TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1983

 

January Original Oaks Hotel built in 1893 by Colonel H. W., Robinson and destroyed by fire
on October 12, 1905.
February Amite Court House, 1883.
MarchUpper left– Ponchatoula Depot showing Alford Hotel, circa 1910, before depot was relocated to
present location. Lower left-Main Street, Ponchatoula looking west, 1923. Above-“Old
Steel Bridge” across the Tangipahoa River, east of Ponchatoula.
AprilUpper left– Loading strawberries at old Hammond Depot at corner of Thomas and Cate Street in
1910. Lower left-Picking berries near Hammond. Above-Strawberry labels applied to
crates after being loaded in Express Cars.
MayUpper left– Manchac Depot, 1903. Upper right-Sailboat on the lake near Manchac, circa 1900.
Bottom right-Buckhorn Club and Bradley’s Camp on North Pass.
June Ponchatoula’s Famous Cypress Mills: F. B. Williams Cypress Company (center) and Joseph
Rathborne Lumber Company (later Louisiana Cypress Lumber Company) (right)
JulyUpper left- Hammond aviation pioneer, Glynne M. Jones (later Brigadier General) on early landing
area known as Tobin Field south of Town & Country Plaza, circa 1928. Lower left-Hammond
Army Air Field, June 1945. Above-Southeastern Louisiana College Civil Pilot Training
Program in the fall of 1940 on the grass strip at present airport site.
August Natalbany Lumber Company-mail mill, circa 1912.
September Aerial view of Southeastern Louisiana College, circa 1937, showing McGehee Hall, the
old Science Building, the wooden gym and the first football field (where Mims Hall
and Southeastern Hall now stand).
October Kentwood, Greensburg, and South Western narrow gauge log train at the depot (near
the Amos Kent Lumber and Brick Company mill) south of Kentwood.
November Fall harvest at Loranger.
December Kidder Hotel (on present post office site) during the snow of 1895.

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1984

January Second Oaks Hotel, built by Col. Henry W. Robinson after the original hotel burned
in 1905.
FebruaryUpper left– Log cut by Banner Lumber Company, Kentwood, La. for the Tennessee Centennial in
1896. Lower left-The narrow-gauge Kentwood & Eastern Railroad operated from 1892-1918
from Kentwood through Spring Creek, Mt. Hermon, and Warnerton to Hackley in Washington
Parish. Above-Well at the Banner Lumber Company, circa 1898.
March World War I Parade on East Thomas Street in Hammond.
AprilUpper left– Raking and hauling straw for strawberries fields. Lower left-Mulching the strawberry
plants. Above-Packing berries for shipment.
May Pond with bridges and Garden located in Cate Square.
June Kidder Hotel (on present post office site) originally Cate’s Shoe Factory, shortly
after Civil War.
July President McKinley visits Hammond, circa 1901. Scene of his train.
AugustTop– East Railroad Avenue, Amite City, La., prior to the 1908 tornado. Center-Power House, Gullett Gin Company. Bottom– Railroad Park and West Railroad Avenue, Amite City, prior to the 1908 tornado.
September- Steamboat Florine of the Brakenridge Railway & Navigation Company on Natalbany River
at Springfield (just north of present Highway 22 bridge).

OctoberUpper– Cate’s Sawmill, corner of S. Cate and Coleman Avenue, prior to the turn of the century.
Lower-View of Cate’s Brickyard (now Zemurray Park) showing locomotive turntable.
November “Miss-Lou” which operated daily round-trip from Jackson, Mississippi to New Orleans,
shown loading New Orleans-bound shoppers at the Ponchatoula Depot.
December Original Oaks Hotel, circa 1895 showing snow on the ground.

 

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1985

January A view down West Thomas Street from the Illinois Central Railroad Crossing. To the
right is the Red Gables Building which at the time of the photograph contained a restaurant
operated by E. Warren Kidder. In later years it housed a grocery and strawberry sales
agency, the Hammond Building and Loan Association and an insurance agency, and the
Western Union Telegraph office.
February Fire of July 24, 1896. The devastating fire destroyed buildings along East Railroad
Avenue and the north and south sides of East Thomas Street. This fire led to the first
Building Code and the organization of the Hammond Volunteer Fire Department. Top-View to the north from East Thomas Street. Lower left-View to the south from East Thomas Street. It has Watson & Libby Dry Good, Clothing
on a building.
MarchLeft– The Hammond Oil and Development Co., organized in 1901 by many of the area’s leading
citizens, drilled for oil adjacent to the Illinois Central right-of-way, south of
the Old Covington Highway. Upon reaching a depth of 2200 feet, water of such great
pressure was struck that the oil under-taking was abandoned. Known as the “Geyser
Well,” the flow was 576,000 gallons daily at a pressure of 85 pounds per square inch.
Right-The Geyser water was so pure that the Geyser Water Co. was organized to sell the
product. For many years, the Illinois Central Railroad highly advertised the use of
the Hammond Geyser water in the dining cars of all its passenger trains. The well
can still be seen near the northwest corner of the Ross & Wallace Bag Co. warehouse.

April The courtyard of the Oaks Hotel, which faced Railroad Avenue. The statue of “Mercury”
was the center of attraction.
MayAbove– The Baltzell Block from the corner of Thomas and Cypress Streets. One of the signs
on the second floor on Cypress Street advertised the Hammond Business College. The
block also contained the Baltzell Opera House and a skating rink. Left– The Baltzell Block from the corner of Cypress and Morris Streets. The upstairs housed
the Hammond Opera Company, operated by T. Sumner Baltzell. The first floor front is
of a unique cast iron manufactured by Southern Foundry Co. of Owensboro, Kentucky.

June An early view of the St. James Hotel, corner of Thomas and Cherry Streets. It was
previously known as Southern Hotel and as the Newport Hotel. There are people standing
on the roof and the porches and two horse and buggies in front.

July A Baton Rouge bound passenger train on the Baton Rouge, Hammond and Eastern Railroad,
commonly referred to as the “Pea Vine,” which began service on February 26, 1908.
Note that the brick sidewalk extended west, just north of the Grace Memorial Episcopal
Cemetery.
August The Leonard W. Yokum Service Station and Taxi Service at the corner of Thomas and
Oak Streets. The American Railway Express delivery truck is in the foreground.
SeptemberUpper left– The “new” Hammond High School, in 1893, at the time of the purchase of the land
to construct this building, Morris Avenue was known as Joseph Street. Annie Eastman
High School was later constructed on this block on West Morris Avenue. Lower left– The fifth grade classroom of Miss Zylpha Eastman in the Old Hammond wooden school,
decorated for “Parents Day.” Above-Hammond’s early school teachers. Standing from
left: Miss Zylpha Eastman, Hattie Williams, Annie Eastman, and Lizzie Walker. Seated:
Ida Van Patten, Mr. Crandall, and Lucy Brazelman.
OctoberLeft– An early view of the famous Hammond Oak in the Peter Hammond Cemetery located on
East Charles Street. Below-“Bankers’ Row.” A view of East Charles Street from its
intersection with North Chestnut. The original home of Peter Hammond was situated
near the spot where this photograph was taken and his blacksmith shop was under the
live oak tree at the far right of this photograph.
NovemberUpper right– The first airplane flight at Hammond took place in 1916 from the Race Track at the
Old Fairgrounds, situated just southwest of the present SLU baseball diamond. The
Tangipahoa Parish Fair held at that site became so popular that a New Fairgrounds
was constructed in 1921. Upper left– An aerial view of the New Fairgrounds, located between West Thomas Street and West
Church Street. Shown are the towered-entrance, the Exhibition Hall, the Race Track
and Grandstand, and the Livestock Pavillion and Silo. Lower left– The carnival section of the Tangipahoa Parish Fair at the new Fairgrounds.
December A snow scene on East Thomas Street during the time at the Central Drug Store was located
on the south side of the street. Note the ornate clock of the Ozone Drug Store at
the corner of Cypress and Thomas streets.

