Alexandria Louisiana Retrospective Register: Volume 23 of memories, recollections, stories, history

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!

Comments: Fun! I haven't lived in Alexandria since 1957...but I remember happy times there. Anybody know Joyce Woodall...Peggy Lucus....Carol Flowers....Will be out of this cold Northeast for 3 months...going to Florida...would love to hear from someone!

Comments: Once again, I have enjoyed reading the comments of Alexandria Friends. I found names and places that I love and remember very well. Old friends Jesse Doyle, Jeanette Fonner, and others. "Dean's Hole," and the skating rink at Fishville, were my favorite places.

I found some "friends" requesting more photos of Pineville, and I would love to see them as well, but this is The Alexandria Retrospective. Maybe some day, there will be a Pineville Retrospective.

Until then, those of us who grew up in CENLA and attended both Bolton and Pineville High Schools, and all the schools on both sides of the river, can enjoy the common bonds that this site shows.

Red River was never a barrier between friends, it is the glue that holds us together.

Comments: Great site...how well I remember downtown. My grandparents lived on 9th and Elliot and I loved malts at a place called Opal's, a couple of doors down from the Double V...Archie and my dad were best friends. The biscuits were outstanding. I also have never tasted a hotdog as good as those served at the counter at Grant's. I attended St. Frances Cabrini and graduated from Menard.

Name: MAIRON DIFULCO DALEY
City: ALEXANDRIA
State: LA
Date: December 13, 2005

Comments: Every time I visit this site I see something that brings up a long lost memory.

How wonderful to remember the snow of the 60's, Bert's Garage, the Paramount Theater where you could buy a ticket for 6 RC Cola bottle caps in the summer. Don't you remember scrounging the garbage for those 6 bottle caps?

It always brings a smile to my face to walk down memory lane using this site. Thank you so very much. You are truly an inspiration to many of us.

Name: Susan Kohara Rixman
City: Louisville
State: KY
Date: December 12, 2005

Comments: In reference to Dan Lemoine's story of Alexandria Friends, I would like to know if he has any photos of the airplane he mentions in the story. His comment on Sammy Kohara drew my attention, since I am Sammy's daughter. Even though my father's family were all photographers, we do not have any photos of the airplane.

Thank you,

Susan Kohara Rixman
Alexandria Resident 1946-1965

Name: Christopher Byard
City: Hampton
State: VA
Date: December 12, 2005

Comments: I grew up north of Alexandria in Grant Parish. Looking back at the postcards and pictures of Alexandria yesterday make you wander about Alexandria tomorrow where Third Street, Bolton, and Rapides could be booming again. Very nice website and hope to see more added in the future.

Comments: I recently came across a package that was unopened.  Curiosity killed me; therefore, the package was opened (& thrown away) but the label was removed by cutting around it.  In the package was a wooden artist's easel and the label reads

ELLINGTON - MAYFLOWER
1902 MAIN STREET
ALEXANDRIA, LA
PHONE: HI 2-5828

LOT NO.            PIECE NO.
4                     1

What can you tell me about this company, when it existed in this town?

Comments: Thank you for a superb job! I was born in Alexandria at Baptist Hospital in 1950 to Henry C. and Grace Morris Jordan. Both parents are now deceased, but I still thank them for a wonderful childhood spent in Alexandria. The 1950's and '60's were such a happy, carefree time spent in a warm, caring, and safe environment in Alexandria, one where little girls could walk all the way home from the Paramount Theater across town, or ride bikes with friends everywhere. The pictures brought back a swirl of wonderful memories. I had to leave Alexandria for five years, but maintained a place on Cane River, which we love dearly.

I returned to Cenla this year, but wasn't back long before my brother Roy Lee (1938-2005) passed away. I am interested in baseball memories. My brother Larry Joe (Elvis) was the cause of many of my summers being spent at the ballpark, but I now remember it fondly. Any baseball memories anyone has to share would be appreciated.

Flo Jordan Thibeaux
Class of 1968-Bolton High
Wife to Simmy (what a guy!) 33years

Comments: Grew up in Alexandria went to school at St. Francis Cabrini lived across the school orphanage across the street holy savior menard high school (graduated 1971) fuzzy's poboy's (the best) triple X root beer the alexandria zoo bringhurst field i have so many memories it would take forever to write them all down, maybe some day i will do that

Comments: I am responding to the entry by Daniel M. Banks on August 26, 2005 -- Hi, Daniel, I have read every entry in the registry, always with a watchful eye for someone who served in the 622nd. Perhaps you knew my father - during those years he would have been Major Herbert Jube. Did you ever fly with him? You can email me at ckellogg@sawagner.com - I look forward to hearing from you.

