Torras, Louisiana facts for kids
Torras was once a small town in the very northeast part of Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. It was built right next to the Texas & Pacific Railroad and near a waterway called Lower Old River. The mighty Mississippi River was just to its east. To its west, the Red River and the Atchafalaya River met.
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The Founding of Torras
The town of Torras started in 1902. It was named after a local farmer and businessman, Joseph Torras. Joseph Torras was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1820. He moved to the United States when he was young. Before he settled in Pointe Coupee in 1845, he lived in Natchez, Mississippi, and Van Buren, Arkansas. Joseph and his brother bought a large farm called the plantation of Bennet Barton Simmes. They then started their own business, M & J Torras.
A Town's Hopes and Challenges
People thought Torras would become a very important place for shipping goods and for trains. This was because of its great location near rivers and a railroad.
The Great Flood of 1912
However, a big disaster happened on May 1, 1912. A levee, which is a wall built to hold back water, broke right in front of the town. This happened during a huge flood of the Mississippi River that year. The town of Torras was almost completely destroyed. Floodwaters rushed south through Pointe Coupee Parish and into other nearby areas. About 17,000 people in Pointe Coupee had to leave their homes. Sadly, at least 28 people lost their lives, mostly in towns south of Torras.
Surviving the 1927 Flood
After the 1912 flood, the people of Torras rebuilt their community. The town managed to survive the high waters of the Great Flood of 1927. During that flood, a levee broke nearby in the McCrea community. This break was on the east side of the Atchafalaya River.
The End of Torras
Even though it survived the floods, the town of Torras eventually disappeared. In later years, the railroad tracks were moved to a different location. Without the railroad, the town lost its purpose. Today, there are no buildings left to show where Torras once stood.
