Here is an article from 1972, published in the St. Tammany Farmer, about an Abita Springs house that had to be demolished to make way for the new library branch.
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Text from the above article:
Abita Landmark Swaps Old For New
An 88-year-old structure, a landmark in Abita Springs, is being razed to make way for construction of a new branch library. The building, a large one-story in its latter years, was originally a 2-story frame structure with a bar on the first floor and a dance hall overhead. It was known then as Conrad's Hall.
Mayor and Mrs. John Leveson acquired the property in 1948 and for some time, the dwelling was rented as a residence. Lawrence Flot, an 80-year-old resident of Abita Springs who was born and reared there, recalls the building was constructed when the first railroad came through Abita---in 1884. Flot is now a retired carpenter-contractor.
Abita Springs, was incorporated Feb. 26. 1903 with Henry Strubbe as first mayor and Emile Aubert, John Caubert and Joseph Rausch aldermen and Herbert Oalman marshal. The first .meetings of the town council were held in Conrad's Hall.
In 1900 the late Charles W. Smith operated a grocery store and post office on the lower floor. Later, it returned to a barroom when it was known as Monprat's Saloon. Then followed a drug store, which was owned and operated by the late George McNulty, father of Arthur McNulty of Covington, who was born there. The latter McNulty says the family left there when he was about one year old. He said living quarters were in conjunction with the drug store at that time.
Site of the old building is centrally located, across from the post office building, with moss-draped oaks to be retained in the transition from old to new.
End of article
The 1922 Sanborn Map shows that the site was the location of the Mutti Hotel.