 

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1986

January Aerial view of Southeastern Louisiana College showing McGehee Hall, the old Science
Building, the wooden gym and the first football field (where Mims and Southeastern
Halls now stand). Circa 1937.
February The Old Snack Bar, located near Friendship Oak, was a favorite gathering spot for
students. Here they could buy a Coke and a hamburger for a dime! Circa 1929.
March Upper left-Purchased in 1927, the Hunter Leake estate provided much needed facilities
for Hammond Junior College (on July 12, 1928, the legislature adopted a resolution
to change the name to Southeastern Louisiana College and made it part of the state
education system). The Leake residence became the first women’s dormitory with Mrs.
Sims as matron. Above– Also part of the Leake estate, a remodeled two-story servants quarters housed classrooms,
laboratories and the library. This photograph shows it after two wings were added.
The original building is on the left. Left– The old wooden gym, built in 1932, housed many social and physical education activities.
Although a new men’s gymnasium was built in 1940, the old wooden gym remained until
it was destroyed by fire in December 1969.
April Lucius McGehee Hall (1934), named in honor of Dr. Lucius McGehee who was instrumental
in the founding of Hammond Junior College, was the first permanent brick building
on campus. Built as an administration-classroom building, it has served many functions
over the years, including use of the second floor as the school library from 1935-1940.
McGehee Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places during the 1984-85
session. Left-A prominent and beloved physician, civic leader and staunch supporter
of Southeastern from its inception, Dr. McGehee was honored on the day of his funeral
by a unanimous vote of the faculty and student body to name the first permanent building
on campus for the man who had fought the legislature to get the funding to build it.

May Members of the Yellow Jacket Club at McGehee Hall, circa 1936. Founded in 1929 as
Southeastern’s first soroity, the name was later changed to Kappa Rho (1939) and in
1963 became the AOP soroity that is still on campus today. Bottom Row, L-R, (Married
names underlined): Mary Helen Wells, Shirley Torrence Bardwell, Virginia Robichaux
Addison, Sammy Hagg Funderburk, Lucille Kemp Kentzel, Lucia Jane Travis Barker, Martha
Ann Pantall Taylor, Lucile Cope Tyler, Margaret Bachledor, Mrs. Hugh (Irene) D. Smith
(Sponsor), Marion Wendelken Corkern and Louise Haight Hangate. Second Row, L-R: Dorothy
Tucker, Miriam Tucker, Arva Lanell Kophler, Louise Bell Hupperich, Rebecca Pemble
Israel Baxter, Catherine Dufreche Bernard, Alice Maud Kerrigan McCausland, Wilta Fontenot
Krieger, Betty Sellers Haight, Katherine Alice Rand Gully and Eleanor Kent. Third
Row, L-R: Pearl Kemp, Gloria Nilson, Yvonne Bouchereau, Dorothy Forshag Shilling,
Olga Morgan, Dorothy Cooper Robinson, Mary Jeffs McColloch, and Margaret Seale Miller.

JuneLeft– Linus A. Sims Memorial Library (now Clark Hall), named in honor of the College’s
first president and the driving force behind the founding of Hammond Junior College,
was the first permanent library. Prior to this time the library occupied many places
including a room at Hammond High School (1925), the Old Science Building (1927-1935)
and the second floor of McGehee Hall from 1935-1940 when this library was completed.
Below-Sims (president 1925-1933) saw a great need for an institution of higher learning
in Hammond and fought many to get the college founded. He promoted its growth fiercely
during his presidency and gained the support of many citizens to establish the independent
campus that was the beginning of the thriving university that stands today.
JulyOver the years, many spots on campus have been popular gathering places for students
to talk, laugh and relax from the academic routine. Top left-The most famous (and
still standing) the Friendship Oak, immediately became a popular spot when Southeastern
moved to the permanent campus in 1927. The famous snack Bar was located here to help
make the meeting place more enjoyable. Well over 100 years old, the tree stands as
a “living symbol of Southeastern today.” Top right-The Sundial which graced the front
lawn of the Music and Dramatic Arts Building was a favorite spot of many students
while walking across campus. Bottom right-The Snack Bar, located between the Stadium
and the War Memorial Student Union, was a place to relax, refresh and meet friends
between classes. Seniors of 1953.
August Top-Southeastern Louisiana College’s first football team, circa 1929. Bottom right-Early
Cheerleaders, circa 1932. L-R: Frances Herbert Rownd; Nolan “Dudy” Baker; Caroyl “Toby”
Caulfield White.
September Strawberry Stadium, Circa 1937. Built with Governor Richard Leche’s support, it was
officially dedicated on September 17, 1937. The facility provided a permanent playing
field for the football team (field was formerly located where Mims and Southeastern
Halls now stand) and combined the stadium facility with a men’s dormitory, complete
with training rooms, social and games rooms, cafeteria and athletic offices. It later
became part of the Student Center when the War Memorial Student Union was built adjacent
to it in 1950.
October Above left-The Green Jackets (group who performed at games much like today’s Lionettes)
prepare for homecoming 1950. Above middle-Home Economics Cooking Class, 1950-51. Above
right-Homecoming Ball, in the new War Memorial Student Union, 1950. BottomAmidst all
the fun, time for study in the main reading room at Linus Sims Memorial Library, 1951.

November Left-War Memorial Student Union, built in 1950 in memory of the twenty-nine Southeastern
students who died in World War II. (Now houses the campus bookstore). Below-Interior
of War Memorial Student Center (1951) served as a social center for students’ dances
and celebrations. Adjacent to the stadium, this was the hub of student activity providing
post office and bookstore facilities, as well as the popular snack bar.

December Temporary Buildings-Post World War II. A tremendous increase in enrollment at the
end of World War II brought the “temporary buildings” to Southeastern. Lower left-The
“G” Buildings included: classrooms, infirmary, laundry, workshop and offices (located
approximately where the parking lot between the library and the administration building
is today.) Above-The “Chow Hall” affectionately nicknamed by the many veterans present
on campus. (located approximately where the library is today.) Lower right-The “Country
Club,” a surplus metal military barracks relocated to campus to house male freshmen,
later became part of the present maintenance facility as a warehouse and was recently
demolished.
Back PageAerial view of present Southeastern Louisiana University (1984) campus.
There is also a highlighted history of Southeastern

 

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1987

January Hammond Lumber Company Mill and Log Pond, located on the east side of the Illinois
Central Railroad tracks directly across from the present SLU tennis courts. Started
by the June Brothers, the mill was purchased by John B. Nalty and operated by him
and sons until all timber holdings were cut out in 1929.
February Top left-Logging Camp of the Hammond Lumber Company at Loraine, Louisiana situated
on the Baton Rouge, Hammond & Eastern railroad near the St. Tammany parish line, it
was named for Lorraine Nalty, daughter of William H. Nalty, the company manager. During
World War I, it was a hub of timber activity as the mill filled many wartime orders.
Top rightHammond Lumber Company train carrying piling supplied to the government for
use in the construction of the Panama Canal. Bottom left-Commissary of the Hammond
Lumber Company at Loraine, Louisiana. MarchAbove-Riechert Store and Hall in Roseland
taken after the 1909 hurricane. Originally built around 1890, the building housed
the grocery, a millinery, the post office, and several other establishments, as well
as the Town Hall. The building still stands in Roseland today, the site of The Country
Store Restaurant. Right-Roseland School, 1911. Although there have been changes made
to the building, it still stands on Tangipahoa Street in Roseland. Over the years
it also housed the Town Hall and is the present site of the Roseland branch of the
Tangipahoa Parish library.
April Original Pierson-Butler Store, early 1900s. Located on Pine Street in Ponchatoula,
the store owned and operated by Thomas Jefferson Butler and his son-in-law, Allen
B. Pierson. The original building was later moved into Pine Street while the second
Pierson-Butler store was under construction. When the new brick store was completed
in 1912, the wooden building was moved to a new location for apartments.
May Early strawberry activity at the Amite Depot.
June Rosaryville near Ponchatoula, was originally established by the Benedictine Fathers
in the 1880s as a seminary called “Gessen.” Using the cypress and pine on the land,
the Fathers constructed the seminary buildings themselves. Later they sold the property
to the Spanish Dominican Fathers who renovated the buildings and renamed the site,
Rosaryville. In 1939 it became the first permanent novitiate of the Dominican Sisters
and is still in their possession today.
July Roseland Depot and Packing Shed, circa 1900.
August Illinois Central Railroad Park, adjacent to the main line, was the showplace of Hammond
for many years.

