Prosperity, Modern Life, and Hurricanes 1940 to 1988 Written by: William Richard Stringfield Submitted by: Darnell Marie Brunner Beck Copyrighted material from Mr Stringfiled's book "Le Pays des Fluers Oranges" ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** The 1940's saw the people of Plaquemines finding out the news more quickly than ever. Newspapers and radios, along with our own travelers, were the primary sources of this information, but trade helped us have vested interests. For once, they found how their area affected more than just one city, but also a nation, and further. Ships had always passed through going to the city, but now products were being produced where ships traded, more than just to anchor when dock space was full, or weather conditions slowed traffic. Port Sulphur traded in sulfur, and at Ostrica an oil terminal was built. A facility in Belle Chasse was created to load railroad cars on ships. Soon several small industries worked in the upper Belle Chasse areas. A rather powerful political "machine" evolved, with "family" offices. A certain political office would have a traditional heir from its own family, son or nephew for two to three generations, and more. Several groups were "neglected" citizens, denied voting rights, and sometimes, levee protection. The requirements that were placed to repair or build rear levee improvements in the area from Bohemia to Ostrica is a primary reason why the legislature decided to abolish those communities, as they were damaged heavily in 1915. They created a Spillway that would take through purchase or expropriation, three or four communities which had about 800 total persons in 1910. There was a shell roadway about halfway down this stretch, which then followed along the levee until reaching the locks. Below there, few tried autos. Other areas of the West Bank were responsible for their own levee protection, while sections of Buras through Venice were protected rather early, other areas, such as Empire, were left out of the "drainage districts" until much later. Mosquito patrol was tried fairly early in Plaquemines, as we were among one of the areas blanketed by a cloud of the insects in a Plague in Septmuber 1963, which prompted several southeastern Louisiana parishes to make an ettempt at lessening their nuisance level. That year still seems rather late in our history to finally try to overcome one of our areas worst recurrent plagues. Other "plagues" which befell the communities in the form of insects or crustaceans were those of black grasshoppers, fiddler crabs, crickets, "tree" roaches, fleas, ants, and occassionally a beneficial one, crawfish. A statewide program to de-tick all cattle was fairly successful, and that seldom has been a major cattle problem in recent years. Other things which Plaquemines seems to have problems with are the native and introduced grasses which proliferate quickly and take over many "cared for" sections of the land. Floral shrubbery grows well in our area, so many are planted, but several which have become preferred seem to be the azalea, crepe myrtle, a fragrant shrub, and maybe one or more roses. Port Eads was known for its large oleander stands so the plant became popular throughout the area, but declined after the several freezes. A showy type of perhaps one or more bulb flowers are also grown, particularly the red lily is among the more preferred flowers. Cemeteries are usually spruced up magically every October, so that some fresh flowers can be seen on All Saints Day, usually chrysanthemums. The Cyprien Buras family buries predominately in Boothyille Cemetey {Buras Family Cemetery). Many families from Buras bury in Our Lady of Good Harbor. A few family members from the COSSE and HINGLE families were buried at Pointe Pleasant as late as 1977. Families from Empire-Nairn often bury at Nairn, and those in Port Sulphur at St. Patrick's. A few family members of the Point a la Hache Communities bury at St. Thomas. Others living in Belle Chasse/West Bank area bury in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cemetery. A host of New Orleans area cemeteries are preferred, these listed predominate: Westlawn Memorial Park, Greenwood, St. Vincent de Paul(#1, #2, & #3 or Maus); St. Roch(#1 & #2); St. Louis #3; St. Patrick's(Algiers); McDonogh-McDonoghville; Garden of Memories; Hope Mausoleum-Cemetery; Metairie Cemetery(newer section, Lake Lawn Park and Mausoleum); or several smaller cemeteries near Canal and City Park Avenue. The St. Bernard Parish and East Bank families may choose a St. Bernard Parish Cemetery. The communities along the riverbank became places populous enough to become classed "urban places" by the Census Bureau in 1960. Buras held about 3,250 persons in 1960, and neighboring Triumph over 1600. Their Post Offices merged in 1964, and together they estimated over 5,000. Port Sulpher had about 2,850 in 1960, and slightly over 3,000 in 1970. A combination of "City retirees" from the lower communities and the suburbanization of the area has brought the population of the Belle Chasse Community to over 9,000 in 1980 and estimated to be over 14,000 by 1990. The population gain in Plaquemines has been almost entirely in the upper West Bank areas since 1969, when the strongest-to-date recorded hurricane hit the Gulf Coast area, lower Plaquemines and Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi: CAMILLE. Fear of high property losses caused many families in the Port Sulphur through Venice communities to build sparingly or to buy "trailers" to live in. The several communities have always had some interaction, usually with mild sports events, often among school age children. During the late 1960's and much of the 1970's several private academies were working, often with a single community base. Since the late 1970's a few of the protestant churches have tried schools, some small, but successful. Throughout the period, several Catholic schools have operated, and a few mission schools thrived. Some five public school districts existed in 1974, Boothville-Venice, Buras, Port Sulphur, Belle Chasse, and Phoenix. But some eight public high schools have served the parish from the 193O's to this period. three campuses now being used for other functions. Mild tourism is boasted for Fort Jackson, and the Orange Festival. A thriving fresh market exists in season for preferred crops alongside the highways in several locations. This helps boast a few dollars in the agricultural importance of the area. Tomatoes are the favorite summer crop, with other truck vegetables popular but in lesser amounts. Orcharding is still primarily citrus, although several bad freezes in the early 1980's caused some farmers to experiment with peaches. A modern repuation is sought, especially to reduce the effects of the "stigma" the olde system tried to perpetuate. Oiland its related support still controls the economy with sulfer, agriculture, and fisheries giving their own healthy imput of the area's economy. A propsal to use the Port Eads area for a "topping off" basin for over-draft vessels was studied hard in hte early 1980's and several tries for a steamboat cruise were tried in the late 1970's-early 1980's to the Jetties, the retrn overnight. Improved highways have allowed many to travel the seventy or so miles from Belle Chasse to Venice in about an hour fifteen minutes or less. Train service has further dwindled in the area, but with increased industrialization, may improve. Because of staggering effect of some families generation, many persons might have fit better in an earlier period. Many lived to see this time frame, if they were born in those earlier periods.