HISTORY HUNTS WAREHOUSE

Run to the Border 7

The Ride Back Begins

I had a kick on the ride back. I was close to 125 miles from home, but so what. I had a GPS that shows stuff on it including one of my rabbits, train tracks. Old roads can continue to come up with new tricks if you allow them. First a map.

Before I get lost in the pictures, I want to mention Nibletts Bluff.
If you are interested in the Civil War, it is a place. Info is on the
net so just Google it. I did a ride there and it is impressive. There
is an RV campground on the shores of the Sabine. It is very
picturesque. The "walls", dirt levees, are still there with lots of
visual history. Great place. The motif is gray, appropriately.

I rode back up 90 through Toomey. I was probably day
dreaming and missed it. Vinton yielded no new interest
though I didn't look. Next was Edgerly. I had seen a road
sign proclaiming Edgerly Cutoff. Why not? The clouds were
darkening again so why should I hurry home. Ahead was
another of those beautiful structures. I still think of them as
castles.

There was another building.

What does a rice drier do?

They can bring you to places like Edgerly where I found this.

I couldn't find the road to the cemetery. I figured something
was weird.

I just Googled Big Woods Cemetery.

Link One

Link Two

This from there:
"There is a small pass that connects two graveyards: Antioch and Big Woods. There used to be a gate at the connection of these two graveyards. Now there is a sign that states, “beware of Children…or children at play” The legend is that if you see a shadow pass in front of the gate when there is no scientific explanation for a shadow passing there, Then that is a serious warning that you should not be passing there. Some who have passed through the crossing after the sighting of the gatekeeper have never come back. Numerous Ghost hunting societies have lost Compact Flash cards and Hi8 video tapes from the electromagnetic interference out there. Numerous photos of orbs and ectoplasm have been taken here. SWLA Ghost Society has written documentation that this place is in FACT haunted. People have been chased by a truck that seemed to have no driver. Cars and trucks come from the cemeteries, drive to the woods and just disappear".

Here's the Google Search Page. I'm rather happy I didn't find the road. Possibly the road has been "taken".

I was again in Sulfur and two places interested me.

I couldn't find anything on it.

Then there's this strange place. It looks like a WWII Quonset Hut with a stucco face.

Kossa Dancers

Yes, there is a link and it's pretty interesting. CLICK HERE

The Stuff is Next featuring an award winning photo.
Stay tuned. You never know what's next on 90.
CLICK HERE for the next page.

Run to the Border 6

I'll hurry through this one in hopes of you not noticing or remembering it because I blew it.

When I saw US 90 turning left, I figured, without consulting the GPS, that the old road was being merged with I-10 to cross the bridge. I was wrong. I continued straight until I saw what I considered a barricade. I then turned on this road that went back into a neighborhood of ramshackle houses and destroyed trailers. There were people about who obviously were wondering what I was doing in their domain. I shared their observation and left quietly. I can be very quiet which is a great eploration asset.

I assumed nothing was left and prepared for the ride home. I'd play the railroad game enroute and be satisfied with that having never played it beyond Jennings going west. Then I saw the sign.

I now specualte that the Showboat Club was one of the group of clubs that made up East Orange, La. That may be a stretch since the others were two miles southwest of this point being in two sections, one by the Sabine River and one on the east side of the mile long wooden bridge which burned.

Before I hand over the dialog to a fella who has really investigated this area, here is the floor of the Showboat. I don't know if there was an acual showboat near as there was in the bridge location. I didn't see a canal. But, after the bridge burned, the original Showboat Club might have been moved. A thorough chronological investigation might debunk that assumption so take it as it is, pure specualtion. I specualted the road went this way and it actually went that way. So much for that.

I almost brought a piece of tile home, but decided that would
be over the line. I would have loved to have found a glass.

Below are pages from a site that makes my investigations look superficial.
Well, they are.

Here are the links: CLICK ONE
CLICK TWO
CLICK THREE
CLICK FOUR

There may be more links, so look carefully.

The US 90 bridge landed on Green Street in Orange, Texas.
Orange seems to be a fascinating town. This guy has really put
together a fine collection of old pictures. CLICK HERE
I may have to go to Orange.

If you are interested in this, the end of the road and then some, you'll be busy for a while. I need to attend to business, but will be back this evening. Both of these authors have supplied a look into places few will ever see. Take a look. BTW: The ride home will be great, stay tuned.

CLICK HERE for the next page.

Run to the Border 5

Mike and Mark just chimed in asking where to go next, so I guess I better get to it. I've never done an audience participation ride report before. I've always thought it was something you read and considered, first. I have several temptations gnawing at me. OK , I'll behave myself.
In this age of instant communications using satellite laptop computers, anything is possible. I might make this site live and just talk to people riding around. They can camera back to me what they see and their GPS will let me know where they are and.. and...and.....and.......

I reached newer Old US 90. Evidently Old Old 90 was one block north where you see "Old Spanish" as in "Old Spanish Trail". That's a term you can Google and learn some stuff. I've been on a lot of it that is still gravel. It's poignant riding that road and incurring just a little of what it took our ancestors to get anywhere. Pavement is a new concept in Louisiana. It's also one that is subject to opinion as to what qualifies as a "paved road".

