Elizabeth Malone cared a lot about Covington. She had a vast knowledge of the faces of many area residents, since she hand-colored the black and white portraits of many of them taken by photographer Hazel Ogden. She was also very active in a number of community organizations. Here is an article about her from 1992...
Click on the image to make it larger and more readable.
Text from the above article:
Elizabeth Malone by Vera Haik
Elizabeth Malone was born in 1924 in Whatley, Ala,, the daughter of Kettle Williamson and George W. Malone.
When Malone was 3, the family moved to Bush. "A cousin, George Drinkard, ran Great Southern Lumber Co. there and wanted my father to work for him," Malone said. "We moved to Bush and couldn't find a place to live, so they pushed two freight cars together and we lived there until we moved to Covington three years later."
She attended school in Enon, La., and graduated from Elmer E. Lyon High School. After graduation, Malone went to Baton Rouge and studied oil painting and coloring of photographs at Thacker-Rosenfeld Inc.
She had to return home after finishing school in Baton Rouge because of illness in her family. She then went to work for Hazel Ogden Photography Studios in Covington. She worked there for 32 years, retiring in December 1981 because she was losing her eyesight. Malone was blind for eight years and then had an operation and now can see out of one eye.
Malone has always been a spokeswoman for the Covington area she loves so much, and has just finished a l6-page computer printout called "A Remembrance of Covington." It is a stroll through the Covington of her childhood when all the stores were occupied and everyone knew everyone.
Before she began losing her sight, she was acquainted with a blind man who lived in Covington, Joe JoReba, "Mr. Joe" to everyone. Malone took him to work in the post office every day where he sold candy, sandwiches and cigarettes.
Malone took him home every night. After his wife died, she tended to his everyday needs, like washing his clothes and cooking his meals until she began losing her own eyesight. Mr. Joe moved to New York where he had a niece.
Malone has a beautiful cat named Shalimar and a sheltie dog named Charlie Brown. Malone was a charter member of Playmakers, a member of the St. Tammany Humane Society when it was housed on the fairgrounds, and is a member of Trinity Church, located by Northlake Christian School, where she sings in the choir.
She writes poetry, paints and collects for Easter Seals in her neighborhood. She also sponsors a child in Bangladesh through World Visions. And she loves operating her computer. Times Picayune/ June 30, 1992
She wrote the poem "Ode To Covington" which was published in the Greater Covington Area Chamber of Commerce magazine in 1985.
She was also very active in Playmakers little theater productions Photo source: Ann Gilbert, St. Tammany News Banner
In the July, 1931, issue of Louisiana Conservation Review magazine was this poem commemorating life, both human and wildlife, along the banks of Bayou Lacombe. Click on the image to make it larger.
In 1901 Charles J. Colton wrote a poem about the natural wonders of St. Tammany, Covington in particular. The St. Tammany Farmer published it in its June 30, 1901, edition. Here it is.
On the Banks of Bogue Falaya
by Charles J. Colton (Respectfully inscribed by Miss Lona A Allain)
When I'm tired of the city, when I'm weary of a life, Spent amid the marts of commerce and the ceaseless push and strife, When I'd leave it all behind me, all the noises and the beats, And the constant press and flurry of the busy city streets;
When I'd fain commune with Nature, in her lovliest of moods, Then I'll hie me to the country, to the balmy piney woods, Where of joy there is abundance and of trouble there is none, On the banks of Bogue Falaya, by the town of Covington.
There I'll ramble through the thickets of the alder and the beach, North the pine trees, south the pine trees, And the pine trees east and west, Seeming each to reach to Heaven, with its tall majestic crest,
I will harken to the carols of the birds among the trees. High up you upon the branches, swaying gently to the breeze, Or I'll watch the gurgling waters of the river onward run, On the banks of Bogue Falaya, by the town of Covington.
Yes, whene're my heart is weary and my brain requires rest, I will pack up my belonging and go eagarly in quest, Of the land of mingled odors of the pine and violet, There the world and all its worries for a moment to forget.
And as through the woods I wander, Here and there and everywhere, Breathing in the balmy incense, Of the early morning air, I will thank the great Jehovah for the work that he has done, When he made the Bogue Falaya, by the town of Covington.
Charles Joseph Colton was a New Orleans essayist, poet, journalist, lawyer and court reporter, who was born in 1868 and died in 1916. In 1918, a school located on St. Phillip Street, in the French Quarter, was named after him.
Over the past 75 years, thousands of Covington area residents, members of the American Legion, regular visitors to the Covington Senior Citizens Center, and hundreds of used book buyers would frequent Hadden Hall.
The American Legion moved out in 1985, the senior citizens center moved out in 2014, and the Friends of the Library book sale moved out a month ago.
The concrete block structure was torn down Monday afternoon. Here are some pictures. Click on the images to make them larger.
The Hadden Family Home
The
old Hadden family summer home was located at 106 South Jahncke Ave. in
Covington, LA, the corner of Jahncke and East 21st Avenue. Over the past
100 years, the location served many purposes, the home of the Haddens,
the American Legion Post, the Covington Senior Center, and the site of
the monthly book sale of the Friends of the Library.
The building was the summer home of the Hadden family for four generations. There were bedrooms, baths, a kitchen and a parlor, as well as a front porch. The attic had dormer windows, and it was perfect for warm weather living.
The family was associated with businesses in New Orleans. There were three children, Zemurrah, Robert and Cal. Robert was killed in World War I and because of this, Mrs. Hadden became interested in and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
The Hadden family was active in a variety of area community organizations and improvement societies, from the M.C. B. library and Women's Progressive Union to the King's Daughters Rest Awhile retreat on the Mandeville lakefront.
The
rectangular concrete block building was probably the updated building
that replaced the original wood frame home, and it offered a big meeting
room and a full-service kitchen.
