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'''Dorcheat Bayou''', also known as '''Bayou Dorcheat''',<ref>{{gnis|553449|Bayou Dorcheat}}</ref> formerly Bayou Dauchite,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gazpublic/GAZVECTOR.feat_card?p_file=3785|title= U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bayou Dorcheat: Decision Card}}</ref> is a 115-mile long<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map], accessed June 3, 2011</ref> stream in the [[United States]] that extends from  Nevada County in southwestern [[Arkansas]] through County]] and into Webster Parish in northwestern [[Louisiana]] before emptying into Lake Bistineau east of the village of Doyline in south Webster Parish..<ref name=lebreton>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=N6a-9ZHqz8oC&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=dorcheat+bayoiu&source=bl&ots=DtJOfecT_k&sig=kMu3l8r5zzp5ggx6hYxuAuvqeAo&hl=en&ei=5NuRSuCxNZeQtger88DOBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8#v=onepage&q=&f=false|author=Marietta M. LeBreton|title="Bayou Dorcheat" in ''The Rivers and Bayous of Louisiana'' by Edwin Adams  Davis|publisher=Google Books|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref> To its south, Lake Bistineau joins Loggy Bayou to form a continuous passage of water into the Red River. Sometimes called "the heart of Webster Parish", Dorcheat is known for its "unending bounty of sights and sound" of nature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bayoudorcheat.com/|title=Bayou Dorcheat|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref>​

'''Dorcheat Bayou''', also known as '''Bayou Dorcheat''',<ref>{{gnis|553449|Bayou Dorcheat}}</ref> formerly Bayou Dauchite,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gazpublic/GAZVECTOR.feat_card?p_file=3785|title= U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bayou Dorcheat: Decision Card}}</ref> is a 115-mile long<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map], accessed June 3, 2011</ref> stream in the [[United States]] that extends from  Nevada County in southwestern [[Arkansas]] through County]] and into Webster Parish in northwestern [[Louisiana]] before emptying into Lake Bistineau east of the village of Doyline in south Webster Parish..<ref name=lebreton>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=N6a-9ZHqz8oC&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=dorcheat+bayoiu&source=bl&ots=DtJOfecT_k&sig=kMu3l8r5zzp5ggx6hYxuAuvqeAo&hl=en&ei=5NuRSuCxNZeQtger88DOBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8#v=onepage&q=&f=false|author=Marietta M. LeBreton|title="Bayou Dorcheat" in ''The Rivers and Bayous of Louisiana'' by Edwin Adams  Davis|publisher=Google Books|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref>  

 

To the south, Lake Bistineau joins Loggy Bayou to form a continuous passage of water into the Red River. Sometimes called "the heart of Webster Parish," Dorcheat is known for its "unending bounty of sights and sound" of nature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bayoudorcheat.com/|title=Bayou Dorcheat|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref>​

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In the 19th century, Dorcheat was navigable for three to six months per year as far as [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], the seat of government for Webster Parish.<ref name=lebreton/> Wharves and warehouses were built along the bayou, as [[steamboat]]s brought supplies to the outlying areas and then returned with mainly [[cotton]] to the large market available in [[New Orleans]].

In the 19th century, Dorcheat was navigable for three to six months per year as far as [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], the seat of government for Webster Parish.<ref name=lebreton/> Wharves and warehouses were built along the bayou, as [[steamboat]]s brought supplies to the outlying areas and then returned with mainly [[cotton]] to the large market available in [[New Orleans]].<ref name=lebreton/>

 

 

The land along the bayou was settled by the Caddo [[Indians]]. The names "Dorcheat" and "Bistineau" come from the Caddo and mean "people" and "big broth," respectively, the latter a reference to floating plant debris still found  in the lake. In 1835, the Caddo signed a treaty with the United States government and left the Dorcheat country. A few white traders, trappers, and hunters had arrived in the area even before the Indians left. The early settlers used the Dorcheat because of log jams on the Red River, which were later eliminated by Captain Henry Miller Shreve (1785 – 1851), for whom [[Shreveport]] is named.<ref name=lebreton/>​

