“Night
at the Museum with Wesley Harris “The Mother Road Of The South” Highway 80
Monday
May 13, 2019 will be 66th museum speaking event since 2007. Lincoln parish historian Wesley Harris will
be making his second presentation for 2019.
The importance of Highway 80 to the economic, cultural, and historical
legacy of North Louisiana will be the subject of the evening.
U.S.
Highway 80: America’s “True Mother Road” U.S. Highway 80 is the only American
thoroughfare to stretch continuously from coast to coast. While much of it has
been abandoned or decommissioned, before the Interstate System was created,
Highway 80, also known as the Dixie Overland Highway, was the primary east-west
highway in the southern half of the nation.
It
originally ran from Savannah, Georgia to San Diego, California. Some have
called it America’s “True Mother Road,” referring to the moniker given to U.S.
Route 66, advancing the idea that U.S. 80 probably carried more people west
seeking new fortunes than the shorter route running from Chicago to Los
Angeles.
U.S.
Highway 80 has been the scene of significant historical events. President John
F. Kennedy was traveling on U.S. 80 in Dallas when he was shot and killed. One
of the best known civil rights protests in American history—the series of
marches from Selma to Montgomery and “Bloody Sunday”—occurred on U.S. 80.
Within Louisiana, U.S. 80 stretches completely across the state from
Mississippi to Texas, passing numerous military facilities, three 4-year state
universities, and most of the parish seats of the parishes it crosses. Highway
80 served as the “main street” for Tallulah, Delhi, Monroe, West Monroe,
Ruston, Arcadia, Minden, Bossier City, and Shreveport. Before construction of
Interstate 20, most of those city’s movie theaters, motor hotels, service
stations, courthouses, and major businesses were located on U.S. 80.
The museum events are held in the
Media/Learning center 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 (DONATIONS
ACCEPTED) 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.
