re: What towns/cities in Louisiana should've been a lot bigger than they are?

New Orleans -- city probably should have been more like Houston given its superior port / Mississippi river / closer proximity to offshore oil & gas production. This board is surely aware of why that never happened.

Feels like Galveston and New Orleans should have been a little bigger and more prosperous while Houston a bit smaller (though still a top 10 sized city most likely).

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Natch should have had the liberal arts school

Ruston the cow college

& BR the engineering school

But that would have hurt the LSU FB team. So LSU became Big Daddy, & everyone else was crippled stepson

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And if you look at the value for dollars invested, LSU looks like a sinkhole in comparison. There's no reason why LSUA&M isn't a top 20 university with all the money that's been poured into it.

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A few thoughts:

New Orelans

In 1840, it was the third most populous city in the US. It was passed by other cities later but mostly in the Northeast. It remained the largest southern city until surpassed by Houston. In 1940, New Orelans was still the 15th most populous city, ahead of Houston and many others.

Natchitoches

Oldest settlement in Louisiana. There was significant trade between Natchitoches and New Orleans, but then:

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When the course of the Red River shifted, it bypassed Natchitoches and cut off its lucrative connection with the Mississippi River. A 33-mile (53 km) oxbow lake was left in the river's previous location which became known as Cane River Lake.

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Alexandria

Provided a link to Natchitoches. However, it still has access to the Red River. It was a hub for trade and business with many miltary bases in the area.

and?

Big Mamoo,

Taft

Cameron

Frog City

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Ville Platte, like dat

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If G. Ardoins wouldn’t have burned down it might have been.

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Neither seems to have grown over the past decade or so.

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Ruston's has slightly. It's the only city in NLA that's gained population.

As I understand dat, da town was very anti-Huey to da point dey wouldn’t even give dat man a soap box to stand on while speaking in da town during his campaign for governor. I tink dey might have even thrown tomatoes and mirlitons at him. So, he promised if he became governor you’d ruin dat town. So, he put dat bridge (and speed trap) in Krotz Springs instead of Melville.

I spoke to a woman who still lives in Melville not long ago. She told me dere’s plans to build a bridge in Melville and she’s worried about what the new “traffic” will do to da town. I ain’t holdin’ my breath, like dat

I think Ruston may start growing a little more especially if you factor in unincorporated area just outside city limits. The biggest challenge I think we have is keeping crime under control. Overall though, it feels like Ruston is poised for more growth.