Section One: Section One

Section One: Section One:

Contents

Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………….1-3

Organization of the Plan………………………………………………………………….1-5

How to Use the SCCDP…………………………………………………………………...1-6

History of Scotlandville…………………………………………………………………...1-7

IntroductionIntroduction

Overview

Section One, introduces this document

entitled “The Scotlandville Comprehensive

Community Development Plan” acronymed

SCCDP, and also referred to as “the Plan”,

or “this Plan”. Scotlandville is located in

the northern portion of the city of Baton

Rouge, in East Baton Rouge Parish. The

area is bounded by Plank Road to the east,

Thomas Road to the north, the Mississippi

River to the west, and Airline Hwy to the

south, and includes the Southern Univer-

sity campus (the home of the Jaguar Na-

tion), and several refineries, and the Baton

Rouge Metropolitan Airport. Scotlandville is

a close-knit predominately African Ameri-

can community. In summary, Section One

presents the geographic location of the

Scotlandville Community and its physical

boundaries; and a rigorously researched,

history of Scotlandville, consistent with the

goal of this effort, producing the SCCDP —

the Plan.

1-3 Executive Summary

SCCDP - Section One

Executive Summary The Scotlandville Comprehensive Community Development Plan (SCCDP) addresses a

broad range of interrelated topics in a unified way. The SCCDP identifies & analyzes the rela-

tionships between education, the economy, transportation, housing, the physical environment,

land use and zoning, social services, and other community components. The SCCDP presents

goals; analyzes existing conditions and trends; describes and illustrates a vision for physical,

social, and economic change in the community, prospectively for the next twenty (20) years.

The plan outlines policies and guidelines intended for use in the implementation of the commu-

nity‟s vision. This plan was developed through an engaged collaborative process involving

community citizens and other stakeholders, students, businesses, local and government agen-

cies and officials.

The SCCDP is a community plan that is part of the East Baton Rouge Parish Compre-

hensive Plan called “FUTUREBR”, which provides greater detail for development strategies in

the Scotlandville area. In fact, FUTUREBR identifies as its second core strategy: “Conduct

Small Area Planning and Develop Community Development Districts”. Scotlandville is identified

as one of six areas (i.e., Old South Baton Rouge and Mid City) for initial implementation of a

small area plan. Small Area Plans (as identified by FUTUREBR) translate broad ideas from the

comprehensive plan down to the street level, appropriate in scale for a given neighborhood.

This is the second of seven core strategies for implementing the East Baton Rouge Parish

Comprehensive Plan. As a matter of context, it should be clearly understood that Small Area

Plans are not part of the East Baton Rouge Parish Comprehensive Plan. Small Area Plans

supplement comprehensive plans by providing detailed direction for areas ranging in size from

a few city blocks to entire neighborhoods, or corridors. The SCCDP process, will be used as a

model (template) for future Small Area Plans produced in East Baton Rouge Parish. Supporting

this objective, the SCCDP has been prepared to define growth patterns, promote and focus re-

vitalization efforts, and achieve other long-range planning goals.

Community participation is key to developing and implementing any successful commu-

nity plan. During the past two years, the Southern University School of Architecture‟s Urban +

Rural Community Design Research Center (U+R CDRC), has used numerous communication

tools and public involvement strategies to engage the Scotlandville community in developing

the SCCDP. Some of the ways citizens became involved in the process was through surveys,

community visioning, charrettes, public meetings, asset mapping, and computer based public

participation. The U+R CDRC, along with other agencies used all the avenues previously dis-

cussed to involve the Scotlandville community throughout this process to ensure that the

SCCDP is a community driven plan.

SCCDP - Section One

Executive Summary 1-4

At the heart of the SCCDP is the community‟s Vision, which states: “In the year 2030,

Scotlandville will be a safe, healthy, and economically viable community offering a high

quality of life”. To accomplish the vision, five development strategies were created through

the community engagement process, and are described in greater detail in Section Four.

These five strategies make up the Vision for the SCCDP, and are referenced in the ten Plan

elements further described in Section Four. The five strategies are as follows:

1. Create a dynamic economy

2. Promote clean and attractive neighborhoods

3. Develop a diverse and vibrant University District and Commercial Core

4. Build an active and accessible waterfront

5. Provide an efficient transportation system

Advancing the five strategies are ten Plan elements, identified by the community during

the engagement process. All Plan elements respond to and fulfill one or more of the five

strategies. The ten plan elements are: community image, economic development, education,

environmental concerns, housing, infrastructure, recreation and entertainment, safety and

crime, social policies and community awareness, and transportation. These Plan elements

were used to develop policy statements and action steps to accomplish the five strategies that

serve to implement the community‟s vision. While some actions are ongoing, most have an

identifiable end date, after which the action is considered complete. All actions are prioritized

and assigned to different local, city-parish, state or federal agencies in the Action Plan Imple-

mentation Matrix.

The Implementation Section describes how the plan‟s recommended actions are to be

carried out and by which agency. Timeframes are provided so that the Plan‟s implementation

steps can be monitored and measured. This is an important step toward in assuring account-

ability. Of course, an implementation element alone is no guarantee that the policies of this

Community Plan will be followed or that its actions will be carried out. Proper coordination be-

tween the City Parish Planning Commission‟s FUTUREBR Plan, the East Baton Rouge Rede-

velopment Authority‟s Community Improvement Plan (CIP), and other local and state agencies

can assist with the effort to ensure that future actions respect the SCCDP‟s policies. The most

important tool and procedure for doing this are zoning and coordination with the FUTUREBR,

along with the policies and actions set forth in the SCCDP and CIP. The use of these tools to

carry out the Community Plan is described in Section Five of this document.

To date, nearly 600 community members (students, residents and business owners)

individually, collectively and repetitively have participated in this process and had their voices

heard to ensure this is a community driven plan, that represents the Scotlandville community.

