Coast Defense Study Group St. Babs XXXVIII The Defenses of New Orleans and the Lower of the Mississippi River, November 4-8, 2020 170 Days Out This is the official registration form for the conference to explore the defensive fortifications that once protected the city of New Orleans. Weather, budget priorities of site owners and managers, and time have impacted the coast and harbor defenses of what was one of America’s most fortified cities. When next we visit some years hence, we can expect further deterioration of these important historical coast defense structures. The conference will visit eight locations over five days to explore the remains of the masonry forts (and some Endicott/Taft concrete) representing the colonial ambitions of Spain and France, and the desire of the US government to protect the entrance of the most important river system on the continent. The forts on the itinerary span 65 years of seacoast defense construction. As of this writing, we have 41 hardy adventurers registered for the conference. They, and perhaps you, will benefit from access to sites difficult to visit on your own or under private ownership. Four of the fortifications (Pike, Macomb, Bienvenue, and Livingston) are controlled by the Louisiana Office of State Parks. They are closed to the public, but we have coordinated with parks program management for access. Fort St. Philip and Proctor’s Tower are in private hands; but again, we have coordinated for access. Although closed, Fort Jackson is a part of the Plaquemine Parish park system, and we have arranged for entry. Fort Massachusetts is an element of the NPS Gulf Shores National Seashore and open to the public. Readiness for the environment in southeastern Louisiana is important. These forts are old. Regardless of how well built, structural decay is evident in fortifications built in the first half of the 19th century. Even in November in the subtropical climate of southeastern Louisiana aggressive vegetation, insects, reptiles, and standing water will be present. Four of the sites are reached only by water transportation. Health and safety are important issues. Proper clothing is essential, and rubber boots, gloves, and insect repellent will be prudent. The conference hotel is the Comfort Inn & Suites Metairie, 2601 Severn Avenue, Metairie, LA 70002. This hotel, near Louis Armstrong International Airport, is a quality facility with a good room price, central to fortification sites, and has an on-site meeting room and banquet facilities. The group rate for single/double occupancy room is $109 a day, plus applicable taxes, and includes free breakfast, complementary parking, and free WIFI. To reserve a room, call the hotel reservation desk at 1-800-277-7575 and ask for the Coast Defense Study Group rate. The hotel reservation cutoff date for the CDSG rate is October 1, 2020. Reservations received after that date will be taken on a space available basis. For questions of the hotel sales and marketing department, contact Ken Jenkins, director of sales, 504-526-4597, [email protected]. The conference schedule is below. Estimated shared conference costs include four box lunches, four days of water transportation, the group dinner, daily handouts, and miscellaneous costs. These costs will vary, especially for boats, depending on the number of attendees, so we have not yet arrived at the final cost. We do request that each member or guest pay $225 to reserve a place at St. Babs XXXVIII. This price will be adjusted upward somewhat based on the cost of water transportation. We will adjust the cost for each attendee at the conference once we have the final numbers. Please complete the registration form below. Presentations will be held on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. With so much history in the lower Mississippi, we have engaged several local historians to tell us about it. Topics include the Chalmette National Battlefield (the Battle of New Orleans), the history of Jackson Barracks, and other episodes in the military history of New Orleans. A Louisiana Office of State Parks representative will discuss efforts to preserve these historic fortifications. In the interest of proper rest and relaxation and considering the extensive driving required to visit the historic sites, nightly presentations are scheduled to end at 10pm. The traditional back-of-the-room Coast Defense Material Sale will occur during evening presentations. The