Village of Folsom, LA

Local horse farms have contributed greatly to Folsom’s economy,
employing local residents and becoming known for their fine
training. A stable fire in 1966 caused the Broken R. Ranch to
rebuild and upgrade their stables to ones with open sides to allow
breezes in to lessen the summer heat. Other ideas brought to
Folsom and cultivated as part of the local horse culture included
rehabilitation pools and horse training centers where horses could
be housed over longer periods of time and thus be able to get used
to other horses and the track on which they trained. Each owner
who bought shares in the training center was allowed to build their
own twenty-stall barn and local trainers and jockeys are readily
available.
The largest horse training facility in Folsom and the largest full
service thoroughbred farm in Louisiana is the 300-acre Clear Creek
Stud Farm. Owner of the farm Val Murrell’s granddaughter
expressed that life on the farm was “like a picture postcard and I’m
in it.” xiii Clear Creek also serves as a rehabilitation center for injured
thoroughbreds, with numerous full and part time employees taking
care of injured horses.
As with the nurseries influence and exportation across the United
States, Folsom’s horse industry play an important role nationwide
in thoroughbred culture. In addition to the thoroughbred culture,
Folsom is known for its equestrian industry, with show horses and
jumpers raised locally.
Folsom Today
Folsom today is dotted with small businesses along Hwy 25. J.C.
Pittman’s store and gas station is no longer there, but Gus’
Restaurant and a New Orleans style bakery have become local
staples. xiv
Most residents in Folsom have long family roots here. Today,
continuing in its tradition of valuing open space and a connection to
the land, Folsom is known for its thriving plant nurseries and
beautiful horse farms. The countryside outside of Folsom is home
to exotic animal farms, including emu and ostrich, and reserves,
including the Global Wildlife Center in Tangipahoa Parish, which
sits on land once used by the lumber industry. The Global Wildlife
Center is a major educational facility and critical in the preservation
of various species.
Folsom has held onto its traditions and local cultures, despite
economic changes. Its residents have adapted to change, but
preserved their way of life and their connection to the local
landscape.
i Ellis, Frederick S. (1999). St. Tammany Parish.L’Autre Cote du Lac
(Louisiana Parish History Series). Firebird Press.
ii St. Tammany Parish Bicentennial: 1818 – 2010, A Vibrant Past, An
Inspiring Future. http://www.stpgov.org/bicentennial/. Accessed August
2010.
Village of Folsom, LA
Comprehensive Master Plan
iii http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parishes_of_Louisiana. Accessed
September 2010.
iv http://pontchartrain.net/templates/System/details.aspid=40334&PG=al
bum&LID= 4568. Accessed September 2010.
10