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Baton Rouge Magnet High School
This land-mark high school building was constructed in 1926. It is a three to four story neo-gothic brick and terra cotta building located in an older residential area of Baton Rouge now known as Mid-City.
The noted architect was William T. Nolan who designed a number of significant buildings in Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge High is listed on the National Register of Historic places ad is significant in the area or its architecture as well as its distinguished list of graduates over the last eighty-one years.
The Magnet School is owned and operated by the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board. It provides an award winning college preparatory and visual and performing arts curriculum. The school building desperately needs extensive renovations and upgrading with some modern educational amenities. Cost is a major concern as the school board considers its options- renovate, restore or demolish.
Thompson-Hargis Mansion
Built in 1907, the grand Thompson-Hargis Mansion in Alexandria is a fine example of Greek Revival residential architecture, a style that remained popular and fashionable well into the 20th Century. It is regarded as one of the finest homes in Alexandria, one of four within a two-block area known as “Mansion Row.”
The home was occupied by descendents of the original owners. Mr. And Mrs. B.F. Thompson, Sr., until 1993 and is still owned by the family. Unoccupied for almost 15 years, the home is threatened by severe neglect. Surrounded by deteriorating bungalows built in the early 1900s, preservation of the Thompson-Hargis Mansion would be the catalyst to revitalization of the entire Florence Avenue area.
Shushan Terminal Complex
The Shushan Terminal Complex near the New Orleans lakefront is a rare surviving example of classic Art Deco airport architecture from the “golden age” of aviation. The terminal was constructed between 1930-1933 and dedicated to public use in 1934. Significant WPA-era murals by Xavier Gonzales compliment the structure. There is also documentation that Amelia Earhart spent the night at the terminal’s hotel facility prior to her final global flight.
Although salvageable, the terminal is in desperate need of repair and restoration following Hurricane Katrina. The structure is unsecured and thus vulnerable to vandals and weather. Contemporary development interests and a lack of public awareness pose a significant threat to the restoration of this architecturally and historically important building.
Badin-Roque House
The circa 1770 Badin-Roque House near Natchitoches, LA is the last remaining “poteaux en terre” (post in ground) structure in Louisiana, and one of only five in the United States. It was originally built as a two-room structure with a central fireplace and front and back porches. Cane River Community families occupied the site until the 1970s. It is one of the last remnants of Creole ethnic heritage in the Cane River Area and the only example of French-Creole architecture of its type remaining in the lower Mississippi Valley.
Currently owned by the St. Augustine Historical Society, the site is unoccupied but open for tours upon request. Occupation of the structure is crucial to its continued survival. Without funding for a full-time docent or maintenance personnel, the structure is vulnerable to unsupervised tours, small animals and decay. The bousillage walls and dirt floors require expensive yearly maintenance. Lack of funding is this significant site’s greatest threat.
Vida Shaw Swing Bridge
The Vida Shaw Swing Bridge is a one-lane rim-bearing swing bridge over Bayou Teche in Iberia Parish. Constructed in 1940, the bridge is 202 feet long with a timber substructure with steel truss supports. Although it is currently operated with automatic hydraulics, the original manual operations still exist. At one time, over a dozen swing bridges covered Bayou Teche. Today, the Vida Shaw Bridge is one of only three remaining swing bridges and is the oldest still in operation.
The Bridge is the last relic of the Vida Sugar Mill, which operated from 1923 to 1972. During its heyday, the Vida Mill was vital to the area economy and contributed to the growth and prosperity of the region. The Atchafalaya National Heritage Committee recognizes the bridge as culturally significant.
From an engineering standpoint, the bridge is a rare late example of a rim-bearing swing bridge. By 1940, this type of bridge construction was nearly obsolete. Today, it is considered structurally deficient due to poor maintenance by Iberia Parish. The bridge was slated for replacement in 2000. Fortunately, plans to demolish the bridge are on hold pending Section 106 review of its National Register eligibility.
Funding must be obtained to rehabilitate the bridge. The Friends of the Vida Shaw Bridge have obtained over 1000 signatures to save the bridge. With such strong community support, preservation and rehabilitation of the Vida Shaw Swing Bridge is feasible if adequate funding is secured.
Dark Store
The Dark Store in Natchitoches was once the center of the city’s thriving retail area. The structure dates back to at least 1879 and was first used as a general store. It was later the site of “Leiber’s Bargain Store” in the 1930s. The store was one of many commercial establishments owned and operated by the town’s then-burgeoning Jewish Population. Beginning in the 1960s, Don Dark, Sr. rented the store and sold fine European antiques bought at auction near the Port of New Orleans. Dark sold the building to the City of Natchitoches in 2004 when the town initiated plans for an event complex consisting of a hotel and parking area.
Despite several years of vacancy, the structure is surprisingly well preserved and structurally sound. Its greatest threat is surrounding growth. Proper recognition will hopefully attract investment interest for the building before it is forever lost.
Shiloh Baptist Church
The Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church was organized in June 1882. The site of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Alexandria has been a meeting place for the congregation ever since. The present brick building was built in 1904 in the Renaissance Revival style. The congregation has relocated to another building and the church is listed with a local realtor. However, the congregation fully supports preservation of the church and would like to see an adaptive re-use of the building. Through grants and community support, the Alexandria Historic Preservation Commission hopes to find an investor willing to preserve the cultural and architectural integrity of this important building.
Cotton Brothers Bakery/Continental Trailways Building
This building, with its bold lines, asymmetrical composition and horizontal emphasis, is an excellent example of the Art Deco style popular in the late 1920s and 1930s. There are very few remaining examples of this style in Alexandria.
The Cotton Brothers built the structure in 1932 to house their bakery. Upon relocation of the bakery in 1957, the building was expanded and made the headquarters of the Continental Southern Bus Lines, forerunner of Continental Trailways.
In February 2007, a local demolition contractor purchased the building and after failing to sell the property began demolition. Quick action by the Alexandria Historic Preservation Commission succeeded in delaying the demolition while efforts are made to locate a purchaser and develop a restoration plan. That process is ongoing and the outcome is not yet certain. The fate of this magnificent structure hangs in the balance.
Beauregard Parish Jail
This rare Gothic Revival jail located in DeRidder has been listed on the National Register since 1981. Its Tudor arches, ornamental tower, gable parapets and mock crenulations are uncommon in penal buildings of the period. Unfortunately, the building has been vacant for 20 years and is in poor condition. Without Federal or State funding, the building will continue to deteriorate.
Currently owned by the Beauregard Parish Police Jury, renovation of the jail is supported by the Beauregard Parish Rehabilitation Committee and the Beauregard Tourist Commission. However, without an adequate funding source, the fate of this unique jail remains uncertain.
Bridges-McKellar House
The site is the former home of Mr. Reuben Neil McKellar, the 31st mayor of Shreveport from 1896-1900. The structure was erected circa 1890 and was the residence of Mr. Terry Bridges, a local architect of prominence.
The house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is one of several Queen Anne structures remaining in the original residential section of Shreveport. In the rear of the house is a raised concrete cistern used to collect rain water from the roof believed to be the only such system remaining in the City of Shreveport.
The house has suffered from vacancy, neglect and vandalism in an area threatened by disregard and decay. Another danger has recently risen as a film studio will be constructed 6 acres away and the indicated expansion poses a threat to the Bridges-McKellar as more property is needed. The owner hopes to stabilize immediately then restore the property for community events.
It is imperative that this structure – a piece of Shreveport’s history politically, socially, and architecturally be preserved for future generations
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