Tioga Commissary

Tioga Commissary is located in Tioga, Louisiana. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 16, 1986.

Tioga Commissary
LocationTioga Rd., Tioga, Louisiana
Coordinates31°22′59″N 92°25′43″W
Area0.5 acres (0.20 ha)
Built1900
ArchitectLee Lumber Co.
NRHP reference No.86002880[1]
Added to NRHPOctober 16, 1986

Located north of Alexandria the Commissary is part of the Tioga Heritage Park and Museum[2]

In 1905 Stephen Lee purchased a sawmill, built by Julius Levin, and surrounding land from Daniel F. Clark, owner of Union Lumber Company.[3] Lee constructed the rural Commissary to meet the needs of his employees at Lee Lumber Company and Tioga & Southeastern Railway Company. The building served as a department store, grocery, post office, and general gathering place for decades.

Historic Landmark

The Tioga Commissary was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 16, 1986.

According to the Historic Landmark plaque, after the sawmill's closure in 1925 the Commissary was sold to Sam Allen, who operated it until 1947. Soon after, it was sold to longtime employee Rudolph Merritt, who operated the community store until its closure in 1981. The 1986 Registry Nomination form lists the then-owner as Fred Price.[4]

Preservation

In 2009, through the efforts of Tioga Historical Society, the building opened as part of the Louisiana Museum System.[5] Exhibits focused on early life in Tioga, timber business, railroad line, and the Louisiana Maneuvers that trained soldiers for combat during World War II.[6] An undated “news” page announced the Museum's closure due to unstable conditions of building and lack of funding from the State for repair.[7] Memories and photos of the Commissary can still be shared on their social media page.

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. "Louisiana Museums". Louisiana Secretary of State. October 9, 2018.
  3. "History of Louisiana". Texas Transportation Archive. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  4. "Registry Nomination Form". National Register of Historic Places. September 19, 1986. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  5. "Cenla's Most Endangered Historical Properties". The Town Talk Online Newspaper. April 1, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  6. "About Tioga Heritage Museum". Tioga Heritage Park & Museum. October 9, 2018.
  7. "History is in Our Hands". Tioga Heritage Park & Museum. October 9, 2018.
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