Caddo Lake

1838

Captain Henry Miller Shreve letters regarding removal of the "Great Red River Raft" with mention of Caddo Lake published in 1838.

Source: Washington National Intelligencer 26-Apr-1838/04-26, Page 3


1840

A newspaper editorial endorsing presidential candidate William Henry Harrison mentions the lake. He was elected the ninth President of the United States in 1840, but became ill after his inauguration and died 32 days into his term.

The phrase "from Passamaquoddy Bay to Lake Caddo" was certainly appropriate at that time to describe the nation's expanse, from the northeast tip of Maine to its southwestern frontier; since Texas was then a sovereign nation.

Source: Washington Daily Intelligencer 23-Jan-1840, Page 2

U. S. Army engineers survey the Louisiana/Texas line, building rafts to cross Ferry (Caddo) Lake and then wading chest deep water while hacking through the swamp in Jim's (now Jeems) Bayou.

Steamboats, such as the doomed Mittie Stephens, traversed the waterways from the 1840s until early 1900s Once a dam sans a lock was built at the foot of Caddo Lake, river traffic was permanently halted.


1893

Caddo Lake White Perch  While patrons of the day may have been much closer to their food sources than we (at least we non-hunters), they certainly knew what was good eatin' (smile) evidenced by this 1893 advertisement for a Marshall, Texas butcher shop featuring "Caddo Lake White Perch."

Marshall (TX) Evening Messenger 14-Jan-1893, Page 4

Source: Marshall (TX) Evening Messenger 14-Jan-1893, Page 4

1913

Caddo Parish Police Jury authorizes bids for construction of bridge across Caddo Lake at Mooringsport.

Source: Dallas Morning News 13-Sep-1913, Page 13

Texas politicians and Jefferson residents had long dreamed of re-establishing navigation on the lake and for years submitted appropriations stated a lock, or provision to later add a lock, be included in the dam design. However a detailed 1913 federal study of the watershed area as well as economic analysis of building a dam at the foot of Ferry (Caddo) Lake concluded that while a dam was deemed necessary to prevent draining of the lake (given proposed/actual draining of downstream waterways) there was insufficient industry and commerce in the area to support the necessary channel dredging and dam/lock system to allow navigation to Jefferson. Therefore, a dam sans lock (or provision for one later) was recommended and ultimately built.

United States Congressional Serial Set 6547 (1913) 63rd Congress, 1st Session, Document No. 236

1914

Workers laying a pipeline across Ferry Lake in 1914; from an article describing its building from Naborton (south, near Mansfield) to Oil City.

Fuel Oil Journal Nov-1914, Page 54

1920

View of Caddo Lake, circa 1920.

Source: Petroleum Age, April 1920, Page 120

1936

Postman (Frederick) Fritz Heinisch (1869-1953) of Mooringsport delivering mail by boat on Caddo Lake. Fritz, whose listed  occupation was boat builder, was born in Baruth, Germany; and immigrated to the U.S. by way of the Port of Galveston in 1901. He applied for citizenship in 1923 while already a Mooringsport resident with local grocer H.H. Chichester signing as one of the witnesses. Note he put his original skill to use as the caption states he built the postal boat.

Source: Dallas Morning News 14-Jun-1936 Page 2-D

The 1940 census shows him living in M'sport (occupation: letter carrier) with wife Mattie, daughter Bettie, step-sons D. W. and James Cook, and step-daughter Nellie Lucky. He is buried in the old Mooringsport Cemetery.

1947

Southwestern Electric Power Company dedicated its new Lieberman Plant, located on the north bank of Caddo Lake across from Mooringsport, still in use today. 

Source: Baton Rouge Morning Advocate 14-Sep-1947, Page 8-B

An aerial photo of Lieberman plant from approximately that time. Note producing oil wells were still operating over Caddo Lake.

1954

Here are a few pictures from an article that appeared in the May-June 1954 Louisiana Conservationist. The article was written by, and most of the photos taken by, noted sportsman Claude "Grits" Gresham.

1955

Caddo Lake Sports Club

In the 1950s, the lake was used much more for recreation than today, with waterskiing and even powerboat racing events being held. In 1955, the Caddo Lake Sports Club hosted the Speedboat World's Series, the premier event of the year for that sport. It drew thousands of spectators as well as participants from across the nation and even Europe.

Below is a Corsicana (TX) Daily Sun article from 28-Apr-1955 that describes the newly constructed one-mile race course on Caddo Lake.

