The Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum

The Ford Museum’s collection reflects the life and culture of North Louisiana, Claiborne Parish in particular, from Pre-Columbian times to the present day.

With exhibits ranging from Native American culture, Pioneer life, African-American history, and daily life in Claiborne Parish to the agriculture, lumber, and oil industries, the Ford Museum is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning about North Louisiana’s past and present.

The mission of the Ford Museum is to preserve and interpret its collection of artifacts in the context of state and local history, allowing the collection to serve as an important public resource in the humanities.

The museum relies on a core group of dedicated volunteers to operate. It is open to the public three days a week, and is located in the historic Hotel Claiborne building on the beautiful town square in Homer, Louisiana. The Hotel Claiborne was originally constructed in 1890, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ford Museum to Feature Traveling State Exhibit

'Becoming Louisiana': Path to Statehood, is a traveling exhibition commemorating 200 years of Louisiana statehood and begins its statewide tour in April. Presented by the Louisiana Bicentennial Commission, the exhibition will be featured in Louisiana museums and libraries through April 2013.

The Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum is one of the inaugural sites for the opening of this exhibit. Becoming Louisiana: Path to Statehood is the result of collaboration between Exhibition Curator Herman Mhire, Graphic Designer Kate Ferry, and Historian Charles Elliott. The exhibition documents the roles Louisiana’s unique geography and cultural history played on its path to becoming the 18th State of the Union, and consists of a series of 10 fabric panels displaying images and text that tell the story of early Louisiana history.

Utilizing Charles Elliott’s historical text as a guide, Mhire researched the collections of the Louisiana State Museum and The Historic New Orleans Collection for relevant historical paintings, engravings, documents and maps. He and Ferry subsequently collaborated on the design of the panels, integrating images and typography into a rich tapestry illustrating early Louisiana history. Exhibition themes include: “The Path to Statehood,” “The Geography of Power,” “From Chiefdoms to Colony,” “Empowering a French Creole Colony,” “Evolving French Creole Louisiana,” “New Powers, Old Purposes,” “Expanding a Spanish Colony,” “A Creole Colony Purchased” and “Challenges on the Path to Statehood.”

Mhire is a Distinguished Professor of Visual Arts in the College of the Arts, University of Louisiana, Lafayette and former director/chief curator of the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum, where he organized more than 200 exhibitions presented in the United States, Canada, and Europe. In 2004, the Minister of Culture of France named Mhire a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters.

Ferry has produced award-winning art direction in print design, television, animation, and illustration for local, regional and national advertising campaigns for more than 25 years. Her clients include state and local tourism, political campaigns, construction, healthcare and the restaurant/hospitality industry, state and local libraries, arts organizations and non-profits.

Elliott teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Louisiana and American History at Southeastern Louisiana University. He received the 1997 William Coker Award in Gulf South History for “Bienville’s English Turn Incident: Anecdotes Influencing History” and the 2012 Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Award for Individual Achievement in the Humanities.

Becoming Louisiana: Path to Statehood will be accompanied by a collectible, fine art commemorative poster, measuring 27 inches by 39 inches, featuring an image of an 18-star United States flag, circa 1812, made by residents of Hope Plantation to fly over the Arsenal in Baton Rouge, from the collection of the Louisiana State Museum. The poster is available for sale on the Louisiana Bicentennial Commission website, Louisianabicentennial2012.com.

The Louisiana Bicentennial Commission was created to mark the 200th anniversary of Louisiana’s attainment of statehood as the 18th State in the Union. Through both education and celebration, the commission’s goal is to commemorate the Louisiana Bicentennial in every corner of the state. These activities include projects to be undertaken by the state seeking to harmonize and balance the important goals of ceremony and celebration with the equally important goals of scholarship and education.

Becoming Louisiana: The Path to Statehood will be at the Ford Museum from April 3 through May 15. The museum is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. until noon. Admission is $3 per adult and $1 per child. For more information, contact Linda Volentine, project director of the Ford Museum at 318-927-9190.

The exhibition’s state tour has been made possible by Coca-Cola, Entergy, Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, Bollinger Family Foundation, Haynie Family Foundation, The McMains Foundation, Zuschlag Family Foundation, AT&T, Goldring Family Foundation, Union Pacific Railroad, Louisiana Lottery, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Louisiana.

Ford Museum Seeking Veterans' Photographs

The H.S. Ford Museum has received a grant from Entergy that will enable us to make its exhibits more interactive. Our first emphasis will focus on honoring our military veterans, especially those with a connection to North Central Louisiana. For this project, we are requesting the public's help in gathering photos, formal as well as candid photos that capture everyday life in the military. Artifacts and photos are needed from the Civil War era to the present. Items can be sent to the museum at or mailed to P.O. Box 157, Homer, LA 71040. The museum is opened Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 am to 4 pm for anyone wishing to deliver material in person.

New Exhibit: Images of America: Claiborne Parish

The Herbert S. Ford Museum has released a pictorial history book, Images of America: Claiborne Parish, containing 232 vintage photographs of the parish. Click here for more information

Claiborne Parish in the 1920s: the Oil Boom

Claiborne Parish in the 1920s: the Oil Boom, opened February 20, 2005. This exhibit was made possible by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and area corporate sponsors. Click here for more information

Visitor Information

Address:
519 South Main Street, (on the town square)
P.O. Box 157
Homer, LA 71040

Hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
9am - 12pm
1pm - 4pm
and by appointment

Admission:
$5.00 - families
$3.00 - adults
$1.00 - children
special rates for school groups (see Teacher Resources)