It has been dubbed the venice of north america, because it is the epicenter of six bayous, all of which were at one time tributaries of the mississippi river. The old spanish trail highway association, within a few months of its. Traditionally, this was where the old beef trail crossed the angelina river. Alabama, mississippi, and into louisiana, early explorers established what is now america.
This old spanish trail, which is just over 100 years old, was an automobile highway construction project promoted by a number of business people beginning in 1915 with meetings in mobile, al. This should probably not be the first book you read about the old spanish trail. The old spanish national historic trail feasibility study recognizes several main routes and the armijo trace in identifying the period of significance for the trail. In september 1915 representatives from mississippi, louisiana, and alabama met in mobile, alabama, and created the alabamagulf coast highway association, seeking to spur the creation of a new highway along the gulf coast. Authors tommy cobb and mara currie, with the help of the good citizens of the houma, weave a remarkable story with historical photographs and anecdotes of this truly unique part of louisiana. And throughout the route there are members of the old spanish trail association who will find pleasure in making your aquaintance. Without any consideration of the indians living in the area, he took possession of their lands in the name of the king of spain and for the. Pearl river station, slidell, mclane city, gentilly, new orleans. The discovery of the fish lake cutoff on the old spanish trail, on tour a virtual book tour with outskirts press. I would say its more flavorful than i remember when i was a teenager. Resurrecting the original road trip on americas ghost highway.
A new book details what became known as the old spanish trail. He was among the largest land holders in southwest louisiana. Highway 90 us 90 is an eastwest major united states highway in the southern united states. Youll see the lake through the trees as you make your way down hwy. Were blind to the history running through our cities, the retired sociology professor said. Feb 18, 2021 even though the trail gradually ceased to be used, small segments survive as hiking trails and minor roads, and the mystique of the old spanish road will survive in the minds of floridians for. Old spanish trail is a 32page booklet produced by the old spanish trail association. Along the old spanish trail are the riches of history, legend, sentiment and natural beauty. In the book, author dan ellis uses vintage photographs, maps, and stories to give readers a look at a historic route that spans. View of the old spanish trail along the calcasieu river. The country is threaded with bayous and the old spanish trail rambles by them and across them. The trail includes a confederate encampment at nibletts bluff park, delta downs racetrack and the brimstone museum park in sulphur. Old spanish trail movement organized to promote a paved automobile highway across the southern united states connecting 6 centers of historical interest. Lafayette parish, louisiana, and the old spanish trail auto highway.
The old spanish trail the ost was an auto trail that once spanned the united states with almost 2,750 miles 4,430 km of roadway from ocean to ocean. The pdf document is available at the project updates page of the mississippi department of transportation s website. Nov 01, 2018 he was wellknown as a promoter of louisiana tourism and a proponent of the old spanish trail. Us highway 90 project history recounts in some detail this roadways colorful past in mississippi, dating back to the early 20th century when it was part of the old spanish trail. From the balcony toward the distant trees are the nearby tattered palms, the piles of trash the weeds and forest humus reclaim, and the tin sheds and barns hidden in deciduous winter thickets. It also includes a summary of achievements of the association and plans for the next year. Stephanie baudry obituary death notice and service information. The balcony stretches wide across the back of the old spanish trail way station, hemmed in by the rusting arabesques of wroughtiron railings. I usually get pizza for my kids when i dont feel like cooking. Old spanish missions historical research library at san jose mission, 1979. Trail, was 102 years old when the first rail bridge over the sabine river at orange was completed, and through rail service linked houston with new orleans for the first time. Let these colorful accounts and stories take you back to the days and time of those who trod the old spanish trail north route. The window is open during the same hours as the library. By 1815 lebleu had built his home at a point where the calcasieu river intersected the opelousas trail and old spanish trail in the area now known as lebleu settlement.
Jul 07, 2017 the old spanish trail association osta was one of these groups at first planning an interstate highway from st. In the book, author dan ellis uses vintage photographs, maps, and stories to give readers a look at a historic route that spans across. The old spanish trail auto highway in 1929 arcgis storymaps. Lyman has captured for us the essence and significance of this forbidding trail and elevated it into the mainstream of western trail history. The old spanish trail highway association, within a few months of. There is mention, for example, of meeting a group of pioneers and details of antoine lerouxs leading john w. The history of angelina county describes the old beef trail as follows. The west regional library features a drivethru for pickups and returns. Building the old spanish trail mississippi history now.
