The Hammond Historic District shall have for its purpose the promotion of the educational, cultural, economic, and general welfare of the public through the preservation and protection of all such buildings, sites, monuments, and structures of historic interest or importance through their protection, maintenance, and development as historic landmarks and their recognition as such in the history and traditions of the state and nation; to establish and improve property values; and to foster the economic development of the areas affected.

History

Today, Hammond is the largest city in Tangipahoa Parish. Hammond began as a settlement of Swedish immigrant Peter Hammond. However, the coming of the New Orleans, Jackson, and Great Northern Railroad ensured its existence in the coming years. The train's arrival in 1854 prompted land speculation and brought many new people to the area.

An early entrepreneur was Charles Emery Cate, who chose to settle in the area because of its good climate, natural spring water, and thick pine forests. He found the area attractive as a Confederate army shoe factory location, which was discovered and burned by Federal troops in 1862.

Cate and other residents laid out the streets during the post-war period and lined them with oak trees. These trees remain today and make Hammond a distinctive, beautiful city.

Our city grew up around the junction of Thomas Street and the railroad tracks, and the downtown became a shipping center for the prosperous timber industry. In the 1890s, a hardy variety of strawberries was developed, and local farmers were able to ship their strawberry crops to points all over the nation from Downtown Hammond. As the farmers and merchants began to prosper, they began to replace their downtown wooden structures with proud brick buildings. These buildings have remained in Downtown Hammond through the years, giving the city the unique flavor it has today.