[Jefferson-Parish of Heritage and Horizons]
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WE ARE GATHERED HERE AT THE CLEARVIEW SHOPPING CENTER FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH THOMAS JEFFERSON.
APPARENTLY HE'S BEEN TRAVELING IN TIME AND IS PAYING JEFFERSON PARISH A VISIT.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE PRESS CONFERENCE IS ABOUT TO START.
MR. JEFFERSON, WHEN YOU CONSUMMATED THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE IN 1803, DID YOU THINK THAT AREAS SUCH AS JEFFERSON PARISH WOULD DEVELOP THIS WAY? NO.
MATTER OF FACT, AS YOU KNOW, THE MAPS OF 1,803 SHOW THIS AREA TO BE MOSTLY, UH, SWAMPS, MARSHES INFESTED WITH, UH, MOSQUITOES AND, UH, UH, WILD ANIMALS KNOW I, UH, I NEVER EXPECTED TO SEE THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT HERE.
MR. JEFFERSON, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE MORE, THE FACT THAT YOU DID NOT ENVISION THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT? YES.
UM, I, UH, I TRAVELED AROUND THE PARISH EARLIER TODAY AND, UH, I SAW THE, THE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, THE, THE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, THE, UH, THE FINE SCHOOLS, HEALTH FACILITIES, AND EUROPE SHOPPING CENTERS.
QUITE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HAD IN MY DAY.
THE, UH, THE CHURCHES THAT YOU HAVE HERE ARE VERY, VERY MODERN, VERY BEAUTIFUL, AND, UH, OF COURSE YOUR ROAD SYSTEM.
OF COURSE, IN MY DAY, WE DIDN'T NEED THAT FOR OUR HORSES AND CARRIAGES.
MR. JEFFERSON, AFTER SEEING ALL THIS, ARE YOU STILL PROUD THAT THEY NAMED JEFFERSON AFTER YOU? VERY PROUD
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR NAMING THE PARISH AFTER ME.
I, UH, I'M EMBARRASSED TO SAY THAT THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HERE, BUT, UH,
WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK IN TIME AND SEE THE HISTORY OF THE PARISH? WELL, IT, UH, JUST SO HAPPENS THAT I, UH, HAVE THE POWER TO TRAVEL IN TIME AS I'VE DONE TODAY.
WHY DON'T YOU ALL COME BACK WITH ME? UH, BACK TO THE BEGINNING, JEFFERSON PARISH WAS FORMED IN THE GULF OF MEXICO BY SEDIMENT DEPOSITED BY THE RIVER, WHICH SHIFTED ITS COURSE AND SPREAD NUMEROUS OVERLAPPING DELTAIC LOADS INTO THE GULF OVER A PERIOD OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
THE RESULTS OF THIS LAND BUILDING WAS A DELTA RICH IN ALLUVIAL SOIL AND NATURAL WATERWAYS ALONG MATTY BAYOU, WHICH FLOWED FROM THE RIVER TO BAYOU.
JOHN WAS THE OAK COVERED NATURAL LEVEE OF MATTY RIDGE.
THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF JEFFERSON PARISH WAS CREATED ABOUT 2,400 YEARS BC WHEN BAYOU BARATARIA WAS A MAIN CHANNEL OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
BEYOND THE MARSHLANDS AND BEYOND.
BARATARIA BAY LIE, THE ISLANDS OF GRAND TERRA AND GRAND ISLE AND THE PENINSULA OF SHANI KAMATA FRONTING ON THE GULF OF MEXICO.
SOON AFTER THE LAND AREA NOW COMPRISING JEFFERSON PARISH WAS FORMED.
PERHAPS SEVERAL THOUSAND YEARS AGO, THE INDIANS LIVED ALONG THE BANKS OF STREAM COURSES, FISHED, HUNTED, GATHERED FOODS, AND ENGAGED IN A LIMITED AMOUNT OF AGRICULTURE.
WHEN EUROPEAN SETTLERS ARRIVED IN LOUISIANA, THEY FOUND THE WASAW TRIBE LIVING ON THE WEST BANK OF WHAT IS NOW JEFFERSON PARISH AND THE CALISA ON THE EAST BANK.
