Louisiana
HEART OF LOUISIANA: Addis Train Museum
ADDIS, La. (WAFB) – Since the 1880s, trains have been rolling through the small town of Addis in West Baton Rouge Parish. But for its first few decades, the town had a different name, Baton Rouge Junction.
“It was because to go west, the people from Baton Rouge had to come here to catch the trains,” said Jocelyn Myhand Gauthreaux.
In 1915, Baton Rouge Junction was given a new name.
“And they changed it to Addis because it was too confusing for the people not knowing where Baton Rouge Junction was different from Baton Rouge,” Gauthreaux said.
John Wesley Addis was a superintendent of the Texas and Pacific Railroad.
When I drive around Louisiana, I pass through these small towns and I often wonder why is this town where it is? Why is Addis here?
“Well, it started on the river and it’s here because of the railroad,” said Gauthreaux.
Gauthreaux is one of the volunteers who researched the town’s history, collected artifacts, and opened a museum in a century old bank building. Even the building has a story,
“But only seven years after it was built, it closed because they had the great depression plus a railroad strike,” Gauthreaux said.
The building later served as the post office and a grocery. Ella Thibodaux’s father worked for the local railroad.
“They would inspect the railroad. They would pull off the old ties that needed to be replaced. This had to all be done by hand,” said Thibodaux.
Train stations would have a clock like this, and railroad workers like Thibodaux’s dad would carry a pocket watch.
“Every morning. They had to synchronize that watch with the watch at the depot, and that was so they could get what they called a timetable so they would know when these trains were coming through, they had to get off that track,” Thibodaux said.
You can see an old conductor’s hat, train tickets, a ticket puncher, and items used to serve passengers. There are old telephones before the devices would fit in your pocket. And the old phones replaced the railroad telegraph. Outside the town park has a caboose, something else that railroads no longer use. The museum has a collection from local military veterans, old housewares and clothing, schools that are long gone, and radios that once were the center of family entertainment. It’s quite a collection for a group of volunteers who value their history.
“You might not have a lot of interest now, but down the road, somebody’s gonna wanna know something about their grandparents that they didn’t know. And we wanna preserve all those memories here,” said Thibodaux.
And today. You can still see the railroad activity in front of the Addis museum. The town’s history is still an important part of its future.
More information about the Addis Train Museum can be found on Heart of Louisiana’s website.
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Yasin Gungor
19 April 2026•Update: 19 April 2026
At least eight children were killed and two others were wounded in a shooting in the US state of Louisiana, local police said Sunday.
Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said officers responded to the shooting just after 6 am (1100GMT), following a domestic disturbance call.
The age of the deceased ranged from one to 14 years, he said, adding that the incident involved at least 10 individuals across four separate locations.
The suspect attempted to flee by carjacking a vehicle and driving to neighboring Bossier City, where police located and shot him dead.
Bordelon said Shreveport police officers pursued the suspect’s vehicle into Bossier, where three officers discharged their firearms, killing him. He said investigators believe the suspect was the only person who opened fire at the locations.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the attack as “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” adding: “It’s a terrible morning.”
No immediate information was available about the condition of the injured.
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When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
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