University of New Orleans ScholarWorks@UNO University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations Dissertations and Theses 5-22-2006 Thirty Years of Change: How Subdivisions on Stilts have Altered A Southeast Louisiana Parish's Coast, Landscape and People Kimberly Solet University of New Orleans Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td Recommended Citation Solet, Kimberly, "Thirty Years of Change: How Subdivisions on Stilts have Altered A Southeast Louisiana Parish's Coast, Landscape and People" (2006). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 1029. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1029 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by ScholarWorks@UNO with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights- holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THIRTY YEARS OF CHANGE: HOW SUBDIVISIONS ON STILTS HAVE ALTERED A SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA PARISH’S COAST, LANDSCAPE AND PEOPLE A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of New Orleans in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Urban Studies by Kimberly Solet B.A., The College of New Jersey, 2001 May 2006 Copyright 2006, Kimberly Solet ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This research would not have been possible without the guidance, wisdom, patience and instruction of the coastal people of Terrebonne Parish, and it is to them that this thesis is dedicated. I also wish to thank my husband for his colorful stories of growing up in the marshes of Montegut, a magical place that seems to live forever in the hearts and minds of all who pass through, and for his passion for the United Houma Nation tribal people, who seem to find the silver lining in even the most impossible set of circumstances. Finally, I wish to thank my thesis committee members - Dr. David Gladstone, Dr. Shirley Laska and Dr. William G. Archambeault. - for their unique and valuable contributions to this research. I hope our efforts will make a difference. iii Table of Contents PRONUNCIATION GUIDE.............................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES AND ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................... vi ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION: A DIVIDED COAST ..............................................1 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................8 INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................8 SELECTION OF FOCUS AREAS......................................................................................9 GEOGRAPHY OF GENTRIFICATION ..........................................................................10 RURAL TOURISM...........................................................................................................15 LIVING ON THE EDGE...................................................................................................20 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY..................................................................................23 RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS .........................................................................................23 DATA COLLECTION METHODS..................................................................................25 RESEARCH TOOLS.........................................................................................................27 PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES................................................................................27 DEFENSE OF THE RESEARCH DESIGN AND DATA COLLECTION METHODS .30 CHAPTER 4: HISTORICAL AND CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND................... 33 EARLY SETTLEMENT ...................................................................................................33 YEARS OF CHANGE ......................................................................................................35 WORKING IN A BOUNTIFUL LAND ..........................................................................37 COASTAL THREATS AND ISSUES .............................................................................46 CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS ...............................................................................................51 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................51 SELECTION OF STUDY AREAS ...................................................................................52 MONTEGUT, POINTE-AUX-CHENES, ISLE DE JEAN CHARLES ...........................58 CHAUVIN AND COCODRIE..........................................................................................65 DULAC..............................................................................................................................71 DULARGE AND THERIOT.............................................................................................78 COMMUNITY VOICES...................................................................................................81 DISCUSSION....................................................................................................................86 CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION AND AREAS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH.........90 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................94 VITA..................................................................................................................................98 iv PRONUNCIATION GUIDE Caillou (Kie-you) Chauvin (Show-van) Cocodrie (Cocoa-dree) Dulac (Dew-lack) Dularge (Dew-large) Falgout (Fal-goo) Isle de Jean Charles (Eel-de-Zhon-Sharle) Lafourche (Luh-foosh) Montegut (Mohn-te-gew) Pointe-aux-Chenes (Point-oh-shen) Terrebonne (Tear-uh-bone) Theriot (Tear-i-oh) v LIST OF TABLES AND ILLUSTRATIONS Tables Table 1: Spatial Influence of Tourism ...............................................................................19 Table 2: Is the Fishing Good..............................................................................................42 Table 3: Charter Operations ..............................................................................................44 Table 4: Flood Losses .......................................................................................................47 Table 5: History of Hurricanes .........................................................................................56 Table 6: Population Change ..............................................................................................57 Illustrations Illustration 1: No Entry ........................................................................................................2 Illustration 2: The Southeast Coast......................................................................................4 Illustration 3: Linear Settlement .......................................................................................50 Illustration 4: Help ............................................................................................................54 Illustration 5: High and Low .............................................................................................60 Illustration 6: Wall of Protection ......................................................................................65 Illustration 7: Above the Water .........................................................................................70 Illustration 8: Run Aground ..............................................................................................71 Illustration 9: A Fisher’s Dream .......................................................................................76 Illustration 10: Luxury Living ..........................................................................................76 Illustration 11: Carving Up the Marsh ..............................................................................79 vi ABSTRACT In thirty years, the number of second homes for recreation fishers in coastal Terrebonne Parish has grown from 244 in the late 1970s to an estimated 2,500 in 2005. This thesis considers the ramifications of the tourism boom along the parish’s historically isolated and undeveloped coastline. Four coastal communities are examined: (1) Montegut, Pointe-aux-Chenes and Isle de Jean Charles; (2) Cocodrie and Chauvin; (3) Dulac; and (4) Dularge and Theriot. The research question is twofold: Why has coastal tourism been allowed to develop in the fragile wetlands that protect residents from dangerous storms?; and What does tourism development mean for the indigenous American Indian and Cajun people who live along the coast? The author argues the proliferation of recreation fishing camps has had a serious dislocating effect on coastal Terrebonne’s population, and the ongoing development of the tourism industry will devastate culturally rich bayou regions. vii Chapter