THREE NEW BOOKS MAKE THE PERFECT GIFTS FOR
HISTORY LOVERS
Dorcheat
Museum releases three new books that remind us of the fascinating history of
Minden and Webster Parish. “If These
Stones Could Talk” parts one and two available for $25 each. “If These Trees Could Talk,” the history of a
few of Minden’s trees available for $10 each.
Can be picked up at the museum located at 116 Pearl Street in
Minden. Or add $5 for shipping. Get all three books and save $5 in shipping.
 |
| Don't miss getting these books.... Save $5 shipping when you order all 3. |
Museum
Director Schelley Francis commented, “These projects like so many others have
been on my mind for years, especially since I began my job as director of the
Dorcheat Historical Association Museum in 2007.
I became involved with the Minden Cemetery Association in 2003. In 2004
Earlene Mendenhall Lyle and Ann Mays Harlan surveyed and compiled a book “The
Minden Cemetery”…. this book alone has served as a wealth of knowledge and
valuable information for so many.
My
friend and Webster Parish Historian, Mr. John Agan has made history real for so
many of my projects. It’s been said about
John, “We didn’t have much history until John told us we did!” That statement holds true and many of my
projects could never have been done without John Agan’s help and his love of
history.
The
history of Minden’s trees is something I have needed to do for a while. With the recent questions about the Arizona
Ash tree, the time was now. With some
research and digging into our archives, I was able to piece together this small
book. I hope that people will enjoy
learning some important history about some of our city landmarks.
This
series of cemetery books began for John and myself in March 2015. The questions
began, the day I went to the Old Minden Cemetery, many years ago searching for
the people that had built the home I had purchased on East and West
Street. Finding the graves of the Bakers
and Miss Susanella Schoenbrodt opened up the beginning of a desire to find out more
about all the people that were buried in this hallowed ground.
In
2005 the very first Ghost Walk at the Minden Cemetery took place and continued
every November until 2011. Who knows one
day I may pick it up again… but for now these books and the ones to follow are
what is important. Ghost Walk more than
anything opened my eyes to all the amazing people that were buried here and the
stories that needed to be told. It also
opened up my eyes to the need to donate time and money to the Minden
Cemetery. These books will preserve
those stories and maybe one day be a guide to future generations when they need
to tell the stories of Minden’s earliest citizens.
Little did I know in 2005… that one
day preserving history would be part of my job description! “It’s been said about me after all these
years “That if it is old, buried, paint peeling off of it, or will not start
that I must have something to do with it!”
I guess that is correct because it all goes together. The people, the homes, the cemetery…are all
connected and full of history. That is
one thing I learned very fast, history just keeps you going and going. You keep digging deeper and deeper until you
can link it all together. That is what
we hope these books do for those that read them….closes some links and finds
some pieces of the many puzzles that are part of our lives.
Preserving
history is a labor of love, in my heart I know that the time is now to get as
much recorded. Every day we lose a
member of past generations along with valuable information. I hope you enjoy these books as much as John
and I have enjoyed collecting and piecing it all together in book form.
This
sentiment is exactly the way I feel about the cemetery. “I have
never been lonely in a cemetery. They
are perfect places to observe the slow changing of the seasons, and to absorb
human history …the tragedies and the anguishes, the violences and always the
guilts and sorrows of vanished people.
In a pretematural quiet, one can almost hear the palatable, long-ago
voices.” Southern Author Mr. Willie Morris. I often sit in my car during lunch hour…I
am among friends when I am there. I
think the people buried here welcome me and are glad that a few people care.”
To donate money to the Minden Cemetery
Association pleases send your check to Minden Cemetery Association 1000
Broadway, Minden, LA 71055. To support
the Dorcheat Museum please send your tax deductible donation to Dorcheat Museum
P.O. Box 1094 Minden, LA 71058