Tammany Family: December 2022

Saturday, December 31, 2022

Putt-Putt Golf Sweeps The Area

In 1930 miniature golf, otherwise known as "putt-putt," swept the nation. Covington and Mandeville were among the communities to fall in love with the new "sport." There was a putt-putt course on the grounds of the Southern Hotel in Covington, and there was a miniature golf course on the lakefront in Mandeville. Here are some news items from the time.

Click on the images to make them larger.

Another Mandeville area Putt Putt course in 1967

Miniature golf courses are still around. There was one in downtown Covington for several years on Gibson Street between Theard and Vermont streets, and there was one of the lakefront in Mandeville next to a bar and restaurant on the west end of Lakeshore Drive.

Gibson Street putt putt course.

Matthew Schlenker, Administrator of the Remember Covington Facebook page, said that when he attended St. Paul's in the 1960's, they had a Putt Putt course there outside of the Recreation Hall.

Folsom Train Track Abandoned

The railroad line between Covington and Folsom played a major part in the development of those communities, as one of the area's first exported products consisted of timber and lumber. These building materials helped construct homes in Covington, Mandeville, and New Orleans and some were even exported to other places across the globe.

In 1930, however, the railroad company proposed to abandon the line between Covington and Folsom. In order to appease the outcries from the local business leaders residents, the company promised to upgrade and improve its railroad service from Slidell to Covington with better and faster trains.

The parish police jury was against the idea.

Click on the images to make them larger.

The local newspaper questioned the wisdom of abandoning railroad lines

The line was losing money, according to the company.

The Greenlaw Lumber Company was located a few miles north of Covington. It cut timber from a wide area, and even built a spur railroad line from the Folsom track westward into Tangipahoa Parish.

See also:

Folsom Train Depot

A map of Folsom in the 1920's

Extending the Railroad

Duvalle's On The Beach

The Mandeville lakefront has always been a party place and in the early 20th century Duvalle's On the Beach was one of the central gathering places. It was a versatile venue for all kinds of goings-on, mainly dances and holiday events, but also for the bingo games and private parties.

Over the years its name changed a little, from Duvalle's on the Beach to Duvalle's Garden to Duvalle's Tropical Garden, and then Duvalle's Showboat.

Duvalle's On The Beach

It progressed from a bathhouse beach and swimming destination at the beginning to a full-service party and special occasion location. It advertised extensively and was appreciated by a number of non-profit community service organizations. The owners even held benefits for those groups, with everything from bingo games and beauty contests. Some of those fund-raising events were allowed to use the premises at no cost.

The chamber of commerce would meet there, special meetings of political and governmental importance would be held there, and teen age dances were also a popular ongoing event.

It was located on Lake Drive, between Coffee and Carroll Streets.

There were always private parties going on, baby showers, wedding receptions, and the like, and the New Orleans corporate world was always sending its employees by steamboat for the annual company picnics. Mandeville in general was a favorite weekend and summer spot for business-related get-aways.