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Alexandria
Register Thank you for visiting the Alexandria Retrospective Web site. You can view more entries via the Register Index. If you haven't already signed the Register, we would be pleased if you would join the many others with Alexandria connections who have viewed this site, and take a minute to sign the Register! I very much enjoyed the "tour" and your comments and recollections. I grew up on the corner of Harvard Street and Waushauer Streets in Alexandria, Louisiana two blocks from Bolton High School. I grew up in this neighborhood until May 1957 when I graduated from Bolton High School; and spent many happy years visiting many of the places you mention; plus many more you did not have time or space to mention. You apparently grew up on Alma Street not to far from my uncle Cliff Bolen and Aunt Cleo and their daughters Pat and Carol, as well as cousin Jimmie Lynn Pourcy and 2nd cousins Mathile and Montez Brister - all of whom lived on Alma Street. During the late 1940s and early 1950s it was a great adventure for me and my grammar school and neighbor friends to ride our bicycles from our homes way over to Alma and even further to Rosenthal Grammar school. What a treat to be able to ride that far in safety; as well as walk from our home to the City Park Zoo and swimming pool and parks at all hours of the day and night with no fear. You have done us all a great service by your work on this website. Regards, Jay Bolen James (Jay) A. Bolen, Jr I remember so many of those places. Thank you for pulling them together in a very moving portrait of our town. Ray Foote Burke, VA - Friday, May 23, 2003 at 01:25:38 (GMT) I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE. I RAISED MY FAMILY AND AM STILL WORKING IN ALEXANDRIA. GREAT PLACE!!!!!!!! MONA ANDRIES ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA USA - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 21:17:48 (GMT) Good work. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Tina Bordelon Alexandria, LA USA - Sunday, May 18, 2003 at 04:48:08 (GMT) I was thinking about Lazarone's Poboys, when my search engine took me to your site. Those were the best Poboys! I spent my first 16 years in Alexandria. Rosenthal Elementary, Alexandria Junior High, and Bolton High-those were my schools. I still remember the names of all of my elementary grade teachers. I even recognized some of your guests as classmates.
I was reacquainted with Alexandria a few short years ago when my son (Ohio born and reared) met his bride (a Bentley girl) at LA Tech. Our family staging area for the Dry Prong wedding was the good old Holiday Inn on MacArthur Drive. I remember that the Holiday Inn was one place in Alex that you could go for a little more "upscale" meal after church on Sundays. Having moved away from Louisiana so long ago, I never dreamed one of my sons would spend his wedding night at the Bentley Hotel. Thank you for the trip down memory lane. Now if I could just get one of those Lazarone's PoBoys! Linda Linda Henry Morris A former classmate informed me of this web site. I checked it out and have now been down memory lane. Thank you very much. A graduate of '57, I have lived in Orlando, FL for 40 years but I still think of Alexandria as my home. Please keep up this wonderful work. Hello to former Bruins. Larry Davis Thanks for the great memories of Alexandria. What
a great website. Please keep updating with new (old) pictures. I am very pleased
that my oldest brother forwarded this to me. Thanks again.
