Slidell, Louisiana

Slidell is a city in St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana, situated on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 25,695. It was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. As of September 9, 2005, the total extent of the damage is yet to be determined.

History

In 1882, the New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad began construction on a new railroad connecting New Orleans to Cincinnati, Ohio through Meridian, Mississippi. One of the building camps on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain continued to expand well after the completion of the railroad, and was eventually chartered as a city by the Louisiana State Legislature in 1888.

Related Topics:
1882 - New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad - Railroad - New Orleans - Cincinnati - Ohio - Meridian, Mississippi - Charter - Louisiana State Legislature - 1888

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Though he supposedly never set foot in the town, Slidell takes its name from John Slidell, Confederate revolutionary, major figure in the Trent Affair, and father-in-law to Baron Erlanger, head of the banking syndicate which financed the railroad. Colonel Leon Fremeaux drew up the original plans for the city, naming the largest street for Erlanger and a smaller for himself. Ironically, Fremeaux Avenue is now a major artery, far overshadowing Erlanger Avenue.

Related Topics:
John Slidell - Confederate - Trent Affair - Baron Erlanger - Colonel - Leon Fremeaux

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Around 1910, Slidell began a period of economic and industrial growth. A large creosote plant was built, and Slidell became home to St Joe's, a major producer of bricks. A lumber mill and shipyard were also built. With the coming of Interstate highways 10 and 12, Slidell found itself at a major crossroads, becoming a popular overnight stop for travelers who did not want to stay in New Orleans.

Related Topics:
1910 - Economic - Industrial - Creosote - Bricks - Lumber - Interstate highway - 10 - 12 - Crossroads - New Orleans

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With the advent of the U.S. space program the 1960s, the New Orleans area became a hotbed of activity. The opening of NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility, the John C. Stennis Space Center in nearby Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and a NASA computer center on Gause Boulevard nearly tripled Slidell's population over a period of ten years, as Slidell found itself becoming a major suburb.

Related Topics:
U.S. - Space program - 1960s - NASA - Michoud Assembly Facility - John C. Stennis Space Center - Bay St. Louis, Mississippi - Suburb

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Slidell hosts several parade krewes each Carnival season, and is the westernmost outpost of the moon pie as a significant Mardi Gras throw.

Related Topics:
Parade - Krewe - Carnival - Moon pie - Mardi Gras

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Slidell is also the location of the National Weather Service forecast office for greater New Orleans. Rather than using the airport codes of ASD and KASD for the existing Slidell Airport, or NEW and KNEW for the original downtown airport, or even MSY and KMSY for the international airport, NWSFO Slidell uses IATA airport code LIX and ICAO airport code KLIX, despite not corresponding to any actual airport.

Related Topics:
National Weather Service - Forecast - Office - Greater New Orleans - Airport code - Slidell Airport - Downtown airport - International airport - NWSFO Slidell - IATA airport code - ICAO airport code

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Slidell suffered catastrophic damage from the effects of Hurricane Katrina, a major tropical cyclone that hit the region on August 29, 2005. Reports say the town was hit by a huge storm surge and that there are around 100,000 dead fish in the city streets. The Old Town and lakefront areas of the city were hit especially hard with many buildings taking on 8 feet of water from the storm surge.

Related Topics:
Hurricane Katrina - Tropical cyclone

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