Bayou Dorcheat in northern Louisiana is likely one of the reasons why the first settlers decided to build their homes in the area near Minden, Louisiana. And that includes the Native Americans who had hundreds of years of history there.
the earliest settlers in minden louisiana
“Caddo Indians were in the area,” explains Jessica Gorman, director of the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum in Minden. She opens several display cases filled with stone arrow points, pottery and other artifacts. “Many of our place names like Bistineau, Dorcheat and Shongaloo, take their names from those original Native American names,” Gorman says. She recounts stories she’s heard from the days before the street outside the museum was paved. “After it would rain, you could go out here and pick up arrow heads,” Gorman tells me.
stepping into a log cabin
We walk inside an original 1850’s dogtrot log cabin that was moved to the Dorcheat Historical Society’s Minden Museum. The old home is filled with relics and home furnishings from early pioneers who settled in the area.
minden gets its train in north louisiana
As transportation across northern Louisiana transitioned from boats and rivers to the railroad, Minden nearly missed out. The original rail line bypassed Minden, which could lead to the demise of some towns. “The people of Minden decided that they weren’t going to let that happen,” Gorman explains, “so they built their own railroad to connect to the main line.”
minden museum featured on tv
the disasters of 1933
During the early 20th century, Minden, Louisiana suffered what’s known as the disastrous year. Photographs, old newsreels and newspapers from 1933 show what happened. “A tornado destroyed much of the town, there was a fire that destroyed most of a city block, there were floods and there was a bank that failed all in the same year,” Gorman says. The 1933 Minden tornado killed at least two dozen people and destroyed 200 homes.
famous faces of minden louisiana
When you visit a town museum, you often learn about some of the famous people who have called the area home. Minden, Louisiana is no exception. Alan Bean, an Apollo astronaut who was the fourth person to walk on the moon, spent part of his childhood in Minden. The museum has a photograph of a very young Alan Bean sitting on top of the bass drum with the Minden High School Band.
Musicians Trace Adkins and Percy Mayfield also grew up in the area. And there is a connection to the 36th president of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson. The president’s great-grandfather, George Washington Baines, was the first pastor of Minden’s First Baptist Church.
Elvis played here
The museum has photographs and posters from a July, 1955 performance by Elvis Presley. “He came to Minden and he performed at the Joy Drive-In on the back of a flatbed Truck,” Gorman says.
Elvis Presley in Minden, Louisiana (courtesy Dorcheat Historical Association)
getting there
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum is located at 116 Pearl Street, Minden, Louisiana. Phone (381) 377-3002.
116 Pearl St, Minden, LA 71055
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