| Resting along the Ouachita River an hour drive | | | | the oldest mound communities in the New World. |
| West of Vicksburg. MS and two hours East of | | | | Unfortunately, the mounds are on private land and |
| Shreveport, Louisiana, the twin cities of Monroe | | | | not open to the public. What is open is Poverty |
| and West Monroe, Louisiana offer historical, | | | | Point State Historical Park, located near Epps, LA, |
| cultural, and natural interests for all people. | | | | about forty-five miles North East of Monroe. |
| Historically, just South of the city are the remains | | | | Begun circa 1700 B.C. by hunter gatherers, the |
| of one of the first earthworks in North America | | | | community comprised of three to five hundred |
| at Watson Break, dating back more than 2,000 | | | | wattle constructed houses placed on six rows of |
| B.C. In more modern times Joseph Biedenharn, | | | | concentrically raised five foot high earthworks |
| the first bottler of Coke moved his family here in | | | | formed in a semicircle, facing an open plaza three |
| the 1890s. Culturally the residents of Monroe | | | | to four hundred yards in diameter. The |
| enjoy the music of the Monroe Symphony, the | | | | earthworks, if laid end to end would stretch over |
| visual beauty of the Masur Museum of Art, and | | | | seven and a half miles. Besides the living quarters |
| short term concerts and other attractions at the | | | | are mounds of various sizes from ten feet in |
| Monroe Civic Center. Naturally, Chennault Park, | | | | height to one over seventy feet (previously one |
| Kiroli Park, and Forsythe Park offer numerous | | | | hundred). The latter is in the form of a flying bird, |
| recreational activities in a bucolic atmosphere. Just | | | | with a wingspan of over seven hundred feet. |
| North of the city the National Wildlife Refuge | | | | Millions of fifty pound baskets of dirt were used |
| operates Black Bayou Lake. | | | | to make this mound and was believed to have |
| Joseph Biedenharn operated a candy factory and | | | | been completed in about nine months. Only one |
| soda bottling company in Vicksburg in the late | | | | percent of the site has been uncovered. |
| 1800s. He arranged to bottle the new syrup in | | | | Thousands of artifacts have been found and are |
| small bottles for commercial consumption. Until | | | | on display in the museum. Some in include copper |
| then the founder of soda in Atlanta, GA only sold | | | | jewelry from the Upper Peninsula, MI, soap stone |
| the syrup in bulk. Biedenharn's smaller bottles | | | | vessels from Appalachia, stones and flints from |
| became popular. He moved his family to Monroe, | | | | other parts of the country. The natives formed |
| La, where most of his brothers had taken up | | | | their own stones by compressing dirt with water |
| residence, and built a modest two bedroom home | | | | into different forms. They were then fired and |
| in the Garden District adjacent to the river. His | | | | used for heating. They had a plentiful food supply, |
| daughter, Emilou, returned home after a | | | | being situated on a large shallow lake teeming with |
| successful singing career in Europe and sought | | | | various fish and other wildlife. Poverty Point was |
| permission to revamp the backyard into a garden | | | | abandoned about 1100 B.C. for unrecorded |
| typical of the ones she had seen in Europe. Her | | | | reasons. The people dispersed to parts unknown. |
| vision resulted in a sensually delightful experience | | | | Today tram tours are given five times daily of |
| every season of the year: Spring being the most | | | | the site. A museum houses the artifacts and |
| lavish with almost ten thousand tulips making the | | | | features a movie telling the story of Poverty |
| garden an artist's palette. Today the Biedenharn | | | | Point. This is definitely worth a side trip to see this |
| Foundation gives tours of the house. Eight ounce | | | | amazing archeological site. |
| Cokes, the best ever bottled, are available for a | | | | Just North of Monroe lies the Black Bayou Wild |
| nickel. | | | | Life Refuge. The Refuge features a visitor's |
| Another sparkling gem in Monroe is the Aviation | | | | center with interactive exhibits about the flaura |
| and Military Museum of Louisiana located at | | | | and fauna of the area. A one mile self-guided |
| Selman Field, near the Monroe Municipal Airport. | | | | nature trail meanders through wetlands and |
| Selman Field was started in the early 1920s and | | | | hardwood forests with a side path to the wildlife |
| was the original home of Delta Airlines, founded | | | | pier and boat launch. Roads also take you to a |
| by C.E. Woolman and the Biedenharn brothers. For | | | | observation tower and a blind for photographing |
| about ten dollars, a passenger could fly to | | | | wildlife. As usual, the best time to see the |
| Jackson, MS. Monroe was also the birthplace of | | | | different forms of wildlife is at dawn and dusk |
| Claire Chennault of the Flying Tigers fame during | | | | along with the very hospitable mosquitoes. |
| WWII. An extensive exhibit depicts his life and | | | | Monroe has something going on all year long. Any |
| accomplishments. Jim Halsell, another Louisiana | | | | time of year is a good time to sample the |
| native, has donated his NASA memoriabilia | | | | Southern hospitality of Monroe. |
| Just South of Monroe is Watson Break, one of | | | | |