Sloping hills, green pastures and beautiful countryside are a few adequate descriptions of the local Belah-Fellowship Community. Many of the families who live there today can trace their roots back to the middle 1800’s when the community was first founded. Early history lists families such as the Windhams, Taylors, Ganeys, Parkers, Masters, Mitchells and Thompsons, just to mention a few, among the initial residents. Initially, Belah was called Piney Woods and was the native home of the local Choctaw Indian tribe. The tribe called the area “Bila” which interprets to “greasy”. The name changed many times through the decades but remained true to its origin. Eventually white settlers moved in from Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama and took advantage of the rich soil, available waterways and land availability and started homesteading.

The post settlement Belah-Fellowship Community began in the 1840’s, according to early sources, when church folks from both the Methodist and Baptist congregations joined together in building the area’s first house of worship, Master’s Chapel. The building was built of logs and both groups used it as their church building until 1849 when the Fellowship Baptist Church was built nearby to the location where it now stands. The 1880 census reveals that a ‘Brother Masters,’ who was both a farmer and a clergy, and his wife and two children was one of the early, if not the original, pastor of the Master’s Chapel. The church building he used was previously called Windham School House and was located on John D. Windham estate. The name was eventually changed from Windham School House to Master’s Chapel. Camp meetings were held on the grounds or grounds close by, and even women evangelists of various denominations were allowed to preach in the services.

Not only did these two original church buildings- Master’s Chapel and Fellowship Baptist Church – serve as houses of God, but both were also used as schoolhouses, not uncommon in those times. A. L. Plummer is recorded as being the teacher at both school locations. The Belah community and these founding churches and schools were originally part of Catahoula Parish as was all of LaSalle Parish before it was separated into its own parish.

With the advancement of settlement, Belah developed into a farming community with settlers cutting down forests of trees to plant crops and grow needed food for survival. So many trees were removed to make room for these plantings that neighbors were said to be able to see and greet each other across the planting fields. Local timber mills in nearby Good Pine and other close communities created the opportunity for men to harvest the area’s timber, sell it to the mills and earn money for their family’s needs. Families also depended on wild berries including blackberries which grew in abundance in the area. In addition to farming crops, families raised milk cows and chickens as staples.

As with all early developing communities, churches and schools continued to be at the center of the Belah Fellowship settlement and community development. Life revolved around both. Another early documented school in the Belah area was the Beulah School which served at the center of the area for forty years. The school was a vital part of the community creating jobs for members such as hiring for schoolhouse repairs, construction, providing wood for heaters in the winter, building and mending fences, digging wells and hiring teachers. Willis A. J. Odom and William Andrew Ganey were among the local directors listed in 1885 for the school. In 1910 the school had grown in student population and two teachers, Miss Florence Rowland and Miss Pearl Nugent were hired to teach students.

Not only was the school named Beulah, but the early Baptist church was the Beulah Baptist Church and the original name Piney Woods also evolved into the name Beulah, eventually transitioning to the current ‘Belah.’ Most citizens today don’t recall the early name ‘Beulah’ only knowing their community by its modern title ‘Belah.’

The first ‘Fellowship Elementary School’ was founded in 1923 and was built and located on land purchased by the Ed Price family and donated to the LaSalle Parish School board by his family heirs after his death. The school was a two-story building that tragically burned in August 1924. A second school building soon followed on the same site in January of 1925. Records from the LaSalle Parish School Board list that lumber, nails and windows were purchased for the 1924 building as well as 100 desks, a stovepipe and a teacher’s desk. Today’s buildings and modern facilities were erected around 1970 and have undergone several additions and remodels.

The Belah-Fellowship Community boasts the largest Ward/District in modern day LaSalle Parish. Its residents enjoy the country flavor and beautiful surroundings of the countryside. Descendants of those original families who settled as well as those who have chosen it as their home in recent years are proud of the sense of community and values found there. Fellowship Elementary School still welcomes students into its halls and classrooms where learning takes place daily during the school year. Parents and family members attend school functions such as intramural ball games, award days and family activities. Churches continue to open their doors for congregations to worship together. The pride of the community remains strong among the residents of this lovely, historical neighborhood and promises to continue to do so in the days and years to come.