Transportation in Louisiana
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FINAL REPORT MAY 2012 TRANSPORTATION IN LOUISIANA PREPARED FOR: OFFICE OF CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, RECREATION, & TOURISM P.O. BOX 44247 BATON ROUGE, LA 70804 R. CHRISTOPHER GOODWIN & ASSOCIATES, INC. 309 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, SUITE A . NEW ORLEANS, LA 70121 TRANSPORTATION IN LOUISIANA Katy Coyle, M.A. Principal Investigator FINAL REPORT By Susan Barrett Smith, Lindsay Hannah, and Kelly Sellers Wittie R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc. 309 Jefferson Highway, Suite A New Orleans, LA 70121 May 2012 For Office of Cultural Development Department of Culture, Recreation, & Tourism P.O. Box 44247 Baton Rouge, LA 70804 i R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc. TABLE OF CONTENTS Transportation in Louisiana: Historic Context.......................... 1 Introduction . .1 Waterborne Transportation . .1 Early Exploration through Colonial Era . 1. Associated Building Examples . 6. Defensive Works . .6 Early Plantation Complexes . .7 Private Levee . 7. Territorial Period through Antebellum Era . 7. Associated Building Examples . 9. Defensive Works . .9 Plantation Complexes . .11 Lighthouses and Keeper Dwellings . .12 River Landings/Warehouses . .12 Bargeboard Homes . .12 The Civil War . .12 Associated Building Examples . 14. Defensive Works . .14 Postbellum Era through Early Twentieth Century . .15 Associated Building Examples . 16. Plantation Stores . .16 Levees . .17 Eads Jetty . 18. Early Twentieth Century through Modern Era . 18. Associated Building Examples . 21. Port Facilities . .21 Camps . .21 Pilot Housing . 24. Ferries . .24 Summary . 25. Roads . 25. Colonial Era . .26 Associated Building Examples . 28. Blacksmith Shops & Stables . .28 Trading Posts . 28. Forts & Defense Works . .29 Territorial Period through Antebellum Era . 29. Associated Building Examples . 31. Plantation & Town Homes . .31 Cattle Pens . 31. The Civil War . .31 Associated Building Example . .33 Defensive Works & Military Complexes . .33 Postbellum Era . .35 Associated Building Examples . 36. Inns/Taverns/Restaurants . 36. ii R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc. Timbering Facilities . 36. Twentieth Century through Modern Era . 38. Associated Building Examples . 42. Post WWII Suburban Development . .42 Supermarkets . 42. Roadside Motels . .42 Interstate System . .42 Gas Stations . 44. Signage . .44 Summary . 46. Railroads . .46 Antebellum Era . 46. Associated Building Examples . 52. Railroad Yards . 52. The Civil War . .52 Associated Building Examples . 53. Camp Moore . .53 Postbellum Era through Early Twentieth Century . .53 Associated Building Examples . 59. Railroad Stations . .59 Roundhouse . .61 Railroad Hotel . .61 Railroad Towns . 62. Early Twentieth Century through Modern Era . 62. Associated Building Examples . 64. Passenger Depots . 64. Rail-to Ship . 64. Summary . 64. Streetcar and Intraurban Systems . .64 Antebellum Era through the Civil War . 64. Associated Building Examples . 70. Stables . .70 Suburban Development . 70. Postbellum Era through Modern Era . .70 Associated Building Examples . 76. Streetcar Barns . 76. Power Plants . .76 Streetcar Lines . 76. Summary . 76. Air Transportation . .78 Early to Mid-Twentieth Century . 78. Mid-Twentieth Century through Modern Era . 82. Associated Building Examples . 87. Passenger Terminals . .88 World War II Bases . .88 Summary . 88. Transportation Summary . 89. iii R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc. Applying the National Register Criteria .............................. 91 Criterion A . .91 Criterion B . .91 Criterion C . .91 Criterion D . .92 Integrity . .92 References....................................................... 94 iv R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc. TRANSPORTATION IN LOUISIANA: HISTORIC CONTEXT ntroduction vices that maintain the state’s significant national The development of Louisiana has been linked ranking in the shipping industry, while the thou- Iinexorably to transportation since its earli- sands of miles of waterways host the best recre- est history. Waterways brought the first explorers ational fishing areas in the Gulf Coast. and colonists, and they remain important to the state’s modern shipping industry . Roads evolved Early Exploration through Colonial Era from Native American trails and early footpaths The history of waterborne transportation in to create migration and shipping routes that have Louisiana’s historic period began with its earliest expanded to link into today’s nationwide asphalt European explorations . During the sixteenth cen- network . As the regional population and economy tury, Spanish explorers sailed along the Louisiana expanded, railroads eased travel and commerce, coastline, and, in 1543, survivors of the Hernando giving Louisiana more expedient connections to de Soto expedition traveled down the Mississippi destinations and markets beyond the boundaries River en route to safe haven across the Gulf of of the state . In urban areas, streetcars became an Mexico in Vera Cruz . The Spaniards were followed important means of passenger conveyance, evolv- over a century later by French leader Réné Robert ing from steam to horse to electric power . By the Cavalier, Sieur de la Salle, who traveled down the mid-twentieth century, airlines began to take over Mississippi River, from its confluence with the Illi- many transportation needs; however, all of the nois River to the Gulf of Mexico . La Salle explored above-named transport methods remain signifi- the various outlets near the mouth of the Missis- cant in modern Louisiana . This context focuses on sippi River, claiming all lands drained by the great Louisiana transportation as it relates to the struc- river for Louis XIV, King of France, on April 9, tures built to facilitate or enhance each general 1682 1. transport method . The French began colonization efforts to- ward the close of the seventeenth century with the Waterborne Transportation expedition of Pierre le Moyne, Sieur d’Iberville, Waterways have been integral to transporta- who arrived at the mouth of the Mississippi River tion in Louisiana from its earliest history to the in March 1699 . Iberville and his brother, Sieur de present time . The earliest settlements were estab- Bienville, investigated the Mississippi River and lished along the principal navigable water courses connected waterways, primarily to find a suit- – initially, the chief means to transport people, sup- able place to establish a fort in order to maintain plies, crops, and manufactured products . Sawmills French control of the Mississippi River basin . The and timbering were among the industries that relied French feared the expansion of rival European on waterborne transport . Until supplanted by the colonial interests into the region . The navigation railroad system during the late nineteenth century, difficulties and the inhospitable swamplands along waterways were key to the development of towns, the lower reaches of the Mississippi River initially plantations, industry, and commerce throughout discouraged settlement there; consequently, in the state . Improved roads and the introduction of the spring of 1699, Iberville established the first air transport brought a further decline to business French post (Fort Maurepas) on Biloxi Bay, east of and travel by water in the twentieth century . Today, though, the deepwater ports along the Louisiana 1 Edwin Adams Davis, Louisiana, A Narrative History, Third Edition (Baton Rouge: Claitor’s Publishing Divi- coast provide valuable import/export freight ser- sion 1971[1961]), 27-29 . 1 R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc. Transportation in Louisiana: Historic Context the marshy lowlands of the Mississippi and Pearl obstructed the Red River, the Natchitoches locale Rivers 2. was considered to be the head of navigation 4. In order to protect the new French possession, In 1718, Bienville chose a site between the Iberville ordered the immediate construction of Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain as the fortifications on the first high ground.