The Ride to Mallard Junction P.6

Lake Arthur to Thornwell
All pictures expand when clicked.



Having finished doing Lake Arthur, I felt the real adventure
ready to begin. We pulled out of town on La.14. I soon saw that
were leaving the tracks so we turned north on Lyon Road
and then west on 380 headed to Thornwell (017).



Where we crossed the tracks sat this one. The picture
appears painted. I like that. The power line and and mowed
area mark the right of way.



Here's looking back toward Lake Arthur.



When we reached the rails on La.380, I shot back down
the line. The dryer can be seen in the distance.



These pictures begin to be boring if you see only the old
right of way. The fields, the sky, the farmsteads and the
dryers give an insight into a life not common to a majority.
People travel 4000 miles to see the Plains of the Midwest.
If you are from Louisiana or East Texas, just ride to Thornwell.
Huh, Mark, big grin.



Al remarked that there is nothing to stop the wind. Some
places have large old trees for that purpose. The oak, below,
seems adequate.



We arrived at Thornwell

THORNWELL
From Here

Thornwell is in southern Jefferson Davis Parish, on Hwy. 380. This
farming community centers today around the vast Petitjean Farms, on
which are grown rice and soybeans. The St. Francis of Assisi Church
remains in the community, although the old Petitjean Grocery is
closed. The Thornwell Warehouse and Rice Dryer, built it the 1940s,
continues to operate there.

Me:
I have found the Thornwell name linked to the Southern Pacific before.
I'm not sure that this is the deepest connection, but Thornwell Fay was
the VP of the SP at one time and may have assumed the presidency later.

We'll also be going through Bell City who's name may have originated as Bel City.

Check this out, it's only a guess:
April 10, 1912, Lake Charles, Louisiana

BEL-FAY WEDDING TONIGHT
Miss Marie Bel and Charles S. Fay to become life partners

This evening at 8 o'clock Miss Marie Bel, and Charles S. Fay, of New Orleans, will be united in marriage at the home of the bride's parents, corner of Mill and Moss streets.
The Rev. Dr. Alexandria, New Orleans, will perform the ceremony, which will be witnessed only by those immediately connected with the families concerned, although as relatives from different points have been invited it is probable that 150 guests will be present.
Following the ceremony the bride and groom will leave in Mr. Fay's private car for California and other points in the west, to be gone a month, after which they will return to Louisiana and make their home in New Orleans.

Mr. Fay is freight manager of the Louisiana & Texas lines of the Southern Pacific, with headquarters at New Orleans, and brother of President Thornwell Fay, of the same lines.

There you go.

This old place was near the Thornwell dryer.
I found it interesting.



Those are crawfish nets. Rice fields and crawfish ponds
are very close to the same thing at times. Land developed
for one, can easily be converted to the other.








The mill had a siding.


Assuming the map to be correct, the rails would be to
the right of the road. I'm guessing the siding ran through the
openings in the building.



Here's a last look.



No, this one is.



Toyko is on one end of the scale, Thornwell sits comfortably on the other.

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