In the Monroe News-Star on April 24, 2006
Garden District blooms in style
Neighborhood works to maintain charm in community
By Cristen Martin - cjmartin@thenewsstar.com

Editor's note: Another in a series of stories on the neighborhoods of Ouachita Parish.

If you are looking for a neighborhood with a museum, homes built in the 1800s and one of the city's most active alliances, Monroe Garden District residents like Steve Mintz says it is about time you visit their neighborhood.

Mintz, a local financial planner who was born and brought up in the Garden District, said he loves living in the nostalgic community.

"I love living here," Mintz said. "I consider it to be our Vintage Village of New York, but here."
The district encompasses more than 300 acres, including about 600 homes.

Most of the houses, of varying architectural styles including Colonial, Georgian and English Cottage, were built between 1891 and 1931.

Erin Avenue, K Street, Glenmar Avenue and Speed Avenue are some of the streets that make up the community. Grace Episcopal School and Neville High School are part of the neighborhood.

Mike Echols, president of the Garden District Neigh-borhood Alliance, has lived in the neighborhood for about four years.

"It's a comfortable place to live," Echols. "You really don't have a lot of strangers here. It's one of the most convenient, historical places to live."

The alliance, founded in 1990, is a group of more than 100 residents who work on beautification and restoration projects.

Photos by Arely D. Castillo/The News-Star

"The alliance was put together to preserve the integrity of the neighborhood," Echols said. "We also help with litter control. We'll have people put signs on their cars and drive around for our neighborhood watch."

Echols said the alliance has planted about 300 trees in the past year and maintains floral beds in Forsythe Park and other areas. The group is involved in the "Whoa Monroe" campaign, designed to decrease speeding in the neighborhood.

The alliance sponsored a music festival and garage sale Saturday at Enoch's Pub and Grill. All proceeds will be used for the preservation of the Garden District.

A sign near the corner of North Fifth Street and an entrance of Forsythe Park contains details of the Garden District's history from as far back as the 1890s.

The Biedenharn Museum and Gardens at 2006 Riverside Drive is another admission-free attraction. The museum, built in 1914 by Joseph A. Biedenharn, features the Biedenharn home and the ELsong Garden. The Bible Museum was closed following a fire in 2004.

Mintz describes the museum as spiritual.

"I believe you could find God in that place," he said.

Mintz, who lived outside of the district for about 20 years, said he was glad to return to the neighborhood after purchasing a house on Speed Avenue in September.

"I love it because it's a diverse neighborhood," Mintz said. "There's young couples, senior citizens and single people. My neighbor, for instance, just turned 99."

Jack Heflin, Echols' next door neighbor, said he, his wife Tami and their three children recently returned to the Garden District.

"We used to live here about 15 years ago," Heflin said. "We're glad to be back."

Mary Ann Riddle, a teacher and secretary of the alliance, said when she decided to move back into the city in 2003, she was sure the Garden District was the right spot.

"I'd lived out in the parish for years, and I got to a point in my life where I was ready to move back into the city," Riddle said. "I have yet to regret it."