Monroe, LA Summary

Monroe has a French history that goes back to 1780, when a small band of settlers made a permanent camp by the Ouachita River.

Three years later, the French soldier Don Juan Filhiol was granted 1,680 acres from the King of Spain, who built an outpost known as Fort Miro. Renamed Monroe after the first steamboat to arrive in the area, the town soon evolved into a major river hub and cotton-producing center during the nineteenth century.

In 1916, the first drilling of natural gas took place, and for a time Monroe was a leading producer in this field.

Though not an especially tantalizing city to look at, as it spreads west across the river into an urban sprawl, Monroe definitely warrants a stopover.

It is now home to the University of Louisiana (and the Miss Louisiana Pageant). This city of nearly 56,000 people focuses on the arts and culture, and has some worthwhile museums. These include the Aviation Historical Museum of Louisiana and the Louisiana University Monroe Museum of Natural History, which features many Native American artifacts.

The Northeast Louisiana Delta African-American Heritage Museum studies the lives of nineteenth-century slaves and displays interesting artifacts from slave cabins. Visitors to Monroe can also visit the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo, or cruise the Ouachita River on the Twin City Queen riverboat.

The Emy-Lou Biedenharn Foundation is on Riverside Drive. Emy-Lou was an opera singer, and her father, Joseph Biedenharn, was Coca-Cola’s first bottler. The heiress returned home to America from Europe at the outbreak of World War II to establish several formal gardens at her family’s estate. Strolling through the serene grounds is pleasant enough; however, most people who visit come to see the Bible museum and Coca- Cola memorabilia.

The Black Heritage Parade held annually in February is a classic venue for gospel music, while the Louisiana Folklife Festival features a wide selection of Cajun arts, crafts, and music.

Located along I-20 at the junction of I-65, Monroe is serviced by bus and by Monroe Regional Airport off Hwy 80.