Long before George’s Lane was known by this name, it was considered to be an extension of Vance Avenue and even later as Park Road.
Even today, the area is synonymous with class and sophistication.
The Dr. Paul King Rand Family
The featured residence of this article was constructed after two young people found each other in college and were married in 1913. They were the children of two notable men, Mr. Edwin Rand, railroad and timber man, and Mr. Horace Henry White, attorney-at-law.
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Ed Rand (1852-1943) -
Horace Henry White (1864-1946)
Paul King Rand (1888-1956) graduated from medical school at Tulane University in 1913 and interned at Touro Infirmary. He would begin practicing medicine in Alexandria, Louisiana in the year of 1919.
Paul King Rand is in the top left corner.
Blythe White (1890-1972) attended Newcomb College and was an active girl on campus. She played basketball, belonged to a sorority, and hosted many parties.
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The Town Talk, Alexandria, Louisiana on Wednesday, June 25th, 1913 -
The two were married in Alexandria, Louisiana at the First United Methodist Church which was decorated with a profusion of daisies that she had grown herself in preparation for the special day.
The happy couple built their home on Vance Extension past the bayou where they would have plenty of room to raise both children and flowers.
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Paul King Rand Jr.
(1916-1984) -
Horace White Rand
(1918-2003) -
Warren Ed Rand
(1920-1999) -
Frances Abigail Rand
(Mrs. George Whitfield Jack, Jr.)
(1914-1974)
Sun, May 4, 1980 – Page 50 · The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana) · Newspapers.com
Just ten years later the home has been rebuilt and is more elegant than ever as it is used as the site of the wedding reception for their daughter Frances to George Whitfield Jack, Jr. who would later become a United States Army colonel in World War II, a major general of the United States Army Reserve, and a prominent attorney in his native Shreveport, Lousiana.
Connections to Melrose Plantation and Clementine Hunter
In 1944, Mrs. Cammie Henry, owner of Melrose Plantation, leased a parcel of land for a fishing camp on Cane River for one-hundred years at the price of just $1.00 to Blythe White Rand and Dr. Paul King Rand. They had been friends of Mrs. Cammie’s since the mid 1930’s. They named the camp Happy Landing. It was located just across the cotton fields and down the road from Clementine Hunter’s house.
According to the website run by the Cane River Art Corporation, www.clementinehunterartist.com, the Rand family had a special connection to Clementine Hunter and her journey as an artist. According to this remembrance by Blythe White Rand’s grandson, she was the recipient of Clementine’s first oil painting, “Bowl of Zinnias”.
“As my grandmother related the story to me, she and Miss Kinsey were visiting together, and Miss Kinsey was so struck by the beauty of the zinnias and the copper pitcher, that she began to do a sketch for a still life of the arrangement. At one point Clementine came into the room and commented that she thought she might be able to paint a picture, too. Miss Kinsey stopped her sketching and rounded up a collection of partially used tubes of oil paint and gave them to Clementine, telling her to take the copper pitcher and the flowers and try her hand.On my grandmother’s return a few weeks later, Clementine presented her with the painting of the pitcher and the bouquet of zinnias. It was done on a piece of corrugated cardboard, actually the side of a corrugated box; and in her enthusiasm Clementine had apparently used up the entire supply of paint. The oils were laid on with abandon in thick brush strokes and generous dabs. The zinnias seemed to almost come alive, ready to be picked.”
-Whitfield Jack, Jr.
http://www.clementinehunterartist.com/SECRET-3/secret-3.html
“Bowl of Zinnias” c.1939
Oil on corrugated board
20-1/2 inches x 16-3/4 inches
http://www.clementinehunterartist.com/index.html
The Name Change to George’s Lane
In 1942, a resident of Park Road and employee of The Town Talk, George Patterson Jr. was killed in action aboard the U.S.S. Vincennes. The residents rallied in his memory and agreed to change the name of their street to “George’s Lane”.
Heather, thank you for posting the history of this home on George’s Lane. It was very interesting and certainly provided facts about this area of the garden district that I was not aware of.
I live in Ed Rand’s house on Parkway Drive. Before we moved in, Bill and I were over there visiting Ellen, the Rand’s only child. Her accountant was helping her go through file cabinets. He came into the room I am in now with two very early Clementine Hunter paintings which were painted on shoebox tops. There was also a wonderful picture of Ellen’s mother with Clementine. I told Ellen she could leave them with the house. Not! Horace Rand’s wife lives just across the street from me. She is almost 100 years old. I am going to share this article with my 90 year old mother. Henry Blake was one of her high school sweet hearts. Thanks for this excellent article.
I hope you will continue to research the subsequent owners of the house and its remodeling add-ons. I have seen many changes in the outside of the house over the years, and I know at least one of the previous owners.
I am sure there are wonderful stories on every family! I could probably write a book! The families I found were Rand>Jones>Blake>Wasmer. Wonder who will be next?
The Blakes are the people I know. Jean and I went to school together. We always had a portion of our class reunion at their house, since it would accommodate a lot of people. A few years back they sold it and bought another slightly smaller one story George’s Lane house down the street. All those outside wings and other embellishments were added since they left. Jean died a few weeks ago, so I guess I just had her on my mind when I saw the picture. I truly enjoyed reading the early history and the pictures.
And…I reread my comment and can’t believe I wrote *subsequent* when I meant *previous*. Subsequent will be whoever you sell it to!!
I knew what you meant Becky, you meant the owners after the Rands.
I am a tour guide at Melrose Plantation and always interested in expanding my knowledge about the place and all those connected to it. This is wonderful information about Clementine’s first painting and of the Rand family.
It is a beautiful place