Introduction

Organization of the Plan

The Scotlandville Comprehensive Community Development Plan (SCCDP) outlines poli-

cies and guidelines intended to implement the community‟s vision over the next twenty (20)

years. The SCCDP outlines the process used for the development of the Plan generated over a

period of two years, and is organized into six sections, summary outlined as follows:

Section One - Introduction: This section explains the purpose of the SCCDP and

how it is organized; the history of Scotlandville, its rich character, and the state of its

current existence.

Section Two - Existing Conditions and Analysis: This section examines: existing

conditions of the environment and infrastructure, and makeup of the community; the

Community Needs Survey and Business Survey, to understand the needs of the

residential and business community; and explains how the information in this Section

Two sets the framework for the SCCDP.

Section Three - Community Engagement Process: This section shows the process,

the tools used and involvement strategies explored to engage the Scotlandville

community, businesses, stakeholders and friends in developing the SCCDP.

Section Four - Community Development Plan: This section outlines the ten (10)

plan elements determined from the community engagement process (community

image, economic development, education, environmental concerns, housing, infra-

structure, recreation and entertainment, safety and crime, social policies and commu-

nity awareness, and transportation) and the significance of their impact throughout the

Scotlandville community.

Section Five - Implementation Strategies: This section organizes the priorities,

responsible agencies, and necessary partnerships to implement the SCCDP‟s policies

and actions. Also included is a monitoring guide for keeping the SCCDP current, and

for reporting incremental progress towards reaching the Plan's Vision for 2030.

Section Six - Appendix: This section list the resources used to develop as well as

resources required to implement the Plan, along with a glossary terms. Community

landscaping options are also explained in this section.

1-5 Organization of the Plan

SCCDP - Section One

SCCDP - Section One

Organization of the Plan How to Use the SCCDP 1-6

The SCCDP is supplemented by detailed background studies conducted in the Scot-

landville community, and included several visual and community inventory reports. The reader

seeking more background information and data analysis is encouraged to refer to these valu-

able resource materials, which are available at the Southern University School of Architecture

Urban + Rural Community Design Research Center (SUSA U+R CDRC), or on the U+R

CDRC‟s website www.urcdrc.org.

How to Use the SCCDP

This document has been designed for use by the City-Parish Planning Commission,

elected officials, residents, businesses, developers, and others with an interest in the future of

Scotlandville. The fact that so many different users will consult this Community Plan shapes the

way information is presented.

Although this is a planning document, the SCCDP has been written in “plain English” to

make it more accessible. Key issues are described with data to make the purpose of policies

more apparent. Graphics, maps, photos, and charts have been used to illustrate major points

and improve the legibility of the text. Colored side text boxes are used to present case studies

and background information on the topic under discussion. Cross-references are used to direct

the reader to other relevant and related policies and actions within this document, along with

connecting this document to the East Baton Rouge Parish Comprehensive Plan (FUTUREBR)

and the East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority‟s Community Improvement Plan (CIP).

This Community Plan has also been written to be an effective resource for those who

seek general information on how Scotlandville may change over the next 20 years, as well as

those who want or need to understand how the community plans to respond to particular issues

and problems. As the community‟s primary planning document, the SCCDP is of particular in-

terest to elected officials as well as agency heads who should aim to connect other plans to the

policies and actions represented in this document.

The Scotlandville Comprehensive Community Development Plan‟s (SCCDP) 2030

Vision Map and the Future Land Use Map provide the foundation for land use decision-making

and zoning. Both maps are described in detail in Section Four of this document. These maps

appear as poster-sized foldouts. They are supplemented by numerous smaller maps that

appear throughout this document.

Introduction

History of Scotlandville

Although considered a predominately urban area today, prior to 1914 the area known

currently as Scotlandville was little more than an isolated rural village located around Scot‟s

Bluff, named for a cotton planter whose plantation was first established along the Mississippi

River. The following pages briefly tell the story of a community rich in culture and pride. The

history of Scotlandville was prepared by a team of researchers, community members, students

and historians lead by Dr. Peter Breaux and Dr. Ruby Jean Simms in the History Department,

and they were assisted by the following:

Researched and Developed By:

Ruby Jean Simms, PhD., Professor Department of History Southern University, and

Peter J. Breaux, PhD., Assistant Professor Department of History Southern University

Text and Graphic Designer for the History Component

Della Perkins, MA, NCC, LPC Dolores Margaret Richard Spikes Honors College Southern University

and A & M College

History Data and Pictures Provided By:

Mary W. Emerson, The Flanders Family, The Franklin Family, Douglas and Fairy Lee Sewell, The

Hansberry Family, The Hawkins Family, The Holden Family, The Honey Family, The Simms Family,

Beverly Vincent and Willamena L. Wheellock, and Mrs. Mildred Kelly Marcelle

1-7 History of Scotlandville

SCCDP - Section One

Figure 1.1: Kelly‟s Bus Line – first black business in Scotlandville; owned by Amanda and Arteal Kelly (1919). From the Collection of Beverly Vincent, niece of Amanda Kelly Mackie.

SCCDP - Section One

History of Scotlandville 1-8

SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND SCOTLANDVILLE, LOUISIANA :

A PARTNERSHIP VIA DRIFT OR DESIGN, 1914-2011?

…Scotland is isolated, with the river on one side, swamps on the

other side and no public road. It is as nearly set aside as it is possi-

ble. In addition, it has the advantage of two railroads and the river

front, for quick and easy transportation. Those who expect to pro-

test against the new site at Scotland could well wait and see what

effect the school is going to have on East Baton Rouge, before they

make compliant,…1

1914 editorial

Meeting in New Orleans in 1879, members of the Louisiana State Constitutional Con-

vention supported the proposal of four black delegates, P. B. S. Pinchback, T. T. Allain, T. B.

