Chalmette, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Chalmette is a census-designated place
(CDP) in and the parish seat of St. Bernard Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. The population was 32,069 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans
–Metairie
–Kenner
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. Chalmette is located east of downtown New Orleans and south of Arabi, Louisiana
, towards Lake Borgne
.
The community was named after plantation owner I. Martin de Lino de Chalmette, whose surname is, in turn, derived from the French word chalmette— "pasture land, fallow land" (used especially in a mountainous area) — and has been traced to the Proto-Celtic *kalm.
, where United States
forces under Major General Andrew Jackson
defeated the British
, led by brevet Lieutenant General Sir Edward Pakenham
in January, 1815. The battlefield is preserved as a national monument, and the military Chalmette National Cemetery
is adjacent.
from Hurricane Katrina
overflowed through the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (also commonly known as MR-GO) - a commercial channel dug by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1960s - and flooded most of the town, with waters as high as 14 to 15 feet (4.9 m)
in some places. As a result, Chalmette was entirely destroyed. A majority of the population evacuated shortly before the storm hit, but there was still significant loss of life.
As of 25 October 2005, most of the buildings were deemed unsaveable. Despite findings published by the EPA, the toxic chemicals in the water from local oil refineries have been postulated to be an ongoing health hazard by several civilian ecological groups. Especially notable was the large oil spill originating in Chalmette's large Murphy Oil
facility, where the storm surge knocked over a huge oil tank (see photo below).
The parish administrative headquarters served as the site for a Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) trailer park for numerous civil servants who were laboring in the rebuilding effort. A year later, parish employees were still working shifts around the clock to bring the community back to life.
Another center in the rebuilding effort was centered at Our Lady of Prompt Succor which served the congregations of the seven other Roman Catholic parishes as well as the main office of Catholic Relief Services
. It also served as the only place to hold funerals for the first 12 months after Katrina.
Deputies working for the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff stated in early December 2005 that the oil tank floated in the flood. When the water receded, the tank settled on uneven ground. Its structural integrity was compromised and the oil spill occurred. By late November, the Murphy facility was functional, as was a small cluster of businesses around the intersection of Paris Road and St. Bernard Highway, on the least damaged River side of Chalmette. The devastated residential areas further away from the River were open during daylight hours for residents to salvage belongings from their damaged residences. The majority of people staying in Chalmette full-time were living in trailers, that started to be supplied by FEMA or private enterprise on October 12; although many who had been promised FEMA trailer housing were still waiting as late as March 2006.
"Camp Premier", now "Camp Hope", was established as a base camp for the community rebuilding efforts, facilitating the work of relief organizations, the National Guard and private individuals. As of August 2007, the camp is located to P.G.T. Beauregard Middle School and is operated by Habitat for Humanity to provide for relief volunteers in St. Bernard Parish. Other relief organizations, such as the St. Bernard Project, have also participated in the rebuilding of Chalmette, from distributing supplies, to clearing debris, to preparing damaged houses for homeowners to return.
The Chalmette Battlefield was also partially flooded in low-lying areas, destroying the Visitor's Center, which was removed for rebuilding, and temporarily replaced with a house trailer to attempt re-opening the park for visitors in 2007.
with parades in Chalmette. In February 2006, the krewe
of the Knights of Nemesis held a parade, past many buildings still in ruins, along the streets of Chalmette.
As of early 2008, many businesses have returned to the area, schools have reopened, although the population remains significantly below pre-Katrina levels.
Due to Hurricane Katrina, the St. Bernard Parish School Board succeeded in getting a school open despite considerable difficulties, including telling FEMA that it would not wait for the agency. The parish opened the St. Bernard Unified School as a K-12 school in late 2005.
With the opening of the 2006-2007 school year, the Unified school reverted to Chalmette High School and now houses grades 8-12. The former Andrew Jackson High School has been repaired and now houses grades PK3-5. Trist Middle School houses grades 6 through 7.
The Catholic and private school sector was lost to Katrina.