Mike and Mark, just try to get through Sulfur without getting killed. That's your immediate task. Clearing Sulfur, keep straight. I'll bring you back through later.

Have you ever noticed the oaks which were obviously planted
on the sides of some of our historic old roads? They were
planted as landscaping to beautify the busy thoroughfares.
US 190 has them north of Baton Rouge. They may be south
of BR on US 61.

I know I've seen them elsewhere. Ah, La.1 south of Baton
Rouge sports them. I think the common denominator is that
they were used on roads approaching the capital city, BR.
I'll bet Huey Long had a hand in it, or the CCC. Google it.

Then why are they here? We are going away from BR and
US 90 doesn't go there anyway. I'm glad I reread this. Riding
down straight roads promotes thought. Writing about
straight roads promotes thought, likewise. So never short change
a straight road.

Not that way, we're going west.

If you decide to motor west, take the highway that's the best.
Keep off I-10. It's the exception to the rule. It will make you crazy.
People screw up everything. This was the sum of the traffic on 90.
I waited a long time for them to come along so I could show the
DOT that there is traffic and they need to maintain this historic
road because I like to use it. Believe me, this site is read by DOT
people. They leave a foot print just like the rest of us. Hey Roger.
Man, how many hours can you "spend" here? You're spending
our money playing on the internet. Come back, now.

I took this one during a brief interlude in the constant stream of
out of state tourist wanting to spend big bucks riding the Old Spanish Trail.

Of course the old Southern Pacific RR, now the Union Pacific,
curse the yankees, follows the road. Since it was there, I know that
you, Mark and Mike, want to pull off and see it. The more
you see, the heavier the experience gets until you are completely
weighed down and just can't go any more. Are you getting sleepy?

Soon you'll see the Great Hall of Vinton looming over the
countryside. No kidding, aren't the clouds great. I wish
there had been some lightning.

Suddenly, it was getting lighter.

Vinton Co-op Drier Inc.

Is that Egor looking out he window? Look again.

What does a rice drier do?

One thing it does is provide bragging rights. So you were born
and raised in a town of 23o people. At least you can brag
that you have a six story building in your downtown. Not
every one from a town of 230 people can do that. I still think they
should be turned into Bed and Breakfast tourist traps. Shoot,
I might be the first customer. Mike and Mark, it ain't open yet and
it doesn't have a pool or restaurant, so best just ride by.
You can get in trouble in Vinton. In a dim past which I don't claim,
that almost happened.

I think preparations have begun for some type
of entertainment use of the old building. Is that
a cable coming off of it? Whoa, can you ride a
pulley down it? "Come experience the Vinton
Co-Op Pulley Ride".

Mark, Mike, I saw a Stop and Shop over yonder.
Maybe they'll have some Veeners and bread, so take
a break until I get back with you.

CLICK HERE for the next page.

Run to the Border 4

I was done with the dirt road scene and ready to tackle bypassing Lake Charles. It has been a while since I was up in this area. We have camped at Sam Houston Jones State Park so the layout was not totally foreign. How we got to SHJSP and returned I had no idea. How did we go anywhere without GPS's? Click the map to enlarge. Open it in a new window and be able to follow along. There may be some confusion as this route was used coming and going. I came from the east still on the north side of I-10. I'd go back south of the interstate.

I turned north and then west came to Goos Ferry Road. I
knew there was no ferry anymore but being in a historical
place where there was one tempted me. Besides, I was in
the mood to see some big water.

I entered another Louisiana "camp land". Many of these
were camps of the rich and famous, many were not. Louisiana
is a true melting pot. Everything is jumbled together. You have
expensive homes and run down trailers on the same block. The
upside is that it holds down assessment taxes. The down side is that
it holds down property value.

For some reason I took no camp pictures.

I came to a gated community where I doubt single
wides were allowed. I U turned here but that was OK since I
was at the location of the historical ferry. Some yahoo had not
gotten the message that it was discontinued in 1949. He can
be seen waiting across the river.

I crossed these roads. I really like the fact that
the local has named them noting their historical
heritage. But, they were 1 block apart. Old US 171
should have been also the Old DeRidder Hwy. That
seems redundant and wasteful, a real first in LA.

Ok, maybe I'm wrong. Possibly the Old De Ridder Road
predates Old US 171. I know, I'm too quick to criticize and to
be suspicious of our state and local government. I humbly
apologize.

I was now at "new" US 171. I went north and crossed
the Calcasieu River. A wild shot taken on top
yielded this picture. The Calcasieu has a huge drainage
basin that extends up to Leesville. Its multiple routes
disrupt a lot of east-west travel.

Immediately after crossing this long bridge which gives you a
great view of the river and surrounding wetlands, I turned
west, headed through Moss Bluff for Westlake.

I think our old draw bridges are works of mechanical art.
This one over the west fork of the Calcasieu really had a
nice setting.

Here's looking out into the river's back swamp.

Next, I passed a neat old store sitting on the corner where
I turned west again.

He had a few old vehicles there, also. One, I know, was
a '40 Ford pickup.

Westlake, easily recognized by its numerous chemical plants, was ahead.

I was at the first set of east-west rails. This, I believe, is the
KCS headed to DeRidder. The Lake Charles, Westlake, Moss Bluff
are has a very interesting rail layout.