It is a location rich in memories. There are memories of the Hadden family who lived there during the summers, watching the traffic go by on Jahncke Avenue, which at one time was the main thoroughfare down to Old Landing where many of the steamboats arrived. The road then turned and went on to Madisonville. Jahncke Avenue is now a beautiful tree-shaded street with big homes and extensively-renovated summer cottages. But a hundred or so years ago, it was the main highway through Covington that went from north St. Tammany and on down to Madisonville. The Hadden Home property was purchased by Mrs. Lenora Hadden on October 8, 1902, from James M. Thompson, according to documents provided by the local American Legion Post.
In 1945, when Hadden Hall was no longer being used by the family, Mrs. Hadden leased the use of the hall to the American Legion post, with the stipulation that no alcoholic beverages could be served inside the building and the American Legion post must hold at least one meeting a month there.. An annex to the building was built by the Legion post.
This glass sign was removed from the building on Jahncke Avenue, and it is now on display in the new American Legion Museum on Covington 190 Bypass
American Legion Meeting Hall
As such it provided a place to make many fond memories for the thousands of American Legion members over the years, those who attended meetings there, visiting with friends, holding officer installations, annual military observances, awards programs, and scholarship presentations, as well as weekly bingo games.
Robert H. Burns, the Legion Post's namesake
The
Legion also rented the hall out for wedding receptions and other public
and private gatherings, so there are the memories of the building in the minds of
the people who attended those wedding receptions and private parties and
dinners.There were regularly scheduled dances, even "sock hops."
According
to Louis Ross Jr., the building served as Robert H. Burns American
Legion Post No. 16 for many years. The group built handicapped ramps in
front to help its disabled members get into the building, and the full
service kitchen was used by both the American Legion and the Council on
Aging for its meal preparation.
At one time, the building served voters in precincts C04 and C05 as their polling place. Many longtime residents as well as newcomers remember casting their ballots in the building for various elections.
Senior Citizen Center After the American Legion built its new home out on U. S. 190 bypass, the Council on Aging began using Hadden Hall in July of 1985 for its senior citizen center in the Covington area, serving daily lunches to dozens of senior citizens, in addition to the various arts and crafts activities at the site.
The sign out front
Lunchtime!
There were social gatherings, dinners, bingo games, card games, art lessons, and special informative events, each one of those a memory-maker and a memory-sharing experience among seniors.
One can only guess how many photos of grandchildren were shown to friends and acquaintances, how many health and age discussions went on, and how many senior citizens appreciated the chance to get out of the house and see their friends and neighbors.
Dominoes!
The Senior Citizens Center celebrated the Fourth of July and other special occasions there with community get-togethers, and, on a daily basis, about 35 seniors enjoyed lunches there. The group held yard sales and other fund-raising events to help pay for clean up and fix up efforts for the building.
Hadden Hall was used as the Covington Senior Citizens Center up to around 2013, then the senior center was moved to another facility.
Friends of the Library Book Sale
For many years, the senior citizens shared the building with the Friends of the Library organization for its monthly book sales. The first book fair held by the Friends of the Library organization in Covington was held on May 20 and 21, 1977, in the Bogue Falaya Mall. Then it was moved to Hadden Hall.
The book sales took place in the rear building addition for decades, then moved into the front section of the building for even more sales space. Click on the "play triangle" on the video below for a quick tour of the many thousands of books, records, Compact Disks, DVD's, magazines, sets of encyclopedias, etc. (Set to music!)
Here are some photos of the book sales.
Through these side doors of Hadden Hall passed thousands of book lovers taking home their treasured finds from the ever-changing supply of books donated to the Friends of the Library for its monthly book sale.
Ross enjoyed going to the Friends of the Library book sales, not only for the wide selection of used books, but for the great prices. Book collectors found many rare and valuable books among those on the stacks, and many parents and grandparents found reasonably priced children's books for their youngsters.
"Jahncke Avenue has become the St. Charles Ave. of Covington," Ross said, commenting about the many new homes being built as well as the grand old homes being preserved. The road was named in honor of the Jahncke family after the Jahncke dredging services provided enough shells to improve the road from Covington to Madisonville.
A few weeks ago, the books were moved out of the building and are now being stored until a new home can be found for the popular Friends of the Library event.
Over on Facebook, more than 100 people have commented about Hadden Hall; here are a few of their memories.
Many recall going with their grandparents to play bingo there, taking part in Girl Scout activities there, and taking dance lessons in the building. But there are also memories of birthday parties, the cannon that was on the outside that kids used to play on, and Saturday morning events for the neighborhood children. Not only that, but there was a John Pela TV show shot on location there at one time, with local teens featured.
Photos of
Hadden Hall
Over the Years
The ramp
The front porch
A flag-raising ceremony
The front entrance
During the
demolition, special care was taken not to damage the large trees standing
in front of the building.
Tribute to Hadden Hall
Among the many places, In our community, Sometimes you find, one comes to mind, That stirs a memory
Hadden Hall was such a place, Where people came to visit To enjoy a meal, and what a deal, To find a book exquisite.
The memories cascading, Weddings flung with rice, To meet with friends, talk til it ends, And honor those who sacrificed
Hadden Hall did it all, Home to Post 16, Senior Center, Summer, Winter, And Bingo games often seen
The rows of books went on And on, records, tapes and more Many sought and books were bought, Pleased by what was found in store
A building whose main purpose Was to shelter and provide All walks of life escape from strife Friends to share, to care and guide
We say good-bye to Hadden Hall It will be long remembered, Taking the lead in filling a need, Through the services it rendered.
Thanks
goes to the Council On Aging of St. Tammany for providing some of the
photographs for this article. The American Legion Post provided some
background information.
