Bethany, Texas-Louisiana is an unincorporated community on the Louisiana and Texas state lines on U.S. Highway 79, yes the town once claimed both states as its location one of the early stores, bisected by the state line, was built in 1889 by a barkeeper who wanted to take advantage of the differences in state laws; in half of the store drinking was legal, in the other gambling was legal proving the that times may change but people haven’t. The town once went by the name Lick Skillet if ever the truth was told many towns of the era were called by that same name all boasting tales of the name’s origin, from the food being so good or so scarce people would lick the skillets or the only scraps left to feed the dogs was for them to lick the skillets, I am sure the truth lies somewhere in between the myths. Although Bethany abandoned the name Lick Skillet, many of the town’s features retain the name such as the Lick Skillet Plantation, a thoroughbred breeding farm, and the Lick Skillet Old Time Store. There is also a Lick Skillet Arts and Crafts Festival which includes live bands, food vendors, and exhibits by local artists and craftsman. Bethany was founded in 1840 long before barbed wire fences and paved highways marked the historic road that eventually became known as the«Old Shreveport Road» it originally was part of a prehistoric trade route from Dallas to Shreveport(not named towns at the time) established by the Caddo Indians. On the north side of the road heading east at the state line is a Marker placed in 1936 that reads: «Site of Bethany — A thriving town of the fifties — through it passed the Shreveport road over which many emigrants entered Texas». There not much left of Bethany now but lots of memories, I’d say by the looks of it the historic value exceeds the town’s net worth, but I’m sure those that remain like it that way.