Stamps and Henry Demas, to create an institution of higher learning for Louisiana‟s “Negro”

population. They were successful in getting Article 231 passed, which authorized the General

Assembly to establish the School in New Orleans and provide for its governance. This legisla-

tive measure also stipulated that the General Assembly would annually appropriate not less

than five thousand dollars, but not more than ten thousand dollars for its support and mainte-

nance.2

In the next session of the General Assembly, T. T. Allain introduced a bill which called

for the implementation of Act 231. This having been done, the institution was chartered as

Southern University by Legislative Act 87, in April, 1880. With the signature of Governor Nich-

ols, it was incorporated and governed by a twelve member Board of Trustees, and a faculty of

“Arts and Letters” was created. The faculty was to be competent in every area of Liberal Arts

education, and to graduate and confer degrees only to persons competent and deserving. With

various legal requirements satisfied, the first students entered in March, 1881.3

For the next thirty-one years, New Orleans was the home of Southern University. The

passage of the Second Morrill Act of 1890 provided for the designation of the University as a

land-grant institution, and the creation of agricultural and mechanical departments. In 1910, Dr.

Joseph Samuel Clark, President of Baton Rouge College and the Louisiana Colored Teachers

Association, formed a committee which was charged with making a request of Governor J. Y.

Sanders and the General Assembly that a Normal school (school for teacher training) be lo-

cated in a rural part of Louisiana. They met with Governor Sanders prior to the 1910 session,

and his position was that he didn‟t favor the establishment of an additional school, but he did

Introduction

favor and would recommend the removal of Southern University from the City of New Orleans. 4

In 1890 he entered Coleman College at twenty years old, but left in 1894 and entered

Bishop College, Marshall, Texas, during the fall of the year. Later he returned to Ouachita Par-

ish and studied for two years at Trenton School. On October 7, 1896 he entered Leland Uni-

versity in New Orleans, but the school was closed in December, 1897 due to a yellow fever out-

break. In October, 1897 he accepted a job as a teacher in Cameron Parish and was granted a

leave from Leland from November 1, 1897 to April 11, 1900. He received his B.A. degree on

May 8, 19015, a M.A. degree from Selma University in 1913 and an advanced degree from

Leland in 1914. (see figure 1.2).

He taught briefly in 1901 at several rural schools in Louisiana, among them was the

Brownville Missionary Baptist Church. Later he accepted the position of principal of the Leland

Academy in Donaldsonville, Louisiana (known as the Slater High School of Donaldsonville), but

resigned on November 10, 1901 and accepted the principalship of Baton Rouge Academy – his

alma mater.

Acting on a directive of the members of the Educational Board of the Fourth District As-

sociation, W. W. Greenup of East Feliciana Parish and Chair of the Board, offered Joseph

Samuel Clark the principalship of Baton Rouge Academy. He accepted and resigned from

Leland Academy on November 10, 1901. By the 1906-1907 sessions, the school had a new

name – Baton Rouge College and Principal Clark was given a new title – PRESIDENT6.

What was next to come will lead to the focus of this investigation – Scotlandville, Louisi-

ana. By 1911, East Baton Rouge had begun to increase its support (public funds) for common

schools, but its major crop – cotton – was being destroyed by the boll weevil. This led to a de-

cline in enrollment and support from residents or people from rural districts. Dr. Clark resigned

to accept a position as Jeanes Teacher of West Baton Rouge. The Jeanes, Slater, Peabody

and Rosenwald foundations were leading contributors of some funds for the construction of

common and normal schools for “Negro” children in rural areas of the South, 1880s – 1940s7. It

should be noted that Clark did agree to stay on, as president of Baton Rouge College, for a

raise of $25.00 a month. The Board voted “NO,” but did agree to offer other concessions and

services.

Joseph Samuel Clark was elected President of the Louisiana State Colored Teachers

Association in 1909. It was organized in 1901 by J. B. LaFargue of Alexandria, Louisiana and

John W. Hunter of Winnsboro, Louisiana. During Clark‟s tenure, the organization was reorgan-

ized and began to focus more on problems confronting education in Louisiana. He had long


SCCDP - Section One

SCCDP - Section One


noticed that in the fight to get

elementary and normal schools

for black children that those

built were in rural areas, with

land, materials, supplies and

labor provided mostly by black

people, not white philanthro-

pists or white southerners.

What was needed was an in-

crease in the number of black

teachers, so as to increase a

pool of black leaders. There-

fore, teachers would be trained

using the Hampton-Tuskegee

curriculum model.

In his fifth year as presi-

dent of the organization, Jo-

seph Samuel Clark began to

offer a proposal that would cre-

ate a centrally located, state

supported institution, with a focus on training teachers for black schools in Louisiana. The As-

sociation voted to have the school located in an area which would serve the larger number of

people. This group, initially, sought a “new” institution - not the closure of one that had existed,

at this time, for years (1880-1910), without persons worrying about whether or not educational

needs of black people were being met. Southern University was the only one (black) which re-

ceived financial support appropriated by the legislature. One could find, however, some public

supported educational schools in New Orleans and Alexandria. There were also other educa-

tional opportunities available, but they were offered by private schools and very expensive.8

In 1910, Joseph Samuel Clark, acting as President of Baton Rouge College and the

Louisiana Colored Teachers Association, formed a committee which was charged with making

a request of Governor J. Y. Sanders and the General Assembly that a teacher training (Normal)

school be located in a rural part of Louisiana9. They met with Governor Sanders prior to the

1910 session and his position was “that he didn’t favor the establishment of an additional

school, but he did favor and would recommend the removal of Southern University from the

City of New Orleans10

.

Introduction

Figure 1.2: Leland College founded in 1870 in New Orleans by Holbrook Cham-berlain of Brooklyn, New York, named for John Leland, his wife’s father. It was destroyed by a hurricane in 1915 and relocated to Baker, Louisiana. Alumni: Dr. Joseph Samuel Clark, Dr. Gardner C. Taylor and Coach Eddie Robinson. From the Collection of Ryan Lawrence, Southern University-Senior from Hammond, Louisiana.

