Exhibits

Barber Shop

Out to the west of the commissary, not more than a thirty second walk, stands Mr. Harvey's Bar­ber Shop in its original building. Those who remember Mr. Harvey remember the story he would tell. Mrs. Longino recalled that "Mr. Sam Allen came into the barber shop one cold, cold morning. As he [Mr. Harvey] was opening up, it was just about time for Sam Allen to open the commissary. He went in there, had his old coat on. He said, 'can you cut my hair and leave my coat on?' The Barber looked at him and said, 'I'll cut your hair with your hat on Mister.'" Mr.

Corn Mill

The Jeansonne family donated this steam engine to the Tioga Heritage Park. It was a tribute to their father, Malcolm Paul. For many years, he had ground corn to make homemade cornmeal which he shared with friends and neighbors. His favorite activity was to demonstrate his passion to young people and then to give them a sample to carry home. Daughters: Lorraine J. Delrie and Lavergne J. James Son: Harry Jeansonne Reference: "The Chronological Scrapbook for Tioga Heritage Park and Museum"

Gazebo

A quaint gazebo was built on the park site to serve as an entertainment venue for the community. It serves as a platform for musical groups, weddings, and 4th of July programs. What a wonderful place to bring your lawn chair and ice chest to enjoy the music and fun. 

Locomotive and Caboose

On May 16, 2005, The Tioga Historical Society added a 1964 Illinois Central caboose to their exhibits. The nearly century-old 80-ton locomotive and coal car was donated to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office in 2009, and gifted to Tioga Heritage Park and Museum in 2011. The rails and crossties were donated by Union Pacific Railroad.

Memorial Plaza

The Tioga Historical Society is selling engraved bricks to construct a Memorial Plaza to honor past and present residents of Tioga and surrounding areas. Preserve your name or that of a loved one with a personalized brick paver. The monogrammed brick measure 4" x 8". The 3/4" lettering allows for three lines per brick with up to 14 letters including spaces per line. There are two categories from which to choose:

Category #1 – Individual Level

$50 per brick -  A present or former resident of the Tioga/Ward JO area or one who just has a heart for Central Louisiana history.

Nanny's Dog House

Everyone called LaVergne’s mom, Nanny. When she passed away, LaVergne was concerned about what she was going to do with the thousands of “dogs” that her mother had collected over the years. So, she built a dog house to display all the “dogs” of all sizes and shapes.

Post Office

Post Office is Open!

Many of you remember going to the post office located toward the back of the store. What was your mallbox number? After a long searc:h, we found some mailboxes and we constructed a post office once again. Even the red haired Miss Maude Clark  is sitting behind the retail window waiting to sell you some stamps. The Levin Post Office originated in the 1890's and was changed in the early 1900's when the name of the town changed.

Quilt Show

Shortly after becoming a part of the Secretary of State’s museum system, one of the staff members offered to help us make a quilt to auction off for a fundraiser. Students from Tioga Elementary School, following the patterns provided by the SOS office constructed the quilt pieces. A local resident quilted the gorgeous piece of art. It was never sold and it is now on display at the museum.

The Outhouse

Modern bathrooms are a relatively new convenience. Here in Tioga, a few families didn’t get indoor bathrooms until the late 1950's. The average outhouse was three to four feet square by 7 feet high. Most were single holers. It was set over a hole that had been dug, usually about five feet down into the ground.

Wall Boards

Take a stroll around the interior of the Commissary for the full history of the Tioga area. Each of our wall boards represents a significant time period in this area’s history. Everything from the birth of Levin - known as Tioga, to the beginnings of the timber industry coming to Central Louisiana by rail, to the effects of World War II in Tioga.