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Here in Mansfield we have 2 Hotels to accommodate our visitors.  We also have a fabulous Bed & Breakfast in our area.  Moonlight & Lace is a great place to host any event whether it is small or large.

From the Battle of Mansfield during the Civil War to one of only two Log Courthouses in Louisiana, our little CITY is bubbling with History!!!!

TAKE A LOOK….

Mansfield State Historic Site | The Old Courthouse | Mansfield Female Museum

The Old Church Inn | Rock Chapel | The DeSoto Parish Courthouse 

  Mansfield State Historic Site

 15149 Hwy 175 South

 Mansfield, LA  71052

 (318)-872-1474

This 44 acre state park and museum informs visitors of the climatic Battle of Mansfield during the Civil War.  The State Historic site features a museum exhibiting Civil War weapons, uniforms and their related artifacts. There are also walking tours and demonstrations of Civil War era life throughout the year, and every 5 years the Battle of Mansfield is reenacted. Several structures standing during the Civil War remain in Mansfield. Among them is Christ Memorial Episcopal Church which served as a hospital.

 The Old Courthouse

Built in 1843, this incredible structure is one of only two log courthouses in LOUISIANA and the first ever in DeSoto Parish.  The first courthouse and  a jail were built for $900.00. In August 1843 the Police Jury accepted the log courthouse, and the first day of court was the following day.  In 1850, and the log courthouse was lost. However as the General Ross Hewitt house was being demolished the log courthouse was found within its walls. Realizing the significance of such a find, the DeSoto Parish Historical Society immediately began raising funds to restore it and was successful. It was dismantled and rebuilt at its present site on the corner of Polk Street and Madison Street. On the grounds is the bell that summoned court into session in 1843.  

The courthouse is open Mondays and Tuesdays 9:00 to 4:00 and Wednesdays 9:00 to 12:00. There are historical items on view. There is no fee; however, donations are welcome.

Mansfield Female Museum

This is the oldest women's college west of the Mississippi River. Mansfield Female College was founded by the Methodists here in the 1800's. Mansfield Female College operated for 80 years, but it closed in 1930, merging with Centenary College in Shreveport.  The first graduating class was in 1856 under the direction of Dr. Henry Coleman Thweatt.  Behind the College, still standing in tact, is the Lyceum.  This was the gym and dining area downstairs and upstairs was the Auditorium with a stage.  Reimer Calhoun Sr. bought the building in 1940.  The two top floors were removed from the College when he purchased it as he made it into his family residence. This museum was added to the Secretary of State's Museums Program during the 2003 legislative session.

The Old Church Inn

This historic building was constructed in 1911 as First Baptist Church. Church was held here for about 70 years.  The present, First Baptist church on Hwy 84 East used the ORIGINAL cornerstone for a piece of the foundation for the new church.  Around 1980 Reimer Calhoun purchased the building and the grounds and turned it into a “fascinating” hotel and restaurant.  The hotel rooms were furnished with “Turn of the Century” antique furniture.  In 198_ the hotel was then turned into its present, as an elderly and handicapped apartment complex.  The name was retained as the “Old Church Inn.”

Rock Chapel

Construction on the Rock Chapel began in 1891 by monks who lived in the nearby Carmelite monastery. Stones from the surrounding area were joined together with mud plaster. The walls were painted with frescoes and the ceiling with murals done by two monks from France. The Chapel was used as a retreat for the monks. It also was a site for weddings, Easter services, and other celebrations. Unfortunately a decline began due to the death of the monks, poverty, fire, and the closure of the Carmelite convent. It fell into disrepair until 1959 when the priest of Carmel-Rambin Churches advocated restoration of the Chapel. Renovation was completed with a dedication service Sunday, June 4, 1961. The Chapel is located seven miles northeast of Mansfield near Carmel on the Smith Port Lake Road. There is a fence around the property with a locked gate. Call the Tourist Bureau at (318) 872-1177 to obtain information to go onto the property.

The DeSoto Parish Courthouse 

The courthouse was erected in 1911. It has been renovated, and during this procedure stained skylights and other decorative details were rediscovered. The style is a mixture of Mediterranean and English, and is most impressive with arched windows and ionic columns. The structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places January 22, 1987. It sits in a square of Washington, Texas, Adams, and Franklin Streets.