The Caddo Lake Sports Club is awarded the role of hosting the 1955 Speedboat World's Series.

Ruston (LA) Daily Leader 26-Aug-1955 Speedboat
World Series  on Caddo Lake

Source: Ruston Daily Leader 26-Aug-1955, Page 3 

Noah "Buddy" Blizzard, described the building of the boat club's facilities and preparation for the event:

Dad (also Noah) was an official in the old Boat Club. I really don't know how the structure was chartered. I know there was a man that was called the president and I am having some problem in remembering it right now. (R. Allen Smith of Shreveport) I remember my dad was heavily involved in building the club. He built the boat house metal structure where all the boat stalls were. He designed and built the ski jump that was adjustable for different degrees of height. He also built the stump locater device. It was a long metal frame that was supported by barrels and towed very slowly by a boat until it hit a stump. We would then drive a metal sucker rod in the stump to mark it for removal later. I rode on that device for days on end marking stumps. I remember the beehive of activity when it was being built. Bulldozers making roads....walks being built....boathouse going up...clearing stumps for a clean oval race course and a one mile straight measured mile for timing world records. He also built the big barge that the judges stand was on. All these things were supported by 55 gallon drums. To sink a drum is a very difficult task. We had to sink those things and put them under the structures.

I was there for the World races in 55....Maxie (Furlong) and I camped on the hill overlooking all the activity. They started practicing before dawn  It lasted two or three days. Boats from all over the world were there...Germany...France... It was a beautiful sight. Dad entered his boat in the "C" class hydroplane and it came in third in a class of many. I forgot who drove for him, but Jelly Cox comes to mind.

Regarding other members, some names come to mind....T.J. Lundy....Boob Matthews...Bill Player.

Source: email dated 10-Mar-2014

Pictures from the 1955 APBA Championships are below.

Championship Heat of the Class A Hydros held on Caddo Lake 24-Sep-1955

Driver Bob McGinty of Corpus Christi, TX talks to boat owner Harry Marioneaux
 of Shreveport in pit area. (north shore east of Hwy 1).

Event Winners by Class

To read the entire article, which recaps the event and shows pictures of the winners, go to: Speed & Spray Magazine Dec-1955, pages 20 & 21.

Boat & Sport Magazine Dec-1955, Page 10

Source:  Boat Sport Magazine Dec-1955

Hugh Entrop's innovative boat (158-R) and unusual racing style caught the attention of the crowd at the crowd at the 1955 championships.

Hugh Entrop (158-R) on Caddo Lake Sep-1955

Source: Boat Sport Magazine Aug-1956, pages 6-7 & 40-41

In a separate article (page 3), there is mention of German driver Dieter Konig's showing at the (Holiday in) Dixie Outboard Regatta, held earlier that spring on Caddo Lake. An outstanding performance by Blanchard (LA) resident Bubba Haley is also cited.

A picture of national champion Class C runabout category Jack Cohn with his boat. Note he was from Illinois, while  the runner-up was from California; showing the importance of the event on the national scene. 

Oak Park (IL) Oak Park Leaves 06-Oct-1955

Source: Oak Park (IL) Oak Leaves 06-Oct-1955, Page 6

1956

These articles from the following year mention winners of some one of the classes at Oil City.

Long Beach (CA) Press Telegram 19-Sep-1956, Page 53

Source: Long Beach (CA) Press Telegram 19-Sep-1956, Page 53

Long Beach (CA) Press Telegram
20-Sep-1956, Page 42

Source: Long Beach (CA) Press Telegram 20-Sep-1956, Page 42

This 1956 newspaper article Monroe News Star shows the Louisiana state legislature appropriating $4,000 to promote a Caddo Lake Boat Festival.

Monroe News Star 17-May-1956, Page 16

1958

A notice in a 1958 water sports magazine announces boat races to be held on Caddo Lake later that year.

Aqua Sport Magazine Jun-Jul 1958 Cover

Caddo Lake Sports Club Boat Race Notice
Aqua Sport Magazine Jun-Jul 1958, Page 19

 Source: Aqua Sport Magazine Jun-Jul 1958

1971

Dedication of the new Caddo Lake Dam attracted dignitaries including U.S. Senator Allen Ellender, Congressman Joe D. Waggoner; and local mayors Calhoun Allen (Shreveport), Charles DIckey (Oil City), Bob Guth (Mooringsport), and Jimmy Wilson (Vivian).

Source: Baton Rouge State Times 20-Oct-1971