Pineville LouisianaThe City of Pineville, is located in the heart of Central Louisiana, across the Red River from Alexandria.
Pineville's population is about 15,000 residents. It participates as a "Tree City USA", and has been designated Louisiana's cleanest cities on multiple occasions. Pineville History Pineville's history dates back 275 years, and has many historic buildings dating to the late 1800s, and several significant cemeteries some of which date to the 1700s. The Predecessor of LSU in Pineville The predecessor of Louisiana State University, the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy, was located just outside Pineville, opening in 1860 with Col. William Tecumseh Sherman as superintendent. The school closed June 30, 1861, because of the Civil War, and then reopened, only to closed again on April 23, 1863, due to the invasion of the Red River Valley by the Federal army. It was moved to Baton Rouge in 1869. Today, a walking trail, “ghost” outlines of the buildings and markers interpret the old LSU site. It is located on U.S. Highway 71, just across from the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center, and next to the U.S. Forest Service’s Kisatchie National Forest headquarters. Fort Buhlow and Fort Randolph Fort Buhlow and Fort Randolph were earthwork/moat fortifications constructed from October 1864 to March 1865 by Confederate soldiers and enslaved African-American workers, and were designed to protect the upper reaches of the Red River Valley from another Union invasion. The two forts overlook the site of Bailey’s Dam, constructed in April and May 1864 during Gen. Nathaniel Banks’ retreat back down the Red River Valley. Today, the Fort Randolph & Fort Buhlow State Historic Site includes a visitor center, interpretive areas and walkways. Mt. Olivet Chapel and Cemetery Mt. Olivet Chapel is the oldest structure in Pineville, built in 1857, and sits amidst a historic cemetery on Main Street. Mt. Olivet is a wood frame chapel that is considered one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture to survive the Civil War era. Noted architect Richard Upjohn was its designer, and its construction was supervised by Charles Schraeder, a native of Germany. In 1859, on the eve of the Civil War, the newly completed chapel was dedicated by the Rt. Rev'd Leonidas Polk, the first Episcopal Bishop of Louisiana. "Bishop" Polk later became "General" Polk of the Confederate army. He died in a skirmish towards the end of that conflict. Many Confederate dead were laid to rest in the cemetery that grew up around Mount Olivet, which functioned as a mission of St. James well into the twentieth century. Rapides Cemetery The historic Rapides Cemetery is located on the banks of the Red River in downtown Pineville, and is the oldest cemetery in Rapides Parish. In 1711, Franciscan missionaries established a Catholic mission at the "Grand Rapides" on what is now the site of the Rapides Cemetery. The French, in 1723, built a post there, known as Post du Rapide. Under Spanish domination in 1763, it was renamed Post el Rapido. The oldest marked grave existing today is that of Pierre Baillio who died in 1809. Many of the earliest graves have fallen victim to time, and the nearby Red River. The river levee was actually built on top of some graves.
Pineville Landmarks and Institutions Pineville today is the home of several large, well known institutions, including Louisiana College, a 4-year college opened in 1906. The college is located on an 81-acre campus with a total of twenty-five academic and residential buildings. It is a private, Baptist coeducational college of liberal arts and sciences with selected professional programs, and has an enrollment ner 1,500 students. Other sites includes Huey Long Hospital, Central Louisiana State Hospital, the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital, the Pinecrest Supports and Services Center, and more. The Alexandria National Cemetery, located in Pineville on East Shamrock Street just off Main Street, was established in 1867 to offer a permanent place of rest for the many Union soldiers who died in Central Louisiana from wounds and disease during the Civil War. It later took in the remains of veterans from other conflicts, including many from the Indian Wars in Texas. Pineville High School, established in 1952, has a long-standing reputation for high quality education, and is supported by a large alumni base dedicated to promoting and preserving the heritage and pride of the school via the PHS Alumni Association. Situated just south of Fort Buhlow Lake, and adjacent to the former site of Sandy Canyon, the school serves the needs of an every-growing population.
