SHREVEPORT, La. ( KTAL/KMSS ) – Those who study Greek mythology may have noticed similarities between towns like Homer, Castor, Alexandria, Athens, Eros, Sparta, Urania, and Arcadia, Louisiana, and the people, places, and things of ancient Greece.
Wesley Harris, the historian of Lincoln Parish and the Claiborne Parish Library, says it’s no accident these historic northern Louisiana settlements have names straight out of Greek legend.
“Not everything in Louisiana is Cajun land,” Harris said. “Greek culture was important to many of the early settlers in northern Louisiana. From my study in some of the early educational institutions in places like Ruston, Homer, and Mount Lebanon, Greek, and Latin were as much a part of the curriculum as arithmetic in those days.”
Homer the poet & Homer, Louisiana
The town of Homer in Claiborne Parish was named after the author of ancient epic poems.
The town of Homer, Louisiana, became Claiborne Parish’s seat after the nearby Athens courthouse burned in 1849. The courthouse square design was laid out in 1850, with Tillinghast Vaughn ’s son, Frank, choosing the name ‘Homer’ from classic literature.