SHORTLY BEFORE EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT, THE CHOPPA HAD ALSO DWELLED ON THE EAST BANK.
AFTER 1800, A NUMBER OF CHOCTAWS ARRIVED IN THE AREA.
THE BROAD WATERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI NOT ONLY ATTRACTED ABORIGINAL INDIANS TO LIVE ALONG ITS BANKS, IT INDEED CONSTRUCTED THE VERY LAND THEY LIVED ON AS GATEWAY TO THE ENTIRE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
THE RIVER DREW EUROPEAN SETTLERS AND EXPLORERS, THE RELATIVELY HIGH ALLUVIAL BANKS OF THE RIVER WERE THE FIRST AREAS TO BE SETTLED BY THE FRENCH AFTER EXPLORATIONS OF THE RIVER BY BIENVILLE AND IBERVILLE, HIS BROTHER AROUND 1700.
IN 1717, THE FRENCH REGENT, THE DUKE JOLYON, GRANTED EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS OF TRADE IN THE PROVINCE OF LOUISIANA TO WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE COMPANY OF THE INDIES.
THE CHARTER GAVE THE COMPANY THE RIGHT TO GRANT LAND TO SETTLERS.
ONE OF THE EARLY ESTABLISHMENTS ALONG THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI WAS GRANTED BY THE COMPANY OF THE INDIES ON NOVEMBER 12TH, 1719.
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IN THE AREA OF PRESENT DAY.WEST WEGO, THE SITE OF SEVEN OAKS PLANTATION HOUSE, WHICH WAS BUILT ABOUT 130 YEARS LATER.
BY 1722, MORE CONCESSIONS HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED.
ONE WAS KHANS BRULE, THE SITE OF PRESENT DAY KENNER.
THE OTHER WAS ON CHOPPA COAST BETWEEN PRESENT DAY, CARROLLTON AND KENNER.
IN 1750, THE JESUITS INTRODUCED SUGAR CANE IN LOUISIANA.
SUGAR DID NOT FULLY REPLACE INDIGO AS A STAPLE CROP UNTIL 1795.
THEN AT THE N BORE SUCCEEDED IN GRANULATING SUGAR ON A COMMERCIAL SCALE ON HIS PLANTATION, LOCATED NEAR PRESENT DAY AUDUBON PARK IN WHAT WAS ONCE PART OF JEFFERSON PARISH.
THE PRODUCTION OF SUGAR CANE WAS THE PRIMARY CONCERN OF MOST OF JEFFERSON'S PLANTERS.
THIS CAN BE BORNE OUT BY THE NUMBER OF SUGAR HOUSES IN USE ALONG THE RIVER IN THE PARISH.
IN 1846, A TYPICAL YEARLY PRODUCTION WAS A TOTAL OF 7,541 HOG HEADSS, OR OVER 8 MILLION POUNDS.
WHILE THE BASE OF JEFFERSON'S ECONOMY WAS AGRICULTURAL, THE COLONISTS BEGAN TO EXPLOIT THE PARISH'S RICH LANDS AND WATERWAYS FOR OTHER MEANS OF MAKING A LIVING.
THE FIRST TASK AT HAND IN ORDER TO INHABIT THE LAND ALONG THE RIVER WAS TO CLEAR THE MAGNIFICENT FORESTS OF OAK AND OTHER HARDWOODS THAT GREW ON THE ALLUVIAL BANKS.
THE BARRETT AREA SWAMPS CONTINUED TO BE LOGGED FOR THEIR CYPRUS UNTIL 1929, WHEN THE LOUISIANA CYPRUS LUMBER COMPANY MILL IN HARVEY CLOSED.
THIS COMPANY HAD BEEN RANKED AS THE LARGEST CYPRUS MILL IN THE WORLD.
BISON, TURKEY DEER AND WILD FOUL WERE HUNTED IN BARATARIA BY EARLY SETTLERS AS WERE FUR BEARING ANIMALS.
PARTICULARLY THE MUSKRAT SEAFOOD WAS PLENTIFUL IN THE BARR AREA, ESTUARY IN COLONIAL TIMES AS IT IS TODAY.
IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER, ARIANS LEFT THEIR TRAPPING GROUNDS TO FISH, SHRIMP, CRAB, AND HARVEST OYSTERS.
IN THE EARLY MORNING BEFORE SUNRISE, MEN WOULD PULL UP LARGE SANDS THROWN INTO THE WATER FROM A SCHOONER.
THE SMALL SCHOONER LUGGERS AND YAS YS WERE THEN SAILED WITH THEIR HALLS UP THE BAYOU AND CANALS TO THE MISSISSIPPI AND DOCK AT THE FRENCH MARKET.
IN NEW ORLEANS, THE PICKING AND CURING OF SPANISH MOSS WAS ALSO A MAJOR INDUSTRY.
IN BARATARIA, INDIANS USED MOSS AS SWADDLING FOR INFANTS AS TEMPERING IN WATTLE AND DOG CONSTRUCTION, THE EUROPEANS AND AMERICANS LATER USED IT FOR STUFFING MATTRESSES AND FURNITURE AS HIS REFUGE AND HARBOR.
DURING THE DAYS OF HIS PRIVATEERING AND SMUGGLING, THE SHELTERED BAY AND THE BAYOU LED TO NEW ORLEANS.
A CITY FILLED WITH GENTLEMEN AND LADIES INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THE CONTRABAND TAKEN FROM HIS SHIPS.
IN ADDITION TO GOODS, THE NEGRO SLAVES THAT THE PRIVATEERS HERDED FROM THEIR SHIPS INTO RACCOONS ON GRAND TERROR WERE SOUGHT AFTER BY LOUISIANA PLANTERS.
THE GROWING SLAVE BASED ECONOMY OF LOUISIANA DEMANDED ADDITIONAL SLAVES.
THEY COULD ONLY BE OBTAINED FROM THE PRIVATE TIER AND SMUGGLERS AFTER 18 EIGHT, BECAUSE OF A BAN PLACED ON THE IMPORTATION OF SLAVES INTO THE UNITED STATES.
IN 1815, THE BRITISH ATTEMPTED TO SEIZE NEW ORLEANS.
JOHN LEVINE AND HIS HUNDREDS OR SO OF SWASHBUCKLING FREE BOOTERS HELPED GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON IN HIS SMALL ARMY DEFEAT THE LARGE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE OF MAJOR GENERAL SIR EDWARD PACKENHAM AND WIN THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
WITH THE DRAMATIC PARTICIPATION OF LAFITTE AND HIS FOLLOWERS IN THE SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE OF NEW ORLEANS, THEY WERE FORTHWITH TRANSFORMED FROM PIRATES TO PATRIOTS.
PRESIDENT JAMES MADISON ISSUED PARDONS FOR THEIR CRIMES AND MADE THEM CITIZENS AS A REWARD FOR THEIR PART IN THE FIGHTING.
ON FEBRUARY 11TH, 1825, DURING THE ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR JOHNSON, JEFFERSON PARISH, AS SUCH CAME INTO BEING LOUISIANA'S THIRD SENATORIAL DISTRICT WAS NAMED IN HONOR OF THOMAS JEFFERSON, THE THIRD PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
IT WAS UNDER HIS ADMINISTRATION THAT THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE WAS CONSUMMATED.
ORIGINALLY, THE PARISH WAS TO BE NAMED ULIS.
IN 1862, NEW ORLEANS WAS CAPTURED BY FEDERAL FORCES.
JEFFERSON PARISH LIVED UNDER MILITARY OCCUPATION WITH ITS CIVIL AUTHORITY, STRIPPED OF ALL POWER.
IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1877 WITH THE ELECTION OF RUTHERFORD B HAYES TO THE PRESIDENCY OF THE US THAT THE OCCUPYING FEDERAL TROOPS WERE REMOVED.
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ELECTIONS WERE HELD AND JEFFERSON PARISH WAS ONCE AGAIN ABLE TO TAKE OVER ITS OWN AFFAIRS.DURING THE MILITARY OCCUPATION, THE SMALL INCORPORATED CITIES OF LAFAYETTE, JEFFERSON, AND CARROLLTON WERE ANNEXED TO THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND ONE OF THE PRESENT JEFFERSON ORLEANS BOUNDARIES WAS SET AT THE 17TH STREET CANAL WHERE IT IS TODAY.
