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Most, it would seem, tend to see things as they are in the present moment, while they give little thought to the way those things once were. Ouachita County, or at least the land that is now associated with that reality, has a remarkable history. It has passed from Native Americans to the Spanish, to the French, back to Spain, to France again, to the United States, then to the Confederacy, and ultimately back to the United States. Frenchport indeed has a French heritage in that four families left France to seek a life for themselves in the United States. Landing in New Orleans, they obtained tent covered rafts to begin a trip north up river to Camden. As fate would have it, those families ran into a log jam and were forced to settle at Frenchport, hence the name of the community. Those family names were Fogle, Peveto, Pedron, and Portier. Another historical account would add the names of LaBeaf and Marois. Victor Pedron acquired land for himself that had a large lake on it. The lake became Pedron's Lake, but it was formed by course changes of the Ouachita River over the years. The Frenchport community of Ouachita County was founded in 1848. Pedron made the first official map of Camden, and it hangs in the Ouachita Abstract and Title Company, Inc. in Camden. In the early years, steamboats from New Orleans stopped there to load cotton and unload staple products the settlers needed: flour, coffee, sugar, furniture, etc. A large warehouse was constructed to house the cotton farmers brought to be picked up for its New Orleans destination. As with any community, stores, churches, and a school came into being. However, progress with automobiles and trucks extinguished the thriving river trade, and resulting other ways of life doomed the prosperity of the community. Today, Frenchport is a small, quiet bedroom community.
Please note their is a very interesting and more detailed article found in the September, 1990 publication of the Quarterly written by Gertrude Moore, whose great, great, great grandparents were part of the founding fathers of Frenchport and whose writing is from a personal point of view. Very interesting historical reading . Purchase of this Quarterly may be made by emailing ochs2003@sbcglobal.net or by calling (870) 836-9243 Shipping charges included in price.

Most, it would seem, tend to see things as they are in the present moment, while they give little thought to the way those things once were. Ouachita County, or at least the land that is now associated with that reality, has a remarkable history. It has passed from Native Americans to the Spanish, to the French, back to Spain, to France again, to the United States, then to the Confederacy, and ultimately back to the United States.

Frenchport indeed has a French heritage in that four families left France to seek a life for themselves in the United States. Landing in New Orleans, they obtained tent covered rafts to begin a trip north up river to Camden. As fate would have it, those families ran into a log jam and were forced to settle at Frenchport, hence the name of the community. Those family names were Fogle, Peveto, Pedron, and Portier. Another historical account would add the names of LaBeaf and Marois.

Victor Pedron acquired land for himself that had a large lake on it. The lake became Pedron's Lake, but it was formed by course changes of the Ouachita River over the years. The Frenchport community of Ouachita County was founded in 1848. Pedron made the first official map of Camden, and it hangs in the Ouachita Abstract and Title Company, Inc. in Camden.

In the early years, steamboats from New Orleans stopped there to load cotton and unload staple products the settlers needed: flour, coffee, sugar, furniture, etc. A large warehouse was constructed to house the cotton farmers brought to be picked up for its New Orleans destination.

As with any community, stores, churches, and a school came into being. However, progress with automobiles and trucks extinguished the thriving river trade, and resulting other ways of life doomed the prosperity of the community. Today, Frenchport is a small, quiet bedroom community.