In the Archives: Mapping Centenary
Throughout the history of Centenary College of Louisiana, maps depicting the institution have served many purposes. They helped travelers navigate waterways, railroads, and highways to ultimately arrive on campus. Other people used maps to find a specific classroom, dormitory building, faculty office, auditorium, or athletic field. A new exhibit, Mapping Centenary, 1719-2021, showcases a selection of maps from the Centenary Archives and Special Collections. Archives student workers Jo Bennett ‘22, Tori Reich ’24, and Christopher Willie '24 helped research and prepare the exhibit. It is on display in the College's Whited Room lobby of Bynum Commons and accessible as an online exhibit through the Archives website.
The maps were created for a variety of reasons – fire insurance, historical reminiscences, property advertisements, comedic art, campus master plans, and topographic surveys represent some of their original functions. Reflecting aspects of both permanence and change, all offer unique snapshots of Centenary throughout the institution’s history. The oldest map on display pre-dates Centenary’s founding in 1825 by over 100 years and includes Houma, Choctaw, and Caddo indigenous sites that correspond to Centenary’s three locations. The most recent map is a screenshot from Google Earth depicting campus.
Bennett, who helped prepare the exhibit, especially enjoyed researching the maps that were created during Dr. Joe Mickle’s tenure as Centenary President (1945-1964). She noted that so much of what campus looks like today developed while he led the College. Mickle’s vision for campus resonates with Bennett, who also serves as a Student Ambassador in the Admissions Office, where she gives campus tours to prospective students and their families. Mostly though, Bennett said, “Working on this exhibit was an opportunity for me to do what I love – researching history and working in the archives – for the school that I love.”
Bennett and Brown also created a fanzine supplement titled, “Where’s the Archives?” They were inspired by Caroline Ziegler’s Promoting Your Collections with Zines: A Workshop and Showcase, presented at the Louisiana Archives and Manuscripts virtual annual meeting in September 2021. Ziegler demonstrated how fanzines could be used to promote archives and their collections. Bennett and Brown’s zine, available alongside the exhibit, highlights the Centenary Archives and Special Collections. It includes a map navigating from the exhibit display in Bynum Commons to the Archives Reading Room located in Magale Library. The zine also contains the Archives’ mission statement, hours of operation, contact information, and examples of material found in the archives.
— Chris Brown ‘01
For more information about the exhibit and fanzine supplement, contact Chris Brown at 318.869.5462 or archives@centenary.edu.