Mayor Clarence Fields and the city government of Pineville, Father Chad Partain, Bobby Hynson and many local volunteers, as well as even a few local companies, have worked tirelessly for the past more than a year on cleaning and surveying the cemetery grounds. It is a hard task in cold and hot Louisiana weather. The cemetery appears to trace back to the late 1700’s or perhaps a little after. The exact date is unknown. It was placed near or on the original Post on the Rapides. It started as a trading post at the beginning of the rapids on the Red River. From this post, Alexandria and Pineville began, and the site is currently listed on the National Historic Register. The Historical Association of Central Louisiana, its members and board of directors have thrown their support to the cleaning and restoration of the cemetery.
One of things that needs to be found is a book or booklet on a survey done by and published by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1922. We have been unable to locate a copy. Have you seen or know of this study? In your family’s past are there records or information about the Rapides Cemetery? Anything that can fill in some of the missing links in this long progression of time would be most helpful. Additionally, we can assume that part of the original cemetery land was washed away by the Red River over time, and that the levee covers a section of it.
Many articles and books have chronicled the history of the Rapides Cemetery. Let’s see if we can come up with more information. Remember, if you stand back and look at this resting place, it is where it all began. Names like Wells, Fulton, Meullion, Bogan, Bringhurst, Poussin, Casson, Graham, Hynson, Baillio, Scallon and Hunter are all there. Some of their descendants are still in Central Louisiana today!
I have included some photographs of several tombstones as they stand today. You really have to walk the grounds to feel the tremendous history of Alexandria and Pineville that began several hundred years ago on that place on the Red River at the foot of the lower rapids.
If you have any information, contact a member of the Historical Association of Central Louisiana or send me an e-mail at lahistorymuseum@aol.com. Oh, and take time to walk through the Rapides Cemetery and imagine the history that resides there.