The archdiocese of New Orleans has consolidated all local schools into one on the Our Lady of Prompt Succor campus. It has grades PK-8.
and has an elevation of 3 foot (0.9144 m). It is located east of New Orleans
, and is part of the Greater New Orleans Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.5 km²), of which, 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (7.56%) is water.
Chalmette is on the east bank of the Mississippi River
, just downriver from Arabi
, Louisiana, approximately 2 miles (3 km) from the border of New Orleans
.
of 2000, there were 32,069 people, 12,321 households, and 8,821 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 4,369.6 people per square mile (1,686.9/km²). There were 12,896 housing units at an average density of 1,757.2 per square mile (678.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.69% White, 2.39% African American, 0.44% Native American, 1.80% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races
, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.81% of the population.
There were 12,321 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples
living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $36,699, and the median income for a family was $43,804. Males had a median income of $33,916 versus $24,896 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $17,480. About 9.2% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
district.
As of 2007, Chalmette is served by three schools in unincorporated areas:
Before Katrina, Chalmette was served by other schools including:
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in and the parish seat of St. Bernard Parish
St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana
St. Bernard Parish is a parish located southeast of New Orleans in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Chalmette, the largest city in the parish. As of 2000, its population was 67,229. It has been ranked the fastest-growing county in the United States from 2007 to 2008 by the U.S....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 32,069 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
–Metairie
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
–Kenner
Kenner, Louisiana
Kenner is a city in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 66,702 at the 2010 census....
Metropolitan Statistical Area
New Orleans metropolitan area
New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner, or the Greater New Orleans Region is a metropolitan area designated by the United States Census encompassing seven parishes in the state of Louisiana, centering on the city of New Orleans...
. Chalmette is located east of downtown New Orleans and south of Arabi, Louisiana
Arabi, Louisiana
Arabi is a census-designated place in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana on the East Bank of the Mississippi River, between the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana and Chalmette within the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area...
, towards Lake Borgne
Lake Borgne
Lake Borgne is a lagoon in eastern Louisiana of the Gulf of Mexico. Due to coastal erosion, it is no longer actually a lake but rather an arm of the Gulf of Mexico. Its name comes from the French word borgne, which means "one-eyed".-Geography:...
.
The community was named after plantation owner I. Martin de Lino de Chalmette, whose surname is, in turn, derived from the French word chalmette— "pasture land, fallow land" (used especially in a mountainous area) — and has been traced to the Proto-Celtic *kalm.
History
Chalmette was the location of what is often called The Battle of New OrleansBattle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the...
, where United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
forces under Major General Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
defeated the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, led by brevet Lieutenant General Sir Edward Pakenham
Edward Pakenham
Sir Edward Michael Pakenham GCB , styled The Honourable from his birth until 1813, was an Irish British Army Officer and Politician. He was the brother-in law of the Duke of Wellington, with whom he served in the Peninsular War...
in January, 1815. The battlefield is preserved as a national monument, and the military Chalmette National Cemetery
Chalmette National Cemetery
Chalmette National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located within Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Chalmette, Louisiana. The cemetery is a plot adjacent to the site that once was the battleground of the Battle of New Orleans...
is adjacent.
Hurricane Katrina
On 29 August 2005, the 25 feet (7.6 m) storm surgeStorm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
from Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
overflowed through the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (also commonly known as MR-GO) - a commercial channel dug by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1960s - and flooded most of the town, with waters as high as 14 to 15 feet (4.9 m)
in some places. As a result, Chalmette was entirely destroyed. A majority of the population evacuated shortly before the storm hit, but there was still significant loss of life.
As of 25 October 2005, most of the buildings were deemed unsaveable. Despite findings published by the EPA, the toxic chemicals in the water from local oil refineries have been postulated to be an ongoing health hazard by several civilian ecological groups. Especially notable was the large oil spill originating in Chalmette's large Murphy Oil
Murphy Oil
Murphy Oil Corporation is an international oil and gas company, founded in 1944 as C.H. Murphy & Co by Charle H Murphy Sr., that conducts business through various operating subsidiaries. Murphy produces oil and/or natural gas in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and Republic...
facility, where the storm surge knocked over a huge oil tank (see photo below).
