 Ouachita Parish Police Jury
300 St. John Street
P. O. Box 3007
Monroe, LA 71210-3007
TEL: 318-327-1340
FAX: 318-327-1339
Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday
7:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
E-Mail: info@oppj.org | |
History (Continued)
In 1805 the newly established town was plotted, recorded and by act of the territorial government, Fort Miro was designated as the seat of justice of "Ouachita County". The Filhiol plantation on the east bank of the river was divided into blocks each 300 feet square. The eastern boundary was the present Jackson Street, The original plantation of Joseph de la Baume, which had by this time been disposed of by the owner, and similarly divided, and from those two grants a major poition of the present cities of Monroe and West Monroe evolved. Fort Miro was built on the banks of the Ouachita River in what is now downtown Monroe and is where the parish courthouse now stands. Filhiol is considered the father of modern Monroe. In his day, he worked hard to establish a town on his land grant.
On September 5,1816,Filhiol signed the deed, which gave over the lots to the parish government. On that date, Monroe had its true birth.The town name was changed from Fort Miro to Monroe in 1819 in honor of the United States President James Monroe. Primitive as it was, it evolved into twin cities of industrial and commercial importance. West Monroe actually became a city in 1880. Combining the two former towns of Trenton and Cotton Port, each of which began at separate times and locations, formed the city of West Monroe. Monroe and West Monroe are often referred to as the twin cities.
THE LAND & RESOURCES
Ouachita Parish is located at the hub of Northeast Louisiana in Interstate 20, about 100 miles east of Shreveport and 65 miles west of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The parish is divided by the Ouachita River. The two major cities in Ouachita Parish are Monroe and West Monroe. The towns of Richwood and Sterlington complete the incorporated areas of Ouachita Parish.
About half the land in Northeast Louisiana is in pine timber production, which has a great deal to do with the location of the woods product industry in this area and its importance in the economic base. From Monroe to the east is the Mississippi River alluvial flood plain, an area almost totally utilized for agricultural production, with preference to cotton, soybeans, rice and sweet potatoes as principal crops Geographically, the eastern portion of the parish is located in the Bayou LaFotirche alluvial flood plain and is virtually flat. The Ouachita River is the primary drainage artery for the parish and is supplemented by a number of connecting bayous.
Ouachita Parish is a dynamic-part of the great paradise for outdoor sports. Straddling the nationally recognized and scenic Ouachita River, host to Bass Master and Lady-Bass Tournaments, Ouachita Parish has abundant wildlife.
Miles of oxbow lakes, serpentine bayous meandering southward empty-ing into this river; reservoirs and barrow pits offer anglers a choice of freshwater fishing, many only minutes from Monroe and West Monroe. Great hunting opportunities are found in the state-owned Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area located east of Monroe as well as along U.S. Highway 80 and 1-20, the Ouachita Wildlife Management.
Read More History Information
|
|