CDSG Annual Meeting and Group Dinner will be held on Saturday, November 7. The conference will end on Sunday, November 8 at 3pm. This conference will provide an opportunity to see hard-to-access historic forts, listen to subject matter experts tell us about them, hang out with fellow CDSG members, and learn more about the defense of one of the most historic cities in the United States. St. Babs XXXVIII will enable attendees to renew friendships and reconnect with the fort nerds who have extensive knowledge of all aspects of American seacoast defense. It is not to be missed. Fort Jackson Casemates Defenses of New Orleans Updated Schedule for CDSG Annual Conference (as of 8 May 2020) Wednesday, November 4, 2020 1pm (Tent.) Optional visit to Cap Parapet 4-6pm Registration/check-in and CDSG reception at Comfort Inn & Suites Metairie. 6-7pm Dinner on your own. 7-10pm Conference Orientation and coast defense presentations in hotel meeting room. Thursday, November 5, 2020 6-7am Continental breakfast at the hotel and box lunch pick-up in meeting area foyer. 7-9am Drive by private vehicle to ferry dock at Jones Park, 1022 23rd Avenue, Gulfport, MS 39501 (83 miles / ~90 min). 9:30am-1pm Chartered ferry to West Ship Island and tour Fort Massachusetts. 1-2pm Return ferry to Gulfport 2-4pm Return to hotel (83 miles / ~90 min). 4-7pm Dinner on your own. 7-10pm Evening presentations in hotel CDSG meeting room. Friday, November 6, 2020 6-7am Continental breakfast at the hotel and box lunch pick-up in meeting area foyer. 7-8am Drive to Shell Beach (36 miles / ~60 min). 8-10am Shuttle boat from Shell Beach marina to explore Proctor’s Tower. 10-10:45am Drive to Bayou Bienvenue Marina (25 miles / ~40 min). 11-1pm Chartered shuttle boat to explore Battery Bienvenue. 1-1:30pm Drive to Fort Macomb (13 miles / 16 min) 1:30-2:30pm Tour Fort Macomb 2:30-3pm Drive to Fort Pike (9 miles / 10 min). 3-5pm Tour Fort Pike 5-7pm Drive back to hotel (34 miles / 52 min) and dinner on your own. 6-7pm Workers Dinner. 7-10pm Evening presentations in hotel CDSG meeting room. Saturday, November 7, 2020 6-7am Continental breakfast at the hotel and box lunch pick-up in meeting area foyer. 7-9am Drive to Fort Jackson (70 miles / ~1-hour, 45 min) 9-10:00am Chartered vessels across the Mississippi River to Fort St. Philip. 10am-12noonExplore old Fort St. Philip and concrete batteries (no guns): • Pike (2x10-inch disappearing carriage, 1898-1919). • Unnamed (2x8-inch Rodman, 1898-1899). • Forse (2x8-inch disappearing carriage, 1899-1918). • Merrill (4x6-inch pedestal, 1907-1920). • Ridgely (2x4.7-inch Armstrong, 1899-1913). • Scott (2x3-inch masking pedestal, 1901-1920). • Brooke (2x3-inch masking pedestal, 1904-1920) 1-2pm Shuttle back to Fort Jackson. 2-3:30pm Tour Fort Jackson, Battery Ransom (2x8-inch disappearing carriage, 1899-1918), and Battery Millar (2x3-inch masking pedestal, 1901-1920) 3:30pm-5pm Drive back to hotel. 6-8pm Group dinner and annual meeting in CDSG hotel meeting room. 8-10pm Evening presentations in hotel CDSG meeting room. Sunday, November 8, 2020 6-7am Continental breakfast at the hotel and box lunch pick-up in meeting area foyer. 7-9:30am Drive to Sand Dollar Marina, Grand Isle (101 miles / ~2 hours, 15 min). 9:30am-12:30pm Chartered vessel to explore Fort Livingston. 12:30-3pm Return to hotel (101 miles / ~2 hours, 15 min); conference ends. CDSG 2020 Annual Conference Registration Form Name:_______________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________ City:___________________________________ State:______ Zip Code______ Please make your own travel and ground transportation arrangements. Make hotel reservation at the Comfort Inn & Suites Metairie, 2601 Severn Avenue, Metairie, LA 70002. Call the hotel reservation desk at 1-800-277-7575. Ask for the Coast Defense Study Group rate. Presentations: Yes or No. If yes, presentation title(s) and projected length: ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Coast defense material sale: Will bring items to sell: Yes or No. Number attending:______ x $225.00 (in US Dollars) = total of ___________ • Make checks payable to “CDSG NOLA Conference” and send to Quentin W. Schillare, 24624 W. 96th Street, Lenexa, KS 66227. • Pay by PayPal to our account [email protected]. • Pay be credit card (via PayPal) on the CDSG website (cdsg.org/shop). Questions or comments: Quentin W. Schillare, [email protected]; (H) 913-839-4293; (C) 913-240-8432. .