Star-Progress

St. Landry Parish

The Star-Progress, established in 1917 as successor to the short-lived St. Landry Progress [LCCN: sn88064248], was published in Opelousas, Louisiana, an important cattle and farming center on the so-called “Cajun Prairie.” The town’s population in 1917 was about 4,000.

Published weekly in four to twelve pages by Lawrence A. Andrepont and W. F. Nolan, the Star-Progress was progressive in tone, carrying many articles on electrification, roads, agriculture, education, and other improvements, including the establishment of the first radio station in Opelousas in 1919 and a sanitarium in 1920. There is also abundant news of local businesses, as well as the proceedings of the St. Landry Parish police jury, the governing body of the parish.

Among other common topics of reporting were local politics, fairs, farmers’ organizations, clubs, sports, and other entertainments such as circuses and movie theaters. Also of interest are articles on the Red Cross and the impact of World War I on Louisiana. Although the paper did report on national and international topics, its focus was mainly on Opelousas, with occasional news briefs from the nearby towns of Washington, Grand Coteau, Arnaudville, and Eunice.

In November 1921, the Star-Progress was consolidated with the St. Landry Clarion [LCCN: sn88064250] to form the Clarion-Progress [LCCN: sn88064251].