During a one-year period beginning in October 1999, residents of the Town of Zwolle joined forces on an intensive project geared toward preserving a part of the town's colorful and unique history. The project was funded by a grant through the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Mrs. Edith J. Palmer served as the director of the comprehensive history project which includes a photographic/archival exhibit, town scrapbooks, and an internet website.

The Town of Zwolle served as the official sponsor and fiscal agent for the entire endeavor. The gem of the project is a 236-page detailed history book authored by James Q. Salter and edited by Dr. Kathleen E. R. Smith. ,Mr. Salter is a native and former teacher and principal; Dr. Smithy is Assistant Professor of History at Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, Louisiana. The book, now in its second printing, was published by the Town of Zwolle in 2000. In one of the most favorable reviews of the book, Paul F. Stahls states in the 2005 summer edition of Louisiana Life magazine that the book is a "masterful new assemblage of historic vignettes and vintage photography."