Comments: HI Harry, Marilyn, KATHY, BILL, hOW IS THE FAMILY? mY FAMILY IS HEALING SLOWLY FTER THE DEATH OF MY MOTHER,LILLIAN BEATRICE HARDY SIAS. i WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE ASSISTANCE YOU GAVE TO MY mOM ALL THROUGH THE YEARS. lOVE FOREVER, MARY

Comments: As children, my sister, Mary Elliott, and I spent several years living with my grandmother, Jessie Armstrong, on Scott Street, while my father served in the Pacific during WW II.

My father, Elliott Chaze, a journalist with the AP and Life magazine, and best-selling novelist, grew up there with his mother, Sue, brother Bill Peart, and sister Sue Bennye. All are now deceased.

Alexandria always struck me as a wonderful place, a touch cosmopolitan compared to our new home in Hattiesburg, Miss.

My memories usually run in the direction of Dean's barbeque, the Alexandria Aces, and my two favorite cousins -- the estimable Pat Armstrong and Vic Wilder, who gained some note as a rock-and-roller with Ric Records. Plus he had a shiny,new T-Bird.

Comments: What a delight. I too went to the "Pack of Fun Club" every Saturday morning. I would ride my bike and my dog, Tippy would wait for me underneath the bike. When the movie was over, I stopped off at the corner Drugs Store/Fountain and get two ice cream cones. One for me and one for Tippy. We would sit on the curb and eat them.

We have stayed in the central Louisiana area all of our lives, thus we have seen the progress/ruin of our childhood hometown.

Comments: Enjoyed the show; I remember most of the images. I graduated Bolton in 1948, my father [same name] in 1928. Remember Ms. Beasely at Rosenthal well; also Miss Patterson, Ms. Hynson, Ms. Wells, Mr. Zachary, Mrs. Avery [nee Brock], Ms. Brian in 7th grade.

Comments: I was a resident of Alec for the first 22 years of my life, until joining the USAF in 1959. I graduated from Menard, Class of ’55. I spent my 7th grade at Prompt Succor. That was Prompt Succor’s inaugural year. (Sister Helen Margaret! Yikes!)

A quite unique thing about Alec was its ‘upside-down’ traffic signals: red at bottom, green at top. I think we may have been the only city in the U. S. to do that. It was truly an Alexandria Signature. (Anyone too young to remember? Look at the Postcard Collection, the one that’s labeled ‘Third Street – Early 1950s’) (above).

I enjoyed showing pictures when I lived in Ohio and, again, in California. Locals invariably called it ‘ wrong’. I always defended that ‘different’ is not equivalent to ‘ wrong’. I believe the signals remained that way until the U. S. Department of Transportation demanded national uniformity some years ago.

Of course, the thought of red and green lighting brings to mind the many strings of red and green lights strung across Third Street each Christmas.

That complemented the Santa Claus House on City Hall grounds that many contributors have noted. That was when we had the REAL City Hall with beautiful grounds. Too bad our city outgrew it! That’s progress???

For a summer night, there was the Alexandria Aces at Bringhurst Field. That was the REAL Aces in the Evangeline League. Remember Beltin’ Bill Lynn, Art Visconti, Pete Solice, John LaLiberte, Frank O’Hare (Somebody! Stop Me!)? Our adversaries were the likes of the Hammond Berries, the New Iberia Pelicans, the Baton Rouge Red Sticks.

I remember KALB, KSYL, and KPDR calling out Alexandria’s ‘Three Leading Theaters’, the Paramount, Rex, and Saenger. We liked the Don and the Joy, too. The Fox Drive-In Theater on MacArthur Drive came later. Subsequently, it was torn down and replaced on that site by the Holiday Inn.

Remember beautiful Park Avenue, with the tree-lined Center Divider? I spent my first 10 years on 12th Street, then moved to Marye Street. So, I was always close to Park Avenue. Park Avenue crossed the tracks then; Elliott did not. There was just enough space for the Passenger trains of the Missouri Pacific and the Texas & Pacific to stop between the Jackson Street and Park Avenue crossings. I spent many hours on Park Avenue at the tracks, watching Missouri Pacific switching operations.

This is an excellent piece of work. I hope my comments have jump-started a few good memories. I know many of the others have done that for me, and I’m very grateful. Thanx, Everybody.