The measure was introduced and passed in

the House, but failed in the Senate. However, Clark

did not relinquish his fight for relocation. He spoke

to members of the General Assembly and provided

facts on hardships and needs of rural parishes. He,

continuously, cited the need for more and better

trained black teachers and solicited the assistance

of others, especially his friend – Superintendant T.

H. Harris (Harris Hall – Southern University-Baton

Rouge).

So, Harris, in his 1908-1909 report to Gover-

nor Sanders, argued the need for an institution that

would train teachers in agriculture, manual training

and domestic service,… “This institution should be

located in the country and not in a town or city.”11

He, also, recommended that in order to save

money, they should sale Southern University, lo-

cated in New Orleans, and invest the money in

building a “new” Southern in a rural area.12

In 1912 the Bill was introduced again and this time passed in both houses. It was signed

by Governor Luther E. Hall on July 9, 1912, as Act Number 118. Thirty-eight (38) citizens of

New Orleans filed a law suit requesting an injunction; and, it was granted by the District Court.

On appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Plaintiffs lost. The Majority Opinion cited the

fact that the Constitution of 1879 placed the University in New Orleans; but, it was superseded

by the Constitution of 1898. According to the court, this constitution did not mention that the

location had to be in New Orleans. The justices noted that it was altered by the General As-

sembly in 1912 to change the domicile. Therefore, the citizens of New Orleans had no greater

right than other citizens of the State. It was not owned by citizens in one city, but all citizens of

the state.13

Now, an individual had to be selected to lead the institution and to immediately com-

mence carrying out key stipulations of the Act. The position of president was offered to Dr. Jo-

seph Samuel Clark; and, he began work on September 1, 1913 (see figure 1.3). He had to lead

the relocation effort by finding a new domicile and transferring usable properties from New Or-

leans. The latter task was assigned to Frederick Simms, John Theus (his friend and cousin),

Elijiah Thompson and Lawerence Webb. They used the Mississippi River to transfer the follow-


SCCDP - Section One

Figure 1.3: Dr. Joseph Samuel Clark, first president of Southern University in Scotlandville, 1913 – 1938

SCCDP - Section One


ing: chairs, desks, buggies and tally hoes, mules and horses, school records and reports,

tools, printing equipment, pianos, dump carts and band instruments. The President had to con-

tinue to build sentiment favorable to the idea of a “new” institution for higher education for

“Negros”. It should be noted, also, that he had to select only black administrators, faculty and

students, so Simms was the only department head in New Orleans who could join him in Scot-

landville; and, he did. The Act also called for Southern to be governed by The Board of Trus-

tees, consisting of six members – one for each Congressional District who served for four

years. This appointment would be made by the Governor and the Superintendent of Educa-

tion, with the Governor also serving as Chairman of the Board.14

First, concerning a possible location for Southern University, the President considered

four major areas outside of the Baton Rouge area. They were: Donaldsonville, New Iberia, Al-

exandria, and Grambling, Louisiana. After whites’ vocal disapproval, each proposal was de-

feated via vote. He then turned to three tracts near Baton Rouge. These were the Shaffer’s

Plantation in South Baton Rouge, a plantation near the Greenwell Springs Road and a planta-

tion a few miles north of Baton Rouge, which was known as the Kernan Place and located on a

high point along the Mississippi River (Scot’s Bluff) in the rural area of Scotland.15

Following the recommendation by Dr. Clark that the Kernan Plantation was the best site

for the new locale of Southern University, the State of Louisiana purchased its 531 acres. As

was the case regarding other possible locations, some whites in the Scotland area voiced their

opposition to the presence of a school for “Negroes” in their “village.” Hearing of possible pro-

tests against the opening (March 9, 1914), Felton Grandison Clark stated that his father (J. S.

Clark) and T. H. Harris informed Governor Luther S. Hall – who was attending a dance at the

Istrouma Hotel. Today, it is known as the “Dixie area”. The Governor informed them that the

University would open in Scotland, if the militia had to be sent.16

Even though the University was going to be located on the Kernan Plantation, the area

continued to be referred to as SCOTLAND – why? Bordering the school on the west, the Mis-

sissippi River played a significant role in the origin and growth of Scotland. A natural harbor of

the river was the location of a landing post for shiploads of slaves who were carried to or from

New Orleans, prior to the Civil War – 1861-1865.17

Isaac Franklin, a noted slave trader, re-

ported the landing of slaves at this locale. The earliest settlement on the banks of the River,

near this landing post, was spearheaded by a cotton planter named Scot,…18

Before there was

an official name for the town some parts were called Scot’s Bluff. This name was given be-

cause 80% to 90% of the traveled movement of people and freight was by boat and the name

of the boat landing or post was Scot’s Bluff.19

Introduction

Sometime following the Reconstruction Era

(1865-1877), the land area was given an official

name. After many proposals and suggestions, it

was, officially, designated as Scotlandville, Louisi-

ana. Although one suggestion was to give it the

name “University City”, Felton G. Clark, the second

President of Southern University, 1938-1968, stated

that it was not approved even though the name sug-

gested a connection with the University. In fact, on

two pillars to the only entrance to Southern, at this

time, was the name – University City.20

Instead, the

name Scotlandville was agreed upon and F. G. Clark

stated why and how (see figure 1.4).

Scotland was the name of the railroad

station to both the Yazoo and Missis-

sippi Valley which has been pretty

much thought of as the Illinois Central

Railroad and the Louisiana Railway

and Navigator Company, which since has been absorbed by the

Kansas City Southern Railroad. The name which was decided re-

sulted in the anomaly of the post office being called Scotlandville

and the railroad station being called Scotland.21

For mailing purposes, however, area residents used Scotlandville Branch Post Office as

their address. When the passenger train passed, mail was thrown in front of a small depot lo-

cated near the junction of Scotland Avenue and Scenic Highway. Joseph Lewis, Pearl L. Hall’s

grandfather, picked up the mail (sack) and delivered it to Rieger’s Pharmacy. This was the lo-

cale where persons picked-up or dropped-off mail. Lewis used a wheelbarrow for these trips.

