On October 1, 1800, Spain signed a treaty returning the land, that we now call Alexandria, back to France, and in 1803 it was sold to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. It was then platted to Alexander Fulton, who obtained it as a land grant from Spain in 1785. Fulton, a Pennsylvania trader, purchased additional land from the Choctaw, Tensas, Appalachee and Pascagoula Native Americans through his store. Fulton and another trader William Miller set up a business across the river from the outpost and were given exclusive rights with the Indians. They were authorized to extend liberal credit, and when the Indians ran up bills, which they could not pay with their exchange of furs, they signed over lands to cancel the debts. Fulton and Miller thus acquired thousands of acres that they resold to people who flocked to the rich lands developed along Bayou Rapides, Robert and Beouf.

It was Fulton who laid out the plan for Alexandria in 1805, and the settlement grew rapidly. Because of its location, which still holds true today, it was the center of transportation, trading and agriculture.

How the town was named 'Alexandria' is still something historians debate. Some say it was named after Fulton himself. Still others insist that Fulton named the town after his infant daughter who died about the time the town was platted.

The present site of Alexandria was a natural one for settlement because of its location on the Red River. The river was not navigable above this point for many months each year due to the rapids. For practically half of the year (from July to January), Alexandria was at the head of navigation on Red River. During this time, boats could not ascend above this point due to the rapids in the river. All cargoes had to be transported by land around this impediment and re-shipped. In some seasons of the year, the upper river was so shallow that boats could not make the trip. As a result of this condition, a number of warehouses were built to store goods moving from South Louisiana to Western Louisiana and Texas. The merchants who owned these warehouses purchased the products that were brought overland to this point and supplied the planter and trader with the necessary goods.

The Red River and its tributaries were the main arteries of transportation for the area. In 1769, the section of what is now Rapides Parish was deeded by France to Spain. The Alexandria site developed rapidly as a trading post, serving as a center of traffic between the French, Spanish, English, Americans and Native Americans. Each year the Mississippi, an Ojibwa Indian word meaning "big river" carries 400,000,000 tons of sediment into the Gulf of Mexico and discharges more water than all European rivers combined.

The growth of the lumber industry in the latter years of the 19th century and the opening of the area by the railroads allowed Alexandria to prosper immensely. The golden age of the “sawmill capital of the world” was dawning, with 75 mills operating within 40 miles of the town.

Through much of its early history Louisiana was a trading and financial center, and the fertility of its land made it one of the richest regions in America as first indigo then sugar and cotton rose to prominence in world markets. Many Louisiana planters were among the wealthiest men in America.

The Alexandria economy was greatly enhanced during the outbreak of World war one, but the advent of WW-2 saw the Central Louisiana area become a hub for the military. There were over 6 military installations operating within a 60 mile radius of Alexandria in the years during the war. Alexandria supplied food, office materials, building supplies and much more. A number of Alexandria merchants became very wealthy almost overnight. Alexandria saw an influx of over 200,000 people, mostly military. The small town of just over 20,000 population had the biggest economic boom it had ever experienced.

After 1945 and the troops left, things went down hill for a while. The 1950’s saw the beginning of growth and prosperity and Alexandria once again became a thriving community moving out and growing. But during this time, progress took its toll. We began to loose the wonderful homes and buildings that were built from the 1860’s on.

The beautiful stately mansions on Bolton avenue were replaced with commercial enterprises. Buildings in the downtown area were torn down to make parking lots and Alexandria lost most of its physical history and beauty.

In the 2000’s we can not afford to loose any more of our history, it needs to be protected and preserved.