The first female college west of the Mississippi River opened its doors in 1855 in the small western Louisiana town of Mansfield, offering young women more than the social graces of finishing schools. At a time when opportunities for women were scarce, this institution became a beacon for higher education and teacher training.
A college for teachers and artists
“The Methodist Church decided we needed to teach young ladies how to teach children, how to be teachers,” explained Dan Reech, manager of the Mansfield Female College Museum. The Mansfield Female College offered a two-year degree for aspiring teachers, and students could continue for another two years to earn a fine arts degree.
Walking through the restored dormitory room, Reech points to a simple metal bed, dressing table, and large travel trunk. “This is what a typical dorm room would have looked like,” he said. “There would have been two to four young ladies in a room this size,” he added, noting that the trunks doubled as closets.
At its peak, the college housed about 90 people, including students, faculty, staff, and even middle-school-aged children who attended the on-site lab school. “They had middle school level children that they practiced on,” Reech said.
legacy of the first female college
The museum now preserves the story of the college with memorabilia donated by the families of former students. Display cases hold diplomas, school catalogues, scrapbooks, class rings, and dozens of photographs depicting students in glee club, theater productions, and drill team.
The college closed for two years during the Civil War and its buildings were converted into a hospital for soldiers wounded in the Battle of Mansfield. A wooden doll cradle on display was crafted by a recuperating Union soldier for a local girl, illustrating how the campus served both Confederate and Union troops.
The college reopened after the war, but economic challenges during the Great Depression forced it to merge with Centenary College in Shreveport. It officially closed in 1930, and a fire in the 1940s destroyed much of the original structure. The remaining one-story building now houses the museum.
Reech hopes visitors leave with a sense of pride in Mansfield’s pioneering spirit. “It shows people what a dynamic town this was at one time and how forward thinking we were,” he said — and how the college gave young women a much-needed chance at higher education.
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getting there
The Mansfield Female College Museum is located at 101 Monroe Street in downtown Mansfield, Louisiana. Admission is free. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday. Call (318) 871-9978 for more information or to make reservations for a tour.
101 Monroe St, Mansfield, LA 71052
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