Plats of Margaret Place over the years
Note: This section is a work-in-progress in preparation for the 100th Anniversary of Margaret Place. Some of the commentary below is speculation subject to verification. Those with answers to questions listed below are encouraged to communicate via e-mail with
Four major plats of the area in and around the current Margaret Place are of interest. All can be found in any Margaret Place home or property abstract.
Long before Margaret and Allen Perkins purchased and lived here, the property was within The Sallier Subdivision.
[to be inserted]
Perkins Homestead
The history of Lake Charles by Leora White, states that
{Need to insert the Hi-Mont sale in proper date order..}"The Hi-Mount Land Company purchased Margaret Place for $33,000. This ground was plotted into one hundred and thirty-two lots. (767)"
The first recorded plat for Margaret Place is significantly different than the ultimate street layout. Even the names are different. And, note that the plat is entitled, "Margaret Place, a subdivison of the Perkins Homestead". The greater the scrutiny, the more questions!
Livonia Avenue (ultimately Harrison) offered and alley and ? between the alley and Griffith Coulee. A closer look is warranted. Does it read, "Canal Reservation, 30 ft"?
What is now Grove Street, was originally called Charles.
What is now Wilson, was originally called Allen Avenue. Pithon was Perkins and "Claiborne" was ultimately sacrificed.
If left to the orginal plat, there would not be a Griffith as "Reese" was the name selected. The same for Park Avenue as it was originally "Line Avenue."
A review of this document detailing the history of Allen Jefferson Perkins by Janice Batte Craven leads one to assume that, as was common, the original street names were selected to honor members of the Perkins family.Livonia, Clairborne, Reese are all listed in the family tree. No Wilson or Harrison in the Craven document. Presidents? (Harrison is doubtful...he was president in 1841. Wilson, possibly...he was elected in 1912...research needed on both.
The East side of then Line Avenue was not a part of either plat of Margaret Place. Perhaps this is one reason why some insist that the East side is not a part of the MPHD. A map of the full district will be inserted below that shows that the boundaries of the district absolutely include the homes on both sides of Park Avenue.
The number of actual property owners within Margaret Place as of September, 2011 is less,_____
The final plat for Margaret Place follows. In this version (____, 1912), most of the street names were changed and remain so today. The exceptions are Allen and Line. When and why did Allen come to be named Wilson and Line changed to Park?
