Nestled within the Kisatchie National Forest lies a hidden gem with a century’s worth of memories. Today the building sits abandoned, but at one time this building was the center of the community, a school, and a little piece of history. Let’s take a closer look.

Right at the intersection of La. Hwy. 117 and 118, there’s a little piece of history that is slowly being reclaimed by nature.
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It’s right across from the Kisatchie Post Office if you ever find yourself in that neck of the woods and want to see it for yourself.
This dilapidated old building was once Kisatchie High School, which was in operation from 1862-1962.
Darrell Miller/Flickr
A century’s worth of memories are found within these halls.
The school was established in 1862, and in 1912, it was consolidated with the Kisatchie Union School and the Shilo School, both neighboring schools.
Darrell Miller/Flickr
With the consolidation, the Kisatchie School now had enough students to become a small high school, and the Natchitoches Parish School Board accepted it into the parish school system in 1913.

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The school continued to grow, and by 1920 a larger building was needed to accommodate the growing number of students.
Darrell Miller/Flickr
In an effort of true communal spirit, the members of the community began making homemade bricks to build the new school. It was a true community effort, with even the kids pitching in. By 1922 the school was completed, and that’s the building that stands today.
By 1931, repairs were needed.
Darrell Miller/Flickr
As you can imagine, the community wasn’t exactly master brick manufacturers, and over the years the bricks began to deteriorate. A team of architects decided to save the exterior of the building by using stucco to cover the bricks. Their plan worked because the building is still standing today.
In 1962, the Kisatchie High School was consolidated with Provencal High School.
Darrell Miller/Flickr
At the time, there were only 47 students between the 12 grades and it just wasn’t feasible to continue to keep the school open. The halls haven’t heard a child’s laugh in almost 60 years, and now nature is slowly reclaiming this historic gem.

Did you go to this high school? Share your memories in the comments below!

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