JEFFERSON PARISH STRETCHES FROM LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN TO THE GULF OF MEXICO.
IT IS BOUNDED BY ORLEANS PLAQUEMINE LAFOURCHE, AND ST.
UNTIL 40 OR SO YEARS AGO, JEFFERSON PARISH WAS LITTLE MORE THAN A THIN SCATTERING OF FARMS, PASTURES, AND FISHING VILLAGES WITH SEVERAL LARGE PLANTATIONS DOTTING THE BANKS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
THE EARLIEST CENSUS TAKEN IN JEFFERSON PARISH WAS IN 1830, AND IT SHOWED A POPULATION OF 6,846.
PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILROADS, SMALL SETTLEMENTS DEVELOPED ALONG THE RIVER AT VARIOUS STEAMBOAT LANDINGS.
THESE EVOLVED INTO INCORPORATED CITIES.
AMONG THE FIRST WERE LAFAYETTE, JEFFERSON, AND CARROLLTON.
ALL WERE LOCATED BETWEEN FELICITY STREET AND NEW ORLEANS.
THE THEN EXISTING PARISH BOUNDARY AND THE 17TH STREET CANAL, THE PRESENT BOUNDARY.
THESE LITTLE CITIES WERE CREATED BETWEEN 1833 AND 1846.
THE POLICE JURY, WHICH THEN GOVERNED THE AFFAIRS OF JEFFERSON PARISH, PERFORMED ITS GOVERNMENTAL DUTIES IN THE FIRST JEFFERSON PARISH COURTHOUSE LOCATED IN THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE.
IT IS NOW THE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SCHOOL ON CARROLLTON AVENUE IN NEW ORLEANS.
THE COURTHOUSE WAS LATER MOVED TO HARVEY AND THEN TO GRETNA.
THEN IT MOVED TO ITS PRESENT LOCATION IN GRETNA.
TODAY THERE ARE FIVE INCORPORATED MUNICIPALITIES IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
EACH REPRESENTED BY A MAYOR AND A LEGISLATIVE BODY ALL HAVE THEIR OWN POLICE FORCE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND ALTHOUGH EACH ONE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF JEFFERSON PARISH, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN GOVERNING BODY.
THE CITY OF KENNER DEVELOPED IN THE LATTER HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY ON A SITE WHICH HAD BEEN ONE OF THE EARLIEST AMONG THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI TO BE IDENTIFIED WITH A PLACE NAME THAT OF KHANS BRULEE, MEANING BURNT CANES.
INDIANS USED TO SET FIRE TO CANE BREAKS TO DRIVE OUT GAME, AND MAY HAVE DONE SO ALONG THE RIVERBANK IN THIS AREA.
WHEN IT WAS FIRST OBSERVED BY FRENCH EXPLORERS, ONE OF THE FIRST CONCESSIONS ALONG THE RIVER WAS ESTABLISHED AT KASS BRULE.
IN 1720, THE PLANTATIONS ONCE COMPRISING THE SITE OF THE CITY OF KENNER, CONTINUED TO BEAT, CULTIVATED UNTIL THE MID 19TH CENTURY.
AT THAT TIME, THE ACREAGE OF THE KENNER BROTHERS, IT WAS SUBDIVIDED TO ESTABLISH KENVILLE.
THE CITY OF KENNER WAS LAID OUT IN 1854 FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR, IMMIGRANTS FROM GERMANY, IRELAND, ITALY, AND THE ISLANDS OF SICILY AND UTICA, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF FREED BLACKS SETTLED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE OF THE CONVENIENT RAILROAD SIGHTINGS, IT CAME INTO PROMINENCE AS AN AREA FOR THE CULTIVATION, PROCESSING, PACKING, AND SHIPPING OF VEGETABLES INDUSTRIES RELATING TO THE LUMBER AS WELL AS THE PACKING INDUSTRY WERE FOUNDED IN KENNER IN THE 1880S.
THE POPULATION BOOM DID NOT OCCUR IN KENNER FOR MANY YEARS THEREAFTER, BUT THE WAY WAS OPENED IN 1913 FOR SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY.
