Rediscovering Smith's Landing: The Story of Louisiana's First Train Station and Its Legacy

Today, I want to share the story of the first railroad built in central Louisiana. Known as the Red River Railroad, or sometimes the Ralph Smith Smith Railroad, this was the very first railroad constructed west of the Mississippi River. It was a simple and roughly built line that transported cotton and other goods that were brought in by barges on Bayou Boeuf.

 

The place where this railroad began is called Smith’s Landing, and the remaining building in the town of Lecompte is recognized as the first train station built west of the Mississippi. The tracks ran from Lecompte to the banks of the Red River in Alexandria, but much of this route has been lost to time. During the Civil War, Union soldiers tore up the tracks to create a levee, and because of that, we don’t know exactly where the railroad used to go. Interestingly, when crews were constructing the old Jefferson Highway that runs between Lecompte and Alexandria, they found some remnants of the Red River Railroad, which gave us hints about its possible path.

 

By studying aerial maps, I believe that the railroad likely followed the route of the Jefferson Highway. This seems reasonable because the highway passes right by the location of Smith’s Landing and leads straight to Alexandria. In Louisiana, it’s common for old railroad tracks to be removed and later turned into roads, which has happened in many places throughout the state. Essentially, the progression goes from railroad to dirt road to highway.

 

I also think the old railroad route might have been used by other railroads, like the Rock Island Railroad and the Texas Pacific, as they expanded their lines in and out of Alexandria. The Rock Island Railroad may have even followed part of this old route when building towards Lecompte.

 

The historic Smith’s Landing Depot still stands in Lecompte today at the corner of Water and Hardy streets. Nowadays, it serves as a venue for wedding receptions and social gatherings.

 

Originally, this site on Bayou Boeuf was a trading post known as White's Landing in the early 1800s. While it was a busy stop, the bayou was often unreliable for transporting crops because of changing water levels and winding passages. Ralph Smith Smith, an engineer with experience in building railroads, saw the struggles of local farmers and decided to create a railroad to help them. Around 1840, he built the Red River Railroad, a 16-mile track connecting Alexandria to White's Landing, which later became Smith's Landing. Although the railroad was not very advanced or fast, it was able to make one round trip a day and operated for over twenty years. It significantly helped farmers in the Bayou Boeuf Valley get their produce to market more easily. 

 

In 1854, Smith's Landing was renamed Lecompte after a popular racehorse. Sadly, the railroad was destroyed in 1864 during the Civil War. Later, in 1881, Ralph Smith sold his railroad to the New Orleans Pacific Railway Company. Remnants of this line were discovered in Lecompte when work was being done on the Jefferson Highway, reminding us of its historical significance.

- Ken Hulsey