The Northshore Community Concert held its 2024 Christmas Concert in Slidell City Auditorium Thursday night. Here are some photographs and pages from the program that was handed out.
In 1963 an old fire engine was donated to the Mandeville Volunteer Fire Department by Z. "Cutzie" Sharp, a candidate for the Ward Four Mandeville Police Jury Seat. He had overseen the complete renovation of the vehicle after it had been stored at Sharp Motor Co. for 20 years, beginning in 1943. It had first been placed in service in 1918 and retired from service in 1942. Click on the article below for the details.
Above photo from the mid-1970's
Sharp Donates Fire Engine - An article from the St. Tammany Farmer
Friday, November 29, 1963
Ancient 1918 Model Renovated As Gift To Mandeville Volunteer Fire Department
The explanation is simple. When one's memories revert to associates and promises made in days gone by, I recall as if it were yesterday my last day in the United States Army, World War One.
As teacher-instructor of automotive vehicles and engineer demonstrator, I bid my class farewell. Being honorably discharged from service with muster-out pay in my pocket, I returned to Mandeville, my place of birth, and place where I started in business with the Sharp Motor & Sales Co., where for more than 40 years. I served the people of Mandeville with honest, courteous and reliable service, attested to by the many hundreds of friends using our services.
The history of Mandeville is unique in that its past has been entwined with its future growth and development. Nature w a s more than kind to Mandeville and St. Tammany. Its abundance of life-giving water, its setting on Lake Pontchartrain midst a super abundance of stately oaks and majestic pines and magnolias all seem to beckon and say "Come—Here build your home, and with your families live free from congested cities, in pure 'Ozone Air'."
For more than 150 years, our emergence into a type of so-designated modernization was slow, first as a fourbourg, then a village, then an incorporated town. In 1918, the Hon. H. B. Pruden, one of our early settlers and a generous far-seeing progressive and home loving citizen, donated free of all cost to the Mandeville Volunteer Fire Department a modern chemical fire engine, supplanting the "bucket brigade' unit.
The fire engine, lovingly referred to as "Old Valiant," rendered service continuously to the Volunteer Fire Department, saving lives and property until 1942, at which date it was declared obsolete.
The donor, H. B. Pruden, not wishing the valiant old engine to pass into oblivion, donated it to both Z. Cutsie Sharp and Paul Esquinance, requesting we hold same for preservation and in suitable future, donate "Old Valiant" to the Volunteer Fire Department of Mandeville.
The Engine has been stored in the Sharp Motor Co. for the past 20 years. Respecting our friend's request and our promise of many years ago, we concluded, after the creation of St. Tammany Fire Dist. No. 4, "Old Valiant" would be restored to workable use and travel under its own power through the streets, as it did in the Mandeville of yesterday.
We will have fuilfilled our promise. The engine has been restored and is in usable condition. In the near future it will be presented free of cost to the St. Tammany Fire District No. 4 Volunteer Fire Department.
Much labor, many miles of travel, many hours of work, were required whereby the parts might be secured necessary to restore the age-old warrior to service. All services were rendered by volunteers free of cost, to whom all of us are most grateful.
Those who so unselfishly gave of their time and talents and felt rewarded beyond measure were: Paul Esquinance Sr., Paul Esquinance, Jr., Emory Esquinance, Dewey Esquinance, Fred Krentel, Charles Moss, William "Sonny" Griffin, Mike Smith (Son of Catherine Smith, Covington), Ernest Loeb, Charles Wiggins, Sharp Motor Co., Inc., Norman Clark and of course, Cutsie Sharp, the co-owner.
The "Old Warrior" will once again go forth proudly—under its own power, and Model Motor No. 2848134, after which it will become a token of the past and a reminder to those of today of the product of inspired community service.
End of newspaper article
Other link of interest:
In July of 1959, some sixty-five years ago, the Covington Lions Club elected new officers for the coming year. Click on the image below to make it larger. The photo was taken professional photographer Art Lemane.
In September of 1977 eleven 4-H Club members from throughout the parish met to discuss plans for the upcoming year. Click on the image below to make it larger.
The lengendary health benefits of living in the Abita Springs area were well-known and appreciated in the early 20th century. Here's an article from 1969 that told of some of the diseases it overcame. Click on the image below to make it larger and more readable.
Also see these links:
In 1977 the City of Covington was experiencing a major controversy concerning its "ox-lots." Many citizens had opposing viewpoints, businesses were being affected, and even lawsuits were being filed to settle ownership and use questions.
Captain H. C. Brote, a well-known and respected citizen, penned a letter to the editor with his observations and concerns about the ox-lot matter. Here it is. Click on the image below to make it larger and more readable...
Over several years, the lawsuits were concluded, the city refurbished the ox lots, put in parking, placed signs on the street pointing to them, and even included historical markers telling about them.
The ox lots really came in handy when parking was taken off both sides of Boston Street, allowing for more space for cars going in both directions. Some of us remember when parking was allowed (with parking meters) on both sides of Boston and two freight trucks, going in opposite directions, would try to squeeze past each other.
In 1951 the Lacombe Civic League elected its first officers. Here they are.
In March of 1951 the Madisonville Lions Club was glad to hear about plans for a clinic opening in Madisonville. Click on the article below to make it larger.
Two years later, in 1953, ground was broken for the construction of St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington.
A new mural will soon adorn the wall facing the alleyway at the St. Tammany Art Association on Columbia Street in Covington. Artist Inga Clough Falterman is using a motorized cherry-picker to paint the huge work of art. Click on the images to make them larger.
What the washateria sign used to look like:
According to the artist Inga Clough Falterman, "The new mural on the alley side of the St. Tammany Art Association building is a part of a Visit the Northshore project that is parish wide, funding murals in Northshore towns.
"I hope the mural makes everyone smile, as my objective is to paint something vibrant, uplifting, and simply enthusiastic," she went on to say. "The colors are robust and Art Alley will have a pretty happy backdrop for future events."
She is working with Roberta Carrow-Jackson of Visit the Northshore (the parish's tourist information commission) on the project, and many people are donating to the effort. The St. Tammany Art Association is incredibly grateful to all those that have donated their time and resources to this endeavor, the artist said.
Among those she thanked for their assistance in the mural were Todd Hillberry with Hydro-Line Exterior for providing the services to clean the wall prior to the project, and Jim Montour of PPG paints for his generosity in supplies for wall prep and paint. She rents the cherry-picker lift from A-Rental Depot of Slidell, who is working to accomodate her schedule at a good price. Thanks also went to Maggy Case-Eymard of the Art Association for all of her effort in making progress happen. "I am incredibly grateful to Maggy, Janie, and Adair for their help in priming the wall," the artist added.
The Art House received some special attention and building improvement in order to paint the mural, she said.
Some 47 years ago, in 1977, these gentlemen were the new officers for the Masonic Lodge in Covington.