THE ORLEANS KENNER TRACTION COMPANY WAS CHARTERED TO PROVIDE ELECTRICAL TRANSIT SERVICE FROM NEW ORLEANS TO KENNER.
THE OLD OKAY STREET CAR LINE, AS IT WAS CALLED, BEGAN AT SOUTH RAMPORT STREET NEAR CANAL STREET IN NEW ORLEANS, AND IT FOLLOWED THE ROUTE OF WHAT IS NOW THE JEFFERSON HIGHWAY TO THE JEFFERSON ST.
IN 1930, BUSES REPLACED THE OLD OKAY STREET CARS.
GRETNA HAD ITS BEGINNINGS AS THE SMALL VILLAGE OF MECHANIC CAM LAID OUT.
IN 1836, NICHOLAS NOEL DESTREHAN IN SUBDIVIDING HIS FORMER PLANTATION LAND AND ESTABLISHING A VILLAGE FOLLOWED THE PROFITABLE TREND OF THAT TIME.
ON DECEMBER 27TH, 1839, THE LOUISIANA COURIER REPORTED A PUBLIC SALE OF LOTS IN GRETNA.
IT STATED IN ONE PARAGRAPH, SHOULD THE PASSION FOR SPECULATION REVIVE LIKE IT WAS THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO, MAKING NEW TOWNS WILL BECOME THE MOST PROFITABLE BUSINESS A MAN CAN FOLLOW.
IN LOUISIANA, ON MAY 19TH, 1913, GRETNA, WHICH HAD BEEN THE PARISH SEAT, WAS DECLARED A VILLAGE.
ON JUNE 3RD, 1913, THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN VOTED TO INCORPORATE THE ADJOINING COMMUNITY OF VILLE INTO THE VILLAGE OF GRETNA.
ITS EDITION GAVE GRETNA THE NECESSARY CITY STATUS.
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AUGUST 20TH, 1913, GOVERNOR LUTHER E HALL PROCLAIMED THE NEW COMBINATION.THE TOWN OF WEST WEGO, LOCATED ON THE WEST BANK OF JEFFERSON PARISH, WAS INCORPORATED DURING THE YEAR 1918 WITH A POPULATION OF 1,583.
FROM A SMALL VILLAGE WEST WEGO HAS GROWN TO A CITY OF MORE THAN 12,000 INHABITANTS.
THE FISHING INDUSTRY IS THE BACKBONE OF WEST WEGO WITH SEVEN SEAFOOD PACKING PLANTS.
NOW IN OPERATION, THIS CHARMING LITTLE CITY IS THE SEAFOOD CENTER OF JEFFERSON PARISH.
THE INCORPORATED CITY OF GRAND ISLE AND GRAND TARE WITH MILES OF WHITE COASTLINE ON THE GULF OF MEXICO ARE KNOWN FOUR AND WIDE FOR THEIR HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AS THE MAIN HAUNT OF LAFITTE AND HIS BAND OF PRIVATEERS OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE.
THOUGH GRAND ISLE IS RATED ONE OF THE 10 TOP SPORT FISHING SPOTS IN THE WORLD, GRAND ISLE IS A FASCINATING ENTHUSIAST.
THERE ARE THE TARPIN RODEO, GUBA RODEO, RED REDFISH, RODEO, SWIMMING, BOATING, SKIING, AND CASTING.
HARAHAN WAS INCORPORATED AS A TOWN IN 1920, AND AT THAT TIME ITS POPULATION WAS COMPOSED PRIMARILY OF RAILROAD PEOPLE.
IT WAS ACCORDINGLY NAMED IN HONOR OF JAMES T HARAHAN, THEN PRESIDENT OF THE ICRR.
IT IS PRIMARILY A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY WITH 46% OF ITS POPULATION UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE, JUST EAST OF THE CITY.
HOWEVER, ON THE SITE OF A FORMER WORLD WAR II, ARMY CAMP IS LOCATED ONE OF THE LARGEST INDUSTRIAL CENTERS IN THE PARISH.
MANY COMMUNITIES, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, HAVE SPRUNG UP WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF JEFFERSON PARISH.
