Columbia is the Parish seat of Caldwell Parish and is located on the beautiful Ouachita River.
Located just a little over 30 miles south of Monroe/West Monroe, Louisiana on Hwy 165, Columbia and the surrounding area have many attractions and points of interest that are well worth a visit.
 The picture to the left is the building that houses the Schepis Museum. It was built in 1916 by an Italian immigrant. Be sure to visit the quilt exhibit at the Schepis. Some quilts are hand stitched, while others are machine stitched. Rodney Smith photography is also on display in the red room.If you want a real southern experience, come join us on October 9th for the 55th Louisiana Art and Folk Festival. There will be music all day, arts and crafts booths, festival food, demonstrations of wood stove cooking (biscuits, cornbread and turnip greens), chain saw carvings, quilting and demonstrations of creating musical instruments. Admission $3.00 for adults, $1.00 for children.
Then, on Saturday November 6, 2010 join us in historic downtown Columbia for “Blues and BBQ on the Ouachita”. A certified Louisiana Main to Main event, the festivities will be held in the 100 block of Main Street and features a BBQ contest, entertainment by Andy McIntire, Steve Cagle and The Swamp Hippies. Admission is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children, and includes entertainment and food. Cooks are invited to participate and compete in our barbecue contest. Awards will be provided. Hours for the event are 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Other areas The First United Methodist Church, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was patterned after a Scandinavian house of worship. This structure was built in 1911 on the site of its first congregation, which first met in 1847.  Other incorporated areas in Caldwell Parish include Clarks, where you’ll find a beautiful remnant of the bustling lumber industry that made this town. Here you’ll be able to visit “The Oasis,” which was once the mill’s commissary. It stands as a reminder that cotton may be the crop of the flatlands to the north and east, but pine trees are the gold of the hilly uplands south of the mighty river named Ouachita.The town of Grayson has the oldest operating school house in our area. Built in the 1930’s, the school is undergoing a renovation that will maintain its historic integrity. We’d also like to invite you to visit Grayson and Kelly, two more of the interesting communities that make up Caldwell Parish. |
of interest in Caldwell Parish include The Martin Homeplace, built in 1878. It is an authentic living history museum with demonstrations of quilting, and other folk arts as practiced by past generations.|
-Check out on these annual events in and around Columbia-
* The Caldwell Country Christmas Parade will be held on the 1st Saturday in December. Enjoy the lighted nighttime parade with a huge fireworks show over the Ouachita River following the parade. Admission is free to all. For more information contact Columbia Main Street at 318-649-2138 or e-mail columbiamainstreet@yahoo.com. Check out www.caldwellparishchamberofcommerce.com for more information. |
HISTORIC ARTCHITECTURE in Caldwell Parish-Columbia.
Courthouse/jail; by Architect: Herman J. Duncan
Completed: 1937. Cost: $16,012.
Historian’s Note: Part of Downtown Columbia Historic District established in 1996 (District #96001164).
