Ponchatoula, Louisiana–Madeleine Mathes

Photo and Slide Collection

PONCHATOULA, LOUISIANA Madeleine Mathes took these
slides in Spring 1981.

Slide No. 1

Street scene in Ponchatoula, Louisiana.

Slide No. 2

Long range view of the Country Market in Ponchatoula,
La. which is in the old Illinois Central Depot showing the Mail Car
Art Gallery.

Slide No. 3

Long range view of the Country Market in Ponchatoula,
La. which is in the old Illinois Central Depot showing an
unrestored railroad car.

Slide No. 4

Long range view of the E. J. Campbell building
showing one side. The building dates back to 1904 and now
accommodates a pharmacy, an office, a dress shop, and upstairs
apartments. E. J. Campbell distributed liquor. A jug with his name
and dated 1904 is in the museum.

Slide No. 5

Long range view of the E. J. Campbell Building
showing the front and a side.

Slide No. 6

Side view of the Gateway Hotel which was built in the
1920s and went out of business in the 1950s.

Slide No. 7

Side view of the front of the Gateway Hotel.

Slide No. 7A

Full front view of the Gateway Hotel.

Slide No. 8

The Old Jake Abel’s Store building which dates
back to the turn of the century. It has been restored and renovated
to accommodate an antiques store and a finance company. The
upstairs which was used for storage at the turn of the century, is
now used for apartments. Sitting beside the building is
Lillie’s Café.

Slide No. 9

Hugh Richardson building showing the hardware
store.

Slide No. 10

Ponchatoula Feed and Seed Store which was built
about 1947.

Slide No. 11

Ponchatoula Feed and Seed Store. The rail car shown
in the slide brings in 8,000 tons of merchandise annually.

Slide No. 12

Front view of the Ponchatoula Feed and Seed
Store.

Slide No. 13

Another view of the Ponchatoula Feed and Seed
Store.

Slide No. 14 & 15

Ponchatoula Farm Bureau Assn., Inc. which is out of
business now.

Slide No. 16

Miller’s Barber Shop.

Slide No. 17

The Abbott House.

Slide No. 18

Paul’s Restaurant at Pine Street and Railroad
Avenue.

Slide Nos. 19 & 20

Collinswood School Museum sign. The school is
restored and renovated as a museum. It was built a few miles west
of Ponchatoula in 1876 and was moved to the middle of town during
the Bicentennial celebration.

Slide NoS. 21 & 22

Collinswood School Museum.

Slide No. 23

Kiwanis Park log cabin.

Slide No. 24

Detail of the rough stained cypress of Kiwanis log
cabin.

Slide NoS. 25 & 26

Long range view of a memorial to Arthur Tasker, black
reconstruction mayor, buried in Kiwanis Park. Memorial says ARTHUR
TASKER, MAYOR OF PONCHATOULA, SEPT. 3, 1876-JAN. 6, 1874, FOUNDED
OF TASKER MEMORIAL, A.M.E. ZION CHURCH 1881.

Slide Nos. 27-29

Close up view of memorial to Arthur Tasker.

Slide Nos. 30-35

Sugar Mill on the Jackson property. This mill is
located west of town on the Springfield Highway. The Carriage House
Antiques is on the same property.

PONCHATOULA, LOUISIANAMATHES

Madeleine Mathes took these photographs Spring 1981 and
donated them to the Center.

Pix #

Date of PixSize of PixNo. of PixKind of ImageNegative

1 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

3 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print
none

4 Spring 1981 2½ x 3½ 1 original B&W print
none

Map of Ponchatoula, Louisiana with a sign across it which
ways “Pass a Good Time here!” This is a title page for a
photographic booklet on Ponchatoula.

2 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Map of Ponchatoula, Louisiana and a newspaper called
“Thru the Years,” with a sign across them saying “Pass a Good
Time Here!” This is a title page for a photographic booklet on
Ponchatoula.

5 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print
none

Street scene in Ponchatoula, Louisiana.

6 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print
none

Street scene in with the Tourist Information Center sign
in the middle of the photograph.

7 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Tourist Information Center which was the former police
station and is in the middle of town.

8 & 9 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 of each original B&W
print none

Tourist Information Center with two people on the roof of
the building.

10 Spring 1981 3 x 5 2 original B&W print
none

Sign pointing tourists to the Country Market and Mail Car
Art Gallery.

11 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Long range view of the Country Market which is in the old
Illinois Central Depot.

12 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Long range view of the Country Market with the Tourist
Information Center to the left.

13 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

14 & 15 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 of each original B&W
print none

Close-up view of the old Illinois Central Depot where the
Country Market is. PONCHATOULA is in large letters across the
front facing the railroad tracks.

16 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

17 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print
none

Close-up view of the Country Market located in the old
Illinois Central Depot.

18 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Close-up view of the door of the Country Market with a
flat-bed wagon in the foreground.

PONCHATOULA,
LOUISIANAMATHESContinued

Pix #

Date of PixSize of PixNo. of PixKind of ImageNegative

19 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

20 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

A view of the Country Market showing the Mail Car Art Gallery
beside it.

21 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

22 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

View of “Rawhide,” the alligator. His cage is located in front
of the Country Market.

23 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

24 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

View of the newly restored Mail Car Art Gallery that houses
local artists’ works.

25 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

26 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

View of an old original mail car parked beside the Mail Car Art
Gallery in Ponchatoula, LA.

27-30 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 of each original color print none

31 & 32 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 of each original B&W print
none

This fifty foot sinker cypress log originally eighty feet and
perhaps dates back to around DeSoto’s time was recovered from
fifteen feet of water in Lake Maurepas by Wayne Norwood. It is
located by the Country Market.

