Bastrop, Louisiana

==History==
Bastrop was founded by [[Felipe Enrique Neri, Baron de Bastrop]], a Dutch businessman accused as an [[embezzler]]. He had fled to the then Spanish colony of [[Louisiana (New Spain)|Louisiana]] to escape prosecution and became involved in various land deals. In [[New Spain]], he falsely claimed to be a nobleman. He received a large grant of land, provided that he could settle 450 families on it over the next several years. However, he was unable to do this, and so lost the grant. Afterwards, he moved to [[Spanish Texas|Texas]], where he claimed to oppose the sale of Louisiana to the United States and became a minor government official. He proved instrumental in [[Moses Austin]]'s plan (and later, that of his son, [[Stephen F. Austin]]) to bring American colonists to what was then northern [[Mexico]].

Bastrop formally incorporated in 1857, and is the commercial and industrial center of [[Morehouse Parish, Louisiana|Morehouse Parish]]. In the 19th century, it was notable as the western edge of the great North Louisiana swamp, but more favorable terrain resulted in the antebellum rail line connecting to [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], further to the south.

Bastrop was a [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] stronghold during the [[American Civil War]] until January 1865, when 3,000 cavalrymen led by [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] [[Embury D. Osband]] of the [[3rd United States Colored Cavalry Regiment]], embarked from [[Memphis, Tennessee]], for northeastern Louisiana.<ref>[[John D. Winters]], ''The Civil War in Louisiana'', [[Baton Rouge]]: [[Louisiana State University Press]], 1963, {{ISBN|0-8071-0834-0}}, pp. 413–414</ref>

During the [[Great Mississippi Flood of 1927]], Bastrop was the site of a relief camp for refugees. During [[World War II]], it was the site of a German [[prisoner-of-war]] camp.

Bastrop is the parish seat of Morehouse Parish and is within an area marketed to tourists as the Sportsman's Paradise Region of Louisiana. It is a Main Street Community and has received Transportation Enhancement funding for improvements in its historic district.<ref name="preserveamerica.gov">{{Cite web|title=Preserve America {{!}} Advisory Council on Historic Preservation|url=https://www.achp.gov/preserve-america|access-date=2021-10-28|website=www.achp.gov}}</ref>

Celebrations and concerts are held in the historic downtown at the restored 1914 Morehouse Parish Courthouse and Rose Theater. Bastrop is home to the Snyder Museum and Creative Arts Center, housed in the circa 1929 home of a local family. Volunteers lead heritage appreciation tours for children and interpret the history of the parish using local artifacts.<ref name="preserveamerica.gov"/>