schelley Brown, as she composes the newsletter among the myriad of duties she has at the museum. I will also be including Thad’s President’s message from the issue.
The lead story of the newsletter is titled: “Museum Open For Business. The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum opened the doors officially on June 10, 2008. This was after a year-long construction and work phase that is still not complete. We now have the much-needed roof. Our volunteers and workers have been busy and have much more to do in the coming months and years.”
“Our first portion of the museum is nearly complete with minor tweaks along the way to take place. We still need items for the O’Bier Cabin exhibit. We need Civil War and Reconstruction items donated. Our Black History exhibit is in the works with the help of Dr. Roy Phillips and Mr. James Smith. Every day people come in with new items to add to our museum’s collection. This is how museums start, slow and steady. We are on the way!Never Completely Finished
“Soon we will begin working on our Children’s Learning Center. This room will have a seating capacity of over 100. A stage area and large screen monitor will be installed as well as a sound system. This area will have exhibits along the walls to enhance the museum experience for our visitors.
“A museum is never a completely finished project. New items are continuously found and donated. New Ideas always pop up to make things better. Please help us and take part. Remember, this is your museum, too!”In her Director’s Message, Schelley wrote the following:
“It has been a challenging, but very rewarding year at the museum. Thanks to our remarkable exhibit designer, Larry Milford, our museum is something we should all take great pride in. With the help of Webster Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau grant money we have made great progress in 2007 & 2008, and are looking forward to 2009 and all that it holds.
“Our monthly ‘Night for the Museum’ events at Christopher’s on Main Street are a huge success. Held the second Monday of every month except December, these have turned into a historic social gathering. These nights have brought people from all over the area and all walks of life to share their history and memories with us.
“One thing I think more people need to be aware of as we go forward is that amount of money this all costs. Without the help of a few very generous people, we would not be where we are today. My fear is, what happens these few can’t give anymore? It is up to all of us to join in this effort of financial support. It is so important that you support the museum in any way that you can. Financially as well as with volunteer hours are important and the lifeblood of a museum. Members are our most important and most treasured assets.
“Cora Lou Robinson is helping the museum with postcard invitations to our local schools. This important program will encourage our teachers to bring their students to the museum. We are very hopeful that this will take off in a big way all over the parish.
“Take time out and visit the museum or, better yet, plan your next meeting here. Let’s make history together in 2009.”President’s Message
This was Thad’s President’s Message:
“It’s been a great year for the museum. It’s truly wonderful that excitement that has been created in Minden. Can you imagine all those people talking about history? It wasn’t long ago that we were saying we had not history or at least not much. Then John Agan came along and let us know that we were almost the historical center of the world!”
“A new museum was a project waiting to happen. Several of us decided now was the time to do it and together, with a number of others, put up the money to begin the project. The opportunity to hire someone as talented as Larry Milford was a real Godsend. We hope you like what Larry has done. The exhibits are definitely his creations. We have a long way to go, but it will be done ‘right’.
“Our second Godsend was Schelley Brown. She is a workaholic with a new idea a day about how to raise money to support the museum. There are a lot of people with ideas for what other people should do. Schelley means to do them all herself.