33 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Full view of the E. J. Campbell building which dates back to
1904 and now accommodates a pharmacy, an office, a dress shop, and
upstairs apartments. E. J. Campbell distributed liquor. A jug with
his name and dated 1904 is in the museum.

34 & 35 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 of each original B&W print
none

36 & 37 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

38 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Close-up view of the E. J. Campbell building.

39 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Long-range view of the E. J. Campbell building.

40 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

View of the E. J. Campbell building showing half of the top
front and one side of the building.

41 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

42 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

43 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

44 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Side view of the front of the E. J. Campbell building.

PONCHATOULA,
LOUISIANAMATHESContinued

Pix #

Date of PixSize of PixNo. of PixKind of ImageNegative

45 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

46 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Close-range view of the bottom floor of the E. J. Campbell
building.

47 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

48 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Full front view of the Gateway Hotel built in the 1920s and went
out of business in the 1950s.

49 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

50 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Side view of the Gateway Hotel.

51 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Back view of the Gateway Hotel.

52 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

53 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Sign in front of the Collinswood School Museum. The school is
restored and renovated as a museum. It was built a few miles west
of Ponchatoula in 1876 and was moved to the middle of town during
the Bicentennial celebration.

54 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

View of the Collinswood School Museum.

55 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Full view of the Collinswood School Museum.

56 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Long-range view of the Collinswood School Museum located next to
the Gateway Hotel.

57 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Side view of the Collinswood School Museum with the Gateway
Hotel sent above the top of the museum.

58 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Side view of the Collinswood School Museum showing the front
half of the Museum.

59 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Long range view of the Collinswood School Museum with the
Gateway Hotel to the left of the photograph.

60 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Close-up view of the Collinswood School Museum showing the front
porch.

PONCHATOULA,
LOUISIANAMATHESContinued

Pix #

Date of PixSize of PixNo. of PixKind of ImageNegative

61 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

62 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

The Ponchatoula Feed & Seed Store which was built about
1947.

63 & 64 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 of each original color print
none

Side view of the Ponchatoula Feed & Seed Store.

65 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

View of the Ponchatoula Feed & Seed Store.

66 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

67 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

This sign for the Ponchatoula Farm Bureau Assn., Inc. is about
fifty feet away from the Ponchatoula Feed & Seed Store. It is
out of business.

68 & 69 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 of each original color print
none

View of the old Jake Abel’s Store building which dates
back to the turn of the century. It has been restored and renovated
to accommodate an antiques store and a finance company. The
upstairs which was used for storage at the turn of the century is
now used for apartments.

70 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

71 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Front view of the old Jake Abel’s Store building.

72 & 73 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 of each original B&W print
none

74 & 75 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 of each original color print
none

Side view of the old Jake Abel’s Store building.

76 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

77 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Front view of the Hugh Richardson Building which has been
renovated and restored. It dates back before 1900 and presently
contains a hardware store, finance office, and apartment
upstairs.

78 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Long range side angle view of the Hugh Richardson building.

79 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

A side view of the Hugh Richardson building with the Guy Smith
House seen at right of photo.

80 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Close range of the top and front of the Hugh Richardson building
taken from the side.

81 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Side back view of the Hugh Richardson building.

PONCHATOULA,
LOUISIANAMATHESContinued

Pix #

Date of PixSize of PixNo. of PixKind of ImageNegative

82 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

83 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

84 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Close range view of the Hugh Richardson building.

85 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

Close range view of the Hugh Richardson building showing the
detail on the building. The plaque says Geo. L. Mesker & Co.
Iron Works, Evansville, Indiana.

86 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

87 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Close range view of the Hugh Richardson building showing iron
work detail on the building.

88 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Full view of the Guy Smith House built in the 1920s when the
cypress mills were active. It is beside the Hugh Richardson
building.

89 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

90 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Close range view of the Guy Smith House.

91 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

View of the renovated Edwards House built in 1910.

92 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Close range view of the renovated Edwards House showing the
front door and steps and part of the porch.

93 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

View of Kiwanis Park, a place for recreation.

94 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

View of the Kiwanis Park sign with the log cabin built of rough
cypress in the background.

95 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original B&W print none

Close range view of the log cabin built of rough cypress in 1950
in Kiwanis Park.

96 & 97 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 of each original B&W print
none

View of the memorial to Arthur Tasker, black reconstruction
mayor, buried in Kiwanis Park. Memorial says ARTHUR TASKER, MAYOR
OF PONCHATOULA, SEPT. 3, 1876-JAN. 6, 1874, FOUNDED OF TASKER
MEMORIAL, A.M.E. ZION CHURCH 1881.

98-100 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 of each original color print none

These colorful buildings all have interesting details and date
back to the turn of the century.

PONCHATOULA,
LOUISIANAMATHESContinued

Pix #

Date of PixSize of PixNo. of PixKind of ImageNegative

101 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

A metal plaque on one of the colorful buildings which reads G.
L. Mesker, Evansville, Indiana.

102 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

The yellow Hotel Apartment Building is another example of
renovation and the combination of a ground floor business with
living accommodations upstairs.

103 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

View of the Yellow Hotel Apartment Building.

104 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

View of The Bank Apartment Building.

105 Spring 1981 3 x 5 1 original color print none

View of a building which was once owned by Fritz Pflanze from
Germany. Around the early 1920s it was a restaurant run by the
Pflanze family. The building is yellow gold with olive trim. The
Western Auto building can also be seen in the photograph. This
building was a drugstore owned by Mr. Blass Spiller, a relative of
Alfred Spiller. This building is pink and is in need of
restoration.