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List of ghost towns in Louisiana facts for kids

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A ghost town is a place where most or all of the people have moved away, leaving behind empty buildings and quiet streets. Louisiana has many ghost towns, some of which were once busy places, especially sawmill towns. These towns often grew up around a big sawmill, and when the trees ran out or the mill closed, the town slowly faded away.

Louisiana's Ghost Towns

Louisiana's history is full of towns that appeared and then disappeared. Many of these were built around industries like logging or farming. When these industries changed or stopped, the towns often became empty.

Sawmill Towns and Their Stories

Many ghost towns in Louisiana were once thriving sawmill towns. These places were built because of the huge forests of longleaf pine trees. People moved there to work at the sawmills, cutting down trees and turning them into lumber.

Barham: A Sawmill Town's Beginning

Barham, located in Vernon Parish, was one such sawmill town. It started when the W. R. Pickering sawmill opened. Sawmills brought jobs and people, creating a community. But when the trees were all cut down, or the mill closed for other reasons, the jobs disappeared, and people had to move to find work elsewhere.

Carson: A Planned Community

Carson, in Beauregard Parish, was another sawmill town. It was founded in 1901 by a company called Central Coal and Coke Company. It was located about 5 miles south of DeRidder. These companies often built entire towns for their workers, including houses, stores, and schools.

Fisher: A Town That Tried to Remember

Fisher, in Sabine Parish, was a busy sawmill town north of Florien. In 1966, a company called Boise Cascade bought the mill. They even sold many of the old mill buildings to people who lived there. To remember its past, the village started "Fisher Sawmill Days" in 1976. This shows how communities try to keep their history alive even after the main industry is gone.

Longleaf: A Museum of the Past

Longleaf, in Rapides Parish, was also a sawmill town. Today, it's home to the Southern Forest Heritage Museum, which covers 57 acres. This museum helps people learn about the history of logging and sawmills in the South. It's a great example of how a former industrial town can be preserved for education.

Neame: Traces of a Lost Town

Neame, in Vernon Parish, was once a sawmill town known as Keith. It was built by the Central Coal & Coke Company. Today, all that's left are an old cemetery with 24 graves and a decayed sawmill pond. These small remnants are often the only clues that a town ever existed.

Towns Lost to Nature or Change

Not all ghost towns were sawmill towns. Some disappeared due to natural disasters or changes in transportation and industry.

Cheniere Caminada: A Hurricane's Impact

Cheniere Caminada, in Jefferson Parish, was a community that was tragically destroyed by a powerful hurricane in 1893. Natural disasters can quickly turn a lively town into a ghost town, leaving behind only memories and ruins.

Burrwood and La Balize: At the River's End

Burrwood and La Balize, both in Plaquemines Parish, were located near the mouth of the Mississippi River. These towns were important for shipping and navigation. However, as the river changed course or as new technologies made their locations less important, these towns faded away.

Other Notable Ghost Towns

Many other places in Louisiana are considered ghost towns or former communities. They each have their own story of why people left.

These ghost towns remind us that places can change over time. They show how industries, natural events, and people's choices can shape the landscape of a state.

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