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Home/Regions/Central Louisiana

Central Louisiana

Explore the natural beauty and historic sites of central Louisiana, from hiking the hills of the Kisatchie National Forest, to visiting the state’s oldest city at Natchitoches, founded in 1714. This region also hosted the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers, largest domestic military exercise in U.S. history.

buffalo bison with horns on grass

The Last Buffalo in Louisiana

Dave McNamara
April 15, 2025

The rifle shot echoed through the tall pine trees of the Kisatchie National Forest, a shot that killed the last buffalo in Louisiana. That buffalo, the commonly misused name for…

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small bridge with log rails along trail through woods at Caroline Dormon Preserve

Caroline Dormon

Dave McNamara
December 30, 2024

a gift of nature A woman named Caroline Dormon spent her life trying to preserve Louisiana’s native plants and natural landscapes.  And when she died a half-century ago, Dormon left…

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view of moon at night through pine tree

Moon Tree

Dave McNamara
December 24, 2024

More than a half-century after a bag of seeds was carried to the moon and back, a moon tree stands tall in Louisiana’s Kisatchie National Forest. It is the only…

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pier over water with cypress trees and blue sky

Louisiana Hiking Trail

Dave McNamara
September 30, 2024

Louisiana has a new long distance hiking trail that features paths along bayous, cypress swamps and through hills of pine forests. The new Bayou State Trail will take you from…

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old wood and mud Creole Roque house on sunny day with garden in foreground

Roque House

Dave McNamara
September 16, 2024

The historic Roque House, a Creole house built more than two centuries ago near Natchitoches, is reopening for public tours. This reopening not only marks the preservation of a physical…

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hand woven baskets of river cane

River Cane

Dave McNamara
June 22, 2024

In central Louisiana, the U.S. Forest Service is spearheading efforts to restore river cane, a bamboo-like plant that played a vital role in Native American culture for thousands of years.…

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woman wearing hat with shovel and bucket in archealogy dig

Finding Ice Age Louisiana

Dave McNamara
December 27, 2023

Ice Age Louisiana is gradually yielding its secrets as archaeologists meticulously dig deep into the layers of history in Kisatchie National Forest. These researchers have unearthed a treasure trove of…

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brown and tan striped Louisiana pine snake held by man wearing green pants

Pine Snake

Dave McNamara
December 23, 2023

A major effort is underway to release more pine snakes into the Kisatchie National Forest in western Louisiana.  You might think that the Bayou State already has plenty of the…

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dark granite memorial with date 1873 and colfax massacre

Colfax Massacre Memorial

Dave McNamara
December 20, 2023

Colfax, a small town in northern Louisiana, has a new memorial to a massacre. The memorial commemorates a brutal and deadly racial massacre that occurred there in 1873. Almost 150…

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white bunkie louisiana water tower and trees with blue sky

Bunkie Louisiana

Dave McNamara
December 19, 2023

What’s in a Name? The town of Bunkie, Louisiana, has a one-of-a kind name.  There is no other “Bunkie” anywhere in the United States.  And there is an interesting story…

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man in coveralls and had carrying bundle of river cane

Duck Call

Dave McNamara
December 18, 2023

a bayou beast A Louisiana man clings to the traditions of his French ancestors for making duck calls and the other necessities of duck hunting.   Dale Bordelon gets everything he…

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concrete and brick facade on old pineville city hall with the date 1931

Old Pineville City Hall

Dave McNamara
July 18, 2023

The old brick Pineville City Hall was a modern building when it opened in 1931. The structure provided all of the services of the local government under one roof, including…

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metal St. Augustine Church sign with trees and blue sky

St. Augustine Church

Dave McNamara
June 13, 2023

A creole louisiana landmark Historic St. Augustine Church, nestled on the banks of Louisiana’s Cane River Lake, stands as a testament to the resilience and faith of the region’s Creole…

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color portrait of Cammie Henry in the early 20th century

Cammie Henry

Dave McNamara
May 16, 2023

In the early 20th century, Cammie Henry emerged as a visionary woman, transforming her Melrose Plantation in Louisiana into a sanctuary for renowned Southern writers and artists. She captured the…

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U S tank in Europe with 761st Tank Battalion in World War 2

761st Tank Battalion

Dave McNamara
April 27, 2023

At a time when the U.S Army was still racially segregated, the all-Black 761st Tank Battalion was created at Camp Claiborne in Louisiana.  The unit nicknamed the “Black Panthers” went…

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picnic table under shade of pine trees overlooking Valentine lake

Valentine Lake

Dave McNamara
April 11, 2023

For a Louisiana campground, Valentine Lake may be a bit on the primitive side, but this secluded spot on a quiet lake is truly a real beauty. Immerse yourself in…

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man playing banjo and man playing guitar at bluegrass jam

