African-American Heritage

The Underground Railroad in Vernon Parish
The exact date of the arrival of the first African-Americans into present day Vernon Parish and Leesville is unknown. It is known, however, that Ambrose Lecompte, the first documented European landowner was a slave owner. And, although the area did not have a lot of large plantations to compare with those found along the Mississippi or Red Rivers, some of the settlers in our area did own slaves.

Possibly of more significant importance to African-American history is the role that the area may have played in the early stages of the underground railroads used to help slaves escape to freedom. Before 1835, Spanish and Mexican Texas did not permit slave ownership. Thus slaves who could make it across the Sabine River from Louisiana, could successfully attain their freedom.

The four main crossings of the Sabine were at Logansport, LA, the El Camino Real (running from Natchitoches to Nacogdoches, TX), the Beef Trail (running from Alexandria to Burr Ferry and on to Jasper, TX), and the southern route near Opelousas, LA. Research has already proven that the El Camino Real was part of the underground railroads. Although Vernon Parish crossings have not been proven, local folklore says that Holly Grove Methodist Church served as a safehouse on this path to freedom. It is, of course, a well documented fact that the Methodist Church was a strong advocate against slavery. Pair that with the fact that one of the 4 major river crossings is located within our parish, and it seems pretty likely there is some truth to the stories.

Pleasant Hill Baptist Church
When the Nona Mills Lumber Company came from Jasper, Texas to the Leesville community, they were lead by Mr. George "Rose" Ferguson, General Manager of the Leesville offices. With him came many employees, including a large population of black workers.

The company provided homes for these workers in an area called the Nona Mills Quarters, originally located at the present site of the Vernon Parish School Board, East Leesville Elementary, and the Leesville High School Stadium. The mill itself was located between this site and downtown Leesville.

Finding no African-American churches in the area, the workers held church services in their homes until Mr. Ferguson gave them some land and lumber to build their own house of worship, which they named Pleasant Hill Baptist Church on September 1, 1899. Other early churches were the New Willow Baptist Church organized in 1900, the Mt. Olive Baptist Church in 1912, and the St. Paul Baptist Church in 1925.

Over the years the church has moved several times. In 1911 it moved to a site near the present-day Leesville Temple Lodge; then later into the U.S.O. building at the corner of Simpson and Nona Street. When the U.S.O. location was destroyed by fire on February 12, 1958, services were held at the Vernon High School until 1959 when a new church was completed at 1100 Nona St. The church grew so much that it eventually necessitated one last move to its current location on Market St. To honor long-time pastor, Reverend M.W. Harrison, Market Street was re-named to M.W. Harrison Street on May 12, 1994.

Garden of Memories Cemetery
The Garden of Memories Cemetery, located east of Kurthwood Rd. where it meets Hwy. 171, was secured in the early 1940's by many of the pastors that served the African-American community at the time. Today, it is funded and maintained by the Leesville City Wide Singing Convention.

Vernon Training School
Training schools were created in 1911 to provide each parish with a central public high school which would offer a greater curriculum to young African-Americans.

The original Vernon Training School was located on Gladys Street, where the present day Martin Luther King Community Center is located. In 1953, the school was relocated to ??? and renamed Vernon High School. The school operated until 1969 when parish schools were desegregated.

Fullerton Sawmill & Town
The coming of the railroad to Vernon Parish heralded the beginnings of the 20-year lumber boom that engulfed much of western Louisiana. Early censuses show that Fullerton Sawmill, one of the largest in the south, had a large population of African-American employees.

Museum of West Louisiana
The Museum of West Louisiana continues to collect artifacts from the African-American community. Among the artifacts housed at the museum are pictures, household items, clothing, and such.