Hornbeck, Louisiana

Hornbeck, Louisiana. . , Hornbeck town site (Section 16, T 4N, 10W) was purchased in 1897 from the Kansas City Southern railroad for $8.640, by F.A. Hornbeck, agent of the Arkansas Town Site Company. In the same year the Hornbeck post office was established with Walter Carey and D. B. Pate serving as the first two postmasters. On October 21, 1902 Hornbeck was incorporated. Gov. William Wright Heard appointed the first mayor, W.M. Conerly, town marshal, W. Johnson and board of aldermen, whose first members were G.C. Leach, W. L. Maddox and John Carter. Prospering from both the railroad and timber industry Hornbeck by 1912 supported a bank, newspaper. five hotels five saloons, ten mercantile establishments and the town school (Home of the "Hornets"). However, in the same year the railroad roundhouse, critical to the town's prosperity, was moved to Leesville severely affecting area economy. Hornbeck's prosperity continued to ebb through the depression years of the 1930's but it returned in 1941 with the arrival of the US Army's "Louisiana Maneuvers" and the construction of Camp Polk. With the construction of the Toledo Bend Reservoir in the 1960's. Hornbeck became known as the "GATEWAY" to Toledo Bend.