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Louisiana
Pike County, Missouri
Georgia
Street in the 1940's
by Reed Stoeckley
"Missouri's Picturesque Rivertown"
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Located in the center of the Little
Dixie Highway of the Great River Road, a 30-mile stretch of highway along the great
Mississippi River that has been designated a national scenic byway, is the river town of Louisiana. Set amongst the oak and
hardwood forests of the Lincoln Hills, an area that resembles the rugged
hills of the Ozarks, and set on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi,
Louisiana is town of some 4,000 inhabitants with many antebellum homes and
Victorian era buildings in the downtown business district.
The area was first
settled shortly after the Louisiana Purchase. Fort Buffalo was built 2
miles south of present day Louisiana in 1812 to defend the early settlers
from the Sauk and Fox tribes that were allied with the British during the
War of 1812. The town site was settled in 1816 just north of Noix Creek
and south of Salt River and was platted in 1818 and selected as the county
seat of when Pike County was formed in 1819. Louisiana is one of
Missouri’s older towns and is believed to have been named for Louisiana
Bayse, reportedly the first child born in St. Louis after the Louisiana
Purchase. Her father, J. W. Bayse moved his family to the new town in 1818
when his daughter was 14 years old. A restored log cabin from this era,
built by James Stark around 1830, can be found at the historic Stark Bro's Nurseries and Orchards.
The county seat was
moved from Louisiana to Bowling Green in 1822, but the town continued to
prosper from river trade. Continued prosperity was assured with the
arrival in 1871 of the Clarksville and Western and trade from interstate
trucking boosted the economy when the Champ Clark Bridge was completed in
1928. The downtown district, which features predominately Italianate or
Greek Revival, Late 19th and 20th Century styles of architectural, was
built during years during the riverboat and railroad era. The Georgia
Street Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic
Places in 1987 and consists of over 54 buildings in the downtown area. The
State Department of Natural Resources has said Louisiana has "the
most intact Victorian Streetscape in the state of Missouri" and the
Louisiana Historic Preservation Association hosts its Great Mansions &
Estates Tour every October where the public can visit Louisiana’s finest
Federal and early Victorian style private family mansions normally not
open to the public.
Louisiana is part of
a dynamic art community that also includes Hannibal and Clarksville and
forms the 50 Miles of Art Corridor where artists and artisans create works
of art that can’t be found anywhere else. Twice a year, in the spring
and in the fall, these artists hold the 50 Miles of Art! event where these
professional artists open their studios, galleries, and retail spaces.
Louisiana also features an outdoor mural project consisting of 20 murals
and a 20-acre sculpture park.
The natural beauty of
the region that surrounds Louisiana is also known to attract visitors.
There are scenic overlooks of the Mississippi River at Riverfront Park and
Riverview Cemetery in Louisiana and two scenic overlooks on Route 79 north
of town. The town hosts a variety of events throughout the year including
the Winter River Festival, 50 Miles of Art!, Great Mansions & Estates
Tour, and the Louisiana Country Colorfest. Louisiana also offers visitors
unique antique and specialty shops, artists’ shops, interesting
restaurants, and inviting bed and breakfasts.
Louisiana is located
approximately 85 miles north of St. Louis and 33 miles south of Hannibal
on Route 79.
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