In This Section

Points of Interest

Early Background and History


  • Entire region is known for fertile soil and productive farming.
  • In the 1830’s, Josiah Chambers inherited 6,000 acres of land and he would eventually amass a total of nearly 10,000 acres.
  • As the Civil War began, Josiah Chambers became Rapides Parish’s fourth largest planter.
  • The Chambers’ property became known as Oakland Plantation on which he raised horses, cattle, swine, sheep, mules and oxen. In addition, he cultivated and grew cotton, sugar, corn, wool, vegetables, and potatoes.
  • The current site of Coughlin Hall is the original site of the plantation house; the plantation store stood approximately at the current site of the James C. Bolton Library; an underground cistern was located on the edge of the Science Building’s parking lot. On each side of what is today Grady Britt Drive is thought to have been site of the buildings that served as slave residences.

LSUA Buildings

Abrams Hall

  • One of three original buildings from the Dean Lee Agricultural Center (Administration Building).
  • Named for Dr. Morris N. Abrams, second Dean (now Chancellor’s position) from February 1, 1962 to December 11, 1975.

Coughlin Hall

  • Hugh Coughlin served as president of CLECO Corporation, 1947-1966.
  • Longtime supporter of LSUA and the nursing education program.
  • Coughlin Hall was completed in 1979 and is on the site of the original Oakland Plantation House.
  • Now houses academic programs in Nursing and Allied Health; Institutional Advancement and the LSUA Foundation are also housed in Coughlin Hall.

Avoyelles Hall

  • Served as an original building for the Dean Lee Agricultural Center.
  • Served in many transition functions, including early ROTC programs; now houses some Education faculty, Operations and Maintenance facilities, the operations of the Oakland Plantation Golf Course, and a Subway franchise.

Chambers Hall

  • Originally called the “Activities Building,” Chambers Hall was named in 1985 in reference to Chambers, Louisiana, the original name for the location of the Oakland Plantation, owned by Josiah Chambers.
  • As the Activities Building, it housed the Bookstore, cafeteria, Admissions and Registration offices.
  • Chambers Hall is now the location of the academic programs in Business Administration.
  • Site of Chambers Hall was likely that of the plantation slaughterhouse.

Oakland Hall

  • Named for the Oakland Plantation, Oakland Hall was constructed and named in 1961.
  • First permanent building constructed on the LSUA campus and was the first building constructed in Louisiana using the “Lift Slab Post Tension” technology.

Bolton Library

  • Construction began in 1963 and completed in 1964.
  • Named for James C. Bolton, local Central Louisiana banker, and early supporter and proponent of LSUA’s creation; Mr. Bolton was a dedicated fundraiser for the Library.
  • Site was the likely original site of the Oakland Plantation Store.
  • Bolton Library also is home to the Eloise Mulder Center for Teaching Excellence, the Writing Center and University Archives.

Science Building

  • Construction began in 1962, completed in 1964.
  • Total renovation undertaken in 2004.
  • The building currently housed faculty and curricula in Biology and Chemistry.

Student Center

  • Construction began in 1965 and the building was dedicated in 1966.
  • Complete renovation occurred in 2008.
  • Houses dining services (Magnolia Café), Student Government Offices, conference room facilities.
  • Attached is the “West Wing” which houses the University Art Gallery, Student Advising and Support Services, Bookstore and Testing Center.

Barbara Brumfield Caffey Annex

  • Houses the Ballroom and conference room facility.
  • Named for Dr. Barbara Brumfield Caffey, deceased faculty member in English (1963-1992) and was dedicated in her honor in 1995.

Fitness Center

  • Constructed as a Health and Physical Education facility in 1967.
  • Houses Athletic Program offices.
  • Contains indoor swimming pool, basketball court, classrooms, locker facilities, and athletic training workout facilities.
  • Open to all students, faculty and staff.

Multipurpose Academic Center

  • Construction began in 2009 and completed in 2011.
  • 72,000 square feet of multipurpose academic facilities.
  • Contains wide variety of classroom space, faculty offices, conference rooms, digital media laboratory, art and painting studio, photography studios and labs (digital and traditional), pottery and kiln studio, 175-seat black box theatre, choral practice studio, ensemble and personal voice practice facilities.
  • Academic programs and departmental offices in the MPAC include Arts, English and Humanities; Behavioral and Social Sciences; and Mathematics and Applied Physical Sciences.

Oaks Residence Hall

  • Constructed in 2006 and 2007, LSUA first occupied in fall 2007.
  • Contains 256 beds in apartment-style living of one, two and four-bedroom units.
  • All units have kitchen and common living areas.
  • Common recreation, swimming pool, laundry facilities and computer lab facilities are also part of the Oaks Residence Hall.

Epps House

  • Named for Edwin Epps, purported slaveholder of Solomon Northrup, author of Twelve Years a Slave.
  • Constructed in 1852 on the Epps Plantation in Eola, LA and later moved to Bunkie, LA.
  • Donated, dismantled and reassembled on Acorn Drive on the LSUA campus in 2000.
  • Distinguished as a National Historic Place thanks to the efforts of former faculty member, Dr. Sue Eakin.