Oh! One more thing! It’s had a lot of mention, but I ‘gotta’ get my word in for FUZZY’s BBQ SANDWICHES!!! Nothing else on this entire planet comes close!!! One man commented that he would pay $25 for one right now. I just might outbid him.

Comments: I grew up in Alexandria. I lived there for 13 years. I lived on 5804 Skylark Avenue, in the grundy cooper addition. My Dad was in the air force and was stationed to tucson after england base closed. If any of my childhood friends see this, please e-mail me. I love and will always love the city of alexandria, my hometown.

Comments: Great site -- so neat to see all Alexandria as a lot of us remember growing up. Would like to see some pics of the Veterans Administration Hospital - the VA - property.

Comments: I WAS STATIONED AT ALEXANDRIA AFB IN MAY 52 UNTIL DEC 52 BEFORE GOING OVERSEAS. IS THERE ANY PICTURES YOU HAVE AT THAT TIME?

Comments: BORN AND RAISED IN PINEVILLE AND ALEX.I HAVE BEEN GONE, GOSH 30 YEARS NOW. I HATE TO HEAR HOW HOME HAS CHANGED. I SUPOSE WE ALL WOULD HAVE IT REMAIN AS WE REMEMBER IT. I CAN'T IMAGINE A BETTER PLACE TO HAVE GROWN UP. I WISH I COULD RAISE MY KIDS NOW IN THAT SIMPLER TIME AND PLACE.IT IS SO GOOD TO FORGET ALL THE HUSSLE AND BUSSLE OF LIFE TODAY AND REVISIT MY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES. JUST HEARING THE STREET NAMES,SEEING THE OLD BUILDINGS AND REMEMBERING THE GOOD MEMORIES OF A TIME GONE BY IS SO REFRESHING. MY DAD (H.E. CRAIG) MANAGED STANDARD OFFICE SUPPLY FOR 20 YEARS. I GREW UP RUNNING ALL OVER TOWN,WORKING THERE WITH MY DAD WHILE IN SCHOOL (D.E.C.A.) AND SUMMERS. THE OLD POOLHALL,ALBERT CONELLA,HEAVY. THE DON ,THE PARAMOUNT, I WORKED AT CAPLINS WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL.AS WELL AS FOR MY DAD. MOM WORKED AT CLECO AND WAS CITY CLERK IN PINEVILLE (MARY CRAIG).

I COULD GO ON ALL DAY WITH ALL THE MEMORIES YOUR SITE HAS BROUGHT BACK. THANKS SO MUCH FOR REFRESHINS THE MEMORIES

Comments: I was born on November 12, 1954 in the hospital on the air force base in Alexandria. I am interested in learning more about my birthplace. Thank you for your wonderful retrospective!

Comments: I was with the 32nd Div, Michigan Nat'l Guard at Beauregard and Livingston arriving in Oct. 1940. Later worked for 1st Presbyterian Church as liaison with camps. Ordained to Presbyterian ministry in First Church on 6th Street. Married Lois Wilson of Yale Street in 1942! Now retired after missionary service in Japan, and on and on...

Comments: I am the middle daughter of George and Thelma Allen. I lived in Alexandria the first 40 years of my life. I now live in New Llano, LA (Ft. Polk area) with my husband, Phillip Armstrong from Havensville, KS. He works for DS2 on Ft. Polk. He is a helicopter mechanic/electrician. I am confined to a hospital bed in my living room where I am doing very well with my business. If you would like to see what type of work I do, click below:

If you know me and would care to send me an email, send it to: allstrongsolutions@helloworld.com

Comments: As a former Mayor of Alexandria, I really enjoyed these pictures. thank you.

Comments: Thanks so much for such a wonderful site that brings back so many memories of my home town! I spent the first 30 years of my life in Alexandria, Louisiana, and it was wonderful to stroll down memory lane at such places like the Don and Paramount Theaters, Herbie K's, Wellan's downtown, Kress, etc. I attended Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic School and Menard High School and well remember the Christmas decorations in the windows of Wellan's on 3rd Street.

Just ran across the posting by Vencene Glorioso Reed. I may have known her great grandfather. My parents were friends with some Glorioso's who owned a store that was originally on Rapides and then moved to the corner of Rapides and Bolton. Ms. Reed, please contact me if this sounds like your great grandfather's store.

Comments: Thanks for a visit to our past, you've done such a complete job of putting it together, a job well done! You got so close to my dad's shop on Welock Ave (R.J. Jones & Son's). My dad's shop was on the corner of Madison ST. & Welock, Lightfoot Welding Works. Thanks so much for a fine job, Leslie Lightfoot

Comments: I love this site and going back in time! I attended Cherokee Elementary from 1959-1963, until we moved to Lafayette. Went back to Alex. often to visit friends, and my brother Tommy has moved back there. I have great memories of the years I spent in Alex.