There was a pole, near the depot, that was used to hand bag(s) of mail going out. A person on

the north bound train was able to reach the bag(s) without the train stopping.

After being housed in Rieger’s Pharmacy, the post office was later located in Amanda

Kelly Mackie’s building, which was behind Sewell’s Grocery and University Pharmacy on Swan

Street. Eventually its new locale was on the corner of Curtis Street and Scenic Highway. It

should be noted that the name of the post office in earlier years was simply U. S. Post Office,

but now it became Scotlandville Branch Post Office. There was a significant historical event in


SCCDP - Section One

Figure 1.4: Felton Grandison Clark, son of Joseph Samuel Clark and Southern University’s second President, 1938-1968.

SCCDP - Section One


1986, when a U. S. Post Office Contract Station was

awarded to Simms’ Discount Pharmacy, the first to be

owned by females - Geraldine A. Simms and Ruby

Jean Simms, in the history of the town. It was also

historically significant because it was housed in the

building that had been the site of the first post office

in Scotlandville – Rieger’s Pharmacy (early 1920’s-

mid 1960’s). The Contract Station provided mailing

services for citizens, especially those without trans-

portation because the new Scotlandville Branch Post

Office was going to be opened on the eastside of

Plank Road. It was dedicated by President Ronald

Reagan, as a place of public service, in 1987.

Although the opening of a modern post office

in 1986 was evidence of growth, Scotlandville’s chro-

nology of population in growth and development

dates to the end of the Civil War in 1865. Evidence

has been uncovered which supports the hypothesis

that many “Negroes” did not walk away after been

freed (1865); but remained on the plantation of their

former master. An assumption is being made that

this was the case for Scotlandville, during the Recon-

struction Period – 18650-1877. Some persons, how-

ever, did move into the area from other places.

What we do know is that the area’s rate of population growth began to increase around

1878, one year after Reconstruction ended and continued to expand. “From 1878 to 1912

there were roughly thirty-four families here of which two were whites,”22

…stated Felton G.

Clark. One of the black families that came around 1915 was, also, highlighted by Clark:

The crossroads store [now Swan and Scenic] was operated by the

head of one of these families who had come to this village with his

family by way of New Orleans from Italy. They were the Dragos.

The other family was the Crumholdts, American Caucasians. Ulti-

mately, some two or three years later [after 1912] there were Negro

merchants named Kelly who lived behind the railroad track and a

significant amount of business was done with them. Apparently, the

Introduction

Figure 1.5: Amanda Kelly Mackie standing by her car. In the background is Rieger’s Pharmacy, the first drug store in Scotlandville – owned by whites (1930s). From the Collection of Beverly Vincent, niece of Amanda Kelly Mackie.

other residents were engaged in farming and raising livestock.23

The earliest black family in Scotlandville also had family members who became the first

black business owners. Amanda Kelly Mackie, born on December 25, 1891, lived in Scotland-

ville until her death, at 88 years, on January 11, 1979. After marrying Arteal Kelly in 1919, they

opened the first of several businesses – the Kelly

Bus Line (1919). She was the co-owner of the bus

company, a grocery store for twenty-five (25) years

and they sold Esso gas.24

(see figures 1.5 - 1.9).

The Kelly’s were later joined by other pioneer

business persons. For more than thirty years, the

Franklin and London families provided bus transpor-

tation for Scotlandville and surrounding areas of

North Baton Rouge. For the Franklins, it was Henry

and his brother Arthur. Their central locale was in

the area of Swan Street, where their homes were

also located. Arthur Franklin also operated the lead-

ing auto repair shop. The children of these two fami-

lies (eleven totaled) attended Southern University.

The London Family was also successful business

persons in the bus transportation sector. They in-

cluded the father Henry London Sr. and his sons,

Harold, Henry and

Harding. Until the

late 1970s or early

1980s they were in

business; and were

assisted by such driv-

ers as Sam Honey –

the father of the late

Rep. Avon Honey.

(see figures 1.10 -

1.12).

Three other

long time business

persons were Sam


SCCDP - Section One

Figure 1.6: Amanda and Arteal Kelly, first Black business persons of Scotlandville – 1919-1960s. From the Collection of Beverly Vincent, niece of Amanda Kelly Mackie.

Figure 1.7: One of the buses used by Kelly’s Bus Line. Kelly’s Grocery is the Building to the right (1920s and 1940s). From the Collection of Beverly Vincent, niece of Amanda Kelly Mackie.

SCCDP - Section One


Drago, a son of one of the two white families in the

early history of Scotlandville, Vanderbilt Sewell and

John E. “Pool” Simms. For more than fifty years

Drago provided “dry good” items for the town, which

was located next to his father’s home on the corner of

Scenic Highway and Swan Street. Vanderbilt Sewell

started with one grocery store and later built stores in

nearly every residential area. The operation of these

stores was carried out by his wife Ellen, sons and two

daughters. Sewell was also one of the town’s real

estate and housing giants. John E. “Pool” Simms

work experience in the drug store business began in

Rieger’s Pharmacy, where he learned the business

and continued to provide services for the people of

Scotlandville for over sixty years, until the close of

Simms Discount in 1996 (see figure 1.13 - 1.16).

Venturing into business was one of three goals

and accomplishments of the early inhabitants of Scot-

landville. One of the other two immediate areas of

concern was the construction of churches and com-

mon (elementary), and high schools for their children.

In fact, Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, the oldest

church in Scotlandville (1893) was built before many

of the founders

moved to the area

from the St. Francis-

ville and Tunica Hills

areas. Others, with a

deep history in the

area include: Cam-

phor Memorial United

Methodist Church

(then CME, 1917),

Allen Chapel (AME)

Church, Greater

Mount Carmel Baptist

Introduction

Figure 1.8: Arteal Kelly standing by the Esso Gas (now ExxonMobil) tank. The Kelly’s also sold gas in Scotlandville. From the Collection of Beverly Vincent, niece of Amanda Kelly Mackie.

