Town of Keachi, LA (Louisiana)
Incorporated in 1858, the town of Keachi was named after an Indian group related to the Caddo tribes. The spelling of the town's name has been changed many times and there are still several spellings in use: Keatchie, Kechi, Keachie, etc. Folklore has it that the word means big cat, black cat, panther or cougar. Early settlers were mainly families of Scotch Irish descent moving westward from other southern states. They were farmers who cleared the rolling hills and planted cotton and other crops. Many were slave holders and early census records showed a population ratio of about 2:1, Negro to Caucasian. Commerce from Keachi moved down the Red River at Shreveport or the Sabine River at Logansport. After the construction of Good Hope Baptist Church in 1852, the community wanted a school. Residents donated the land for the education of their children, opening the Keachi College in 1857. The school taught a range of subjects, including biology, philosophy, and music. As more colleges opened around Louisiana, Keachi College saw a declining enrollment until its closure in 1912. At one time was a prosperous community with two hotels, a train depot, a female college, and a main street with at least 10 commercial buildings. Two of those are standing today, the Fullilove General Store and the Masonic Lodge. The Keachi Cemetery is the resting place of many early settlers and has an interesting grave house, a custom thought to have been adopted from the Indians. It is located just north of the main crossroads on McCann Road. Another interesting site is the Confederate Cemetery located just west of town. During the Civil War, wounded from the Battle of Mansfield were brought to the nearby Keachi Female College which served as a hospital and a morgue. Both Union and Confederate soldiers are buried there. Today Keachi is a quiet town with about 300 residents. Descendants of early settlers still live in the area. Several of the homes, churches and other buildings built by settlers in the 1800's are still standing and there are 12 properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places.