The land along the bayou was settled by the Caddo [[Indians]]. The names "Dorcheat" and "Bistineau" come from the Caddo and mean "people" and "big broth," respectively, the latter a reference to floating plant debris still found  in the lake. In 1835, the Caddo signed a treaty with the United States government and left the Dorcheat country. A few white traders, trappers, and hunters had arrived in the area even before the Indians left. The early settlers used the Dorcheat because of log jams on the Red River, which were later eliminated by Captain Henry Miller Shreve (1785 – 1851), for whom [[Shreveport]] is named.<ref name=lebreton/>​

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Isaac Alden, who arrived from New Orleans prior to the [[War of 1812]], was one of the first white settlers in the Dorcheat country. A decade later, John Murrell arrived from [[Tennessee]]. Newett Drew, a native of [[Virginia]] and an ancestor of Judges [[Richard Maxwell Drew]], [[Richard Cleveland Drew]], [[Harmon Caldwell Drew]], R. Harmon Drew, Sr. (1917-1995), and current Circuit Judge [[Harmon Drew, Jr.]], constructed a [[sawmill]] and gristmil] at Dorcheat in 1821, from which appeared the settlement of the defunct Overton community in south Webster Parish. The settlers were dependent on the connection with the Red River as a tributary of the [[Mississippi River]].<ref name=lebreton/>​

Isaac Alden, who arrived from New Orleans prior to the [[War of 1812]], was one of the first white settlers in the Dorcheat country. A decade later, John Murrell arrived from [[Tennessee]]. Newett Drew, a native of [[Virginia]] and an ancestor of Judges Richard Maxwell Drew, [[Richard Cleveland Drew]], [[Harmon Caldwell Drew]], R. Harmon Drew, Sr. (1917-1995), and current Circuit Judge [[Harmon Drew, Jr.]], constructed a [[sawmill]] and gristmil] at Dorcheat in 1821, from which appeared the settlement of the defunct Overton community in south Webster Parish. The settlers were dependent on the connection with the Red River as a tributary of the [[Mississippi River]].<ref name=lebreton/>​

 

Steamboats, including side-wheelers and stern-wheelers, sometimes encountered tragedies on Dorcheat Bayou. An early steamer caught fire as it returned south; a woman leaped from the vessel with a child under each arm. She but only one of the children was rescued. In 1850, the ''Shamrock'' also burned with the loss of one person. The ships carried cargo and passengers and often offered mostly musical entertainment. Among these ships were the ''Danube,'' the ''Jewel,'' and the ''Marie Louise,''<ref name=lebreton/> a reference to the second wife of [[Napoleon I]]. The steamboat era on Dorcheat ended in 1892, with the enhanced access to [[railroad]]s, one of which was the Sibley, Lake Bistineau, and Southern Railway. Passenger rail service along Dorcheat Bayou ended in 1969.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lakebistineau.com/history/History/History/DATES%201.html|author=Joe Hinton|title=Lake Bistineau Historypublisher=lakebistineau.com|accessdate=August 25, 2009}}</ref>​

Steamboats, including side-wheelers and stern-wheelers, sometimes encountered tragedies on Dorcheat Bayou. An early steamer caught fire as it returned south; a woman leaped from the vessel with a child under each arm. She but only one of the children was rescued. In 1850, the ''Shamrock'' also burned with the loss of one person. The ships carried cargo and passengers and often offered mostly musical entertainment. Among these ships were the ''Danube,'' the ''Jewel,'' and the ''Marie Louise,''<ref name=lebreton/> a reference to the second wife of [[Napoleon I]]. The steamboat era on Dorcheat ended in 1892, with the enhanced access to [[railroad]]s, one of which was the Sibley, Lake Bistineau, and Southern Railway. Passenger rail service along Dorcheat Bayou ended in 1969.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lakebistineau.com/history/History/History/DATES%201.html|author=Joe Hinton|title=Lake Bistineau Historypublisher=lakebistineau.com|accessdate=August 25, 2009}}</ref>​

 

Overton became the seat of government of Claiborne Parish; in 1871, Webster Parish was separated from Claiborne Parish. Plagued by [[epidemic]]s, Overton was eventually abandoned. The Claiborne Parish seat of government was shifted east to Athens, and then the current location of Homer. Meanwhile, Charles Hanson Veeder (1796-1871), a [[New York]] native, established Minden in 1836, and the new community soon outgrew Overton. Veeder established the defunct Minden Female College, considered the oldest college in Louisiana. In time, farming declined along the Dorcheat, as [[petroleum]] and [[natural gas]] strikes occurred in Webster Parish during the 1920s.<ref name=lebreton/>​