Wow! Wonderful idea. Great photography and comments. Your website has undoubtedly meant a lot to many people. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Have an anecdote to add to the ones of your many viewers... In 1949 or so when I was approximately ten years old, I met, well actually, saw Al "Lash" LaRue, the cowboy movie star, at the Joy Theatre on Murray Street one Saturday morning. He was in all his black splendor, complete with six guns and whip. Kids were clamoring about him, seemingly preparing to climb him like a mountain. I stood about five feet away with my mouth agape. Lash looked over at me and said, "Howdy Pardner." "Huh, er, hi." His trappings which stand out most in my mind today were the huge pistols and the high quality of the black, wool gabardine slacks. In returning to my movie seat while still in a daze, I pondered why he had singled me out to greet. Finally, it hit me. It had to be he was impressed with my twin guns and holsters set. Crossed paths with Lash again almost 40 years later. He apparently didn't recognize me, though. Guess it was because I wasn't wearing my guns. Larry A. Bringol Percy N. Clark Blackshear, Ga USA - Wednesday, May 14, 2003 at 20:36:52 (GMT) A masterpiece - in terms of reliving so many great memories of growing up in a place like Alexandria. I am an Alex native and grew up on Texas Ave, almost next door to the CYO. Attended St. Frances Xavier before Cabrini opened, and then on to Bolton ('57 grad ) and La. College (61 grad). Married Annette Boone (Woodworth). Both of us have enjoyed the great presentation you have put forward. J. T. Rougeou Sautee, Ga USA - Wednesday, May 14, 2003 at 01:11:58 (GMT)
Just visited the Alexandria Retrospective for the second time. Got a message from a former classmate at Bolton '57 reminding me of all of your work and what it has meant to so many of us. Grew up in Alexandria in the 40s and 50s. Cannot believe there was a better place to grow up during those times. I have so many fond memories that I have carried with me through these many years. I will have to admit that Alexandria is where my heart has always been. I have been gone for 40 plus years, yet I find myself thinking about the fun times and all of the wonderful people time and again. Thanks so much for continuing to remind us of such a wonderful place and the part it played in our lives. We are all indebted to you for your hard work. Bob Lee Robert E. Bobby Lee I just want to tell you how much I enjoyed your web site. I was born and raised in Alexandria and left joining the Navy in 1974. Lived in the same house off of Jackson St. Extension in Plantation Acres for 17 years. My mother worked at Schwartzbergs Dept Store back in the '40's and early 50's. I still remember walking downtown on Saturdays to Wellans, Caplans, Weiss' and of course the Christmas display at Wellans. Again, Thank you for the memories. Sincerely, Rusty Franklin Rusty Franklin
I grew up in Alex. Attended Cabrini and graduated from Providence (remember??) in 1965. I lived on Boyce Street and my mother still lives there. I married a guy stationed at England and that's how I ended up in NJ. I was just home for a visit. It was sad not to see Providence and the old Menard high schools. Thanks so much for this site. My best friend from school sent me this after it took me over 30 years to find her. Thanks again for the memories. Sharon Pousson Fetters I'm planning to visit Alexandria soon, so really enjoyed your loving glimpse of the past. Sheila Crawford Quebec,Canada, USA - Tuesday, May 13, 2003 at 02:06:37 (GMT) Well done! Gwendolyn Iles-Foster Austin, TX USA - Monday, May 12, 2003 at 20:21:24 (GMT) Remember those bottle cap shows at the Paramount. Our parents would deposit us there on Saturdays with our seven bottle caps for a show of live entertainment and films. It was a wild time. Gaius Goetz USA - Monday, May 12, 2003 at 13:18:24 (GMT) Great web site. It has been a pleasure to go through it. The guest book entries are absolutely wonderful. I was born in Alex at the Baptist Hospital in 1944. Went to St Francis Xavier and then to the original Menard. I left Alexandria in 1962 to go to La Tech and from there went directly into the Air Force. Just retired three years ago and have not been back to Alexandria since 67. After seeing your site, I think a trip back is in order. Keep up the good work. Maybe you can add a section where we can list our email addresses so we can get in touch with some old schoolmates. Mine is Konduris@netscape.net Ted Konduris
I love this website. We were Air Force brats but were raised in Alex and consider it home. I love the vintage postcards and pictures, it is awesome to see. I would love to see pictures of the old Rosenthal. That is where I went to school - when I drive by the 'new' Rosenthal it brings tears to my eyes. It's just not the same. Penny Sweeden Hagin Thanks you for providing an enjoyable trip down Memory Lane (and Lee, Monroe and Jackson Streets). I lived in Alexandria for two years (summer of 1958 through spring of 1960) and attended seventh and eighth grade at Alexandria Junior High. I still think back with fondness on those years. We lived in Airview Terrace, which was about as remote a subdivision as there was at the time. I remember the scents wafting from the old Cotton Bakery on MacArthur Drive. I also remember having Southern fried chicken at Effie's restaurant, playing baseball at the old Aces ballfield (on Texas Avenue, I think), and hearing the lion roar at City Park Zoo. I remember playing basketball with Will Ed Hixson and Buddy Buchanan and Terry Rutherford at the Rugg School playground, playing Babe Ruth baseball for D&M Sports, and riding my Schwinn balloon tire bicycle on the service road along MacArthur Drive, down Masonic Drive, past St. Francis Cabrini (I think) and all over town.