September The Packwood House, Ponchatoula, was located on the south side of the 100 block of
East Pine Street. When Thomas Jefferson Butler and Allen B. Pierson and their families
moved to Ponchatoula in 1901, they stayed there and Mrs. Butler and her daughter,
Mrs. Pierson, began operating the hotel. The Packwood was destroyed by fire on February
13, 1907.
October Louisiana Cypress Lumber Company logging train leaving the Manchac swamp bound for
the mill at Ponchatoula.
November View down West Thomas Street in the 1920s, showing the newly constructed Guess & Kent
Drugstore and the Perrone Building.
December Five scene of Natalbany in its heydaytwo streets, school, hotel, lumber mill.

 

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1988

January An early view of the famous Hammond Oak in the Peter Hammond Cemetery located on East
Charles Street.
February Early view of West Pine Street showing the Ponchatoula Catholic Church.
March Top left-Lawn tennis in the west gardens of the first Oaks Hotel. Cate Square is visible
in the background. Bottom left-Croquet on the lawn of the second Oaks Hotel. The Annex
is visible in the right background. Top right-The Stanicola Band, of the Standard
Oil Company in Baton Rouge, holds a concert on the south lawn of the second Oaks Hotel.

April Two early street scenes of Kentwood in the days when it was the location of the Amos
Kent Lumber & Brick Co. Ltd. and the giant Brooks-Scanlon Lumber Company.
May North-bound Illinois Central freight train with 110 cars is captured by C. W. Witbeck
as it roars past the Tickfaw depot on March 2, 1954, prior to environmental protection
laws regulating smoke emissions.
June Top left-Egypta Hall, 1885. Still standing today, it was originally built by the Chapin
family as their family home. They later advertised and let rooms as a “summer resort”
for Northerners escaping harsh winters. Bottom right-Sunnyside, September 1897. Located
between Roseland and Arcola, Sunnyside was originally built in 1859. Pictured here
is the Harrall family of New Orleans, who purchased the house as a second home. Extensively
remodeled by the Blanchard family, it still stands in its beautiful country setting.

July The “new” Pierson-Butler Store in Ponchatoula was operated by Thomas Jefferson Butler
and Ruben Allen Pierson. Completed in 1911, the brick, L-shaped building fronted both
Pine Street and Southeast Railroad Avenue. At the corner of the building, Pierson
operated the Ponchatoula Bank and Trust which he later sold in 1914 to Andrew Edwards.

August Top-View of the extension of East Charles Street from its intersection with North
Chestnut, known as “Bankers Row” for the many bankers who coincidentally lived on
the block over the years. Bottom-The Peston Residence on East Charles Street was originally
built around 1906-1907 by E. V. Preston, a lumberman and native of Michigan. Originally
with the Isabella Lumber Company and the Banner Lumber Company, he later became affiliated
with the Ruddock Cypress Company Ltd., when the house was completed. The house later
became the home of Nathaniel Kent who had married Zoe May Preston. The home is still
owned by descendants of Mr. Preston.
September Top-Early store of Benjamin Mann Morrison on the corner of Thomas and Cypress Streets.
The large building in the right background was known as the “Andrews House,” a boarding
home on the corner of Charles and Cherry Streets. Bottom-Feed & Seed Warehouse of
B. M. Morrison which was located on North Cherry Street in the approximate location
of Fire Station #2.

October Two view of new store of B. M. Morrison on the corner of Thomas and Cypress Streets,
which was constructed in 1904 after the original store burned. Top-store during construction.
Bottom-store completed.
November The Hammond Planting and Manufacturing Company, situated on Northeast Railroad Avenue,
opposite the present Depot.
December The Hammond Volunteer Fire Department’s new fire station on South Oak Street [T. W.
Cate Fire Company No. 1]. Standing at left is Chief, C. C. Carter, second from left
Assistant Chief, Norman Bowers and to the far right in citizen’s clothing, Superintendent
of Police Leon Ford. Other officers of the department shown are: Captain, Jack Wiggins,
Charles Torrence, and Bob Torrence.

 

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1989

January Train time at the old Hammond Depot. Located on the east side of the tracks between
Thomas and Charles Streets, it provided both passenger and freight service until the
present brick structure was built in 1912. After the new Union Depot was completed
to serve both the Illinois Central and the Baton Rouge & Eastern Railroads, this building
was converted to a freight depot. It was moved in 1923 to the 300 block of Southeast
Railroad Avenue and enlarged. Though it closed in 1962, the building remains in existence
today.
February Early photograph of the Studebaker Car Agency, later the Ford dealership, located
in the new Cate building on the corner of Thomas at Oak Street. The adjacent building
to the west was still under construction. The man at the gas pump in the right foreground
is on Thomas Street.
March Top left-A view of the south side of the 200 block of East Thomas Street, showing
the Brooks Hardware Store, the Adams Shoe Factory and the Thomas Furniture Store &
Undertaking Parlor. Bottom Left-Interior of the Brooks Hardware Store owned by Bently
H. Brooks of Paris, Texas, at the site later occupied by Forbes Furniture. It was
a full service, “old tyme” hardware store carrying all types of hardware, farm equipment
was stored in the tin warehouse in the alley behind the store. Bottom right-Interior
of the Adams Shoe Factory. Mr. Adams is on the left, Harry M. Herbert is standing
in the center foreground and Mr. Adams, Sr. is seated on the right.
April The “Crimson Flyer,” express strawberry train from the Strawberry Belt to points north,
was named by the late George B. Campbell, long-time editor of the Hammond Vindicator.
It became nationally known for its fast schedule and was given priority over all passenger
trains, except the “Panama Limited,” to enable it to rush the perishable strawberries
to their destinations.
May Hammond High School students parade on West Thomas Street for a new school. The building
barely visible in the left portion of the photographer was the Kings Daughters Rest
Room at the corner of Thomas and Oak Streets. The Red Gables Building, at the corner
of Thomas Street and Northwest Railroad Avenue, is in the center foreground.
June Bottom Left-The Boos Building, at the corner of Thomas Street and East Railroad Avenue,
housed the Corner Drug Store, Daniel I. Setton, proprietor; Boos Brothers Barber Shop;
G. W. Crook, Ice Cream, Candy, Cigars and Tobacco; Wm. Boos Sr., Real Estate; Dr.
Jno. D. Killian, Dentist; Sentell & Harvard, Attorneys; the American Express Company,
O. Y. Gallup, agent; and the Cumberland Telephone and Telegraph Company, Edwin Gookin,
manager. The phone lines extend from the telephone pole on Thomas Street to the telephone
exchange through the second story window. Top right-Interior view of the Telephone
Exchange on the second floor of the Boos Building.

