By Paige Gurgainers
Despite the time change, it was a packed house Monday evening, March 11, for the Dorcheat Museum’s monthly “Night at the Museum.” This month’s featured speaker was Mary Claire Kettler, giving quite the history lesson on Mt. Lebanon, La.
“Martin Canfield is considered the father of Mt. Lebanon,” said Kettler. “In the spring of 1835, he set out from Edgefield District, South Carolina. He was traveling west on horseback scouting out the potential land for settlement for a group of gentleman farmers from the Edgefield District.”
Andrew Jackson was the president during 1835 and was keen on the idea of expansion to the west. Canfield began his travels from South Carolina, crossing Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. According to Kettler he ran into the Great Red River Log Jam close to what is now known as Shreveport. He considered the period of unrest that Texas was experiencing at that time with the Texas Rangers being established to protect the new settlers from the Native Americans and the Alamo. So, he backtracked to reconsider land in Louisiana. He made his stop in Mt. Lebanon.
“We sort of like to think we are the backbone of Louisiana. The highest point is Driskill Mountain,” said Kettler.
Eight families arrived in March 1836 with the land grant being established soon thereafter in December of the same year. The first post office went up the next year in 1837.
Soon settlers began wondering where they would worship.
“They got there and there was a church that was some miles distant to the East and that didn’t quite agree with them. They organized Rehoboth Baptist Church,” said Kettler.
The Rehoboth Baptist Church was organized in July 1837. The current church was built in 1857 and moved into Mt. Lebanon on one condition. “In 1840 it was in the minutes that they agreed to move the church into Mt. Lebanon if Brothers Drake, Canfield and Tandy Key would agree not to conduct business on the sabbath. I guess those three agreed because they moved the church just to the West of present-day Mt. Lebanon.”
According to Kettler a couple of the most significant things to come of this would be the establishment of the La. Baptist Convention in 1848 and the Woman’s Missionary Society of La. In 1874.
Once the place of worship was up and running, settlers began looking for a place to learn. The Mt. Lebanon University opened in 1853 under the presidency of Dr. Barthalomew Egan. During the civil war this establishment served as a hospital, while the Female Academy became a state medical laboratory. In 1906 the trustees decided to relinquish the college. It was moved down south to Pineville, and it is now known as Louisiana College.
Another important thing that Mt. Lebanon is still well known for is the Stagecoach Line. Kettler joked that riders could pay $6 to travel 65 miles from BLANK in 21 hours. There is now a Stagecoach Museum full of memorabilia and rich history to commemorate the line and the Stagecoach Inn. It is open every Saturday and Sunday from 2 – 5 p.m.
According to Kettler, the earliest tombstones in the Mt. Lebanon Cemetery dates back to 1837 with the first being for Eliza Drake Canfield, Martin Canfield’s wife. The cemetery is also the resting place of 13 unknown confederate soldiers.
Kettler mentioned working closely with Lestar Martin also of the area to get seven Greek Revival Homes along with the Mt. Lebanon Church placed on the National Register of Historical Places. With Mt. Lebanon’s rich history, a historical society was established in 1968 and is still going today.
“We like to be known for our hospitality. We love for people to come visit and we hope that maybe you will,” said Kettler in closing.
For those that could not attend Monday’s Night at the Museum, next month will feature Dorcheat Museum Director Jessica Gorman, speaking on the preservation of local cemeteries. It will be held at the museum on April 15 at 6 p.m.