“Our volunteer supporters are growing all the time. The same is true of those making donations to the museum. It takes a lot of money to keep going, around $60,000 a year. That doesn’t include new exhibits and renovations of our unfinished areas. We believe we are spending our donor’s money wisely. We hope that more will contribute and those that have will make additional and larger gifts.”An Asset
So now, you have had a little peak at what is going on at the museum. In case you didn’t know we are located at 116 Pearl Street in Downtown Minden, about one half block east of the Post Office, or, if you’ve been here a while, the old Major’s Office Supply building. Drop by and give the museum a look. We are open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Saturday hours are from 10:00 a.m. until 12 Noon. Special tours can be arranged by calling the museum a 377-3002. I hope many of you will be calling that number to volunteer, or to provide those precious artifacts of local history we need to tell the story of our parish.I’m going to conclude this article with a long list, like the “begats” in the Bible. You know those lists in the Bible are lineages that help explain what made an individual or a people special Well, what follows in the “begat” list for the museum. These are those who have been listed as benefactors to the museum from 2006, through the end of October 2008. These good people have either helped financially or through donations of time and work. Now, if you’re name is missing, and you have given, chalk it up to me turning 50 this year and growing blind and forgetful. However, if your name is missing because you haven’t given, wont’ you consider joining these good folks in helping tell our story at the Dorcheat Historical Museum:Notes of ThanksWebster Parish Convention & Visitors Bureau, Mr. & Mrs. Thad Andress, Mr. & Mrs. Miller Andress, Coca Cola Bottling Company of Minden, Ann Mays Harlan, Mrs. Pat Stephens, Mr. & Mrs. Marcus Wren, Dr. Richard Campbell, City of Minden and Mayor Bill Robertson, Mr. & Mrs. Duane Cloud, Mr. & Mrs. Rick Cloud, Webster Parish Police Jury, Minden Main Street, Larry Milford, Claire Drake Moore, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Odom, Mrs. Cora Lou Robinson, Ronnie Sale, Mr. & Mrs. C. O. West, Joan Andress Williamson, Woodard Walker, LLC, John Agan, Dr. & Mrs. Richard Baker, Durwood Blake, Mr. & Mrs. D. B. H. Chaffe III, Phil Demaline, Mr. & Mrs. Ed LaBruyere, Charlotte Martin, Minden Historical Residential District Association, Ty Pendergrass, Linda Pound, Benton & Brown, The Rev. & Mrs. William R. Bryant, Mr. & Mrs. James Bryant, Judge John C. Campbell, Mr. & Mrs. Jack Carroll, Mr. & Mrs. Bobby Evans, Virginia Fox, George French, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Gorman, Frank Griffith, Mr. & Mrs. Jud Hale, Dr. & Mrs. Carl Hines, Mr. & Mrs. Ben Hunter, Mr. & Mrs. John Irving, Mr. & Mrs. Loye Jones, Mrs. Allyson Hancock Kinzel, Bob & Earlene Lyle, Mr. & Mrs. James Madden, Mr. & Mrs. Rodney Mason, Mr. & Mrs. Harry McInnis, Mike Merritt Timberland Services, Dr. & Mrs. Carter Norman, Mr. & Mrs. Glen Pittman, Mr. & Mrs. Homer Purtle, Regions Bank, Mr. & Mrs. Henry Bridges, Waynette Sharon, Mr. & Mrs. Terry Snook, Woodard Investments, Sallie H. Anderton, Gerard & Cheryl Benit, Mr. & Mrs. Fred Berry, State Representative Jean Doerge, Fiberbond Corporation, R. O. Machen, Gibsland Bank and Trust, Jean Mendenhall, Jeannine & Dr. Mark Miller, Mr. & Mrs. Bobby Mourad, Mr. & Mrs. Carleton Prothro, Mr. & Mrs. Lonnie Simpson, Fant & Collier Smith, Dr. & Mrs. Webb Stewart, Mrs. Barbara Stewart-Shaffer, Mr. Andrew Walker, Wal-Mart, Dr. & Mrs. G. W. Willis, Mr. & Mrs. T. C. Bloxom, Jr., Dr. & Mrs. Ed Brown, Dr. & Mrs. Fred Cabaniss, Mr. & Mrs. Billy Chanler, Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Corley, Judge and Mrs. Harmon Drew, Jr., Harry Edwards, Mr. & Mrs. Larry Elkins, Marcia Gater, Mr. & Mrs. Larry Hock, Marilyn & Lea Miller, George Rolfe, Mr. & Mrs. Lynn Sinclair, Ronnie Veitch, Robert White and Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Woodard.
John Agan is a local historian, an Instructor at Bossier Parish Community College, and a published author. His column appears Fridays in the Minden Press-Herald.