Shopping with my mom at the Piggly Wiggly, going to the rodeos at the JimmyThompson arena, and going back to visit old friends even up until they were attending Brame or ASH, just to name a couple of memories. I was born in 1954. I have enjoyed reading other folks' entries in the register, too.

Comments: I'm trying to find a Hank Thompson with whom I attended Stockton College in Stockton, CA, back in 1962 and 1963. Thanks for your help.

Comments: A blast from the past fer sure! I get homesick for azaleas, Wellans, city park and the CYO on Texas. ave. I went to Cabrini, Providence, Bolton and lived on Ursuline and Stanford. Thank you for this site.

Comments: I wanted to see what the town looks like as some of my friends went there to help with the Louisiana evacuees. I didn't find any churches yet. I'll continue to look.

Comments: GREAT JOB! I TO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN PINEVILLE AND ALEC. AT 53 YEARS OF AGE I FIND MYSELF GETTING HOMESICK. I KNOW WE CAN'T GO BACK IN TIME . YOUR SITE FEELS LIKE A WARM BLANKET OF MEMORIES THOUGH. THANKS DOUG

Comments: I was stationed at England AFB from 1975-1977. I have nothing but fond memories of Alexandria & its citizens. Very hospitable indeed !!! They made us Airmen feel like we were home.

My fondest memory was seeing Elvis at the Rapides Parish Coliseum ...six months after that he died ! I used to go to the local wrestling shows there every Tuesday night...lol..I still remember a local favorite" Grizzly Smith " was one of my favs.

I happened upon your site researching what became of the 23rd Tac Fighter Wing and I'm glad I did, it brought back wonderful memories ! I'm putting this in my favorite places and will check back every now and then.

Comments: I got married in 1988 and moved to England AFB (we actually lived on Rapides Station RD and then moved several times within the city, ending up on Dottie Lane in Boyce) where my (ex)husband was stationed. Our children were born at St Frances Cabrini Hospital in 1989 and 1991. He spent time in Saudi during the Gulf War and in July 1992 we moved to Shaw AFB in SC.

We were part of the base closing: (I have always wondered what happened to the base and Alex.). My daughter, who is 13, would love to go back someday and see the place where she was born. I guess we will be making a trip in the future...I stumbled across this site and want to thank the person who is responsible.

I loved the pics of the AFB and surrounding areas. Ironically, the first picure of the AFB is the airpark, which my ex helped construct. He also helped build the Super Playground...not sure if that is still there <sigh> I even got a bit melancholy...Thank you! If anyone can give me info on what happened to the base, etc I would greatly appreciate it. (see England Airpark)

Comments: I have enjoyed reading about Alexandria, and would love to learn more. My mother, Addy Mae Cedonia Nugent was born in San Antonio, Texas, the daughter of Wasman Nugent. His father was John Alexander (from Rapides, Pineville, married to Cedonia Foquier) and his father before him Michael Nugent (born in 1806 in Rapides, married to Mary Jane Droddy). I am trying to learn who came before Michael and where the Nugent family originally emigrated from (and when!). Thanks!

Comments: My son Eric is with a Red Cross team working in a shelter with the Katrina refugees. I was checking to see what your town was like.

Comments: We heard that the base will be opened for the survivors of Katrina - thank God someone is doing something for those poor people. But why wasn't this local option considered earlier? Our prayers and donations are with you all..

Comments: I was stationed at Alexandria Air Force Base and later England Air Force Base 1952 and 1953. I was one of the Base Telephone operators with the 366th, comm. Sq. 366 FTR,BMR wing. and later was assigned to 124 AC&W SQ. 157 TAC GP.

Comments: I'm really glad I stumbled upon this site. It brought back many memories of my hometown.

Comments: I was stationed at England from March 1969 till November 1970. I was in the 4406 CCTS later changed to the 437th SOTS.

Comments: Fondly remember my young days, when my father was stationed at England Air Force Base..........we lived in Alexandria and rented from a family related to the Bishop at that time. I went to St. Francis Xavier before my father was transferred to Europe. It was a great time........I used to pick pecans on base and we had many friends in the base housing there, that remained friends forever.

Comments: Thanks for making this great web site, it not only gives younger people who have lived here all of my life a great prospective but, it also brings some of the history back for the ones who built this town thanks again.