May 12, 1960, the day we left Alexandria to move back to New Jersey, was one of the saddest days of my life. I have been back to Alex three times, but unfortunately, only for a day or less each time, just to look around. (Like the Paul Anka song--My Home Town). The last time, in 1980, I saw Buddy and Will Ed, and Elzie Nichols, who was Superintendent of Schools at the time, but who as assistant principal at AJH once made me write a 50 page report for some indiscretion or other. I plan to visit Alexandria again, this time with my wife. Sorry to bore you, but these are great memories! It's good to be able to share them with someone who was there. (By the way, did you go to public or Catholic school? I think we would have been in the same grade). Anyway, thanks for putting this webpage together. Please email me if you ever want to talk about the old days. Bill Reinhart Born in Alex in '52 and lived there until '77. Went to St Rita's and Menard its first year of opening. Great job on your web page. Any idea where I might locate 1960's pictures of Alex? Lanny G. Maddox Ruidoso, NM USA - Tuesday, May 06, 2003 at 17:15:42 (GMT)
I moved to Alexandria in 1996 to work for the Rapides Bank & Trust Co. from Galveston, TX. as a Trust Officer. (Didn't notice the Rapides Bank in your excellent pics). We left Alec in 1998, following the sale of the bank to Bank One. We enjoyed Alexandria, mainly because of the people we met there...we still tell people that the nicest people we've ever met were in Alexandria. Our first son was born there, and we are coming back to visit friends over Memorial Day. Thanks for your retrospective. I saw things that I have since forgotten and enjoyed it. Chris DeVries I was born in Baptist Hospital. I grew up in Boyce, about 15 miles away. A trip to Alexandria on Saturdays to shop was a family tradition. A special treat was a movie at the Don. I don't have the deep memories you have, as I am probably a bit younger than you, but I do have the memories - like riding the escalator at Sears. It was the first escalator I ever rode. David K. Bond THANK YOU FOR A BEAUTIFUL WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE. I GRADUATED FROM HOLY SAVIOR MENARD IN 1974. MY GRANDFATHER, JOSEPH PIAZZA, OWNED A LITTLE GROCERY AND LIQUOR STORE ON RAPIDES AVE. I SAT HERE WITH MY 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND SHOWED HER THESE PICTURES. WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. GRATEFULLY YOURS, MARIE BROOME Marie (Baglio) Broome Boca Raton, FL USA - Sunday, May 04, 2003 at 12:21:50 (GMT) Very good collection of old pictures. They brought back many memories. Thanks Harold Coker alexandria, la USA - Saturday, May 03, 2003 at 19:07:48 (GMT) I REMEMBER WALKING ACROSS A SWINGING BRIDGE OVER THE RED RIVER SOMETIMES IN THE 1940'S. WAS IT JUST A DREAM OF MY PARENTS HOLDING MY HAND AND TELLING ME NOT TO BE AFRAID? darlina houston, tx USA - Saturday, May 03, 2003 at 01:14:23 (GMT)
What a great site...many memories...my sister still lives and works there and my Mom is in Grant Parish, but I never seem to go downtown when I'm there for visit...we lived half way between Cherokee Elem and Brame Jr. Hi..fond memories of YMCA football league and Little League baseball..my best bud, Scott Jortner, and I used to ride our bikes to the tennis courts in the park and go into the fire station to get water. What about the Amerita Club (Italian American social club)? Home delivery of bottle "cokes"..home delivery of Italian cooking products (truck from New Orleans)..Masonic Children's home...jets from the "air base" breaking sound barrier over the neighborhood...picking up pecans to sell to some business on Lake Charles hwy for 25 cents for a brown grocery bag full...Captain Commadore (local kids TV show)..Bruce (?) Rainey on TV in his rocking chair. Frank Fiorello I was raised on Virginia St. This is located just off the Leesville Hwy. Hwy. 28. Attended school at West End Grammar, David F. Huddle and Bolton High School. I was born on 02/16/42. George Stone Richland, Wa. USA - Friday, May 02, 2003 at 17:11:03 (GMT) Would love to see a collection of photos' from the 50's and 60's. Brought back many fond memories Ann Aslin West Pineville, LA USA - Thursday, May 01, 2003 at 21:05:06 (GMT) What a flood of memories! When I was at Menard and the Cathedral, I went thru a "dark night of the soul", interspersed with many wonderful experiences that grew out of the unconditional love and support of great people who live (or lived) in Alexandria. I thank them for that and I thank you for the forum in which I can say thanks. I am so very grateful. The ensuing years have been very good to me as I hope they have been for them. Hugh Biggar |