July Bottom Left-Hammond Hardware & Supply Company, Ltd., circa 1912. Located at 119 South
Cypress Street, it was purchased in 1912 by Chum Anderson, who served as its president.
Dr. S. S. Anderson, his brother, was vice president and Mrs. C. R. Anderson served
as secretary-treasurer. Top right-Interior of the Hammond Hardware & Supply Company,
showing from left to right: Mr. Walker, a store clerk; C. R. “Chum” Anderson, president,
and Dick Whitaker, a store clerk and brother-in-law of Mr. Anderson.
August Top left and top right-Scenes of the new Central Drug Store building located on the
corner of Thomas and Cypress Streets. Originally opened about 1896, Dr. J. L. Robinson’s
Central Drugs was located on the south side of Thomas Street. It was purchased by
Rol D. Fellows and his partner, Mr. E. S. Wiseman, both from Michigan, about 1910
and the name shortened to Central Drug Store and moved to its present location. Donald
K. Fellows took over the store operation in 1948 and his son, Don Jr., took over in
1975. Bottom left-Interior of the Central Drug Store.
September The Bank of Hammond and the Frank Neelis Warehouse located in the 100 block of Southeast
Railroad Avenue. Both of these buildings were destroyed in the disastrous fire of
July 24, 1896, that consumed most of two business blocks. The Bank of Hammond was
incorporated on October 30, 1894. Early officers were: Frank E. Neelis, president,
and Jno. E. Wilcombe, C. E. Cate, L. I. Way, and D. M. Durkee, directors.
October Hammond Army Air Field Award Ceremony, June 12, 1945, at which the Hammond Gunnery
School, under the command of Major Edward T. White, was recognized for excellence
in aerial gunnery and rocket training.
November Top left-View from the north of the original Oaks Hotel built in 1893 by Colonel Henry
W. Robinson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was a winter haven for many northern visitors
and a summer haven for many New Orleanians. Destroyed by fire on October 12, 1905,
Colonel Robinson rebuilt a new masony and brick structure on the square in 1906. Top
right-The dining room of the original Oaks. Bottom left-The lobby of the original
Oaks.
December Top left-The “new” Hammond Union Depot was built in 1912. The passenger waiting room
is used by Amtrak today. This photograph was taken by C. W. Witbeck from the top of
a strawberry car on April 20, 1954. Bottom left-View up the tracks from the Depot
showing the coal chute, north of town, in the left background and the railroad water
tank in the right background. Both were used in the days of the steam locomotive.
Ahead of the caboose are strawberry cars spotted on the express track for loading.
The water column for placing water in the locomotive tenders is to the left of the
fifth berry car. Bottom right-The Hammond Railroad Yards along Northeast Railroad
Avenue were a hub-bub of activity during the strawberry season. Here workmen load
blocks of ice, lifted by the truck-mounted elevator, into the refrigerator cars so
the berries will arrive in good condition at their northern destinations.

 

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1990

January Confectionary Store of George W. Crook and his father, Theodore I. Crook, located
in the Boos Building on Thomas Street. It was known for its homemade ice cream, snowballs,
and its fine stock of cigars, tobacco, candy, newspapers and magazines. Left-Standing
in front of the store, from left to right are, George W. Crook, Joseph Gould, unidentified,
and Dana Brook, son of George. The peanut roaster on the sidewalk was a landmark fixture
of the establishment. Right-The interior of the store shows George Crook at the soda
fountain amid the ware of the day.

February Though extensively remodeled several times, this building was originally built at
the corner of Thomas and Cate Streets by the Bank of Hammond. In 1914 the bank was
reorganized as the First State Bank & Trust Company of Hammond. It was later bought
by the Hammond State Bank and reorganized once again to form the Hammond State Bank
and Trust Co.
March Originally the home place of Charles Emery Cate, Cate Square has been a showplace
and gathering spot for Hammond citizens since before the turn of the century. These
three scenes merely reflect a portion of its beauty. Left-The pond, bridge and landscaped
garden at Cate Square. Bottom left-Ladies on the bridge, from left to right: Bessie
Andrews, Jessie Willis, Edna Potter, and Rose Herbert. Bottom right-Ladies basketball
team enjoys a moment of leisure in Cate Square. The Oaks Hotel is in the background
beyond the old brick fence which was along the Oak Street side of the Square. Miss
Mertie Dameron (Mrs. J. M. Fourmy) is shown at the far right. The others are unidentified.

April Strawberry loading at Independence near the box manufacturing plant.
May– Logs were floated down the Tangipahoa River from logging areas to a collection point.
There they were placed on log trains to be transported to the Hammond Lumber Company
or were made into rafts to be towed across Lake Pontchartrain to the W. W. Carre Lumber
Company.
June Early Days of Dairying in Tangipahoa. The Cloverland Dairy Products Company, Inc.
which had its main plant at Tangipahoa, Louisiana in the early 1920s. Specially designed
rail cars containing two glass-lined insulated tanks of 2000 gallons each were constructed
to transport the cooled milk from the collection and cooling plant at Tangipahoa to
the creamery in New Orleans where it was pasteurized and bottled for distribution.
Top-One of the special rail milk cars is shown in the siding behind the collection
and cooling plant at Tangipahoa. The cars were picked up at the Tangipahoa plant by
southbound passenger train No. 33 in the early afternoon and by No. 3 in the late
afternoon. The empty cars were returned by late-night northbound passenger trains.
Bottom-A Cloverland milk car is directly behind the locomotive of northbound local
passenger train No. 24 near Fluker, Louisiana on November 2, 1940. A gold four-leaf
clover, the company symbol, adorned the sides of the dark green cars.
July The early passenger and freight depots at Albany, Louisiana on the Baton Rouge, Hammond
& Eastern Railroad. The first train through Albany from Covington to Baton Rouge operated
on February 26, 1908. There was no village of Albany until the railroad was constructed.
Then people from the surrounding area moved to the spot where the new railroad crossed
the old road running from Springfield to Greensburg and Natchez.
August Special guest excursions were operated by the Hammond Lumber Company over its Hammond
& Eastern logging railroad. The company graciously took family and friends of mill
employees, as well as local church groups, on sightseeing trips from its mill in north
Hammond through the forests to the logging area in the eastern portion of the parish.
Some even operated as far as Mandeville for special occasions such as baseball games
via a connection with the Houlton logging railroad north of Lorraine. The photograph
shows an excursion crossing their trestle over the Tangipahoa River, just east of
the present intersection of Vinyard and River Roads. Obviously, this was before the
day of safety engineers!
September G.H.A. Thomas Lumber Company. The mill of the G. H. A. Thomas Lumber Company was situated
on the east bank of the Natalbany River near the present location of the Highway 22
bridge. Top-the G. H. A. Thomas Mill. Bottom left-The G. H. A. Thomas Commissary.
Bottom rightThe G. H. A. Thomas Steamboat was used to haul finished lumber from Springfield
to New Orleans, as well as to Gulf Coast shipping ports. Occasionally, it was used
by Mr. Thomas for an outing for his friends and associates.
October A team of oxen brings in two huge logs to the Cate Mill, located on South Cate Avenue
at the site of the present A&P Store. The large wheels were used to raise the front
of the logs so that they could be dragged without snagging. This photograph was taken
in front of the present Goodyear Store. The Livery Stable and other buildings in the
right background were all destroyed by the disastrous fire of September 8, 1895.
November The G. W. Nesom General Merchandise Store, located on the east side of the tracks,
was a focal point of Tickfaw. Well-known for its wide variety of goods, including
barrels of olives, wheels of cheese, fresh vegetables, canned goods and an extensive
candy counter, it even sported a drug store! For thirty-five years the back of the
store housed the Tickfaw Post Office with Mr. Nesom serving as Postmaster. So extensive
was its inventory that the McCarroll Lumber Company and the Penna-Mich Lumber Company
used it as their company store. At one time, Mr. Nesom employed 28 clerks to handle
the influx of business. Mr. Nesom is pictured leaning against the post at the right
of the photograph.
December Baskets distributed by the Fire Department and town of Ponchatoula in the late 1920s.
Shown are: Jack Hall, Fire Chief; Roland Craig, Mr. E. D. Parker, City Clerk; C. E.
“Spike” Ragan, Jim Fannaly, “Pat” Cronin and William Torrance. Back row: Lawrence
Parker, Ludo Pittman, Jerry King, Steve Cowan, Elwood “Little Ory” Jenkins, L. A.
Lavigne, Dr. W. T. Miller, and O. P. Vitter, Sr.