The osta formed in 1915 at a meeting of over 400 people in the battlehouse hotel in mobile, alabama. Year book, report of managing directors to old spanish trail members san. In his book pages from hopi history, harry james writes. Old spanish trail day acadia parish chamber of commerce. It takes is a little thinking outside the box and you can market a selfpublished book in a variety of affordable and impactful ways. The texas portion of the road began at the southwestern louisiana border at. Louisiana east of morgan city is the ancient delta of the mississippi river. Old spanish trail, highway 90 mississippi encyclopedia. A spanish trading route in the 1800s, the trail offers a scenic look at west calcasieu parish and is packed with civil war history. The three largest sugar mills in louisiana are on the old spanish trail.
The texas portion of the road began at the southwestern louisiana border at orange. Augustine to new orleans named after the trails of the spanish explorers. Old spanish trail association records digital commons at st. Gregory crampton and steven madsen, but for those that have the time and interest in getting to know the trail from personal on the ground experience, they will be much rewarded by making such investigations with the bison books edition of the old spanish trail by hafen and hafen as the historic context. Work on the auto highway began in 1915 at a meeting held at the battle house hotel in mobile, alabama. His home was a spacious cypress house, covered with plaster and attractive painted murals on the smooth walls. The old spanish trail highway ost includes segments of some of the oldesnt roads and trails in texas. Originally a spanish trading route in the 1800s, the trail offers a scenic and historic look at. The old spanish trail, when it was completed in 1929, was 2,743 miles of. At that time, the agency formally incorporated the roadway as sh 3 in the new state highway system.
Gunnison and his eighteen wagons down the trail a worthy route. He is eating utensils were a knife and a horn spoon hung at his belt. View of the old spanish trail along the calcasieu river and the bridge across it just east of the city docks. The old spanish trail largely overlapped with the southern national highway, as the route was named by the texas highway commission in 1917.
Highway 90the old spanish trailhouma is also bisected by the intracoastal waterway. The french took command of the vast territory of old louisiana by establishing sovereignty over the mississippi river in. New mexican traders moved locally produced merchandise across what are now six states to exchange for mules and horses. Bellowing cows marked first trail to new orleans by w. However, the route marked by the old spanish trail association included a wide. With the exception of a shortlived northward extension to us 62us 180 near pine springs, texas that existed for less than one year, its western terminus has always been at van horn, texas.
The first recorded cattle drive along the opelousas trail occurred when francisco garcia left san antonio in 1779 with 2,000 steers bound for new orleans beaumont enterprise, 1975. In 18291830 the santa fe merchantexplorer anotoni armijo combined information from several previous explorations and led a group. Despite the 0 in its route number, us 90 never was a full coasttocoast route. Stephanie baudry obituary death notice and service. Technology has created a wide variety of ways to reach audiences all over the world. While the old spanish trail was established as a trade route, it was a trail rather than a road. In his younger years, lebleu was a buccaneer, sailing against the spanish as one of jean laffites captains. The beef trail originating in louisiana trails from opelousas, natchitoches, and alexandria leading into texas possibly near newton went to corsicana or fort worth about 1860. The association sprung from the good roads movement, which beginning in the 1910s sought to create better transportation routes for the increasingly. Vintage sign for the alamo plaza motor hotel, 4343 old spanish trail, in houston.
Stephanie ann guillot baudry, 71 on friday, march 26, 2021 at 12. Pacific railroad from vicksburg on the mississippi river to. Highway 61 follows the route of the great river road from mississippi to new orleans, u. Old highway 90, louisiana louisiana history, old pictures, photo. This book is for you if you are interested to discover the rich lives of those who.
Spanish lake, formerly called lake flamand and later lake tasse meaning cup in french, is believed to have been an oxbow lake of the mississippi river when it flowed 3,800 to 5,500 years ago through what is now bayou teche. Attending that meeting as louisiana representatives were the upcoming governor, ruffin pleasant, and the longtime mayor of new orleans, martin behrman. Sep 17, 2020 louisiana east of morgan city is the ancient delta of the mississippi river. Road book from 1923 includes the following description of the old spanish trail.