Bo Nipper Building

  • Named for Weldon A. “Bo” Nipper in 2004.
  • Professor Nipper was one of the first Agricultural Coordinators for LSUA in 1960 and was later named Resident Director of the Dean Lee Research Station.
  • The University’s in Information and Educational Technology Services are housed in the Nipper Building.

Children’s Center

  • Constructed and opened in 1999.
  • Houses the LSUA childcare facility which serves the children of LSUA students, faculty, staff and alumni.
  • Currently one of only 30 centers in Louisiana to hold the second-to-highest quality rating in Louisiana.

Named Heritage Oak Trees

The Mulder Oak

  • Dedicated in 2005 in the names of Howard and Eloise Mulder, longtime supporters of LSUA.
  • Mr. and Mrs. Mulder were charter members of the LSUA Foundation.

The Martin Oak

  • Dedicated in 2006 in the names of Roy O. (II) and Vinita Martin.
  • Mr. Martin was a longtime supporter of LSUA, involved in its original founding and a charter member of the LSUA Foundation.

The Cotton Oak

  • Dedicated in 2007 in the name of Mr. William Cotton, Sr.
  • Mr. Cotton was a longtime and dedicated supporter of LSUA. He was instrumental in persuading then Louisiana governors that Central Louisiana deserved to have an institution of higher education within its region.
  • Mr. Cotton championed the cause of LSUA beyond his 100th year.

The Woodin Oak

  • Dedicated in 2007 in the name of Dr. Martin Woodin who served as the first Chancellor of LSUA in 1960-1962.
  • Dr. Woodin later became President of the LSU System during the years 1972-1985.

The Cavanaugh Oak

  • Dedicated in the name Dr. Robert Cavanaugh in 2007 on the occasion of his retirement as Chancellor of LSUA.
  • Dr. Cavanaugh served LSUA for 38 years and served as Chancellor in 1994-2007.
  • Dr. Cavanaugh led the effort to transform LSUA to baccalaureate status.

The Weems Oak

  • Dedicated in 2009 in the name of Mr. Charles S. “Charlie” Weems, III.
  • Mr. Weems served on the LSU Board of Supervisors for 17 years (1991-2008) and was a key person in securing baccalaureate status for LSUA in 2001.

Streets and Avenues

Thelma Ethridge Drive

  • Formerly known as South Campus Avenue.
  • Named in 2000 for Mrs. Thelma Ethridge, longtime administrative assistant in the Office of Student Affairs.

Grady Britt Drive

  • Named in 1988 for Dr. Grady Britt, Professor of Biology from 1962-1982.

Middleton Drive

  • Named for General Troy H. Middleton, president of the LSU System in 1960 when LSUA was founded and Colonel William R. Middleton. Colonel Middleton was an original faculty member of LSUA in 1960-910 and served as a Professor of Geography.

Garry Tisdale Drive

  • Named in 2002 for Professor Gary Tisdale.
  • Professor Tisdale served as Assistant Head of the Division of Liberal Arts and Associate Professor of History for more than 30 years.
  • Professor Tisdale was instrumental in the formation of the Faculty Senate and served as its president for two years.

Gregg Marshall Drive

  • Named in 2004 for James Gregg Marshall.
  • Professor Marshall was appointed as an instructor at LSU in 1948 and joined the Dean Lee Agricultural Center in 1955.
  • He served the Research Center and LSUA as a Professor of Agronomy for 39 years.

Jerry Myrick Drive and Jerry Myrick Plaza

  • Formerly known as Central Campus Avenue and named for Professor Jerry Myrick in 2000.
  • Professor Myrick served LSUA for 30 years (1967-1997), was active in both campus and community affairs, and was the founder of the CAPS program in 1985.

Tom Bowman Drive

  • Formerly known as East Campus Drive.
  • Named for Professor Tom Bowman in 2000 who served LSUA for 24 years (1962-1986) as Professor of Foreign Languages. Professor Bowman served as the first president of the LSUA Faculty Senate.

Athletic Teams’ Mascot – The Generals

  • The LSUA Generals’ Baseball and Softball teams, known as the LSUA Generals, earned the name from the significant history of Central Louisiana in the early years of World War II.
  • Alexandria, Pineville and regional Central Louisiana were the homes to numerous Army training camps and facilities.
  • In 1940 and 1941, the region was selected to host the “Louisiana Maneuvers” in which the planning and logistics for the United States’ entry into the European Theater of World War II were undertaken.
  • More than 350,000 soldiers undertook the multi-month mock battles and maneuvers that over the entire region from Alexandria west into Texas and north up to Shreveport.
  • Leading these maneuvers, planning efforts and participating in this undertaking were several United States General Officers and several who would soon be promoted to the rank of General Officer, including Omar Bradley, Mark Clark, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Walter Krueger, Ben Lear, Lesley J. McNair and George Patton. General Dwight D. Eisenhower would eventually be named the Supreme Commander of all Western allied troops in the European Theater and later become President of the United States.