LSMSA student fundraises for state historic marker recognizing underrepresented female pioneer Caroline Dormon

9/28/2020

Gloria Church, a member of the class of 2021 at the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) is fundraising to have a state historical marker installed at Briarwood Nature Preserve to raise awareness of an underrepresented female pioneer, Caroline Dormon.

Born at Briarwood in Saline, Louisiana in 1888, Dormon accomplished a great number of things for Louisiana. She became the first woman to work for the United States Forestry Department, and played a major part in establishing Kisatchie National Forest, the only national forest in Louisiana. Known for her work studying and domesticating the purple/blue Louisiana wild iris, this great pioneer also authored and illustrated books about wildlife.

Dormon is also considered the first nature conservationist in Louisiana because of her work with conserving native wildlife through landscaping. She worked for Huey P. Long on the Highway Commission Beautification Project, where she preserved native plants along the highways. In 1965, Dormon was awarded an honorary doctorate in botany and horticulture from Louisiana State University.

Her legacy lives on inside the gardens of Briarwood Nature Preserve.

“I first learned about Caroline Dormon when I was little and toured Briarwood Nature Preserve,” said Church. “It wasn't until recently that I learned about her significance for the state.”

Church is an ambassador in Girl Scout Troop 1512 in Natchitoches. She’s been in Girl Scouts since she was in the first grade.

“My troop has been volunteering and camping at Briarwood Nature Preserve for about six years now and I thought it was time to give back,” she said.

Church is currently working on her Gold Award project. She chose to do her project on Dormon because she is underrepresented in the local community considering her great amount of accomplishments.

“By establishing a state historical marker, not only does it share the history of Dormon, the sign will attract people into Briarwood Nature Preserve to see her legacy,” Church shared. “I admire Caroline Dormon's stubbornness and her ability to persevere; most of her job titles were created for her because her ideas were so unique. The projects she accomplished didn't exist before she came up with them. As a feminist I admire the woman pioneer she was, and as as a future archeologist I admire Dormon's research.”

Church believes that women who had smaller, but important, accomplishments in local regions are not given the credit they deserve. The sign is a small step, but a push into encouraging other girls to represent historical women in their local regions.”

Her fundraiser, available online at Caroline Dormon State Historical Marker Fundraiser, will go toward the purchase and installation of a bronze marker. All extra proceeds will be donated to Briarwood Nature Preserve.

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Gloria Church is a member of the Class of 2021 at the Louisiana School.

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Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) is the preeminent state-supported residential high school with competitive admissions for Louisiana's high-achieving, highly-motivated sophomores, juniors, and seniors. As a public school, there is no tuition to attend, and assistance from the LSMSA Foundation ensures the program is available to all qualifying students regardless of family financial need.