Travelogs provided guides for travelers driving the old spanish trail ost auto highway, which connected st. Broussard was listed on the map, and the march 1929 travelog gives the following description. Focal point of the daylong celebration of the third anniversary of when rayne was designated the first official old spanish trail city in the entire nation will be the depot square between 9 a. This book is for those who already have a general idea about the trail and have a need for the fine details. A sign marking the old spanish trail is displayed along west main. The azalea trail and the camelia pageant are also mentioned. The old spanish trail auto highway was the creation of the old spanish trail association. Fifty miles southwest of new orleans and easily accessible from u. The year after armijos journey, 18301831, william wolfskill and george yount blazed a different route that used some of the same landmarks. The discovery of the fish lake cutoff along the old spanish trail, author robert w. Old spanish trail association, records, blume library, st.
The roadway was built in the 1930s following the elevated areas along the gulf coast. From new iberia, head northwest on la182 towards lafayette. Resurrecting the original road trip on americas ghost. The opelousas trail december 2015 archive 2015 jeff.
Aug 07, 2015 the old spanish trail associations map of the road image. Aug 25, 2019 a louisiana edition of the old spanish trail travelog from the mid1920s provides insight into the history of many acadiana communities. Nov 03, 2015 in his book pages from hopi history, harry james writes. The old spanish trail auto highway in 1929 city of. While i enjoyed its thoroughness, i finally began to skim rather than read by the middle of the book. The excellent quality of research and writing, the addition of many photographs and maps, make this easily read book the final word on the topic. In 1881, the need for the long, overland cattle drives effectively ceased when the first cars of bellowing cows crossed that river en route to the crescent city. Those who want to engage its services or take a ride in the novel vehicle should leave. It crossed eight states and 67 counties along the southern border of the united states. Thus, in october 1915, a group of alabamamississippi louisiana good roads. Long bridge and various other historical sites along a. Spanish trail animal hospital, formerly reaux animal hospital, is a fullservice veterinary hospital.
This is a very thorough history of the old spanish trail. Courtesy of ost100 driving the old spanish trail, if you want to stick to the original route as much as possible, is a bit of a. Block reprinted from beaumont enterprise, about 1975, exact date unknown also in block, frontier tales of the texas louisiana borderlands, mss, pp. Holocene meanderbelt point bar deposits of the bayou portage occupation of mississippi river site gps coordinates. The old spanish trail transcontinental highway was one of the most. Thus, in october 1915, a group of alabamamississippilouisiana good roads. A book by the scott historical and genealogical society 2012 features a picture of a general store on cayret. A large part of the year book is a brief history of. Houma arcadia publishing local and regional history books. The old spanish trail was a national highway, completed in the 1920s, that ran from st. Tsha old spanish trail texas state historical association. A drivethru book return is also available after hours. Today, the pass christian historical society sits on this sp.
Aug 22, 2009 slow travels louisiana takes the leisure driver and their passengers on entertaining and educational journeys through louisiana s history. This is the old sugar plantation district and the old south of legend and story. There is some confusion of the exact route of the opelousas, who some referred to as the beef trail. Portions of the trail were explored as early as 1776 but left mostly unused.
Augustine, florida, across the southern united states to san diego, california. Evoking the early spanish conquistadors, explorers, and missionaries who came to texas and other. Morgan city louisiana highway 90 before we had interstates. Oct 18, 2018 louisiana volleyed between the french and the spanish rule during the 17 th century. Saturday, november 2nd will be the 4th annual old spanish trail day celebration. For decades now the writers of pulp western americana have ground out countless tales of the old chisholm and goodnight. The year book details accomplishments of the association, with a public accounting of funds expended. The rand mcnally automobile road book from 1923 includes the following description of the old spanish trail.
899 1527 1202 1217 1337 1309 1376 68 1176 816 373 1761 933 1207 13 1706 1282 860 1 24 307 1219 941 249 1596 1162 1065 820 270 1211