The parish administrative headquarters served as the site for a Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) trailer park for numerous civil servants who were laboring in the rebuilding effort. A year later, parish employees were still working shifts around the clock to bring the community back to life.
Another center in the rebuilding effort was centered at Our Lady of Prompt Succor which served the congregations of the seven other Roman Catholic parishes as well as the main office of Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Founded in 1943 by the U.S. bishops, the agency provides assistance to 130 million people in more than 90 countries and territories in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and...
. It also served as the only place to hold funerals for the first 12 months after Katrina.
Deputies working for the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff stated in early December 2005 that the oil tank floated in the flood. When the water receded, the tank settled on uneven ground. Its structural integrity was compromised and the oil spill occurred. By late November, the Murphy facility was functional, as was a small cluster of businesses around the intersection of Paris Road and St. Bernard Highway, on the least damaged River side of Chalmette. The devastated residential areas further away from the River were open during daylight hours for residents to salvage belongings from their damaged residences. The majority of people staying in Chalmette full-time were living in trailers, that started to be supplied by FEMA or private enterprise on October 12; although many who had been promised FEMA trailer housing were still waiting as late as March 2006.
"Camp Premier", now "Camp Hope", was established as a base camp for the community rebuilding efforts, facilitating the work of relief organizations, the National Guard and private individuals. As of August 2007, the camp is located to P.G.T. Beauregard Middle School and is operated by Habitat for Humanity to provide for relief volunteers in St. Bernard Parish. Other relief organizations, such as the St. Bernard Project, have also participated in the rebuilding of Chalmette, from distributing supplies, to clearing debris, to preparing damaged houses for homeowners to return.
The Chalmette Battlefield was also partially flooded in low-lying areas, destroying the Visitor's Center, which was removed for rebuilding, and temporarily replaced with a house trailer to attempt re-opening the park for visitors in 2007.
Gradual recovery
St. Bernard Parish has celebrated Mardi GrasMardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
with parades in Chalmette. In February 2006, the krewe
Krewe
A krewe is an organization that puts on a parade and or a ball for the Carnival season. The term is best known for its association with New Orleans Mardi Gras, but is also used in other Carnival celebrations around the Gulf of Mexico, such as the Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa, Florida, and...
of the Knights of Nemesis held a parade, past many buildings still in ruins, along the streets of Chalmette.
As of early 2008, many businesses have returned to the area, schools have reopened, although the population remains significantly below pre-Katrina levels.
Due to Hurricane Katrina, the St. Bernard Parish School Board succeeded in getting a school open despite considerable difficulties, including telling FEMA that it would not wait for the agency. The parish opened the St. Bernard Unified School as a K-12 school in late 2005.
With the opening of the 2006-2007 school year, the Unified school reverted to Chalmette High School and now houses grades 8-12. The former Andrew Jackson High School has been repaired and now houses grades PK3-5. Trist Middle School houses grades 6 through 7.
The Catholic and private school sector was lost to Katrina.
The archdiocese of New Orleans has consolidated all local schools into one on the Our Lady of Prompt Succor campus. It has grades PK-8.
Geography
Chalmette is located at 29°56′44"N 89°57′42"W (29.945504, -89.961602), along the Mississippi RiverMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and has an elevation of 3 foot (0.9144 m). It is located east of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, and is part of the Greater New Orleans Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.5 km²), of which, 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (7.56%) is water.
Chalmette is on the east bank of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, just downriver from Arabi
Arabi, Louisiana
Arabi is a census-designated place in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana on the East Bank of the Mississippi River, between the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana and Chalmette within the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area...
, Louisiana, approximately 2 miles (3 km) from the border of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 32,069 people, 12,321 households, and 8,821 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,369.6 people per square mile (1,686.9/km²). There were 12,896 housing units at an average density of 1,757.2 per square mile (678.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.69% White, 2.39% African American, 0.44% Native American, 1.80% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.81% of the population.
There were 12,321 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $36,699, and the median income for a family was $43,804. