Boyce: River History and Architecture

Boyce, Louisiana, is located on the Red River. The town’s history stretches from Cotile Landing, an important stop for steamboats, through trade on the river to the railroad. The town is also home to distinctive architecture and a boat ramp on the Red River.

River traffic and the development of Boyce

In the 18th century, keelboats and canoes traveled along the Red River, Bayou Rapides, and Bayou Jean de Jean. In the 18th century, keelboats and canoes traveled along the Red River, Bayou Rapides, and Bayou Jean de Jean. The former Cotile Landing, from which Boyce developed, was an important stop for steamboats on the river. The waterways were routes for keelboats and canoes; Cotile Landing, by contrast, was an important stop for steamboats on the Red River.

The Brian Bonhomme adds the story of a single merchant vessel: it was built specifically for trade on the Red River and began operating in 1837 under Captain Edwards.

In 1880, the Texas and Pacific Railroad laid its tracks through Boyce, making the town its terminus. Boyce’s transportation history spans river traffic in the 18th century, the Brian Bonhomme’s start of service in 1837, and the railroad; in 1880, Boyce became the railroad’s terminus. Boyce was one of the oldest settlements in western Rapides Parish. In 1882, Henry Boyce gave the town’s streets Irish names.

Historic architecture in Boyce and McNutt

The Carnahan House in Boyce is a one-story, one-and-a-half-story frame house with a wraparound gallery. In Boyce, its Eastlake gallery ranks among the most architecturally distinguished in both size and design. “Frame” describes the house’s construction, while the wraparound gallery is another architectural feature. Eastlake refers to the gallery’s design; both its size and design are factors in its distinction.

The Boyce Methodist Church is located at 309 Londonderry Ave. The Eastlake gallery at the Carnahan House stands out for its size and design. The Boyce Methodist Church is another architectural example in town; its architecture is locally significant under National Register Criterion C.

Outside the town center, in rural McNutt on Bayou Rapides, a small, one-room frame schoolhouse stands on a hill.

On the Red River: history and recreation

The Boyce Recreation Area on the Red River has a two-lane boat ramp. The historic keelboats, canoes, and steamboats were part of river navigation; the two-lane boat ramp at the Boyce Recreation Area, by contrast, is a present-day recreational feature on the Red River.

The broader regional context

In this part of Louisiana, early Indigenous populations lived in fertile valleys along rivers and bayous.

Discover more destinations: Pineville, Ball, Alexandria

Return to the main travel overview: Rapides Parish.