Old Lecompte High School and Museum

06/17/2026

A few weeks ago, I went to the front of the school to clean the historical marker. The street side was so covered with gray lichen that it was barely readable. For some reason the back side was not nearly as bad. So I cleaned the front side just using soapy water and a heavy duty cellulose (course) sponge. I got 90 percent of the mess off the sign. That took a lot of time because of trying to get in between the individual letters, etc. I left the back side (facing the school) alone.
A few days later, I went back to the school for Round Two with the historical marker. This time I used a combination of soap and water, Wet and Forget (cleaner) solution, Windex cleaner and auto tire restorer spray. Now both sides of the marker look great and almost looks totally restored. I have posted some Before and After photos! Note: the LHS Corporation had the historical marker made and placed on the front lawn of Old LHS about 30 years ago and I am sure that this is the first time it has been thoroughly cleaned!

06/17/2026

We have had some vandalism recently at the school and gym. 2 weeks ago I was entering the grounds through the east gate and noticed that a window pane had been completely broken out on the south side of the gym, on the 2nd floor. Faye (our maintenance worker) just happened to come outside at the same time. I was there when she called Kevin (town maintenance supervisor) and reported it. The window is fixed now. While there I noticed that one of the concrete bench seats and been pushed over by the big granite monument on the front lawn, and the plastic PVC piping base of the LED light that Ronnie installed just a few years ago was completely broken in half and the LED light itself was lying on the ground. It was the one facing the flagpole. So I called Ronnie Roberts and he went over and took a look and we talked later and he said he could repair it. I sent Jessica (the town clerk) some photos and told her that Ronnie would call her Monday morning. So, he did just that and was able to get a new base and get it all repaired by Monday afternoon. I went by there last night and all the LED lights are working. The 4 around the monument and the one Ronnie repaired perfectly pointed at the flagpole. That light pointed at the flagpole (and the other light reflections off the monument) actually lights up the entire front of the school. It is really beautiful at night with the monument all lit up and the front of the school softly illuminated. It is very impressive. You should drive by there some night and take a look. Since the town is running the school and paying for repairs, I encouraged Ronnie to please charge the town for his work, time and labor. He did a great job fixing that light.
Note: the concrete bench seating top has been put back in place too. Thanks to the Town of Lecompte workers.

06/14/2026

Happy Flag Day! On this date in 1777, in the midst of the Revolutionary War, the Second Continental Congress passes the Flag Resolution adopting the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States. It had 13 stars and 13 stripes representing the original colonies. Being that Continental soldiers came from the various colonies, and therefore various allegiances, George Washington championed the idea of a common flag for which the troops could fight under. Note: in our museum we still have several of the original prints of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln that hung in many of the classrooms. Remember we had to start the day by standing and saying the Pledge of Allegiance.

06/13/2026

This is the final placement of "The Station" information binder. Now displayed in the Old Lecompte Businesses museum room along with the photo wall entitled "Lecompte Personalities". Thanks again to Sandy Jones Everitt for sending all the items, artifacts and photos. The 3-ring binder with all its pages makes a great new addition to that room. However, please note the photo wall is part of the original museum put in place over 30 years ago. I just added the folder about The Station!!

06/13/2026

I just passed by the Old Lecompte High School today (Saturday) and stopped to take a photo of the historic marker sign that I recently spent several hours over 2 days to clean and refurbish. The granite monument and the old school in the background along with the draped arms of the old oaks makes for a beautiful photo. Note: you can see Old Glory peaking out at the top of the photo atop our 50 foot flagpole, and to the left of the flag you can see the original flagpole on top of the school as it was built in 1923.

06/11/2026

Thanks to Sandy Jones Everitt for sending me these items, artifacts and photos that belonged to her mother "Mrs. Tootsie" Jones, of Lecompte. I have compiled them into a vinyl 3-ring binder. I will place the binder with its contents in the Old Lecompte Businesses museum room on the 2nd floor west end. There was already a photo of "The Station" bar and cafe on one of the display walls.

06/06/2026

Thanks to the Carnal family for donating these several items to our museum. The beautiful original Audubon Print "Cardinal Grosbeak" and the plaque given to Evelyn Carnal. Both items belonged to her. She was an original member of the Save the School Foundation from 35 years ago, on the original board that managed the Old LHS School and Museum, and she was a major planner in deciding how the museum should be constructed and what should be included. The large Lecomte/Lecompte History room on the 2nd floor is dedicated to her and has a large sign over one of the doors indicating it is the "Evelyn Carnal Museum Room". We are grateful to have these two historic items added to our collections. Special thanks to Laura Carnal Solomon for bringing the items to the school.

06/06/2026

In the 19th Century Museum room we have this copy of an etching that shows the racehorse Lecomte, the jockey Abe Hawkins and the trainer Hark West. Both men were enslaved persons when this etching was published in a New Orleans newspaper around 1854 when Lecomte beat Lexington in several races. Both Lecomte and Abe Hawkins were inducted into the Hall of Fame at the National Racing Museum in Saratoga Springs, New York in August 2024. Nikki Sebastian, a direct relative of Hark West (Lecomte's trainer) came to Lecompte and to our museum 2 years ago to do research. She is working with the National Racing Museum to have her relative Hark West also inducted into the Hall of Fame. As posted on this page, Abe Hawkins is also being inducted into the Louisiana Legends Hall of Fame on June 6, 2026 by the main horse racing organization in Louisiana. Also, here is a photo of Nikki Sebastian (from Atlanta) standing next to the copy of the etching that shows her direct relative Hark West, Abe Hawkins and Lecomte. This was during her visit to our museum 2 years ago.

06/06/2026

Connie Marie Lyles Thomas posted on her page: "Joe Adcock’s mother, Helen Lyles Adcock, and my Grandpa, Edward Lyles were first cousins.😊
Opelousas, La. – The 2026 Legends Night Honor Awards are set for June 6, 2026, at Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino in Opelousas, La. The honorees are Joe Adcock, Dale Angelle, Kerwin Clark, John Franks, Eric Guerin and Abe Hawkins."
From Ron Schneider: so there are TWO persons that are being inducted into the "Legends Night Honors" that have a connection with Lecompte. Both Joe Adcock (baseball player and racehorse owner) and Abe Hawkins (first a slave and then a free man) who rode the racehorse Lecomte many times but most famously when Lecomte beat Lexington at two races at the Metarie Fairgrounds in 1854. In August 2024, both Lecomte and Abe Hawkins were inducted into the Class or 2024 Hall of Fame and presented award plaques at the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York. The Louisiana Horse Magazine's description of Abe Hawkins states the owner of Lecomte was Gen. T. J. Wells of North Louisiana. That is actually referring to General Thomas Jefferson Wells of Lecompte who had his plantation and training racetrack just 4 miles west of Lecompte. Here is the link to the "Louisiana Horse Magazine online version where you can read more about those two men:

Opelousas, La. – The 2026 Legends Night Honor Awards are set for June 6 at Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino in Opelousas, La. The honorees are Joe Adcock, Dale Angelle, Kerwin Clark, John Franks, Eric Guerin and Abe Hawkins. Legends Night also features six

06/05/2026

This is an update on the actual location of Satori, Louisiana. The village mentioned in the letter posted a few days ago from the Rock Island Railroad to Mr. Edmund W. Wiley, Jr. about a train hitting and killing a cow belonging to his sister Mary Pierce. Thanks to Clint Ladner, Jr. for his research and for sending me this 1916 soil survey map which included the actual location of Satori.