Bluegrass Jam

Dave McNamara
December 6, 2022

Bluegrass music enthusiasts gather once a month at the old train depot museum in the west-central Louisiana town of DeRidder to jam on some of their favorite old-time songs. The…

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log cabin under blue sky in Louisiana No Man's Land

Louisiana No Man’s Land

Dave McNamara
November 29, 2022

The far western portion of Louisiana was once known as “No Man’s Land”, and it attracted outlaws who took advantage of the disputed territory to avoid justice. Charles “Leather Britches”…

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drawbridge over red river

Red River Raft

Dave McNamara
August 2, 2022

The Great Raft on the Red River blocked any attempt to use the river for navigation. The Raft was a logjam hundreds of years in the making that blocked any…

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Allen Acres

Dave McNamara
July 20, 2022

One man’s passion for native Louisiana plants and butterflies has led to the creation of Allen Acres, a bed and breakfast with a focus on nature. Dr Charles Allen has…

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white egret in flight blue sky over Cazan Lake

Cazan Lake

Dave McNamara
June 30, 2022

Cazan Lake may be one of the best places in Louisiana to watch and photograph nesting birds. Known as PJF Farm and Lodge, the 3,500 acre private property is a…

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Large 2-story plantation house green lawn trees Melrose

Melrose Plantation

Dave McNamara
April 7, 2022

Melrose Plantation is a nearly 200 year old National Historic Landmark located on Cane River Lake in central Louisiana that was home to folk artist Clementine Hunter. Built by a…

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Pavilion and pond at site of Louisiana sawmill at Fullerton

Louisiana Sawmill town’s short life

Dave McNamara
December 31, 2021

The plan was for the Fullerton sawmill in Louisiana to stay in operation for generations. But in only 20 years, the historic lumber mill town of 5,000 people had vanished.…

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water flows through spillway at Toledo Bend Dam Louisiana

Toledo Bend Reservoir

Dave McNamara
December 23, 2021

The Toledo Bend Reservoir was born from a unique partnership between the state of Louisiana and neighboring Texas. The 1960’s project created the largest reservoir in the South that is…

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brown historic marker colfax riot louisiana

Colfax Massacre

Dave McNamara
November 23, 2021

Two strangers whose great ancestors were on opposite sides of the racially-charged Colfax Massacre 150 years ago have formed an unexpected friendship as they try to set the record straight.…

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grave monument and large oak tree Louisiana

Missing Grave of a Louisiana Governor

Dave McNamara
October 5, 2021

For decades, the gravesite of a former Louisiana governor has been missing. In the mid-20th century, a cotton field replaced the family grave of former Governor Joseph Walker, who died…

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ATV rider coming toward camera on dirt trail in the wood south toledo bend state park

Toledo Bend Has Two State Parks

Dave McNamara
June 29, 2021

South Toledo Bend State Park is temporarily closed for road repairs and cabin upgrades. The Toledo Bend Reservoir, located on the Louisiana-Texas state line, is famous for its fishing tournaments,…

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world war 2 tank in front of Fort Polk Museum Louisiana

Louisiana Maneuvers at Fort Polk

Dave McNamara
June 1, 2021

Louisiana’s Fort Polk was at the center of preparations by the U.S. Army to modernize its fighting forces and strategies for the battlefields of World War Two. A half million…

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butterfly on flower in forest along Louisiana's wild Azalea trail

Hiking Louisiana’s Wild Azalea Trail

Dave McNamara
March 10, 2021

The Wild Azalea Trail cuts a 24 mile long path through central Louisiana’s Kisatchie National Forest.  You are likely to see wild azaleas blooming in the creek bottoms along the…

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abandoned Longleaf sawmill in Longleaf, Louisiana

Sawmill Frozen in Time

Dave McNamara
August 28, 2020

It is one of many sawmills that were harvesting Louisiana’s longleaf pine trees in the late 1800’s.  And along the way, this sawmill in Longleaf, Louisiana played a critical role…

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1956 Thunderbird built in a New Orleans garage

Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame

Dave McNamara
August 19, 2020

Louisiana has a rich sports history that goes far beyond the gridiron.  From dirt horse tracks to Olympic medals and the now-banned sport of high school boxing, you will find…

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trail through the Kisatchie National Forest

Kisatchie National Forest

Dave McNamara
June 23, 2020

Hiking the Kisatchie Hills The Kisatchie is the only national forest in the state of Louisiana, and it offers numerous trails that can make for a great day of hiking. …

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view of the milky way over the Rockefeller National Wildlife Refuge, Cameron Parish, Louisiana

See the Milky Way in Louisiana’s Kisatchie National Forest

Dave McNamara
June 23, 2020

Seeing the milky way in Louisiana can be a challenge. You have to time your stargazing to a night when the moon is not lighting up the night sky and…

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