Nightriders
The Harrisonburg Road was a wagon trail in the 1800s that connected the Natchez Trace to the El Camino Real. This section of the road, along the border of Grant Parish and Winn Parish, is where the West Kimbrell Clan-other wise known as "The Nightriders"- robbed and murdered travelers in the years following the Civil War. In the daytime, the Nightriders were known as upstanding citizens of their local community. By establishing good reputations within the local communities, the Nightriders were able to disguise their true identy as mass murderers, who preyed upon their victims after dark. On Easter Sunday, 1870, a vigilante mob hunted down the outlaws and executed them by firing squad, including their leader, John West. Afterwards, several wells were discovered along the Harrisonburg Road, containing the remains of the Nightriders' many victims. The Nightriders are a part of Louisiana's rich history, and the events that took place along the Harrisonburg Road should be preserved.