The Stoner Cabin Story

Addition and Correction  

 

Editor’s Note: We are always delighted to hear from our Central Neighbors readers.   Here is a little more information sent to us by Michael Jones of Central on the Stoner Cabin Story that ran in our last issue.  

 

I enjoyed reading the article about the Stoner Cabin. My father Oscar Thomas and the Baton Rouge Sand and Gravel Company mined this property in the 1950's.  The only error in the article involves the Stoney Point Road. 

 

Some years back some clerk decided that it must be Stoney so they put a “y” on it.  It was originally the  Stoner Point-Birch Road.  Mr. Stoner, who is buried just past the Stoner Point Rd. in the Stoner Cemetery, built a landing on the Amite River in the late 1800's.  Flat Boats came up from New Orleans
 to the landing.
Ella Forbes Kendrick told me all of this before she died.  She said she would stand on the landing when she was eight-years-old and watch the boats come in.  Mr. Stoner had many dreams for schools, a community, etc.  Unfortunately he caught pneumonia and died.

It is sad that history is often lost.  The Birch part of the road name came from the Birch family that lived across the road from the Stoners.  One of Mr. Stoner's daughters married a Birch, I believe.  The Hwy got a 40-foot-wide rite of way from these two property owners. One was Hattie Athens.

The correct name of the road is Stoner Point – Birch Road.  Perhaps history can be corrected and the correct name of the road can be restored.  Good investigative reporting by your magazine can   landing’s name and the correct spelling so we don't lose this important part of the history of Greenwell Springs. 

Thanks,

 

Michael Thomas Jones