Some time, old, is better than new… A look over Alexandria’s shoulder into the past.

One of the things I care most about is Historic Preservation.

Anyone who knows Alex’s alter ego,    (his true identity with out the mask and cape)

know that, if you bring up historic preservation, you will be engaged in conversation for hours.

 Alex’s alter ego is a fanatic about history.  

 If he can teach one person a little bit about Central Louisiana, he feels his day has been worth getting up for.

We have lost better than 90% of our historic buildings to progress,  greed, stupidity, and misguided… I can make it better, reasoning.

What little we have left of Alexandria’s past should be protected at all cost’s.

I fully realise that is easier said, than done.

I care about Alexandria out of love. 

 I am not a politician. Not a Realtor.  Not a Lawyer. Not a downtown property owner.

 As a matter of fact I do not derive any of my income from anything connected with or in Alexandria.

I can not gain a thing from promoting Alexandria, other than soul satisfaction.

I was born here and I will die here.   Alexandria is my home.

That being said, let’s look over Alexandria’s shoulder and see what was left behind.

I am going to do this in a series of post’s beginning with this one.

I hope it moves you and gives you more insight into our wonderful town.

Number One…….The uglest building in town.

The Ugliest Building in Alexandria. (The City Hall.)

Not much to say about the current structure. It is just a rather plain, lackluster box. A Catholic Priest friend of mine shocks every one when he talks about this building.

His comment: “I wish I had a stick of dynamite. It needs to be blown up.”  I fully understand his feelings.

Now lets look over Alexandria’s shoulder and view probably the first   formal City Hall that was built on the same block as the  above ugly building.

I would imagine this structure was built in the 1850’s or earlier.

Viewing the above, we would be standing in the  middle of Main or 2nd street in front of the City bus stop that was constructed from the old railroad station. 

This building was torn down around 1910 or 1912.

It housed: Fire Station #1, The Alexandria City Hall, a sign shop and a meat market.

During the Civil War it was used as a prison for captured soldiers of both sides.

 In 1909 just a year or so after the Bentley Hotel was finished, this beautiful building was constructed.

 Built in the center of the block, it was destroyed to build the existing

monster of today.

I can remember as a small child standing  near the Confederate Soldier memorial watching parades move down 3rd street.

Circus parades, rodeo parades and Christmas parades.

When you trade the old for the new, sometimes you realize, it was not such a good deal after all.

I believe the Bentley Hotel would better serve as a city hall than the present one.

I do hope that some progress is made in that direction.

I offer my full endorsement for the Bentley Hotel as a multi-purpose building,

that will mix the past with the present.

 

I hope you enjoyed this little mini look over Alexandria’s shoulder.

In the next few weeks I will show you much more of what we have lost..

 

For more on Alexandria, Louisiana

I reccomend the web site’s below :

 

http://alexandria-louisiana.com/

 

http://louisianahistorymuseum.org/

 

 

 

There is more to follow…

If you enjoy what you read in this blog.

Please tell or pass it along to your friends.

 

Alex