Peason Ridge Spring Tour 2018
By Rickey Robertson
One of the most interesting places filled with historical locations and historical homesteads is Peason Ridge Military Reservation. This area is located in Sabine, Natchitoches, and Vernon Parishes here in Louisiana and it encompasses 33,000 acres of land, with over 42,000 additional acres recently being obtained by the U.S. Army, making this area over 75,000 acres in size. Beginning in 1818 settlers came into this area and homesteaded the land. Many of my ancestors were landowners in this area. It is part of the old Sabine Neutral Strip and these settlers had to be tough to survive the outlaws and ruffians that ran in this area. But in 1941 the US Army used imminent domain and a way of life for these settlers and homesteaders came to an end. Given only as few as 8 days to move from their old homes, they carried what they could with them. These old home paces and historical sites are now being taken care of by the Environmental Section of the Directorate of Public Works at Ft Polk. Each year there is a Heritage Reunion of all the families and family members at Ft. Polk and there are tours of the old places. And on Saturday March 31, 2018 there was the annual spring tour allowed for Peason Ridge by the JRTC and Ft. Polk.
On Saturday morning 45 people gathered in the parking lot of Pine Grove Baptist Church in Peason, La. for this great tour. And of importance to the Peason Ridge Heritage Families, General Patrick Frank, along with his gracious wife, came and greeted all going on the tour. General Frank met each person and spoke with them about the sacrifice their families had made when the government had taken their farms after the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers. The US Army and DPW/Environmental Section from Ft Polk provided a tour bus for those attending to ride in. Some folks wanted to go in their own vehicles and followed our tour bus. As a Peason Ridge Heritage Family Member I was blessed to be the tour guide for this event. Many members of my family had been settlers and landowners on Peason Ridge. As a boy I had went with my Grandfather and Father all over this area and I have a pretty good knowledge of all the old places and historical sites and have guided some smaller tours of specific locations in the past. But today we had 45 people who showed up for the tour and wanted to see the sites of their ancestors farms, the historical sites, and training areas. One lady, Christine Tombleson, had traveled from Virginia to research and find her kinfolks. Her Great grandfather was a sharecropper on Peason Ridge and was forced to leave.
Our tour actually began in the parking area at Pine Grove Church. This church was originally found in 1894 and is still located in the Peason Community. As we left this location, we had many other historic locations to visit on our tour. As we entered Peason Ridge we viewed the old cattle grazing lands where we had ran our cattle until 1995. We stopped and all exited the bus and they were shown the Peason Forward Landing Zone and Drop Zone where giant C-17's and C-130's drop airborne troops and also land to bring in much needed supplies for the units in the field. I was able to explain the history of this area and of the use the Heritage Families got of this land for grazing of their cattle and livestock. General Frank told of the extensive training the US Army troops receive on Peason Ridge and that every unit going overseas goes through Live Fire Exercise here. And the best training in the Army is at Peason Ridge. Captain Jason James, Live Fire Trainer, also advised of the training sites and locations we would see and even get to visit. He also explained the many types of tactics used on Peason Ridge. We then came to the Andrew Bridges and William Haynes home sites. The army has a large training facility built right in the midst of the old Bridges cotton field. We could still view the old sycamore trees there and the Haynes place. A little further down the road we passed through the "Haynes Settlement" a training village used by units on maneuvers. After we left this location, in about a mile we came to what all of us Heritage Family members know as the "Prairie." It is an area of about 700 to 900 acres of land and it is just like the Great Plains, with sage grass gently blowing in the wind. I can still remember our cattle grazing at the Prairie! Our next site was of interest to the folks from Vernon Parish as we were able to show them where Anacoco Creek "heads up" or begins. This creek is unique because it flows north, then west, then south into Vernon Parish. And in the deeper holes of water on Anacoco Creek there are perch and bass swimming to and fro. As we traveled on, we passed the large hill known as Tripod Hill. During the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers and even into the 1950's, there were large tripods about 20 feet high that were used by the Army Signal Corps to signal other units with by using flags of various colors. We continued past the location of where Robert and Lucy Moore lived, and then we got to see where Coleman "Cole" Owers had his peanut patch and his home place. Just down the road past the Cole Owers place we got to see the old giant oak tree that was in the yard of James "Jim" Owers. Right near this old tree is the remains of the old well, and across the road old fruit trees still flourish. Our next stop before a break was at the Merritt Cemetery. Yes, right in the heart of Peason Ridge is this quiet little cemetery where there are 4 graves. Both of the men buried here are Confederate veterans, Edmond Merritt having served in the Mississippi Cavalry and Robert Conner in the 1st Texas Infantry. Everyone got to walk around the cemetery and snacks, water, and cold drinks were provided by Ft. Polk. Several people gathered information at the cemetery for more genealogical research. The Merritt Family is still active in Sabine Parish, La. and the Conner Family is still active in Sabine County, Texas!