Overton became the seat of government of Claiborne Parish; in 1871, Webster Parish was separated from Claiborne Parish. Plagued by [[epidemic]]s, Overton was eventually abandoned. The Claiborne Parish seat of government was shifted east to Athens, and then the current location of Homer. Meanwhile, Charles Hanson Veeder (1796-1871), a [[New York]] native, established Minden in 1836, and the new community soon outgrew Overton. Veeder established the defunct Minden Female College, considered the oldest college in Louisiana. In time, farming declined along the Dorcheat, as [[petroleum]] and [[natural gas]] strikes occurred in Webster Parish during the 1920s.<ref name=lebreton/>​

 

Historian Marietta Marie LeBreton (1936-2009), who was affiliated with [[Northwestern State University]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] from 1963 until her death,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://obits.nola.com/obituaries/nola/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=125015731|title=Marietta LeBreton|publisher=obits.nola.com|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref> describes the modern Dorcheat as a "lazy stream winding through low, hilly farmland and catering to the fishermen and sportsmen of North Louisiana."<ref name=lebreton/> Calm-water [[canoeing]] is another sport popular on Dorcheat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.louisianatravel.com/node/27187|title=Louisiana: Bayou Dorcheat|publisher=louisianatravel.com|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref>​

Historian Marietta Marie LeBreton (1936-2009), who was affiliated with [[Northwestern State University]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] from 1963 until her death,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://obits.nola.com/obituaries/nola/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=125015731|title=Marietta LeBreton|publisher=obits.nola.com|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref> describes the modern Dorcheat as a "lazy stream winding through low, hilly farmland and catering to the fishermen and sportsmen of North Louisiana."<ref name=lebreton/> Calm-water [[canoeing]] is another sport popular on Dorcheat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.louisianatravel.com/node/27187|title=Louisiana: Bayou Dorcheat|publisher=louisianatravel.com|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref>​

 

[[The Nature Conservancy]] maintains forty acres on Dorcheat Bayou donated by James W. Bransford, who pledged to designate another one thousand acres in the future. The preserve is not open to the public.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/louisiana/preserves/art6873.html|title=The Nature Conservancy: Bayou Dorcheat|publisher=nature.org|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref>​

[[The Nature Conservancy]] maintains forty acres on Dorcheat Bayou donated by James W. Bransford, who pledged to designate another one thousand acres in the future. The preserve is not open to the public.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/louisiana/preserves/art6873.html|title=The Nature Conservancy: Bayou Dorcheat|publisher=nature.org|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref>​

 

The history of the Dorcheat country is revealed in certain exhibits at the [[Dorcheat Historical Association Museum]] at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. The $7.2 million Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center, which opened in 2002 at the former Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant west of Minden which operated from 1942 to 1996, is named for the bayou. It was pushed to completion by then Webster Parish [[Sheriff]] [[Larkin T. Riser]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zoominfo.com/CachedPage/?archive_id=0&page_id=273750645&page_url=//www.press-herald.com/news/0327news.html&page_last_updated=2002-03-28T09:42:40&firstName=Ted&lastName=Riser|title=Dorcheat Center Ready at Last|publisher=''[[Minden Press-Herald]]''|author=Josh Beavers|date=March 28, 2002|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref> There is also the Dorcheat Soil Conservation District.​

The history of the Dorcheat country is revealed in certain exhibits at the [[Dorcheat Historical Association Museum]] at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. The $7.2 million Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center, which opened in 2002 at the former Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant west of Minden which operated from 1942 to 1996, is named for the bayou. It was pushed to completion by then Webster Parish [[Sheriff]] [[Larkin T. Riser]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zoominfo.com/CachedPage/?archive_id=0&page_id=273750645&page_url=//www.press-herald.com/news/0327news.html&page_last_updated=2002-03-28T09:42:40&firstName=Ted&lastName=Riser|title=Dorcheat Center Ready at Last|publisher=''[[Minden Press-Herald]]''|author=Josh Beavers|date=March 28, 2002|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref> There is also the Dorcheat Soil Conservation District.​

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