Midland, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Midland is a small farming unincorporated community in Acadia Parish, Louisiana
located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Louisiana Highway 91. It is also located at the intersection of the former Louisiana Western Railroad (later a Southern Pacific Transportation Company subsidiary and now a joint BNSF Railway
/Union Pacific Railroad
line) and its branches to Eunice and Gueydan.
The community is part of the Crowley
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
During the 1870s, Frank Quebedeaux operated a horse-and-buggy ferry over Bayou Plaquemine Brûlée built of cypress logs and was hauled across the bayou by ropes.
In 1896, the railroad was extended from Midland to Gueydan, Louisiana
and then from Gueydan to Abbeville, Louisiana
in 1902. Southern Pacific began plans to put a railroad roundhouse at Midland due to Charles H. Cowen, one of the area's most successful rice farmers, developing the town. Cowen was an Illinois
native who bought 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) of land in the Midland area in 1892, and bought another 600 acres (2.4 km²) shortly after that. In 1902, he formed the Midland Development Co. and the Midland Rice Milling Co.. and on April 22 of that year, sold 156 town lots at auction. After Cowen lost a leg in a rice threshing accident and died soon after, Southern Pacific withdrew plans to place a roundhouse in Midland.
Midland's first post office was opened on June 13, 1902, in the Callahan general store, with Eugene T. Callahan as postmaster. The first school at Midland was established in 1903.
Acadia Parish, Louisiana
Acadia Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Crowley. According to the 2010 census, the population of Acadia Parish is 61,773. The parish was founded from parts of St...
located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Louisiana Highway 91. It is also located at the intersection of the former Louisiana Western Railroad (later a Southern Pacific Transportation Company subsidiary and now a joint BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
/Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
line) and its branches to Eunice and Gueydan.
The community is part of the Crowley
Crowley, Louisiana
Crowley is a city in and the parish seat of Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 14,225 at the 2000 census. The city is noted for its annual International Rice Festival. Crowley has the nickname of "Rice Capital of America", because at one time it was a major center for...
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Some people say it was given its name because it was the halfway point on the old railroad running westward from New Orleans to Houston. Midland first appeared on an Acadia Parish map as Midland Junction.During the 1870s, Frank Quebedeaux operated a horse-and-buggy ferry over Bayou Plaquemine Brûlée built of cypress logs and was hauled across the bayou by ropes.
In 1896, the railroad was extended from Midland to Gueydan, Louisiana
Gueydan, Louisiana
Gueydan is a town in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,598 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Abbeville Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and then from Gueydan to Abbeville, Louisiana
Abbeville, Louisiana
Abbeville is a town in and the parish seat of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, United States, 150 miles west of New Orleans. The population was 12,257 at the 2010 census...
in 1902. Southern Pacific began plans to put a railroad roundhouse at Midland due to Charles H. Cowen, one of the area's most successful rice farmers, developing the town. Cowen was an Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
native who bought 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) of land in the Midland area in 1892, and bought another 600 acres (2.4 km²) shortly after that. In 1902, he formed the Midland Development Co. and the Midland Rice Milling Co.. and on April 22 of that year, sold 156 town lots at auction. After Cowen lost a leg in a rice threshing accident and died soon after, Southern Pacific withdrew plans to place a roundhouse in Midland.
Midland's first post office was opened on June 13, 1902, in the Callahan general store, with Eugene T. Callahan as postmaster. The first school at Midland was established in 1903.