We Made Minden's Top Ten For 2008

2008-12-31T08:11:00.000-08:00

An eventful year in Minden, Webster
Written by Press-Herald Staff
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
Over the next two days, the Press-Herald will recap the 10 biggest news stories of 2008 in Webster Parish.As follows are numbers 10 through 6.
TEN
Dorcheat Historical Museum opens
The greatly-anticipated Dorcheat Historical Museum, located at 116 Pearl Street, opened to the public on June 10.
The museum houses relics of historical interest and significance collected from all areas of Webster Parish as well as family heirlooms, which have been passed down through the generations. Many of the items have been donated by life-long residents of Minden.
Museum tours start with the history of Webster Parish, beginning with a Native American exhibit. They then progress down a timeline depicting progressions seen and made during the life of Webster Parish.
The Museum began hosting “Night for the Museum”, an exciting and entertaining evening featuring guest speakers who recall stories of Minden’s past. Speakers for this monthly event have included George Turner, Dr. Steve Kirkikis and Marilyn Miller.
The highly attended events are held at Christopher’s, located at 615 Main Street and include refreshments.Museum Director Schelley Brown said Night for the Museum allows for the recording of these important stories for future generations.

2009 Season for “Night for the Museum” will be filled with History

2008-12-05T08:48:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge picturesJohn Stillmon Willis, Jr. To Be The First Speaker of 2009

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc announces the first “Night for the Museum” of 2009. These events were such a huge success in 2008 with 9 speakers’ total for the year. Each event was recorded and made into a DVD. These DVDs are a part of the fundraising efforts of the always expanding and progressing new museum.
Museum director Schelley Brown stated, “Last year with our June opening we wanted to get the word out about the museum and what better way to do that than to tell our parish history from people that have lived it or whose grandparents experienced it.” The events have included a wide range of subjects from the Civil War – the 1940’s and 50’s recreation at Hunter’s Playhouse. Each event was attended by 150-200 guests. Many of these people traveled a great distance to attend the monthly events.
Monday January 12th, 2009, Mr. John S. Willis will be the first guest speaker for the 2009 season. Mr. Willis a longtime Webster Parish citizen grew up in the Doyline area of the parish. John Stillmon Willis, Jr. was born on the Willis farm south of Doyline to Ada Kennon Willis and John Stillmon Willis, Sr. in June of 1919. Ada Willis would succumb to along illness when John was just 4 years old. John was then raised by his grandparents John Gladden and Anna Willis. He graduated with a degree in Agronomy from LSU. He farmed until Pearl Harbor. He spent four years in the service, the later three years in the Army Air Corps. His combat service was as a B-17 Pilot out of Deephen-Greene Airbase with the 452nd Bomb Group in England. The average casualty rate for the Bomb Groups was a staggering 77% with his unit having an 85% casualty rate. Willis flew amazingly over 30 missions. After leaving the service John spent 20 years in the family lumber business. The next 20 years many remember Mr. Willis and his late wife Mrs. Lillian Life Willis as a part of the Webb Hardware family. These two played important parts in the fabric of our community. They retired in 1988. Lillian died in 2006. Mr. Willis will be speaking on his early childhood days around Lake Bistineau as well as his amazing stories of WWII and life in our surrounding communities. Ms. Brown commented, “I know Mr. Willis is going to be a wonderful first speaker for 2009. We are so excited that he has agreed to do this for us. He has wonderful stories and I know that everyone is going to enjoy listening to him.”
Speakers are already lined up for an exciting and history filled 2009 schedule. The events will be held at Christopher’s located at 615 Main Street in Minden on the 2nd Monday of the month. Doors open around 5:30 refreshments are served at 6:00 p.m. with speakers to begin at 6:30. No admission is charged for the events but donations to the museum are welcomed. For more information on the museum you can visit the web site at http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/ or call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.

Holiday Hours

2008-11-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum Holiday hours. On December 4th we will be open until 8:00 p.m. for Wrap It Up Downtown In Minden. The Week of Christmas we will be closed for a week from December 24th Christmas Eve - New Years Day. We will open again on Friday January 2nd, 2009. We will be in town the week we are closed so if you have family in that would like to see the museum please call Schelley Brown 423-0192 or Thad Andress 377-7311. If we are able to we would love to come down and show you the museum.

