Beauregard Museum
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
The Beauregard Museum is located in historic downtown DeRidder, in the old Kansas City Southern depot, built in 1926. It houses items from Beauregard Parish's sawmill and timber industries, rural life artifacts, Native American arrowheads and pottery, historic photographs, antique furniture and much more. A stainless-steel KCS caboose is also on the museum grounds. Free admission.
Images
Photo by Shutterbug 1968
Photo by Shutterbug 1968
Photo by Shutterbug 1968
Photo by Shutterbug 1968
Photo by Shutterbug 1968
Historic photo of the DeRidder Kansas City Southern Passenger Depot, now the Beauregard Museum.
A bust of former Louisiana governor Sam Houston Jones is located in the Beauregard Museum's courtyard. Jones was a Beauregard Parish native.
The bust of Sam Houston Jones in the museum courtyard.
An early 2018 exhibit on former Governor Sam Houston Jones.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Like many turn of the century towns, DeRidder’s business district is centered around the railroad tracks.
With the primary industry being timber, the arrival of the railroad depot in 1897 was crucial in the incorporation of the city in 1903. Therefore, it seemed logical for an old depot to be the home of the Beauregard Museum.
The museum is housed in the second Kansas City Southern Depot, built in 1926.
The tile-roofed, red brick building is located in the heart of historic downtown DeRidder. This building is also the second home to the Beauregard Museum, with the first being the family home of Mr. R.L. Terry. He and his wife, Esther Newton Terry, along with many other concerned citizens, started the museum in March 1965.
So many artifacts were collected that the museum was soon searching for a larger home. When the Kansas City Southern Company became aware of the need, they donated the depot to the city for the purpose of housing the museum.
Within its walls are handmade tools, artifacts from the timber industry, old photographs from the parish’s history, Native American arrowheads and pottery, military memorabilia, antique furniture, musical instruments and curiosities from around Beauregard Parish.
Train fans will enjoy checking out a stainless-steel caboose in the courtyard. There is also a bronze bust highlighting the life of former Governor Sam Houston Jones, who served the state from 1940-1944.
With the primary industry being timber, the arrival of the railroad depot in 1897 was crucial in the incorporation of the city in 1903. Therefore, it seemed logical for an old depot to be the home of the Beauregard Museum.
The museum is housed in the second Kansas City Southern Depot, built in 1926.
The tile-roofed, red brick building is located in the heart of historic downtown DeRidder. This building is also the second home to the Beauregard Museum, with the first being the family home of Mr. R.L. Terry. He and his wife, Esther Newton Terry, along with many other concerned citizens, started the museum in March 1965.
So many artifacts were collected that the museum was soon searching for a larger home. When the Kansas City Southern Company became aware of the need, they donated the depot to the city for the purpose of housing the museum.
Within its walls are handmade tools, artifacts from the timber industry, old photographs from the parish’s history, Native American arrowheads and pottery, military memorabilia, antique furniture, musical instruments and curiosities from around Beauregard Parish.
Train fans will enjoy checking out a stainless-steel caboose in the courtyard. There is also a bronze bust highlighting the life of former Governor Sam Houston Jones, who served the state from 1940-1944.