Lake Road in Lacombe - 1975

Here is an aerial photograph of Lake Road alongside Bayou Lacombe, view to the north, in 1975. Click on the image to make it larger. 

CLICK HERE to go to full size photograph.

Groundbreaking in Slidell

Here is a photo of the groundbreaking ceremony held for the new Interstate Tourist Information Center in the Slidell area on June 14, 1968. Click on the image to make it larger. 

I recognized a few of the local politicians, but I guess the rest of them are either Hwy. Dept. or Tourism Development staff. 

David Bannister Morgan, Surveyor, Brigadier General

According to research shared on the Madisonville Vintage Photo Facebook page, David Bannister Morgan was quite a mover and shaker in his time. Brigadier General David Bannister Morgan, Sr. was born August 22, 1772 in West Springfield, Hampden County, Mass., and died July 15, 1848, and laid to rest in the Madisonville Cemetery, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana.

He made his first appearance on the Tchefuncte River in 1804 after being hired by Spanish Surveying General Carlos Trudeau. Due to the Louisiana Purchase, people were getting land boundaries confused on the north shore and there was a backlog of survey work. "By profession David Morgan Sr. was a civil engineer and shipyard owner. He worked around the Boston and Plymouth area, prior to leaving for the Natchez area circa 1800. In 1803 he found himself in Louisiana.

It is believed that his father, Captain John Morgan, surveyed with George Washington, and David Bannister was the government surveyor who surveyed Louisiana and Mississippi.
Morgan went on to serve in the Louisiana territorial legislature, was a member of the Constitutional convention, and after the admission of Louisiana to the Union, was in the state legislature. 

A plaque in the Cabildo Museum in New Orleans explains the role that General Morgan played during the "Battle Of New Orleans". "Simultaneous with the main battle on the east bank of the Mississippi, U.S. and British forces engaged in combat on the west bank.British Colonel William Thornton led 300 soldiers, 200 marines, 200 sailors and part of the 5th West India Regiment against about 1000 Louisiana and Kentucky militiamen commanded by Brigadier General David B. Morgan."

Reports indicated that he did not have enough men for the battle, and that the Kentucky troops who were sent to him had no weapons and no provisions. 

The British attempted to reach the city of New Orleans via the west bank and were going to flank Andrew Jackson's main line. Morgan managed to delay them allowing Jackson to be successful. When overpowered by the British the Kentucky troops did the only thing they could do which was retreat or be killed. Morgan had repeatedly requested to Jackson for more men, weapons and supplies to which Jackson did little. 

Later after the battle Jackson spoke harshly of the outcome of Morgan's command on the west bank which caused hard feelings between them. Morgan did everything he could with what he had and actually saved Jackson from defeat, historic researchers concluded.

In 1820, David Morgan Sr. acquired a piece of property from his brother-in-law, Jean Baptiste Baham (Marie Constance Baham's brother).The property was located on the east bank of the Tchefuncta River and David Morgan Sr. used that property as a brickyard."

His father Captain John Morgan was born December 3, 1719 in West Springfield, Hampden County, Mass, and died April 25, 1790 in Rush, Livingston County, New York. 

 The document below shows the acceptance of a mortgage created by David B. Morgan and his wife, Saint Tammany Parish on July 25, 1838, by which [General] David Bannister Morgan and his wife Mary Constance Baham created a mortgage in favor of the Citizens' Bank.

Before Notary Seghers, New Orleans, Edmund John Forstall, President of the Citizens' Bank of Louisiana, declared that he had taken cognizance of an act passed before Judge Lyman Briggs of Saint Tammany Parish on 1838 July 25, by which [General] David Bannister Morgan and his wife Mary Constance Baham, both of the same parish, created a mortgage in favor of the Citizens' Bank to secure acquisition of an additional twenty shares of capital stock valued at $2,000. The Morgans mortgaged five lots they owned on Apollon Street in Faubourg Religieuses.

 

  A plaque upon his gravestone

His date of death was actually in 1848.

100 years ago this week

 What was going on 100 years ago this week?

CLICK HERE for a link to the St. Tammany Farmer edition of April 6, 1918. The link is provided by the Library of Congress and its Chronicling America service.

Click on the images below to see larger versions.

 

Golf Course Planned for Fontainebleau Park - in 1937

In 1937 a golf course was planned for Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville. The course covered the area near where the Northlake Nature Center is now located. A clubhouse of sorts was built. 

Here is a set of the plans for the golf course layout, drawn up by the Works Progress Administration in 1937. Click on the image to make it larger. Some identifying labels were added. 

 

Golf Course under construction at Fontainebleau State Park, near number six fairway. This view is of number six fairway, looking from the tee to the green. 

Construction in Fontainebleau State Park of a new golf course. Number 11 (eleven) fairway, taken on the tee and looking toward the green. 

Golf course under construction at Fontainebleau State Park in St. Tammany Parish near Mandeville, Louisiana.  

 

 

1952 Aerial Photo Showing Golf Course in Fontainebleau Park

Interest in getting a large public course had been at the forefront since 1933. 

See also:

Native People of Fontainebleau State Park

Mandeville Harbor Aerial Photos

Here are a few aerial photographs of the Mandeville harbor taken over 20 years ago. Click on the images to make them larger. 

Photos above provided by Pontchartrain Yacht Club

1972

1975

See also:

https://tammanyfamily.blogspot.com/2017/06/little-bayou-castine.html

https://tammanyfamily.blogspot.com/2017/05/mandeville-harbor-scenes.html

 https://tammanyfamily.blogspot.com/2017/04/seagull-feeding-frenzy.html

Girls Basketball Champs - 1947

Madisonville Junior High Girls Basketball Champs in 1947. Click on the image to make it larger. 

Goose Point, Looking Towards Causeway 1975

This aerial photograph shows Goose Point south of Lacombe, with a view to the west towards the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. It was taken in 1975. Click on the image to make it larger. 

CLICK HERE for a Google Maps Link to Goose Point, which is now part of the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. 

Early planning for the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway included a proposal for building a bridge between Milneburg in New Orleans and Lacombe, with Goose Point being the northern end of the structure.  

One can only imagine what Lacombe would look like today if the causeway had been built to tie into Goose Point.

A couple more views of Goose Point in 1975...

Goose Point

The LSU Law School has an interesting take on the wetlands south of Lacombe. "Goose Point is a marsh area north of New Orleans. It is on an ancient Pleistocene plain, not river sediment. It has no water pumping or levees, no canals, no oil and gas production, or the other human-driven factors that are claimed to cause wetlands loss. Yet Goose Point displays the same patterns of land loss as regions of the delta. Goose Point, along with the rest of the Mississippi Delta, is very well characterized geologically. Goose Point is crossed by faults and is subject to tectonic subsidence, i.e., deep level subsidence that has nothing to do with compaction of river sediments. This deep subsidence and movement of fault blocks, combined with sea level rise, is sufficient to cause the typical land loss seen in Louisiana coastal wetlands."

Easter Sunrise Services 20 Years Ago

These photos were taken at the Easter sunrise services at Covington, Madisonville and Mandeville more than 20 years ago. Click on the images to make them larger. 

Mandeville

Madisonville

St. Paul's

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Easter Sunrise Services 50 Years Ago

Egg Rollin

The Covington Trailhead was packed Saturday morning as hundreds of parents and children gathered for the "Egg Rollin'" event and Kiwanis Club of Greater Covington Youth Wellness Fair. Here are some photographs of the Easter-themed family fun activity, complete with a petting zoo featuring all kinds of furry animals (and one tortoise). Click on the images to make them larger.