 

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1991

January The Crescent Home, at the foot of South Cherry Street, was a Hammond showplace recognized
for its magnificent dairy and orchard. Lyman C. Reed owned the property from 1890
until he sold ito Alfred E. Karlton in 1896. Mr. Karlton shipped milk, plums and other
fruit to New Orleans until he was killed in the line of duty as Constable in 1917.
Top left-A close up of the Crescent and acorn over the gate that welcomed visitors.
The significance of these have not been determined. Underneath the symbols in small
letters if the date 1893. Bottom left-An overall view of the property showing the
residence to the right, and the dairy barn to the left. Near the house was a flow
well which was used to cook the milk prior to shipment. Mr. Karlton is shown standing
beside the horse, his children, Ethel and Frank, are standing with their mother, Mrs.
Cora Karlton. Above right-Mr. Karlton later added a second story. The home still stands
today and is owned by Mrs. S. J. Hodges.
February A landmark of yesteryear, the original Hi-Ho Gas Station, owned by Joe and Frances
Spitale, located at the intersection of Highway 51 and U. S. Highway 190 (East Thomas
Street), was even better known for its 25¢ Bar-B-Que. Located in the left portion
of the photograph is the ICE COLD WATERMELON sign of Joe Ford’s Fruit Stand which
was located under the large oaks on the northwest quadrant of the intersection.
March The beautiful lagoon and bridges in the southwest portion of Cate Square are seen
from a rarely shown perspective. This view is looking to the northeast and shows some
of the out buildings, such as the carriage house and pigeonnaire, remaining on the
property after the resident of Charles E. Cate was destroyed by fire in 1888.
April The late Ken Furbos captured this wonderful night scene of the Hammond Railroad Depot
in the mid 1950s. The platform and brick walkway were kept illuminated for the convenience
of passengers arriving on the north bound Creole at 10:00 P.M. and the south bound
City of New Orleans at 11:30 P.M. The Beanery, a popular twenty-four hour restaurant,
was located in the south end of the depot. The lights of the station agent’s office
can be seen in the center, with the green order board signal light towering above
in the front. Some of the lights in the right portion of the photograph were kerosene
switch lamps which marked the position of the switches.
May Above left-Loranger, The Model Farm at Loranger, owned by the Genesee Lumber Company
and operated by Mrs. Harriet Pyatt, was a focal point of the company’s land development.
Many experimental crops were planted in hopes of enticing northern farmers to relocate
to this area. Right-Shown behind the artesian well is a group of prospective northern
settlers touring the farm.
June Top-The Hammond Machine Shp of Arthur L. Way was situated on the east side of Cypress
Street between Hanson and Coleman Avenues. In 1909, the shop was sold to the Diamond
Iron Works LTD, owned by Frank B. Coyne, George E. Boos and George F. Smith, who continued
to do all types of mechanical work, especially the repair of steam tractors such as
the one shown to the left of the shop. Right-Interior of the Hammond Machine Shop.

July This unique paddle wheel boat offered early sightseeing excursions on the Tangipahoa
River from Lee’s Landing to the Lake.
August This manpowered ferry crossed the Tangipahoa River just north of the Hammond Lumber
Company railroad bridge. It was located almost in line with an extension to the east
of Vinyard Road.
September Crates of pure cane syrup on a horse-drawn wagon from the syrup mill of William Webster
Vinyard located at the end of Vinyard Road.
October Top left-The Zenobia Church Sunday School was located one mile east of the Hammond
Airport on the south side of 190. Turned to face Highway 190, the building still stands
today on the same property with the Corburn Baptist Church. Bottom right-Many notable
Hammond citizens attended the Sunday School. This 1921 photographs shows, from left,
standing: Floyd Wainwright, Omar Wainwright, Leslie Parker, and Charles Murphy. In
the middle row: Willis Hoover, Adlee Bennett, Charence Wittie, Camest Robertson and
Otto Vinyard. In the front row: Frank Wainwright, Herbert Vinyard, Stanley Bennett,
Dr. Lucius D. McGehee, one of the founders of Southeastern Louisiana University, Walter
Drott, and Elmo Vinyard.
November George Sanders’ logging job shown here was typical of those which operated among the
virgin pine timber of this area.
December The Wishing Springs Hotel, which was operated by Mrs. Ann “Mother” Breckwoldt. In
later years the name was changed to the Breckwoldt Hotel. Construction was started
on the first wing of the building in 1894 and the second wing was built in 1908. It
was located above five miles east of Hammond on the Tangipahoa River, site of today’s
River Oaks Subdivision. Old timers of this area enjoyed many dances, parties and meals
at the hotel. Before the days of automobiles, this was a popular “flag stop” on the
Baton Rouge, Hammond & Eastern Railroad.

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1992

January The interior of the Ozone Drug Store in the summer of 1942. Located in the Boos Building
at the corner of Thomas and East Railroad Avenue, this popular pharmacy and soda fountain
was operated for years by charles E. Blomquist. Shown in the photograph are Sylvia
Blomquist LaDew, Charles E. Blomquist, Grace Blomquist, Angie Michelli Minkus, and
Gertrude Lee Allen.
February Hammond officials a century ago. (top row) Mayor Urene Desouge, Alderman Leroy Thomas
and W. B. Holden; (second row) George Lewis, Pastor Seventh Day Baptist Church, Duncan
Cannon, Marshal and Alderman William Desouge; (bottom row) Alderman Edgar Irish, Frank
E. Neelis, Tax Collector and Alderman L. I. Way. They are on the steps of Hammond
Hall which was erected on the C. E. Cate property and faced Northeast RR Ave. at the
corner of E. Robert St. It was built with private contributions to provide Hammond
the first facility for use as a public auditorium and meeting place, as well as a
town hall for council meetings. Shortly after its dedication in February 1890, a Farmers
and Fruit Growers Convention was held in the hall attended by over 600 people from
the north and midwest.

March A serene buggy ride through the countryside of Hammond, March 1901. This photograph
is from an album “Hammond, Louisiana-Two Weeks in March 1901” by Allan Pendergrass
of Florida.
April Anyone remember this alligator? This photograph, discovered among several others of
this area by Wayne Smith, owner of Cypress Corner Antiques & Collectibles in Ponchatoula,
dates to approximately 1895, but the exact location is not known. It is obviously
in the swamp south of Ponchatoula. While some speculated it was at Ruddock, long-time
resident Will Ed Butler recalls seeing an alligator held in a tank adjacent to the
railroad tracks at Manchac when he was a child and believes that to be the location.

May Union Memorial Day in Hammond in the mid 1890s. The majority of early Hammond settlers
were from the north and midwest, lured here by the promotional efforts of the Illinois
Central Railroad. Many were veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic.
June A picturesque scene along the banks of the Natalbany River near Springfield. Note
the well camouflaged young man in the center of the photograph.
July Tangipahoa Parish Court House in Amite, circa 1910. It served as the center of judicial
and legal activity until the present day structure was completed on the same site
in 1968.
August The Hammond Light Guards. In 1895, Captain Thomas W. Cate formed Company H of the
First Infantry Regiment at Hammond. They were among the first to answer President
McKinley’s call for volunteers in the Spanish-American War. The top photograph, also
discovered by Wayne Smith owner of Cypress Corner Antiques & Collectibles, shows the
Company on maneuvers in the Hammond area. Below, they are pictured aboard the train
in the block south of Thomas Street preparing to depart for active duty in the Spanish
American War.
SeptemberA north bound passenger train takes on water while boarding passengers at
the Hammond Depot in 1901. The locomotive would be directly in front of the present
Citizens National Bank Main Office. At that time, the passenger depot was situated
on the east side of the track between Thomas and Charles Street. This photograph was
also from the album of Allan Pendergrass.
October The new Methodist Episcopal Church of Amite in 1910. Built to replace an earlier sanctuary
destroyed by the tornado of 1908, this beautiful building, which faced East Mulberry
Street was itself destroyed by the disastrous tornado of April 1940.