Figure 1.9: Kelly’s Bus Line and one of its drivers. It is believed by some that the driver is the father of the late Rep. Avon Honey, Sam Honey. From the Collection of Beverly Vincent, niece of Amanda Kelly Mackie.

Church, New Light Baptist Church, King David

Baptist Church and First Presbyterian Church of

Scotlandville. (see figures 1.17 - 1.19).

Just as persons were fighting throughout

the South (1865) for elementary and high schools

for their children, Scotlandville was no exception.

Being the third focus of concern, Scotlandville’s

first school was the Rosenwald School – named

because money was secured from the Rosenwald

Fund. Some in the area called it “Rev. Rice’s

School,” because the person in charge was a

Presbyterian minister and the school was located

on land that is now the First Presbyterian Church

of Scotlandville. Many have reason to speculate

that the Rev. Rice was one of Former Secretary of

State Condaleeza Rice’s ancestors. After this

school, there were others constructed - including

South and North Scotlandville, Scotlandville Junior-Senior High School and, in 1960, Scotland-

ville Senior High School – later Scotlandville Magnet. Other elementary schools were con-

structed over the years.

Schools were constructed in residential areas

where many of Southern University’s administrators

and faculty lived, along with a growing population of

blue collar families. For instance, Amanda and Arteal

Kelly built a large, modern brick home on Scenic High-

way, near South Scotlandville Elementary. [Picture 17]

Located on Rosenwald Road near the Rosenwald

School (Rev. Rice’s School) was a large white framed

home of the mother and father of the Kelly’s. Their

home was surrounded by a large number of acres,

which they owned. Some citizens near the Rosen-

wald, South Scotlandville and North Scotlandville

Schools were: J. S. Jones, M. C. Meadors, T. J. Jor-

dan, James B. Moore, and Ruffin Paul Sr. Others, ac-

cording to Clark:


SCCDP - Section One

Figure 1.10: Henry Franklin provided bus transportation for Scotlandville Residents for over 40 years. From the Collection of the Franklin Family.

Figure 1.11: Arthur Franklin, brother of Henry Franklin, also provided bus transportation and op-erated a garage shop for more than 50 years. From the Collection of the Franklin Family.

SCCDP - Section One


,…lived on the Badley Road.

They lived on Plank Road.

They lived on what was then

called Bayou Sarah Road and

which is now Scenic Highway.

They lived on a broken-down

B a k e r - S c o t l a n d R o a d

[Scotland Avenue]. Scotland,

itself, was a trading center, a

place where, more or less,

travelers pass through en route

to other towns.25

Before long, many persons

stopped bypassing the town or pass-

ing through and began to venture to

the area to live. Growth in its popula-

tion can be attributed to three major

factors. The first occurred in 1909

when the Standard Oil Company built its petro-chemical plant,26

near Southern University, on a

large tract of land north of what is now Chippewa Street. Other plants, such as the Solvay and

Dupont Chemical and Munition Works, also provided opportunities for some persons to secure

jobs.

Recruitment efforts of Dr. Jo-

seph Samuel Clark were the second

major factor for an increase in popula-

tion. He traveled the state and met

with parents, their children and com-

munity leaders. He always told them

that “,…the school was always for

community improvement; therefore,

the college must grasp every opportu-

nity to serve, to cooperate with and

enlighten the community. The Univer-

sity placed on exhibit its best in aca-

demic and vocational fields, for fifteen

Introduction

Figure 1.12: The London Family. Father Henry London Sr. and sons Henry Jr., Harding and Harrell owned and operated a bus company in Scotlandville for more than 40 years. Mother Carrie and sisters Ethel assisted them and sister Willamena is continuing their legacy of support-ing community endeavors. From the Collection of Mary Wheellock Emer-son, daughter of Willamena and granddaughter of Carrie and Henry Sr.

Figure 1.13: from the Collection of Douglas and Fairy Lee Sewell, chil-dren of Vanderbilt Sewell, Scotlandville’s “magnate” in grocery stores, real estate and housing. Notice the U. S. Post Office next door.

years, in Shreveport and other

parts of the state.27

The mere fact that a uni-

versity opened on March 9,

1914 in a rural area called

Scotland constitutes the third

impetus for the town’s growth.

Fathers and mothers were opti-

mistic that they could secure

jobs and the University became

the source from which their

children received an education.

So, many families came from East Baton Rouge Parish, from southern areas such as Dutch-

town, Burtville and from the north of Scotland – from areas such as Baker and Zachary, Louisi-

ana. They came and forged a partnership, with the University, not by design but by drift. Uni-

versity officials and the town’s people were “risk takers.”

Clark called movements of persons to Scotland

“Cycles of Migration.” He stated:

…the early cycle of migration was principally from

the adjoining parishes of West Baton Rouge

[towns of Port Allen and Brusly], and East and

West Feliciana parishes. More specifically, from

Clinton, Fulsom, Norwood, Lindsay, St. Francis-

ville and Tunica. In later years, migrants came

from northern, eastern and western points and

from the adjacent states of Arkansas and Missis-

sippi and even from the farther states of Alabama,

Tennessee, Kansas, Illinois and California. Simi-

larly, the white families moved into the community

from places either within the parish or the adjoin-

ing ones.

To many Negroes, it proved wiser to move

to Scotlandville and get an education than

it would have been to have stayed where


SCCDP - Section One

Figure 1.14: Employees inside Sewell’s grocery in the 1950s-60s.

Figure 1.15: John E. “Pool” Simms, as operator and manager of University Pharmacy, Pool’s and Simms Discount, provided services to the Scotlandville community for sixty years. From the Simms Family Collection.

