Neame

Neame was established when the Central Coal and Coke Company came to Vernon Parish in 1898 shortly after the railroad’s arrival. Although it was first called Taylor and then Keith, the town was finally called Neame, apparently for financial backer Joe Neame. The town was located along Hwy. 171, about 3 miles south of Pickering, although no sign of its existence remains today.

During its heyday, the Neame mill employed 500 workers and cut 200,000 board feet daily. In 1902, the company built and made use of a section of railroad owned by the Missouri & Louisiana Railroad. This “tap line” connected with the Kansas City Southern at Neame, then ran westward for 5 miles. The logging company operated several miles of logging spurs which connected to this tapline. They used the spurs to transport the timber back to the tapline and from there back to the mill which was located on the tracks of the KCS. The railroad also had a 10-mile stretch that connected with Stables (later New Llano).

In 1914, the Central Coal & Coke Company changed its name to the Delta Land & Timber Company and the Louisiana section of the railroad’s name to the Neame, Carson & Southern Railroad.

The mill burned in 1925 and the entire property and operations were abandoned.

Today, Neame is all but forgotten, without even a road sign to mark the area, although W.D. Chips is now located in roughly the same area. The drive through the area is very pleasant however, with the abundance of wildflowers, especially in the spring and fall.