Roy, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roy
Roytown
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| Nickname(s):
Roytown
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 Roy
Location in Louisiana
Roy
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Bienville |
| Elevation | 200 ft (60 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
71016
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| Area code(s) | 318 |
Roy (also called Roytown) is a small, unincorporated community in northern Louisiana, United States. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government. Roy is located in Bienville Parish. It sits about two miles south of Castor. To the south of Roy, you'll find Ashland in Natchitoches Parish.
Roy was named after Roy Otis Martin, Sr., who lived from 1890 to 1973. This community was once home to a large sawmill. The sawmill was owned by the Martin Timber Company. It was later run by Martin's son and then his grandson. The company sold the sawmill in 1992, and it closed down in 2000.
Contents
History of Roy
Early Days in Alberta
Before Roy became known, a community called Alberta thrived nearby. This was from 1898 to 1927. Alberta started when E. M. Werkheiser built a sawmill. The Louisiana and Arkansas Railway also built tracks into the area. By 1900, about 300 people worked at the Bienville Lumber Company's sawmill. This company even built a school, which also served as a church.
Alberta had a grocery store, a dry goods store, and a cotton gin. There were also blacksmith shops and gristmills. A gristmill grinds grain into flour. In 1915, the sawmill moved to Mississippi. The post office in Alberta closed in 1927.
Life Around the Sawmill
Later, a grocery store and a gasoline station opened across from the Martin company sawmill in Roy. A general store was also located about a mile south. When the sawmill was busy, the grocery store was like a "commissary." A commissary is a store that sells food and supplies, often in a military camp or a remote community.
Homes for the mill workers were built along what is now Louisiana Highway 153. Most people living near the mill worked for the company. The Kansas City Southern Railroad had tracks near the sawmill. A special side track, called a spur line, connected the railroad to the sawmill. This made it easy to ship lumber.
The Tornado and Beyond
In 1952, a powerful tornado hit Roy. It came from the direction of Black Lake Bayou. The tornado destroyed the sawmill and the workers' homes. However, the gas station, grocery store, and general store survived. The sawmill was rebuilt and kept working until November 2000. At that time, lumber prices were very low. Hunt Forest Products, the owner then, closed the sawmill.
Roy Today
Today, much of the Roy area, which used to be open land, is now a thick forest. There are still a few businesses in Roy. These include a gas station and a bar.
People living in Roy share the same ZIP code and phone numbers as those in Castor. Students from Roy attend Castor High School.
Geography and Nature
Nelson Creek
Nelson Creek flows through Roy. This creek is a branch of Black Lake Bayou. Creeks are small streams of water.
Local Roads
Besides Highway 153, other roads help people get around Roy. These include Punkin Center Road and Sawmill Road.
