Mural on Main
A visual timeline of the history of Pineville, Louisiana.
~10,000 BC – AD 1542
Paleoindian peoples resided in this area as small hunter-gatherer camps throughout the piney woods, which were important for their creeks and high-quality toolmaking stone.By 3000 BC, some of the earliest monumental earthworks in North America appeared in the broader area, as well as the widespread practice of Southeastern Ceremonial Complex traditions.In 1542, Hernando de Soto’s expedition passed north and west of Louisiana, encountering Caddo and Tunica groups.Many tribes known today - including the Choctaw, Apalachee, and Coushatta - moved west into this region during the 1700s and 1800s under pressure from European settlement.From top to bottom: Flags of the Natchez Nation, Choctaw, Coushatta and Apalachee.
1682-1711
In 1682, the French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle erected a cross near the mouth of the Mississippi River and claimed the whole of the drainage basin of the Mississippi River in the name of King Louis XIV, naming it "Louisiana".Pineville's first records as an outpost date as early as 1711, wherein French explorers, fur trappers and traders conducted business.In the illustration you will see both the flag of the French Empire, a variant of the royal standard of France (top) and the French Louisiana or Bourbon Flag (bottom)
1723-1763
Pineville was an outpost and trading village for early settlers. To the north lived the Caddo and the Avoyel natives, and to the south were the Attakapa and Appalacha natives.Hoping to find a way to stop the neighboring tribes from attacking the settlers, French Inspector General of the Province of Louisiana, Diron d'Artaguette, established a military post north of the rapids along the Red River.In 1723, Post Du Rapides was established on the site of where the Rapides Cemetery is located today (half a mile down the road, towards the Red River).
1763-1803
From 1763 to 1801, Louisiana became a province of New Spain. At this point, Spain carried the Flag of the Cross of Burgundy.It was around then that migration from Acadia (cajun) began with French settlers relocating to Spanish Louisiana, as they escaped the ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the British in Canada.The 1770 census shows that Post El Rápido (Pineville) had a population of 33 whites, 18 slaves, and a small village of natives.
1776-1865
The legal institution of human chattel slavery, comprising the enslavement primarily of Africans and African Americans, was prevalent in the United States of America from its founding in 1776 until 1865, predominantly in the South.The new territories acquired by the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican Cession were the subject of major political crises and compromises.Through measures such as the Confiscation Acts and the Emancipation Proclamation, the end of the American Civil War effectively ended slavery in most places.Note that the lady is holding the flag of The District of Louisiana, a 15-star flag similar to the Star-Spangled Banner.
1859-1861
Before serving as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War, William Tecumseh Sherman served as the first superintendent of the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy in Pineville, which would later become Louisiana State University (LSU).After Louisiana seceded from the United States in January 1861, Sherman resigned as superintendent of the school. In April 1861, large numbers of students and faculty began resigning in order to enlist in the Confederate military.On November 1, 1869, the school was moved from Pineville and relocated to the capital city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
1861-1868
Captain Christopher M. Randolph built the eponymous Fort Randolph with the aid of Confederate soldiers, freed black men and slaves at the shores of the Red River - a place which ultimately was not involved in any action during the American Civil War.Note that the first official Confederate flag, the "Stars and Bars" (top), was swiftly changed in favor of the famous "Rebel Flag", based on the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia.When the Civil War broke out, the "Stars and Bars" confused the battlefield at the First Battle of Bull Run because of its similarity to the Union flag.Along with Fort Buhlow, Fort Randolph was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 1, 1981.The bottom flag is The Republic of Louisiana Secession flag.
1935-1943
Many of the buildings along Main St. Pineville were built during the Work Projects Administration era.The WPA was a New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly those not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings, housing, airports and roads.Its "Fed One" program also boosted art, music, writing, theater and historical records survey, under the principles:1. That in time of need the artist, no less than the manual worker, is entitled to employment as an artist at the public expense and2. That the arts, no less than business, agriculture, and labor, are and should be the immediate concern of the ideal commonwealth.
1945-1951
As Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, General Douglas MacArthur is arguably the most historically important guest figure in the Pineville/Alexandria area.While D-Day was planned at the Hotel Bentley, many members of the armed forces crossed the bridge to enjoy a movie at the Hauber Theatre (The Star Theatre - three buildings to your left).One of only five people to hold the rank of General of the Army, MacArthur was known for his corncob pipe and aviator sunglasses, a look he personally crafted for public appearances.
1776-Present
In the United States, Lady Liberty is often depicted with five-pointed stars, as they appear on the American flag, usually held in a raised hand. Another hand may hold a sword which points downward.Other popular American depictions include Lady Columbia and the Statue of Liberty.If you look to your left you'll see at the very end of Main St. our US Flag by the Red River levee.
This mural was illustrated by Alejandra Caste and brought to you by:
