In 1884, the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific Railroad put a line across north Louisiana, and the town of Ruston was born. The first settlers came from nearby Vienna--literally bringing their homes with them--to establish a community that would become a major cotton shipping point and an educational center for the region. In this captivating study of Ruston's storied past, historic images shed light upon the town's beginnings, its enterprising leaders, and the institution for which it is best known, Louisiana Tech University.
The photographs within these pages reflect all aspects of life in Ruston, from the community's involvement during the war years to the businesses established by early residents, and from the building of the university to the influence of the railroad and the cotton industry. The collections of local photographers Bob Pfister, Colonel Marbury, John Green Davis, and Edwin "Red" Woodward are all featured in this unique pictorial retrospective; many of these rarely seen images came from a collection of glassplate negatives stored for over thirty years in shoeboxes in a backyard shed. Although some were forever lost to the forces of nature, what remains is a treasured glimpse of days gone by that will find a special place in the hearts of those who call Ruston home.