Jackson's first Community Easter Sunrise Service this century was March 31 at Centenary State Historic Site.
Five churches participated in the service and about 120 people in attended, according to park manager Daniel Goyer.
Organizers were pleased with the turnout for the worship service, he said, and some eager attendees were at the site early when he arrived at 6 a.m.
The Easter Sunday service was probably the first one held there since at least the early 1900s, Goyer said.
The event, which began at 7 a.m., was held in front of the remaining west-wing dormitory. The building was built in 1837 by the College of Louisiana, Goyer said. It would later become Centenary College of Louisiana, a Methodist Church college, and eventually moved to Shreveport, he said.
The community churches participating were Jackson United Methodist, Second Baptist, Apostolic Tabernacle, Trinity Baptist and the Church of Christ. The Rev. Chris Curry greeted the gathering and gave the benediction, the Rev. Phillip Mitchell gave the invitation, and the Rev. Chad Mills did the pastoral prayer.
The sermon was delivered by the Rev. Clark Fooshee, and William Free read the gospel.
The music for the service included acoustic performances by Trinity Baptist.
Three crosses were erected at the site. They were made by Dixon Correctional Institution inmates, according to Scotty Dawson, who supervised the installation.