November Around the turn of the century, this sugar mill was in operation on the west bank
of the Ponchatoula River, just south of the present home of Tommy and Shirley Jackson
(Carriage House Antiques). The sugar plantation encompassed lands presently owned
by the Jackson, Fallers, and the River Ranch Subdivision south of Highway 22.
December Built as a bank in 1835 by the New Orleans Gas Light and Banking Co., this building
still stands in Springfield. In approximately 1840, it became the courthouse for Livingston
Parish. Before Tangipahoa Parish was created in 1869, this area west of the Tangipahoa
River was a part of Livingston Parish and was served by this courthouse. In 1872,
the parish seat of Livingston Parish was moved to Port Vincent and the building became
Settoon’s General Store, supplied by schooners on the nearby Natalbany River. Today
it is a private resident. The photographs was taken in 1901.

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1993

January This photograph of the depot in Tangipahoa, Louisiana was taken in July of 1930. Looking
south from the main crossing at Center Street, presently Louisians Highway 440, it
shows the depot to the left. Opposite, on the right, is a covered shed where independent
dairymen could load their cans of milk for shipment to New Orleans. Visible in the
distance is the cooling plant of the Cloverland Dairy Products Co., where milk was
brought to be cooled before being shipped in glass lined railroad cars to the Cloverland
Creamery in New Orleans. One of the milk cars can be seen at the cooling plant.
February It seems that half of Hammond turned out in their “Sunday Best” to watch firemen battle
the flames from a pile of lumber at the Hammond Lumber Company. The scene of the fire
is directly across the railroad tracks from the present S.L.U. Tennis Courts on Northwest
Railroad Avenue. An Illinois Central locomotive is being used to pump water to fight
the fire, while a crew of men can be seen operating a hand pump from the small stream
in the left foreground.
March The Hammond Berries, a professional baseball team, won the Evangeline League championship
in 1947 by defeating the Alexandria “Aces” in the semi-finals and the Thibodaux “Giants”
in the finals. Other teams making up the Evangeline League were: The Baton Rouge “Red
Sticks,” Houma “Indians,” New Iberia “Pelicans,” Natchez “Giants,” and the Abbeville
“Athletics.” The nightly games were played in Berry Stadium at Southeastern Park,
the location of the present SLU Baseball diamond. Home attendance for the 1947 season
was 59,126. Members of the 1947 Hammond Berries Championship team were from left to
right, kneeling: Paul Bruno, Manager, First Baseman/Pitcher; Eddie Bowles, Pitcher/
First Baseman; Art O’Conner, Catcher; Ray Dunn, Shortshop; Frank Gibbs, Third Baseman;
Jim “Kid” Waldrop, Second Baseman; Joe Bucha, Catcher. Standing: Pat Patterson, Pitcher;
Bill Moerman, Center Fielder; Troy Mitchell, Left/Fielder/Catcher, Audis Gill, Right
Fielder; Hugh King, Pitcher, Pete Mouledous, Pitcher; Stanley Hancock, Pitcher.
April The hustle and bustle of strawberry season is reflected in this 1910 photograph showing
the loading of the berries into Illinois Central refrigerator cars at Ponchatoula.
Note that the train station was situated just north of Pine Street and the passenger
platform extended well south of Pine Street. After a tragic accident in 1912, the
station was moved further north to afford persons crossing the tracks at Pine Street
a better view of approaching south-bound trains.

May The Amite Dairy Farm of John Saal was featured in a 1910 promotional booklet on Tangipahoa
Parish published by the Passenger Department of the Illinois Central Railroad. Saal
was the Sheriff of Tangipahoa Parish and the owner and operator of a dairy farm of
125 cows, the milk of which was shipped to New Orleans. It was stated in the booklet:
“Mr. Saal uses one of the latest improved concrete silos, and his farm is an object
lesson as to the possibilities of diversified farming in Tangipahoa Parish.”
June Hammond Army Air Field formally opened by the military on June 1, 1943. The first
base commander was Captain Fredrick W. Ring, shown in the inset. By November 1943,
more than 1000 personnel were stationed at the base as pilots of two fighter squadrons
trained in the Republic P-47 “Thunderbolt” fighters. A flight from that group of P-47s
is shown here.
July Rush’s Drive In, located on West Thomas Street in Hammond, was a popular spot for
people of all ages in the 1950s and ’60s. Operated by Rush J. Lassiter, who started
a hamburger/hot dog stand in a trailer, the business expanded several times. This
photograph shows the “Drive In” after it was doubled in size to include a dining room.
Located in front of the Channel Shopping Center, a portion of the building still stands
and is used for office space.
August Lawn Tennis was a popular pastime at the original wooden Oaks Hotel. This scene was
taken from the present location of the west entrance of the Citizens National Bank
Main Office in Hammond. To the right is shown the water tower which served the Oaks,
while in the background several structures are visible in Cate Square, the home place
of the late Charles E. Cate.
September The R. A. Kent Mercantile Company was the busiest place in Fluker on Saturdays. Employees
of the Kent Mill were paid on one Saturday and employees of the Kent Farms were paid
on the following Saturday. If an employee of either company needed an advance on his/her
wages, they would receive it in the form of “Bronzene” which was good only at the
company store. The amount received would later be deducted from the employee’s bi-weekly
wages. “Bronzene” was the prevalent name for the trade tokens issued as advances to
employees of lumber companies in Louisiana. The origin of the name is uncertain, but
may have come from the fact that many of the tokens were made of brass. The Kent Company
issued the tokens in denominations of 1¢, 5¢, and 25¢, 50¢, $1 and $5. Examples of
the 1¢, 5¢, and 25¢ tokens are shown at left. At first the tokens were round, but
local slot machine owners complained that the tokens were being used in lieu of quarters
in their machines and prevailed upon Kent to change the design to the beaded edge
version shown.
October S. E. Hostetter’s Artesian Well at Roseland was featured in a 1910 promotional booklet
on Tangipahoa Parish published by the Passenger Department of the Illinois Central
Railroad. This scene was to show the abundance of pure water the parish had to offer
northern settlers. The 1910 booklet stated: “Roseland is another northern settlement
that has grown from a field covered with pine stumps 20 years ago, to an interesting
city of 600 people with an assessed valuation of $125,933.00. In the vicinity of Roseland,
it is estimated that no less than 1000 acres are now cultivated in vegetables.” Local
farmers mentioned in the article on Roseland include: Mr. C. A. Tiebout, formerly
of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Mr. S. E. Hostetter, formerly of Adams County, Pennsylvania
and Mr. Harry Wilson. The article noted of these men, “They are three of the most
intelligent truck growers to be found in either the North or the South.” (Note: Harry
Wilson was the father of famed Cajun humorist an chef, Justin Wilson.)
November The Hammond State Bank was located on the north side of the 200 block of East Thomas
Street, the present site of Anderson’s Family Shoe Store. The prestigious original
building is shown above, while the interior is shown below. Seated is Mr. Ed Richardson,
Cashier. Standing is Mr. Rosewell Lille, President The metal cage or barrier separating
the lobby area was intended to foil bank robbers of the day.
December CN-1, an Illinois Central Chicago/New Orleans manifest freight, blasts south past
the depot at Tickfaw in this 1956 photograph by the late C. W. Witbeck.

 

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1994

January Top-The “new” Hammond Union Depot was built in 1912. The passenger waiting room is
used by Amtrak today. This photograph was taken by C. W. Witbeck from the top of a
strawberry car on April 20, 1954. Bottom left-View up the tracks from the Depot showing
the coal chute, orth of town, in the left background and the railroad water tank in
the right background. Both were used in the days of the steam locomotive. Ahead of
the caboose are strawberry cars spotted on the express track for loading. The water
column for placing water in the locomotive tenders is to the left of the fifth berry
car. Bottom right-The Hammond Railroad Yards along Northeast Railroad Avenue were
a hub-bub of activity during the strawberry season. Here workmen load blocks of ice,
lifted by the truck-mounted elevator, into the refrigerator cars so the berries will
arrive in good condition at their northern destinations.