QUITE A FEW DESIGNATE THEIR LOCATION WITHIN THE PARISH BRIDGE CITY AT THE FOOT OF QEP, LONG BRIDGE, AVONDALE, THE LOCATION OF AVONDALE SHIPYARDS, BARATARIA CROWN POINT ON THE BANKS OF BAYOU BARATARIA LAFITE NAMED IN HONOR OF JEAN LITE METRIE WAS POPULATED AND BECAME A BEDROOM COMMUNITY OF NEW ORLEANS.
IT IS THE HOME OF THE PARISH GOVERNMENT'S EAST BANK OFFICE BUILDING.
METTIE HAS FOR YEARS BEEN KNOWN AS ONE OF THE FINEST RESIDENTIAL SECTIONS IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA.
IT CONTAINS THE LARGEST CONCENTRATED POPULATION IN JEFFERSON PARISH WITH MORE THAN HALF OF THE PARISH'S TOTAL POPULATION RESIDING IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AREAS OF THE WEST BANK OF THE RIVER, CLOSEST TO AND ACROSS FROM NEW ORLEANS WERE THE FIRST ON THAT BANK TO RECEIVE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF THEIR PROXIMITY TO THE CITY.
THE EARLIEST VILLAGE SUBDIVIDED WAS THAT OF VILLE JUST ABOVE THE PARISH LINE AT ALGIERS.
IN 1813, JOHN MCDONALD, THE EDUCATIONAL PHILANTHROPIST, GAINED THE REPUTATION OF A RECLUSE AND A MISER.
LEGEND HAS IT THAT HE HAD HIS SLAVES ROW HIM ACROSS THE RIVER TO SAVE THE FERRY COST OF A
IN THE LATTER PART OF THE 19TH CENTURY, THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC AND THE TEXAS AND PACIFIC RAILROADS RAN UPRIVER FROM ALGIERS ALONG THE WEST BANK.
THEY WERE PROBABLY LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL COMMUNITIES AT HARVEY MARRERO AND WMAN HARVEY.
THE FIRST OF THESE, WHEN ASCENDING THE RIVER DEVELOPED AROUND THE HARVEY CANAL.
IT WAS NAMED TO HONOR JOSEPH HALE HARVEY.
HE WITH HIS WIFE, LOUISA, DEVELOPED THE CANAL INTO A LUCRATIVE ENTERPRISE AND BEGAN THE SYSTEM OF LOCKS.
RERO BEGAN IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY AS THE SMALL SETTLEMENT OF AMESVILLE LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF PRESENT DAY MARRERO ROAD, AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED IN A PARISH WHOSE PRINCIPLE ECONOMY WAS BASED ON THE SLAVE ORIENTED PRODUCTION OF SUGAR.
THE MAN OF JEFFERSON EARLY ANSWERED THE CONFEDERACY'S CALL TO ARMS, BUT NO MILITARY ACTION OF SIGNIFICANCE TOOK PLACE IN THE PARISH DURING THE CIVIL WAR.
HOWEVER, THE PARISH POSSESSED STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE AS THE LOGICAL LOCATION FOR THE NORTHERN DEFENSE LINE OF NEW ORLEANS.
BECAUSE OF THIS FACT, LARGE NUMBERS OF TROOPS WERE CAMPED ALONG THE RIVER BANKS AND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE PARISH CAMPS.
LEWIS AND PARAPET WERE ESTABLISHED ON THE EAST BANK.
THE FIRST BELOW CARROLLTON AND THE LATTER ABOVE.
FORT LIVINGSTON ON GRAND TEAR WAS OCCUPIED DURING THE WAR.
ALTHOUGH NO BATTLES WERE FOUGHT IN JEFFERSON, THE CIVIL WAR HAD A GREAT IMPACT ON THE SOUTHERN ECONOMIC SYSTEM.
POST CIVIL WAR PLANTATIONS WERE NOT AS FINANCIALLY REWARDING AS WERE THEIR PRE-WAR PREDECESSORS.
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BECAUSE OF THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOUTH'S SLAVE BASED ECONOMY.OBTAINING INEXPENSIVE AND EFFICIENT LABOR FOR THE PLANTATIONS WAS A PROBLEM.
