CADDO PARISH HISTORY

Caddo Parish is situated in the extreme northwestern corner of Louisiana. It embraces 852 square miles or 545,280 acres, divided into 095 square miles of oak uplands and 157 of Red River bottom lands, its front on Red River being 183 miles long. The Caddo uplands are marked by numerous bayous and lakes, and are undoubtedly excellent in quality. The divide between Boggy Bayou and Cross Lake runs east and west, ending at Shreveport. In the northeast quarter is the great cypress brake, and in the southwest is the continuation of the divide between the Red and Sabine Rivers. The Red River bottom is from two to eight miles wide, and sixty-live miles long here. In 1880 there were 95,400 acres in cultivation, of which 46,238 were in cotton, 23,109 in corn, 315 in sweet potatoes, and one acre in sugar cane. There were 20,903 bales of cotton produced, .45 bale per acre, 624 pounds of seed cotton, or 214 pounds of lint cotton per acre. In 1887 the cotton acreage increased to 51,719, and within the last three years corn lands have been set aside for cotton, and a large area of upland reduced from its wilderness state and devoted to the staple crop. In 1889 there were 128,000 acres in cultivation; even more in 1890, and with the improvement of Bayou Pierre, acreage to produce 25,000 extra bales of cotton will be added. The population in 1840 comprised 2,410 Caucasians, 29 free colored, 2,837 slaves, or a total of 5,282. In 1850 the total population was 8,884, made up of 3,034 Caucasians, 42 free colored, and 5,208 slaves. In 1860 the total was 12,140, including 4,733 Caucasians, 69 free colored and 7,338 slaves. The white population in 1870 was 5,913, and the black, 15,799, or a total of 21,714; this total was increased to 26,305 by 1880, number of whites being 6,922, and blacks, 19,283. The population in 1890 is 31,555, and the number subject to military duty, 3,457. Among the old people discovered by the enumerators in June 1890, one was one hundred and fourteen and the other one hundred and twenty years of age. In 1880 the United States statisticians placed the debt of Caddo and Shreveport at $554,644; while in August 20, 1890, the parish owed $35,000 and the city $190,000, or a total of $225,000. The greater part of the old debt originated in city and parish scrip issued during the war, which sold for from 15 to 20 cents per dollar. This necessitated the heavy parish levy of 14 mills and 10 mills, which latter tax collected up to a few years ago. In July, 1890, the assessed value of Parish property (exclusive of the value of about 30,000 acres of United States lands) was placed at $5,500,000, on which 5-1/4 mills, general, and 2-1/2 mills court-house tax were levied, or a total of 7-3/4 mills, equaling $42,500. The levy for school purposes was 1 mill, general fund, 3 mills, bridge 1/2 mill, interest and sinking fund, 3/4 mill and court-house, 2-1/2 mills. The parish is separated from Bossier by Red River, the water front being 183 miles. A chain of lakes extends above Shreveport for over 100 miles, to which the general title, Caddo Lake, is erroneously given. The lakes forming this chain are known as Cross, Swan, Sodo, Ferry, Clear and Roberta. The last-named was known to old river men as Shift-tail Lake. The name was changed to Little Sodo Lake and ultimately to Roberta by Dr. Stuart, who resided on the lake shore, and named it in honor of his wife. Through these lakes and their connecting bayous was the steamboat route from Shreveport to Jefferson. Sodo Lake derives its name from Zagal De Soto, who is said to have been left to die in its vicinity. Black Bayou, with its many branches, drains the northwestern portion of the parish, running through an immense cypress brake, and after connecting with Red Bayou through Sewell's Canal, pours its waters into Clear Lake. Red Bayou is navigable for steamboats its entire length, Dooley's Bayou for many miles, Black Bayou to Sewell's Canal and a few miles above until it reaches an impenetrable cypress forest. Many of the other bayous are navigable for flatboats, and in high water afford passage for cotton and rafts of logs. One bale* of cotton per acre is a fair average crop on bottom lands, and one bale to three or four acres on the hills is a fair estimate, though with even a scant application of fertilizers, saved on the plantations, this yield could readily be increased to a bale to two acres. Corn in good seasons will produce from 60 to 100 bushels to the acre on the bottoms; from 20 to 75 bushels on the hills, largely dependent upon the judgment and industry exercised in its culture. Some planters produce enough corn for their own use, but the great majority of them rely upon the granaries of the West. The river lands of Caddo are of the richest alluvial soil and of wonderful fertility. There are hundreds of thousands of acres of lands which, with comparatively little cost and labor, could be reclaimed and produce almost enough raw cotton to supply all the mills of the world. It is the opinion of intelligent planters that Caddo Prairie alone, when reclaimed from overflow, would add to the receipts of cotton at Shreveport not less than 30,000 bales annually, and that the entire valley would be capable of producing annually from 80,000 to 100,000 bales of cotton. In August, 1890, the Bayou Pierre Drainage Company began the work.of reclamation, and by the close of the year, it is stated, 50,000 acres of alluvial land will be drained and 75,000 acres relieved from the risks of overflow. The State Fair Association in 1890 offered first prize for not less than 400 pounds of lint cotton per acre from uplands, and for not less than 700 pounds per acre from valley lands, while for corn prizes were offered for 75 bushels per acre *The soil of the valley in many places is a black, deep soil of unsurpassed fertility, producing, when above inundation, two bales of cotton and from 80 to 100 bushels of corn per acre as average annual crops.
submitted by Gene Phillips

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