The McDonald-Monk House
The McDonald-Monk House was built in 1908 and is a two-and-a-half story turreted Queen Anne house. Built by John W. McDonald in 1900, this Victorian home is over 8,000 sq ft, and consists of 12 rooms and four fireplaces. McDonald, a single man, would travel by horse drawn wagon to Sibley to pick up supplies for the building of the home that came by train. He also made trips, in the same wagon, to Shreveport for supplies that came by paddle wheelers from Baton Rouge and New Orleans. These were two-day trips by wagon requiring over-night stays along the way.
The homes second namesake comes from Ms. Mona Miriam Robinson Monk. Ms. Monk purchased the home in 1966 and raised her family here. She was the beloved music and band director of the Lowe Junior High School band from 1968 to 1980. She was a member of the First Baptist Church, an active witness for God and was one of the original organizers of the Minden Historic Residential District Association, serving as president in 1993. Her home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.