MANY NEGROES REMAINED ON THE PLANTATIONS AS PAID FIELD HANDS.
THEY DID NOT AS FREE MEN RESPOND TO THE DEMANDING WORK AS THEY HAD ONCE WHEN THEY WERE SLAVES.
THEREFORE, AN EXPERIMENT WAS MADE TO INTRODUCE CHEAP CHINESE LABOR.
THIS EXPERIMENT PROVED VERY UNSUCCESSFUL FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, ONE OF WHICH INCLUDED A LANGUAGE BARRIER PROBLEM THAT HAMPERED MANAGEMENT OF THE CHINESE.
FROM THAT TIME UNTIL ABOUT 40 OR SO YEARS AGO, JEFFERSON PARISH WAS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER, LITTLE MORE THAN A THIN SCATTERING OF FARMS, PASTURES, AND FISHING VILLAGES.
ITS POPULATION IN 1830, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS 6,846, AND IT GREW ONLY TO 50,427 BY 1940, A SPAN OF A HUNDRED YEARS.
THEN GRADUALLY WITH THE NEW ORLEANS POPULATION OVERFLOWING INTO JEFFERSON PARISH INDUSTRY BEGAN TO DEVELOP.
WITH INDUSTRY CAME THE DISCOVERY OF VAST OIL RESERVES AND OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES ADD THIS TO ITS KEY LOCATION, AND ALL JEFFERSON NEEDED WAS THE POST-WAR BOOM OF THE 1940S TO START THE CHAIN REACTION THAT MUSHROOMED INTO A HUB OF TREMENDOUS ACTIVITY.
COW PASTURES BEGAN TO BLOSSOM INTO SUBDIVISIONS.
COW PATHS BECAME ROADWAYS, AND AS TRAFFIC CHANGED FROM A MEAGER TRICKLE TO A STEADY STREAM, MAIN TRAFFIC ARTERIES BEGAN TO WIND THEIR WAY.
THROUGH THE WHOLE PARISH MANUFACTURING, PLANTS AND INDUSTRIES SPRANG UP ALONG THE WEST BANK OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
THE HARVEY CANAL BECAME THE SITE OF JEFFERSON'S MAJOR MANUFACTURING AND SHIPPING CENTER.
THUS, IT WAS THE JEFFERSON PARISH STARTED ITS QUICK BUT STEADY STRIDE TOWARD THE PRESENT.
THIS UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH PRESENTED UNIQUE PROBLEMS TO JEFFERSONIANS.
AS THE POPULATION INCREASED, THE NEED FOR LAND INCREASED.
BY 1960, THE POPULATION INCREASED FROM 50,000 IN 1940 TO ABOUT 210,000.
THE 1970 CENSUS SHOW THAT THE POPULATION HAD GROWN TO ALMOST 350,000.
PROJECTIONS INDICATE THAT BY THE END OF 1975, THE POPULATION WILL BE NEAR THE HALF MILLION MARK.
TO MEET THIS DEMAND, DEVELOPERS BEGAN TO RECLAIM SWAMP LAND, TO CREATE RESIDENTIAL AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
THIS ORIGINALLY THE AFFAIRS OF JEFFERSON PARISH WERE ADMINISTERED BY A DISTRICT JUDGE AND 12 COMMISSIONERS.
THIS WAS CHANGED IN 1834 TO A SINGLE POLICE JURY FORM OF GOVERNMENT, WHICH LASTED FOR 24 YEARS.
IN 1858, DISCORD DEVELOPED WITHIN THE RANKS OF THE POLICE JURY.
THIS SPLIT CAUSED THE FORMATION OF TWO POLICE JURY DISTRICTS, ONE FOR THE BANK AND ONE FOR THE LEFT BANK.
THE POLICE JURY DISTRICTS GOVERNED THE PARISH UNTIL 1862 WHEN JEFFERSON PARISH WAS PLACED UNDER MILITARY OCCUPATION AND ITS CIVIL AUTHORITIES WERE WITHOUT POWER.
IN 1877, PRESIDENT RUTHERFORD HAYES AND GOVERNOR FRANCIS TEEN NICHOLS REINSTATED THE REPRESENTATIVE JEFFERSON PARISH POLICE JURIES.