SCCDP - Section One


they were. Southern, however, made possi-

ble not only education and economic devel-

opment, but also leadership because these

things could not be exercised in the areas

where these people lived originally. It pro-

vided them the opportunity to develop the

potentialities that could not have been devel-

oped at their own homes…28

However, prior to the opening of Southern

University in Scotland, there was no great influx of

people. It was still a small number of people scat-

tered in a village. “It was not even a rural, urban

center.” Primarily on Saturday afternoons or eve-

nings, people came to the “village” to trade, to mix

and mingle, and have a good time and, perhaps, to

have a drink. They found nearly no one living to the left of the Y and V Railroad nor between

this track and the LR & N Railroads. Today (2011) that would be such streets as Stilt, Oriole,

Snipe, Teal, Marsh, Simms, Osprey, Kitty, part of Swan, and Grebe Streets and Southern Ave-

nue.29

Those who decided to move to Scotland had another incentive to do so. If they were

“lucky” they could acquire land and eventually construct a home. The individual who was re-

sponsible for developing the area or Village, according to Felton G. Clark, was a man by the

Introduction

Figure 1.16: John E. “Pool” Simms, inside Simms’ Discount, 1995. From the Collection of the Simms Family.

Figure 1.17: Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church – early structures and some of its past ministers. From 2002 – June 2011 the minister was Pastor Darlene Moore. The new minister will be Rev. Clifton Conrad (2011 - ). From the collections of the Emerson, Wheellock, and Simms families.

name of Bacon. “He op-

erated excursions from

New Orleans to Scotland-

ville in an attempt to sell

the property. If you

bounded the train in New

Orleans with your destina-

tion Scotlandville, you

were given a free ticket.

His real estate venture

involved buying a ticket

for a drawing of two lots.

One’s name was written

on the ticket and if drawn,

he or she became a land

owner.30

Certainly, some

persons came for this op-

portunity and more. The

“more,” Clark felt, was “…

a need for expres-

sion….They came to get

a cross section of abilities

developed that would en-

able them to stand tall in

the walk of life.”31

The following is a

list of some families who

came to Scotland (later

Scotlandville) during its

early years – pre 1914-

1940’s: Jordan, Knox,

Patty, Veal, Early, Simms,

Haynes, Franklin, Davis,

Kelly, Ball, Eames, Cox, Lipscomb, Williams, Coleman, Diggs, Spruel, Hardesty, McGee, Tho-

mas, Flanders, Maybuce, Dunn, Kirk, Pidgeon, Hammond, Reed, Johnson, Banks, Jones,

Brown, Lewis, Morrison, Foster, Netters, Douglas, Talbert, Cooper, Finney, Watkins, London,


SCCDP - Section One

Figure 1.18: Founders of Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church (1917). From the collections of Mary W. Emerson and the Simms families.

SCCDP - Section One


Hayes, Hansberry, Bradford, Theus, Cook, Goings,

Crockett, Wilson, Reese, Murray, Jackson, Wilcox,

Sterling, Smith, Brashears and Brazier.

In due time, the heads of these households

secured jobs, enrolled their children at Southern

University and later acquired land.32

These families

(blacks and whites) were part of an in-migration

movement and they would become Scotlandville’s

residential dwellers. For example, within six years

of Southern University’s arrival, residential areas of

Scotland Height, University Place, North Baton

Rouge and Maryland Tank Farms were in planning

stages.33

While various residential areas were in plan-

ning stages prior to World War II (1939-1945), the

period beginning in the 1940’s and extending to the

present saw the birth and growth of the majority of

sub-communities making up Scotlandville. The War, itself, brought new types of growth to the

area. Harding Air Field, Baton Rouge’s first and only Army Airbase, was once located where

the present Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport stands.34

The airport also provided jobs for resi-

dents and others.

The townspeople never forgot opportunities provided by Southern University; so, busi-

ness persons and others (black and white)

often provided “free” transportation, grocer-

ies, medicines, clothes, money to pay bills,

shoe repairs (for students), reduced the ad-

mission fee to the one major theater, pro-

vided jobs for Southern University students,

pressed clothes for major university events,

granted credit for faculty and administration,

and offered low cost funeral arrangements.

They supported university programs, events,

sports, academics, research efforts and were

sponsors and/or contributors to fundraising

activities. They were very active and sup-

Introduction

Figure 1.19: Amanda Kelly Mackie posing inside her home – in later years. From the Collection of Beverly Vincent, niece of Amanda Kelly Mackie.

Figure 1.20: Scotlandville citizens organizations and businesses distributed gifts to the needy (1950s). From the Collection of Beverly Vincent, niece of Amanda Kelly Mackie.

ported students in their fight/struggles during the Civil Right Movement of the 1960s and be-

yond. They provided transportation and money during the Bus Boycott of 1953 and two of its

own participated in the 1960 sit-ins at Kress Five and Ten Store, Sitman’s Drug Store and the

Greyhound Bus Station. Area churches opened their sanctuaries for rallies and planning meet-

ings (see fig. 1.18).

Based on the preceding information, it is easy to conclude that the heart of the Scotland-

ville community was the business district located around the intersection of Scenic Highway

and Scotland Avenue (Highway 19). Between 1919 and 1980, a variety of business (black and

white owned) opened and thrived in this North Baton Rouge area and in a few other residential

districts.35

However, most businesses were owned and operated by blacks as compared to a

few owned and operated by whites. There were also a few owned by whites, but operated by

blacks. Those with black owners included: “two funeral homes, five grocery stores, two thea-

ters, two shoe repair [shops], six barber shops, eleven beauty shops, one shopping center, one

printing store, two restaurants, one drugstore, three motels, one hotel, and several diners.”36

The Scotlandville community continued to grow – as evidences by the creation of its first

residential community – Jordan Terrace. Its locale was adjacent to the Anna T. Jordan Park

(west) and named for Thomas Jefferson Jordan, an agricultural agent who was closely identi-

fied with Southern. The community’s second residential area, Southern Heights, was estab-

lished in 1952 and was a direct outgrowth of the increased economic strength of many of its

residents. It also was a product of rampant segregation, which existed in Scotlandville and

throughout the South. Jordan Terrace was composed of both blue and white collar citizens,

