Explore Bogalusa through several themes: the city’s early development around the Great Southern Lumber Company, the local civil rights movement and the Bogalusa Blues & Heritage Festival. Two practical reference points can also help with trip planning: the intersection of Louisiana Highways 10 and 21 and the Zachary Taylor Byway.
City History and the Civil Rights Movement
Bogalusa was founded in 1906 by the Goodyear family and built around the Great Southern Lumber Company. The founding year and the company mark two aspects of the city’s development: the beginning of the town and the industrial setting around which it grew. If you’re interested in Bogalusa’s origins, this connection offers a starting point for exploring local history.
The civil rights movement is another part of the town’s history. Members of the local Black union at the Crown Zellerbach mill, including A.Z. Young and Bob Hicks, organized and led the local movement in Bogalusa. This directly links the union at the mill with activism in the city.
The Robert “Bob” Hicks House served as a center of civil rights work in Bogalusa from 1965 to 1969. The Bogalusa Civic and Voters League and the Bogalusa chapter of the Deacons for Defense and Justice held regular meetings there. The house is therefore associated not only with one person, but also with the organizations that used it for their work.
Demonstrations outside Bogalusa City Hall were another setting: in 1965, protesters called for an end to segregation in public facilities and discrimination in the workplace. Together with the meetings at the Hicks House, they show a concrete distinction between two forms of civil rights work in Bogalusa: regular gatherings in a house and public demonstrations outside City Hall.
Museums, Cultural District and Festival
The Bogalusa Paper Mill Museum tells the story of the city. The Pioneer Museum is located in Cassidy Park in Bogalusa. There is also the Bogalusa Historic Cultural District. These named places and the district offer different ways to explore Bogalusa’s history and culture; each represents its own part of the town’s character.
The Bogalusa Blues & Heritage Festival brings together blues musicians, local artists, food vendors and families. The festival encompasses music, local art and food, as well as the people who gather there. If the festival is the reason for your trip, check the event dates before planning your stay.
Getting Around and Finding a Place to Stay
Louisiana Highways 10 and 21 intersect in Bogalusa. The Zachary Taylor Byway is a separate route, connecting Bogalusa and Pineville over a 203-mile stretch. The intersection describes a road connection within Bogalusa; the 203 miles refer to the connection between the two places. This distinguishes local navigation from the longer Byway route.
When looking for a hotel in Bogalusa, you can first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: the town’s origins, civil rights history, the festival or the Byway’s longer route. These themes can help guide your trip planning without combining the different topics into a single itinerary. If you’re particularly interested in civil rights history, the Hicks House, the demonstrations outside City Hall, and the names A.Z. Young and Bob Hicks offer several concrete starting points for exploring this chapter of the city’s history.
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