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The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs opened their second Veterans Cemetery in 2012. Located on two hundred acres donated by the U.S. Army, the cemetery is open to members of any U.S. military branch, their spouse and dependent children. It is open daily for visitation and has a computerized grave…

The Ferguson House is a Victorian Style house once home to G.R. Ferguson, who was the General Manager for the Nona Mills Lumber Company. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Built in the style popular for large commercial buildings at the beginning of the 20th century, the lower floor housed the First National Bank and several retail stores. The upper floor was occupied by an opera house, known as the National Theatre. The bank closed during the depression but the…

The First United Methodist Church was established by the Methodist families of the Nona Mills Lumber Company. Built in the Mission / Spanish Revival style, the church has retained all of its original stained glass windows. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

When Vernon Parish was first created in 1871, Dr. Edmund E. Smart donated a block of land for the first courthouse and other city structures. Early leaders built a simple wood-frame structure which served the new community well until the 1880’s when citizens were able to finance a more substantial…

The Lyons Building is Italianate in style. The flat roof, imposing cornices, and arched windows combine to form one of Leesville’s oldest and most elegant buildings. At the main entrance to the building, you will see the original mosaic tile which still runs throughout the first floor of the building.…

The Benson H. Lyons House (c. 1900) is a large Queen Anne Revival style residence with prominent Eastlake features. The double wraparound gallery that outlines three sides of the home is bedecked with elaborate woodwork which makes this one of the most pretentious homes in Vernon Parish. According to tradition,…

The distinguished Merchants and Farmers Bank building is built in the English Revival style. Hallmarks of this style are corner quoins and classical architectural devices such as the egg and dart molding across the main façade. The bank originally had a bronze clock on the front and still has its…

The Museum of West Louisiana is housed in the historic Leesville KCS Depot building. From 1916 until 1968, the Kansas City Southern railroad served as a primary travel and transportation center for the city of Leesville and all of the surrounding area, but eventually rail travel declined and the building…

Built in 1855, the Smart Plantation House is the oldest building in Leesville. It is a prime example of the Southern Planter architectural style. The house was home to Dr. Edmund E. Smart and his family, who owned considerable acreage in the area. When Vernon Parish was created from parts…

Built by the W. P. A. (Works Progress Administration) during the Great Depression, the U.S. Post Office is built in the Art Deco style. Above two of the windows in the main façade are bas-relief sculptures which herald the advent of air mail. Inside the lobby is another bas-relief sculpture…

The Vernon Bank was located in the large commercial building built in 1907 by George R. Ferguson of Nona Mills Lumber Company. The bank portion of the building had a Romanesque style façade with arches over the windows and a corner entrance with a Corinthian column. During the 1950's and…

The Vernon Parish Veteran's Plaza was built to honor all Vernon Parish veterans. Since it was begun in 2000, the memorial has grown to contain seven stone tablets engraved with the names of many Vernon Parish veterans. At the site, the American flag towers above the flags of the five…

The Wingate House (c. 1905) is a Queen Anne - Colonial Revival residence primarily distinctive from other Leesville homes because of its rounded turret topped by a Baroque bell-shaped metal roof and the bold undulating veranda emphasized by classical columns. There are no fireplaces in the house and apparently never…