We Start Them Early To Volunteer Here At The Museum

2008-11-25T12:19:00.000-08:00

Volunteer Kristin Little is a seventh grade student at Webster Jr. High school. During her Thanksgiving vacation this young volunteer got in a days work at the Dorcheat Museum sorting and folding the Winter 2008-09 Newsletters. Kristin needed 10 hours of service for this semester for her Beta Club Service Project. The Dorcheat Museum was glad to have this help from a young person. It is important to start children out young to learn about the importance of volunteerism. We hope Kristin enjoyed her work here and will want to continue to help us in the future. We also hopes she gets an A+ on her work at school.

2008 Season Finale

2008-11-11T07:02:00.000-08:00

2008 Season Finale for “A Night for the Museum” A Big Hit
Monday, November 10th, 2008 was the 2008 “Night for the Museum” season finale. The monthly history events but on by the new Dorcheat Historical Association Museum have been a huge success and have increased awareness of the importance of Webster Parish history. Schelley Brown the director of the museum stated, “These events began to help promote the museum. We weren’t sure at first how they would go over, but we were thrilled when they kept growing in attendance every month. The people of Minden and surrounding areas are now looking forward to our next speakers. We not only created an interest in history but also stirred people’s memories of items and artifacts that they have tucked away in closets and attics. These items have now found there way to where they belong in the new museum.
Monday night’s speaker was the official Bossier Parish historian Clifton Cardin. Mr. Cardin has done extensive research about old Bossier Parish which at one time was part of what is now Webster Parish. He is the author of many history related books dealing with our area. Cardin donated one of his books to the museum on Monday night to be placed in the library reference section of the museum. Cardin also donated the same history book to be given away in the gift basket that was given away and was won by Sandra Sparkman.
Cardin told of some of the great leaders of our Parish and the huge influence they made on this area. One in particular was Judge John Watkins the man that had “Shed Road” constructed. Cardin talked on the importance and rarity of this type road and how he is looking for a picture of this structure. No picture exists of the old road to his knowledge and historians would love to find this in the future. Cardin also presented the museum with several pictures that were recently located dealing with the Yellow Pine area of Webster Parish.
All of the events have been recorded and are available for sale now as a complete set. You can save by getting the entire 9 DVD set which sales normally for $10 each. Now get all 9 DVDs for $75.00. These make a great gift for Christmas and the museum now has special old-time gift wrapping to make it a perfect gift of history. The museum has several items including prints and history books and the popular “Taste of Yesterday” cookbook series. All of these items are related to our area and are a great way to support the museum plus make great gifts for your holiday list.
The monthly events will continue in January 2009 with first speaker to be Mr. John S. Willis. Willis is a longtime Minden citizen and also a WWII Veteran with many heroic stories to tell. February will celebrate African-American History Month with Dr. Roy Phillips. Dr. Phillips has traced his family history to Africa and back. Dr. Phillips has published a book about his family and has done extensive research in Africa as well as the United States about African- Americans in our area. Dr. Phillips is also currently working with Mr. James Smith, long time educator in Webster Parish on the Black history for the museum. A grant has been applied for to help with this exhibit.
The museum has a lot to look forward to in 2009 as work continues on the Children’s Learning Center in the back room of the museum. The museum hopes to have classes come to the museum for tours and is encouraging local children’s club leaders, teachers and schools to call for tour times. This museum is not what you expect in a small town and you must get out and see it for yourself. For more information contact Schelley Brown at 318-377-3002 or 318-423-0192. To read more about the museum go to http://www.museuminminden.blogspot.com/

Lunch Bunch At First United Methodist Church Minden, Louisiana

2008-11-06T09:10:00.000-08:00

Dorcheat Historical Association Museum Director Schelley Brown spoke to the First United Methodist Church (Lunch Bunch Group) in Minden, Louisiana on Wednesday November 5th, 2008 at their monthly noon meeting. The topic was the importance of historic preservation in our area. The importance of now having the museum available to consolidate all the preservation efforts was relayed to the crowd. A invitation was extended to everyone attending the luncheon for a free tour of the museum following the program. Several lunch attendees took the museum tour offer and arrived at the museum for their free tour later in the day. All were most impressed with the quality of our Webster Parish Museum.