“Night At The Museum” The Rowland and Simolke Families In Webster Parish

“Night At The Museum”

The Rowland and Simolke Families In Webster Parish

Doors Open At 5:30

Don’t miss the first Dorcheat Historical Museum event for 2016!

The 56th “Night at the Museum” will take place Monday February 8^th, 2016.  This event will feature several of our long time Webster Parish residents and family members.  The talk will be centered on the Rowland & Simolke families and the impact they had in the Webster parish area.

Almost 100 years ago, in 1917, Bunion Franklin Rowland brought a Greek Revival-styled dogtrot house, cotton gin, and 220 acres of farm land in Heflin, Louisiana for $2,800 cash.  Rowland purchased the property from Ambros Walker.  After leaving the logging industry in Kelly, Louisiana, B.F. Rowland with his wife, Ola Hood Rowland from Dubach, and five children developed one of the largest self-sufficient farms in Webster Parish.

The farm would later include a second large cotton gin, a saw mill, general store, blacksmith shop, numerous barns and farm animals: hogs, chickens, cows and mules.  Besides cotton, their harvest included corn, wheat, oats, soybeans, millet and many vegetables.

John Chris Simolke and his wife Mary Bauer Simolke moved to Webster Parish in the 1920’s with seven of their children to work at the “Dixie Nursery” located at the “Sunnyside Plantation” now referred to as the Shadows Estate in Dubberly, Louisiana. 

Today, 3^rd and 4^th generation Rowlands and the George Simolke family members maintain the historical buildings, farming of the over 200 acres of hay pastures and cattle on their Heflin, Louisiana historical old farm.  

 Don't miss your chance to hear about some of our local history. 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 CLOSED. The museum admission is free. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.