February Upper left-Manchac Depot, 1903. Upper right-Sailboat on the lake near Manchac, circa
1900. Bottom right-Buckhorn Club and Bradley’s Camp on North Pass.
March Early strawberry activity at the Amite depot.
April Upper left-Loading strawberries at old Hammond Depot at corner of Thomas and Cate
Street in 1910. Lower left-Picking berries near Hammond. Upper right-Strawberry labels
applied to crates after being loaded in Express Cars.
May Steamboat Florine of the Brakenridge Railway & Navigation Company on Natalbany River
at Springfield (just north of present Highway 22 bridge).
June Roseland Depot and Packing Shed, circa 1900.
July Natalbany, Louisiana in its heyday! Five photographs showing the Natalbany Lumber
Mill, the baseball team at the Hotel, street scenes.
August Rosaryville near Ponchatoula, was originally established by the Benedictine Fathers
in the 1880s as a seminary called “Gessen.” Later they sold the property to the Spanish
Dominican Fathers who renovated the buildings and renamed the site, Rosaryville. In
1939 it became the first permanent novitiate of the Dominican Sisters and is still
in their possession today.
September Upper left-Log cut by Banner Lumber Company, Kentwood, La. for the Tennessee Centennial
in 1896. Lower left-The narrow-gauge Kentwood & Eastern Railroad operated from 1892-1918
from Kentwood through Spring Creek, Mt. Hermon, and Warnerton to Hackley in Washington
Parish. Above-Well at the Banner Lumber Company, circa 1898.
October Fall harvest at Loranger.
November Upper left-Ponchatoula Depot showing Alford Hotel, circa 1910, before depot was relocated
to present location. Lower left-Main Street-Ponchatoula looking west, 1923. Upper
right-“Old Steel Bridge” across the Tangipahoa River, east of Ponchatoula.
December Illinois Central Railroad Park, adjacent to the main line, was the showplace of Hammond
for many years.

 

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1995

JanuaryThe Commissary, Office and company dwellings of the Williams Lumber Company in the
Millville section of Ponchatoula. Advances on employees’ salaries were given in “bronzene”
(commonly called “Br zene”) which could only be used at the company commissary. Shown
are examples of the 50 cent and 5 cent pieces.
FebruaryHotel Ponder, Inc., Amite City, Louisiana was billed as a “modern, air-conditioned,
fireproof hotel with 62 rooms and apartments.” It included a bar, coffee shop, lounge
restaurant and popular sun roof.
MarchThis stately home was originally built by Edward P. Denkmann. It was later sold to
Colonel & Mrs. James Corbett, owners when this photograph was taken. Later purchased
by Mr. & Mrs. John T. Patenotte, it has for many years been the home of Hans & Marietta
Reimers Schneider.
AprilThe “Beanery,” as it was popularly known, was located in the south end of the Hammond
Depot. It was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide meals for railroad
crews and for passengers on trains that did not carry dining cars. Operated for many
years by John M. and Evelyn Neelis Robinson, it became one of the most popular restaurants
in Hammond. Mr. Johnny, shown behind the counter second from the left in the interior
photograph, was a gourmet cook. The counter was a single piece of cypress approximately
3 inches thick. They provided curb service in the rear after a dance or late date.

MayThe schooner “Brashier” on Lake Maurepas. The schooner was owned by Mr. Edward Kinchen
and operated by Captain John Ross.
JuneThis month marks the 50th anniversary of the June 13, 1945 Award Ceremony Review at
the Hammond Army Air Field. The Hammond Gunnery School was presented an Award of Merit
for their outstanding scores in the 3rd Air Force. The air-to-air gunnery practice
was at targets towed by other aircraft over Lake Pontchartrain. The air-to-ground
gunnery and rocket training was held at the Hammond Bombing & Gunnery Range, north
of Highway 190 between Robert and the St. Tammany Parish line.
JulyGovernor Jared Young Sanders, a native of St. Mary Parish, became one of Hammond’s
most popular and respected citizens. He had an active political career serving as
a representative from his area in the state House of Representatives from 1892 until
1904. He was then elected Lt. Governor from 1904 until 1908 when he was elected Governor
of Louisiana. He served one term from 1908 until 1912. He later established his residence
on Sanders Avenue, which was then named in his honor, and established a branch law
office in Hammond in the mid 1920s. He commuted to his main law office in New Orleans
until his retirement in the late 1930s. He was an organizer and director of Citizens
National Bank and the Florida Parishes Homestead Association. He remained active in
state and local politics and his advice and counsel were sought by many throughout
the state. Photograph is of him and his house.
AugustPonchatoula Beach was a favorite Sunday outing for early Ponchatoula citizens. This
1914 photograph shows a group of revelers returning to town from the beach over the
old river bridge.
SeptemberWiginton Memorial Hospital at the corner of Thomas and Pine Streets in Hammond. Dr.
& Mrs. Marquis C. Wiginton opened the hospital in the old Natalbany Lumber Company
office building. It was dedicated in memory of their deceased daughter, Mabel. It
served the area until Seventh War Hospital opened. Photograph is of the hospital and
Dr. Wiginton
OctoberFlorida Parishes Charity Hospital is shown as it originally appeared before being
greatly expanded and renovated into Lallie Kemp Medical Center.
NovemberImperial Bakery & Ice Cream Company. The bakery/ice cream store was located in the
second block of North Cypress Street and the Ice Cream Plant was located behind it
in the center of the block. Mr. Jessie Smith Bunce is shown standing second from right.

DecemberA group of early settlers at the Husser Post Office.

 

TANGIPAHOA PARISHCITIZENS NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1996

January The Federated Church was located at the corner of Thomas and Magnolia Streets in Hammond.
The building was constructed by the Congregational Church after its original church
at the corner of Pine and Church Streets was destroyed by fire caused by lightening
striking the steeple on September 13, 1901. (note: This church has no steeple!) The
Presbyterian Church purchased the corner property diagonally opposite (to the northeast)
and was planning to construct their own church when the two churches began holding
joint services in 1916. After a three year period, both churches unanimously agreed
to form the Federated Church Realty Company. The Congregational Church put up the
building as their share and the Presbyterians put up an equivalent amount of cash
to enlarge the building to adequately serve both congregations. Joint services were
held in this building until 1959 when the new Presbyterian Church was erected at the
corner of Charles and Spruce Streets.

