The parish and Vinton itself might have remained an undeveloped rural backwater without two signal events. The first, which had the greatest material impact on the entire community, was the effort by Charles Morgan's railroad companies to construct a railroad from Morgan City, Louisiana, to Orange, Texas — filling a gap that would enable direct rail travel between New Orleans and Houston. The stretch that included Vinton, the Louisiana Western Railroad, opened for traffic on August 30, 1880. The second and most important for Vinton was the arrival of a physician and former professor from Indiana and Iowa, Dr. Seaman A. Knapp. The economy of the town was further diversified and strengthened by the discovery of petroleum at Ged Lake.
the parish and vinton itself might have remained an undeveloped rural backwater without two signal events the first which had the greatest material impact on the entire community was the effort by charles morgan's railroad companies to construct a railroad from morgan city louisiana to orange texas — filling a gap that would enable direct rail travel between new orleans and houston the stretch that included vinton the louisiana western railroad opened for traffic on august 30 1880 the second and most important for vinton was the arrival of a physician and former professor from indiana and iowa dr seaman a knapp the economy of the town was further diversified and strengthened by the discovery of petroleum at ged lake