St. Tammany Rivers Songs

 I found a copy of the video I did 31 years ago of a Covington City Hall concert with Pat Clanton, Carol Jahncke, Rose Anne Bivens and Jerry Hess. The occasion was the premiere performance of the songs written for the "St. Tammany Rivers" album, a collection of locally produced songs that spotlighted the rivers interconnecting Covington, Abita Springs, and Madisonville. 

Several members of the Creative Dance Center presented a special performance in tune with one of the songs. In the video they are dancing to the Bayou Dulcimer Club's version of "In Love Again With Covington."

Click on the "Play Triangle" to view the video taped in 1992.

See also:

St. Tammany Rivers Songs Introduced

The Official City of Covington Song

Antiques & Uniques 2023

 The Covington Heritage Foundation held this year’s “Covington Antiques and Uniques Festival” on Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and 30, showcasing a variety of antiques, vintage collectibles and crafts, and architectural salvage on display and for sale. Food trucks and music performances  accompanied the free fun-filled event.The festival took place at the Covington Trailhead, 419 N. New Hampshire Street, in Covington, Louisiana, between ten a.m. and 5 p.m.

Here are some photographs of the Saturday morning activities. Click on the images to make them larger. 

CHS Junior Varsity 1970-71

 Here are two pictures of the Covington High School junior varsity football team, the first in 1970 and the second in 1971. Click on the images to make them larger. 

Early Mandeville Settlers & Their Surveyor

  In a new 47-minute interview historian Don Sharp tells about several key characters instrumental in the early development of Mandeville, even before Bernard deMarigny got involved with his large residential subdivision project. In fact, DeMarigny bought several pieces of land from these early settlers.

Click here to view Don Sharp's presentation of early Mandeville settlers and their connection to the architect of the Cabildo, St. Louis Cathedral, and the Presbytere in Jackson Square, New Orleans. 

Don Sharp with one of his 30 research binders. 

The History of Lighthouses

 In an hour long interview with historian Don Sharp, he talks about the history of the lighthouse system, on the East Coast, along the Gulf Coast, and on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. 

Click on this link to view the video.

Sharp's Chapel Area School 1902

 From the pages of the St. Tammany Farmer comes this 1902 group photo of the students and teachers at a school near Sharp's Chapel, Bush-Folsom Road...

Click on the image to make it larger. 

See also:

Old School Pictures

1950's in Mandeville: New Book Takes a Look

 J. Vernon "Butch" Smith has written a new book about life in Mandeville in the 1950's. The 160 page book is for sale on Amazon.com.

According to the summary on the back of the book, it tells about small town Mandeville, population 1,358, which in the 1940's was an idyllic rural south Louisiana community on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

"Firsthand is autobiographical in nature, told both through an anthology of personal experiences related by The Old Geezers and a Few Elegant Elders of the time, and a look at the family history of the Smiths and Morgans with emphasis on the history and culture of the aunts and uncles involved in rearing of the author.

" The facts are definitely important, but the richness of this work comes from looking deeper into the story behind the data “what did it feel like, what did it look like?”

"A class mate who reports having a heavy foot so the local police thumbtack speeding tickets on the front door of his dad’s house. Three of the four males in the senior class being first string on the basketball team. All experienced within the context of the author’s family history and the times of the 50’s. The Acadian French connection is described as is the family’s French Jewish heritage. There is an extensive look at the family’s military history from the Revolutionary War, through the Civil War, to the Iraqi War. "

See also:

 Old Mandeville Residents Telling Their Stories

A Look at Life In Mandeville in 1902

Beck - N -Call Cafe

 The Beck N Call Cafe was a restaurant on the corner of North New Hampshire and Kirkland Streets in Covington, a key location over the years right across the street from the train station which was built in 1920. The address was 534 N New Hampshire St. It operated for more than 17 years, serving court personnel and citizens on jury duty at the new courthouse constructed across the intersection in 2003. 

On April 1, 2021, the business closed its doors much to the disappointment of its regulars. I used to eat breakfast there on Saturdays, and it was a great place to meet with old friends and longtime Covington residents. 

The work crew

The menu

The Last Day Notices

April 1, 2021, was the Last Day they were open

The "regulars"

An honored visitor

Wall decorations

The New Orleans Menu webpage stated that the Beck 'n' Call served a menu of "typical New Orleans lunch platters and sandwiches. " According to the website Brian Bosarge and Eddie Gaden opened Beck 'n' Call in 2003, with the idea of spinning off a catering business.  The catering business did indeed spin off into a separate enterprise. 

At one time a Do The Dishes establishment

Across the street at one time was the Red Cross Office, Covington City Hall, then the police station, which is still there today. Earlier in the last century, it was on the tracks of the Covington to Mandeville motorized street car line. 

In the early days the trolley tracks passed nearby (orange line)

The Beck N Call building was previously home to "Do The Dishes" and "Southern Printing" as well as a general upholstery shop. Many years ago it was St. Tammany Cleaners run by Frank W. Jones and then Jerry's Used Clothing Store (1970). 

Next door is the Crawford Commons building, a historic community landmark, which was home to the Crawford meat market in the early days. 

New Coffee House Being Built

On February 28, Kent Design Build announced on its Facebook page that it would be putting in a coffee house at the location. "Coming soon to Downtown Covington: Haven Coffee and Cocktails! The coffee roastery, bakery, and bar will occupy the old Beck-N-Call cafe building on a busy corner in Covington. KDB is excited to begin construction on this project! "

Work began on renovating the old structure and updating it from top to bottom. 

Under renovation and remodeling, April 2023

Photos taken June 17, 2023

Haven Coffee Shop already has a placemark on Google Maps and a website that describes their future offerings in detail. 

According to that website...

" Our cafe will feature classic espresso drinks as well as unique draft coffee, wine, beer, carefully curated cocktails, mocktails with food options as well. While you wait, you can support us by ordering our coffee and catering for your next event.

Coffees to be available from the following list:

Drip Coffee, Espresso, Cortado, Cappuccino, Americano, Latte, and Dark Chocolate Mocha.

Other Espresso Drinks will include Honey Lavender Latte, Cereal Milk Latte, Banana Foster Latte, and  King Cake Cappuccino

Tea Lattes: Golden Milk Latte, London Fog, Matcha Latte

Loose Leaf Tea: Black Yunan, Chinese Lo Bau Green, Rwandan Rooibos, Ceremonial Matcha, Black Yunan, Chinese Lo Bau Green, Rwandan Rooibos

Nitro Coffee, Sparkling Coffee Shandy, Sparkling Hibiscus Mint, Espresso Cold Shot, Nitro Cereal Milk Latte, Nitro Bourbon Vanilla Latte and Nitro Drinking Chocolate