February The Live Oak Mill at Natalbany was located adjacent to the Illinois Central Railroad
on the west side of the track. In 1903, the Denkmann interests bought the operation
and renamed it the Natalbany Lumber Company. A much larger mill, called the Red Mill,
was built to the west and following the hurricane of 1909, a third mill was built
adjacent to the second to cut the storm-downed timber. Together they formed one of
the largest lumber operations in Louisiana.
March Illinois Central Railroad Park. Following the completion of the new Union Depot at
Hammond in 1912, which served both the Illinois Central and the Baton Rouge, Hammond
& Eastern Railroads, the Illinois Central maintained beautiful gardens adjacent to
its main tracks through Hammond. The photograph shows the portion lying between the
railroad and West Railroad Avenue, between Charles and Robert Streets. This was across
the street from the Oaks Hotel, now the site of the Main Office of Citizens National
Bank. The steeple of the Grace Memorial Episcopal Church can be seen in the center
background of the photograph.
April Camping on the Tangipahoa River. The exact location of the photograph is unknown.
This is a postcard typical of the time depicting scenes throughout the area. Photograph
shows tents and campers.
May Ponchatoula Boy Scout Troop 100 headed for Chattanooga, TN, in 1948, aboard the “Strawberry
Express” donated for the trip by H. J. Gabriel Building Supply. “Boys” shown from
left to right: Robert L. Jackson, Andrew J. Pusey, Oscar Saint, Marvin Johnson, Jack
Vaughan, Cage Harris, Larry Davis, Carlyle Dwyer, Donald Goode, C. Paul Phelps, Lawerence
Powell, Ellis Guillory, Earl Tucker, Richard Beal, Julius Hoover. In front: Perry
Davis and Charles Brann.
June Ponchatoula Churches. The Baptist Church and Methodist Church were situated a half
block apart on Pine Street. These buildings were used by their congregations until
the new churches that stand on these same sites today were built. The new Baptist
Church was built in 1979 and the new Methodist Church was dedicated in 1959.
July John W. Himmler is shown in his blacksmith shop which faced what is now U. S. Highway
51 just south of the water tank at Roseland. He emigrated from Germany to Neustead,
Ontario Canada in the 1860s and moved to Roseland about 1890 to carry on a general
blacksmith business near the original Box Factory at Roseland. He was the great grandfather
of Tom Davidson.
August The Greater St. James A.M.E. Church is located on the corner of Michigan and Holly
Streets in Hammond. Erected in 1925, the building still stands and is in active use
by its congregation.
September Southeastern Louisiana College, Circa 1945. Upper right-The building surge began with
a vigor in 1934 with the dedication of McGehee Hall, the first brick building. The
others were completed in 1940. Upper left-The President’s Home. Middle left-The Science
Building. Lower left-The Music Building. Right-The Training School (now the Math Building).

October Postmaster H. S. Kohnke became Hammond Postmaster in June 1893 and later served as
mayor. He is shown in the doorway on the north side of the first block of East Thomas
Street. The Post Office occupied the eat half of the building while the west side
was occupied by R. Lillie & Co. Bankers. Lower right-Seated in front: R. B. Kohnke;
from left to right: Sonora A. Kohnke, Ernest E. Kohnke, Herman A. Kohnke, Laura G.
Kohnke, Agnes Nenzes Kohnke, Herman A. Kohnke, Jr., Florence Mae Kohnke; standing
in back, Frederick Kohnke. Lower left-The H. A. Kohnke home situated on the corner
of Church and North Magnolia Streets, it is believed to be the first brick home in
Hammond. It was stuccoed in approximately 1915 and still stands today. In the background
of the photograph is the original Congregational Church of Hammond which was located
on the corner of Church and North Pine Streets.

November Harriss Drug Store in Ponchatoula. Located on the corner of Pine Street and Northeast
Railroad Avenue in Ponchatoula, the building stands today and is the home of Paul’s
Café across the street from the Ponchatoula Country Market.
December Postcard scenes at the Oaks Hotel in Hammond. The scenes show the second Oakd Hotel,
opened January 1, 1907, after the original hotel was destroyed by fire on October
12, 1905. The statue of “Mercury” shown above is now housed in the Rural Life Museum
in Baton Rouge.

 

TANGIPAHOA PARISHDEPOSIT GUARANTY NATIONAL BANK CALENDAR, 1997

January The two-story masonry building along the west side of South Cypress Street between
Thomas and Morris was known as the “Baltzell Block.” It was built by Sylis L. Baltzell,
who moved to Hammond from Centralia, Illinois in 1880. The south end of the building
burned in 1911 and was rebuilt as a single story. It currently houses Himel NAPA Auto
Parts. The north corner at Thomas and Cypress Streets housed, among other businesses,
the Saik Hotel and Restaurant. It has recently undergone extensive refurbishing and
is now the “Red, White and Brew” wine/coffee specialty store. The entire block along
Cypress Street once contained beautiful cast iron columns which have been restored,
except for the portion formerly occupied by the Ritz Theater.
February The Atherton Theater, Kentwood.
March The Hotel Alford in Ponchatoula was situated across the railroad tracks west of the
depot, today’s famed Ponchatoula Country Market. To the right of the picture is the
mail crane with the mailbag suspended. A south bound passenger train carrying a Railway
Post Office car would extend a metal hook as it approached the crane and catch the
mailbag “on the fly” without stopping!
April The Southern Bell Telephone office at 205 West Charles Street before construction
of the new office at the corner of Thomas and Pine Streets. All local and long distance
calls were handled by operators. Photograph on right shows the building and the three
photographs on the left show the inside of the office.
May Right-The Illinois Central Railroad Park at Amite. Below-The Tangipahoa River bridge
east of Amite.
June This aerial view of the Ponchatoula School campus was taken about 1960. In the foreground
is the Ponchatoula High School built in 1923. It has recently been remodeled into
the beautiful new Ponchatoula Junior High. The Home Economics cottage is shown to
the right and the gymnasium is to the left. In the background is the Elementary School
which burned in 1994. Behind it football practice is taking place on the field where
the famous “Cypress Bowl” was held for many years following World War II. The annual
event pitted the finest south Louisiana high schools in a post season classic.
July Charles A. Kent Sr., whose beautiful home in Kentwood is shown at the left, operated
the Kentwood Ice Mfg. & Bottling Works (below) which was well known for its soft drink
called “SMILE!” The interior photo shows the syrup room in the plant.
August Ponchatoula’s first brick school, commonly referred to as the “Red Brick School’ served
both as elementary and high school. The three story “Red Brick School,” shown under
construction was build in 1913 and was situated just south of today’s newly renovated
Ponchatoula Junior High. This building was demolished after the new Ponchatoula Elementary
was completed in 1937.

September Following Hurricane Betsy in September 1965, Hammond was the southern terminal for
all Illinois Central passenger trains. The main line was washed out for miles near
the shore of Lake Pontchartrain and it took approximately six weeks to restore service.
In the photograph, taken in front of the Deposit Guaranty building, the backlog of
train traffic is evident. The headlight of the incoming south bound “Panama Limited”
awaits departure from the depot. The employee on the motorcar is traffic-bound until
the “City” departs. To his right is the last car of No. 25, “The Southern Express,”
which has been turned on the “Y”-track and will depart northward at noon as No. 4,
“The Northern Express.” The baggage car and line of Pullmans to the right were being
held over between runs.
October This view of the Oaks Hotel taken from Thomas Street shows the Stewart Monument located
where the Chamber of Commerce office is today. It was erected in memory of Francis
G. Stewart, a railroad employee, who gave his life, April 13, 1908, while rescuing
a young boy from the path of an oncoming train. The gazebo and bandstand in the background
was located where Zemurray’s II is today.
November The 1936 Southeastern Louisiana College undefeated football team. First row, seated
left to right: Jack Nelson, Joe Alessi, James Britt, Sam J. Dantone, Harold “Slick”
Sudderth, Greek Benglis, Q. B. Nelson, “Curley” Hart, Lloyd “Sonny Boy” Richardson,
Norel “Red” Grandeury. Second row, left to right: “Mud” Clay, Dunbar Chaney, “Winks”
Vineyard, “Catfish” Cox, Hagler Sanchez, Lawrence “Larry” King, Hollis “Roomie” Wilson,
Bill Stevenson, James Jo “Jimmie” Carlin. Back row: Coach Arthur “red” Swanson, Hugh
Pendarvis, Guy Speck, Jack Hemphill, James Wesley “Bucket” Bales, Joe Costanza, Loftin,
Douglas Wilcombe, Earl “Harlow” Morgan, Assistant Coach Edward L. “Ned” McGehee. The
photograph was taken on the old football field, now the site of Mims Hall and Southeastern
Hall.
December The Hollywood School on Yellow Water Road served the children of the area from the
1920s until the mid ’40s. The two room building housed the first, second, and third
grades in one room and grades four and five in the other. Long time teachers, among
others, were Mrs. Louise Lanier and Mrs. Christine Gugliuzza Bivona. The building
faced Yellow Water Road. In 1948 it was purchased and turned at right angles to the
road and is now used as a residence.