The Military Presence in Pineville Camp Beauregard, located just outside of Pineville, was originally opened in 1917, and after playing a major role in the Louisiana Maneuvers during World War II. Thousands of acres of rural land in Louisiana were selected by General Leslie McNair and Colonel Mark Clark to conduct maneuvers to train the United States' rapidly expanding military forces. Other key commanders in the maneuvers around Pineville included Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Chief of Staff, Third Army, and Brig. General Mark Wayne Clark, Maneuver Director, Omar Bradley, and George Patton, among other notables. Camp Beauregard is also home to the the Louisiana Maneuvers and Military Museum. In addition, nearby Esler Field and Camp Livingston also played a significant part in WWII efforts. Camp Livingston, just east of Pineville, was active during 1940-1945 and occupied about 47,000 acres and was a key element in the Louisiana Maneuvers. Today, the area is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest and offers biking, hiking, ATV trails and other recreational opportunities. Abandoned after the war, Esler Field served as a large commercial airport for several years, and is now operated by the Louisiana National Guard and the focal point of numerous military training exercises. As evidence of the importance of the army buildup during World War II, Pineville's Military Highway extends from near Louisiana College out to Kingsville, near Camp Beauregard. Buhlow Lake
Fort Buhlow Lake is a popular destination for various boating, fishing and recreational activities. It was constructed in 1956 and has an area of 282 acres. It is the site of national and regional speed boat competition, and is known for its flat, fast race course over the shallow lake sheltered from winds by surrounding hills. Buhlow Lake is often called "The Fastest Lake in the USA". Events have included the Deep South Racing Association Drag Boat Racing Series. It is bounded on the south by U.S. Highway 165, and the Red River to the north. At the west end of the lake is historic Civil War-vintage Fort Buhlow, and an airport on the east side. Pineville Municipal Airport, located at 200 Lake Buhlow Road, is operated by the City of Pineville. The airport features the only charted water runway in central Louisiana. Both the paved runway 18/36 and the water runway extend 3,000 feet in length. Flightline Air Services provides air support services such as fuel, maintenance, hangar space, tie-down, flight training, aircraft rental, and pilot supplies. The airport is also home to a local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association.
Pineville Tourism In addition to Buhlow Lake, other bodies of water close to Pineville include the giant Catahoula Lake, Cocodrie Lake, Saline Lake, Cotile Lake, Williams Lake, Little River, Walker Lake, Hog Lake, Kincaid Lake, and others. In addition, the Red River in downtown Pineville has become a popular spot for boating, fishing, hiking and walking. The Louisiana Maneuvers Museum tells the story of the massive army maneuvers that prepared the United States for World War II and was centered on several army camps in the Pineville area. Pineville is home to the Old Town Hall Museum, the only museum in Louisiana dedicated to municipal government. Visit the City of Pineville's web site for more information about the museum. Located on the Red River in downtown Pineville, the Fort Randolph & Fort Buhlow State Historic Site includes a visitor center with exhibits on the Civil War Red River Campaign, an elevated boardwalk around the fort area, with an overlook near the Bailey's Dam site, and an open field for Civil War re-enactments. Forts Randolph & Buhlow were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
Pineville is also the site for the Louisiana Korean War Memorial, at Kees Park. The "Freedom Is Not Free" memorial was erected and maintained by Crossroads Chapter 205 of the Korean War Veterans Association. Just northeast of Pineville is located the Maryhill Renewal Center, the site of Camp Maryhill and the famous "Star of the Sea" boat house on its lake. Pineville: A Large Retail and Business Center Pineville serves as the business and retail center for a number of small, surrounding communities such as Tioga, Ball, Libuse, Paradise, Holloway, Buckeye, Deville, Pollock, Bentley, Fishville, Kolin, and many others. Pineville today has a variety of shopping centers, banks, medical facilities, hotels, and national chain retail stores to serve its residents and visitors.
More Information about Pineville For more information, we highly recommend a visit to the following websites:
Map of Pineville Louisiana (courtesy of Google Maps) |
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Photographs of Pineville Louisiana, past and present
Vintage Pineville, Louisiana Postcards
Pineville Louisiana Collectibles and Memorabilia
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