After our break at the Merritt Cemetery, we loaded up for more sites to visit. We passed by the locations where Mitch Snell, Dr. Penn Snell, Ezra Stewart, and "Preacher" A.F. Sandel lived. As we continued we passed by the site of the very large turpentine camp that had been operated by Louisiana Longleaf Lumber Company (4L), then across Dowden Creek that begins in Sabine Parish and runs into Vernon Parish, past the old home site of Jess McDaniel. We stopped next at the location of the 1st Cold Springs School. I was able to show them the original cold spring of water still running out of the ground that the school was named after. We passed the large sand hill known as "Bull Nettle Hill," a large sand hill always covered with bull nettles where the Heritage Families would go to in order to look across the area for their cattle. At Martin Creek we passed the site of J.R. Brown's farm and home site, and by my great uncle and aunt, Thomas "Tom" and Doanie Craft McInnis' old place. As we left the J.R. Brown and Tom McInnis sites, we traveled pass "the oil well," an actual pumping oil well located in the range. Peavy Wilso Company owns the mineral rights where this well is located. Next stop was the new SACON Afghan training village used by military units to train for combat. Very impressive! Captain James explained how company sized units would attack and secure this large village of over 30 large buildings.
Our next stop was the Dowden/Owers/Sanders dipping vat. This old vat was used to dip all the cattle in during the 1930's in an attempt to prevent Texas Tick Fever. Everyone got to look at this site and talk about the care given the cattle herds that once ran all over this range area. Also at this site I was able to show them the old stagecoach road that ran from Texas, across Peason Ridge to Kisatchie, and then on to Natchitoches. The old road was also used by the Confederate Army to bring supplies into Louisiana from Texas during the Civil War. We loaded up on the next part of the tour. We were able to see the old plum tree that was located in the front yard of the old William M. "Billy Boy" Dowden home place, the road leading to the Foster Dowden place, and the large open areas where the buffalo once wintered and roamed. Then we were right in the midst of the main Impact Area and we viewed the West Trench training site and from there we could see several family groups of the famous wild horses of Peason Ridge. Beautiful stallions, mares, and colts were to be seen. Everyone wanted pictures of the horses ! Next we went to the Dividing Ridge. This long ridge runs for almost a mile and separates Peason Ridge. This ridge separates and divides the area into 3 watersheds. Water run offs from this area go into the Calcasieu, Red, and Sabine Rivers. From here we were able to see the Peason Forward Landing Zone used by military aircraft to fly in all types of supplies and we could see 7 miles in the distance the Peason Water Tower. We travelled on past the old Army Pond that was actually dug during the mill run at Peason where the Christie and Eastern Railroad would join the Red River and Gulf at Kurthwood. The old railroad bed makes a great road bed after all these years. A stop at the Spears Village allowed Captain James to explain the new subterranean tunnel complex that the units had to attack and secure. Then we drove through the 16 sections of land set aside by the Heritage Families where all the livestock, from cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and hogs would graze. Beautiful highland meadows throughout this area. When we left this site we slowed down on top of Eagle Hill. This was once the second largest hill in Louisiana and the area around it has many Native American sites. My grandmother used to tell that there were many eagles that lived and nested at this location. The women would not let out small children or animals due to them being afraid an eagle would carry them off. Some of the Native American sites around this area date back 12,000 years. As we came over Eagle Hill those on the bus could also see almost to Natchitoches across the many miles of forest lands. The last stop was at Peason Memorial Park. Everyone got out and viewed the 2 historical markers located there, one to the sawmill town of Peason and the other to the Heritage Families of Peason Ridge posted on the kiosks. They were also able to view the many photographs and maps of the old mill town and the home sites and locations on Peason Ridge. Many of the folks on the tour also had relatives and family that had lived and worked at the Peavy-Wilson Mill during the heyday of Peason. Many of those on the tour had family that had once worked at the Peason Mill.
We again loaded up and returned to Pine Grove Church where everyone had parked. Even though this tour was about 5 hours long, we had only visited less than half of Peason Ridge. This gives us further opportunity to tour that part in the future! Ft. Polk personnel are already working on another tour for next year where we can go and explore many more historic locations. Everyone had a great time as they went back in time as we visited these various locations. I would like to say thanks to the Ft. Polk personnel who went with us and who made this an exciting event. Everyone who attended the tour actually got to see this area where history was made by our ancestors, and where history is still being made by the units of our military that are trained there. The best units in the US Army are trained on Peason Ridge. And as a Heritage Family Member I have close ties with this land and with the Army who now own our old places and use our old lands. The Army is now the steward of our old home places and are striving to save and conserve our history at these sites. We must never forget the sacrifice made by these Heritage Families as they gave up their way of life for our freedom. We look forward to seeing more of you in the next tour of Peason Ridge! Come and relive history with us!
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Tour Guide Rickey Robertson telling the history of the Peason Forward Landing Zone and Drop Zone to the tour group. The Heritage Families used these lands to graze their livestock. (Robertson Collection)
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General Patrick Frank, commander of Ft. Polk and the Joint Readiness Training Center, along with his wife, came to the Peason Ridge Tour and greeted those going on the tour. (Robertson Collection)
Captain James showing the tour group the new subterranean tunnel complex that units have to attack and secure on Peason Ridge. (Robertson Collection)
Captain James on the Peason Ridge Tour. (Robertson Collection)