Welcome to De Ridder, LA, where they dwell in possibilities! Originally named Schovall, De Ridder was renamed in 1903 by Jan de Goeijen to honor his sister-in-law. De Goeijen was a railroad financier who brought the first train line to the town in 1897. By the end of 1898, the town consisted on nearly 300 people, a hotel, a sawmill, and several stores. Timber was the primary industry of the town. In 1904 a large portion of the business section of De Ridder was destroyed by fire. In 1912 the town was chosen as the parish seat of newly created Beauregard Parish. De Ridder then constructed the "Old Beauregard Parish Jail". It was built in the collegiate Gothic Architectural style and is considered one of the most distinctive of its type in the US. The town has been called home by a number of notable people including quite a few professional athletes, several politicians, child actor Rusty Hamer, and country recording artist Chris Cagle. We hope you enjoy your time as "we dwell in the possibilities" in De Ridder!
Small Town News--whose headline is it, anyway? @SmallTownNewsImprov