Keachi, a tiny Louisiana town nestled in the woods of DeSoto Parish, might have remained unnoticed if not for a chance encounter by a young Houston artist more than 50 years ago. Travis Whitfield’s roadside stop in 1971 transformed this town of 300 into the focus of a lifelong artistic and historical preservation project.
an artist’s heart captured in keachi
Driving from Houston to Shreveport, Whitfield was struck by the sight of the old A.W. Wyatt grocery store and a group of elderly men on its porch. “I’m telling you, it was a life-changing experience when I rounded that curve and saw that old store and those guys sitting out there,” Whitfield recalled. Built in 1848 in the Greek Revival style, the store and its weathered porch crew transported him to a bygone era. “It was like you stepped back to that period of the thirties,” he said.
Captivated, Whitfield spent years documenting the town through hundreds of photographs, cassette recordings, and eventually, paintings. It took him two years to persuade the men to pose for portraits, but his patience paid off. “I did paintings around their houses, you know, inside out, photograph. I photographed everything,” he said. The result is an art show titled Further On Down the Road, showcasing Keachi’s stories and characters.
Travis Whitfield photograph of Ward Barnes of Keachi.
Preserving Keachi’s Historic Legacy
Whitfield didn’t stop at capturing Keachi’s spirit on canvas. As mayor—a position he reluctantly took and has held for nearly 20 years—he spearheaded efforts to place 10 of the town’s buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. These include Liberty Lodge and the Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches, all built in the mid-1800s and still in use today.
Whitfield credits the town’s post-Depression poverty for preserving its historic architecture. “I believe this in my heart, that if there had been any money in Keachi after the Depression, these buildings would’ve probably been torn down and new little brick buildings would’ve been built,” he explained. To view more of Travis Whitfield’s are, click here.
Thanks to Whitfield’s passion and dedication, Keachi’s stories endure—through his art, recordings, and the old buildings that remain a testament to the town’s rich history. As Whitfield put it, “All I can say is that God sent me here.”
In 2021, Whitfield received the Winnie Byrd Preservationist Extraordinaire Award from the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation. The award recognizes individuals who have made a lasting impact on the historic resources of the state.
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For visitors’ information about Keachi, click here.
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