Tiny Ida, Louisiana, is barely a blip on the radar of most travelers. At first glance, the northwest Louisiana town is little more than a highway intersection of a gas station, grocery and a few modest homes. But Ida is perched in prime "Sportsman's Paradise" territory, acting as a launch point for hunters, fishers and outdoors-oriented travelers. And nearby towns with roadside oddities hint at the offbeat culture Louisiana so cherishes.
Take in the History
- Ida was settled by Jonathan Robert and Laura Virginia Chandler in 1878, who might have named the settlement after their daughter who had died. The town gained more residents when the Natchez Railroad was extended to Shreveport through Ida. Many of Ida's historic buildings date to the early 1900s, when the railroad brought economic activity and an influx of residents to the area. Today, you can walk Ida's main street and see 100-year-old shotgun homes, historic churches and the town's living room, Caraway's grocery, housed in a turn-of-the-century building at the center of Ida.
Party with the Locals
- Carraway's grocery and deli sits at the center of town and acts as the informal gathering place for passersby and Ida residents. You might overhear gossip as you browse the oddities for sale in the store, or meet an old-timer as you sit down to a massive sandwich and a soda. Owner Bob Young hosts the "Party on the Porch" on the last Saturday of every month, where local musicians play into the night and residents sell arts and crafts.
- Explore the Outdoors
- Louisiana's well-earned nickname "Sportsman's Paradise" is on display around Ida. Black Bayou Lake, 10 miles south of Ida, sprawls across 4,000 acres of prime bass fishing grounds. You can also bird-watch here, spotting species like the red-bellied woodpecker, great egret and American coot. Hunters can aim for whitetail deer, squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, opossum, quail, woodcock and, on a limited basis, duck. About 50 miles south of Ida sits the Bodcau State Wildlife Management Area, where you can hunt for small game like squirrel, rabbits, doves and quail.
Experience Local Oddities
- Take a road trip to nearby town for an encounter with local oddities. In Rodessa, 7 miles west of Ida, you'll find giant frogs sitting atop two pillars. A sign explains that the town's original name -- Frog Level -- was thanks to the cacophony of frogs at a nearby pond during a town hall meeting where the town name was being decided. Travel 18 miles north into Arkansas and you'll be greeted with the likeness of the massive, hairy Boggy Creek Monster or Fouke Monster. Local lore holds that an 8-foot-tall creature -- the Southern version of bigfoot -- inhabits the Arkansas woods near Fouke.