Southern Heights was designed as an upper middle-class African-American neighborhood. A

number of successful African-American business owners, educators and medical persons were

original owners of the property. Local business owners, Southern University faculty and ad-

ministration, public school teachers, attorneys, and medical doctors and dentists were among

the earliest residents of Southern Heights and attested to the reality of increased job and edu-

cational opportunities in the area via way of Southern University and other entities.37

Along with the changes brought by the civil rights movement during the 1960s, other

signs of change in Scotlandville were apparent by the 1970s. Some changes were consistent

with similar communities in other cities during the period. Since 1960, the outmigration of

whites had been occurring at a rapid pace. Within the decade, 1960-1970, there was a de-

crease in the white population from 20 percent down to 8.2 percent; a decline of approximately

50 percent. Some areas of Scotlandville became predominately black within a few years. In

addition, the proportion of the black middle-class also decreased as a result of outmigration.

The totality of these trends would adversely impact the once thriving local economy and busi-


SCCDP - Section One

SCCDP - Section One


nesses.38

Since the 1940s there was also an ongoing campaign by Scotlandville’s residents for

incorporation as a self-governed municipality. This battle continued into the 1970s, including

the defeat of a proposed incorporation amendment in 1972. The lack of sufficient municipal

services such as police/fire protection, drainage, and public transportation as well as the

general appearance of the area were key concerns for some residents.39

Ultimately, by 1976, areas such as Southern Heights petitioned for annexation into the

City of Baton Rouge, which brought an end to the incorporation movement. By 1980 most of

the residential neighborhoods were grouped into six major areas similar to those identified in

the Scotlandville Comprehensive Community Development Plan (SCCDP). This northern part

of the city of Baton Rouge is now situated between Thomas Road to the north, Airline Highway

to the south, Plank Road to the east, and the Mississippi River to the west. Unfortunately and

ironically, the annexation of Scotlandville occurred precisely at a time of recession and

decreasing federal dollars for urban areas and programs. Thus, many of the critical concerns

adversely impacting the community during the 1970s would remain and worsen during the

1980s and beyond.40

In spite of these circumstances, citizens of Scotlandville never relin-

quished their faith, hopes and desires for a brighter future.

During the early part of the 20th century, March 9, 1914, the “village,” Scotland and later

Scotlandville became the “new” domicile for Southern University’s one-hundred and thirty one

year (131 years) anniversary as a public institution for “persons of color.” Ninety-seven years

have been spent in Scotlandville; and much has been accomplished between the town and the

University. However, more and better things should and are occurring. The 21st Century

presents even more opportunities for the University to be the catalyst for Scotlandville’s renais-

sance or “rebirth.” A partnership by “drift”, formed on a foundation of change, uncertainty and

risk in 1914, now (2011) is the personification of what is; and, more importantly, what is to

come.

Introduction

Conclusion Understanding the history of Scotlandville is important to knowing where and how the

community wants to grow in the near future. Scotlandville has a rich culture and is a close-knit

community with residents that are striving for a better quality of living. This section, Section

One, provides the reader with the background of the Scotlandville community, and Section

Two, details the data collected to understand the environment in which the SCCDP was devel-

oped.


SCCDP - Section One

Figure 1.21: Aerial view looking at Scenic Highway, Scotland Avenue and Swan Street in 1914. From the Collection of Mr. and

Mrs. Earl Marcelle Jr.

SCCDP - Section One


History Notes

John B. Cade, The Man Christened Josiah Clark. (New York: American Press, 1966), 99. “Historical Statement,” Southern University Catalog, 2009-2010, 8. Ibid. John B. Cade, 99. Ibid., 59-71. Ibid. James D. Anderson, The Education of Blacks in the South; 1860-1935. (Chapel Hill: The University of North

Carolina Press, 1988), 148-237. John B. Cade, 88. Ibid. Ibid., 89. Ibid. Ibid., 90. Ibid., 90. Pearl L. Hall and Ruby Jean Simms, “Southern Moves…, 1. Ibid., 1-4 Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid., 1. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid., 1-4. Ibid. Ibid. John B. Cade, The Man Christened. Pearl L. Hall and Ruby Jean Simms, “Southern Moves…”, 1-4. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Pearl L. Hall and Ruby Jean Simms, “Southern Moves…”, 1-4. City of Baton Rouge, Parish of East Baton Rouge, “East Baton Rouge Parish Subdivision List,” http://

brgov.com (accessed October, 2010). Ruby J. Simms, “Former Scotland Avenue Businesses” (list compiled 1997); Pat McCallister-LeDuff “The

Banks community: Origin and Transformation” (research paper, Southern University Department of His-tory, 2011), 5-8; P. B. Rivera, “Elm Grove Park: A Brief History of a Scotlandville Community” (research paper, Southern University Department of History, 2011), 3.

Ibid., Pearl L. Hall and Ruby Jean Sims, “Southern Moves…”, 1-4. Pearl L. Hall and Ruby Jean Simms, “Southern Moves…” Theopolies Moton III, “Southern Heights” (research paper, Southern University Department of History, 2011),

2-3; McCallister-LeDuff “Banks”, 3-4, 11. Yousef Danesh “The Impact of the Absence of Local Self Government in the Predominately Black Community

of Scotlandville,” (unpublished research, 1974), 4; Howard P. Chudacoff, Judith E. Smith. Danesh, “The Impact; 5-6, 9-10, 12. Yousef Danesh, “The Unsuccessful Struggles of a Black Community to Incorporate: A Case Study, Scotland-

ville.” Journal of Black Studies, 30 (Nov. 1999): 1988-200; Southernite. Breaux, Peter. “A Brief Historical Overview of the Scotlandville Community: Early Years to Annexation into the

City of Baton Rouge. “Synopsis #1, Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 2011. pages 1-3. (Work Consulted)

Introduction

http://brgov.com

http://brgov.com

Section One: Section One

Documents