IN 1884, THE TWO POLICE JURIES WERE CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE CONSISTING OF ONE PRESIDENT AND 17 JURORS.
THEY MANAGED JEFFERSON PARISH AFFAIRS UNTIL 1958.
IN 1956, AN ABORTIVE ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO CONVERT THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY TO A COMMISSIONED COUNCIL.
CANDIDATES WERE ELECTED AND READY TO TAKE OFFICE.
HOWEVER, THE LEGISLATIVE ACT EMPOWERING THE ELECTION WAS HELD UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY THE LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT.
THE PRECEDING POLICE JURY HELD THE REINS OF THE PARISH DURING THE PERIOD IN WHICH A DECISION WAS MADE.
AFTER A STUDY WAS MADE BY A LEGISLATIVELY EMPOWERED CHARTER COMMISSION, THE PARISH SECURED A HOME RULE CHARTER THROUGH A PARISH WIDE ELECTION.
UNDER THIS CHARTER, A PRESIDENT TO HIS CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR AND A SEVEN MEMBER COUNCIL, WHICH ACTS AS THE LEGISLATIVE AND POLICYMAKING BODY WERE ELECTED.
THIS IS THE PRESENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT OF JEFFERSON PARISH.
THE PARISH PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL CHAIRMAN ARE ELECTED PARISH WIDE.
THE OTHER SIX COUNCILMEN ARE ELECTED.
ACCORDING TO DISTRICTS, THE PARISH HAS BROKEN UP INTO FOUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS WITH A COUNCILMAN ELECTED FROM EACH DISTRICT AND ONE COUNCILMAN AT LARGE FROM THE EAST BANK AND ONE COUNCILMAN AT LARGE FROM THE WEST BANK.
THE PARISH PRESIDENT IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE PARISH COUNCIL FOR CARRYING OUT POLICIES ADOPTED BY IT AND FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION OF ALL PARISH DEPARTMENTS, OFFICES, AGENCIES, AND GENERAL DISTRICTS.
THE PARISH COUNCIL AS THE LEGISLATIVE AND POLICYMAKING BODY IS RESPONSIBLE EXCEPT IN THE INCORPORATED
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AREAS FOR ADOPTING SUCH ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS AS MAY BE PROPER IN THE EXERCISE OF THE POWERS OF THE PARISH.AS THE PARISH DEVELOPS BOTH RESIDENTIALLY AND COMMERCIALLY, GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE.
PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED TO PROVIDE NEW ROADS AND BRIDGES, IMPROVED DRAINAGE CANALS AND PUMPING STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PARISH, INCREASED RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ALLOW GREATER OUTDOOR LIVING AND IMPROVING HEALTH CONDITIONS FOR BOTH HUMANS AND ANIMALS.
PROPERTY VALUES, ESPECIALLY RESIDENTIAL, ARE PROTECTED BY MODERN AND ENFORCED ZONING LAWS.
JEFFERSON PARISH TODAY IS A BLEND OF A SUBURBAN COUNTY WHICH PROVIDES FOR ITS PEOPLE THE BEST IN SERVICES.
WHAT A HERITAGE YOU HAVE CERTAINLY SHOWS HOW JEFFERSON HAS PROGRESSED AND WHAT HORIZONS YOU HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOUR PARISH PRESIDENT, ANOTHER THOMAS THOMAS F DONALD.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL JEFFERSONIANS FOR THE WONDERFUL COOPERATION THEY'VE GIVEN ME AND THE OTHER PARISH OFFICIALS THE PAST 10 YEARS IN WORKING TOWARDS MAKING JEFFERSON THE GREAT PARISH.
I'M PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SESQUA CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE AND TO THE PRODUCTION GROUP WHO HAVE MADE THIS FASCINATING TRIP BACK INTO OUR HISTORY POSSIBLE.
AS YOU HAVE SEEN, WE ARE TRULY A PARISH OF HERITAGE AND HORIZONS.
WE ALL FOR HIGH I THE WE WON'T STOP YOU AND I-J-E-F-F-E-R EVER ONE FOR ALL.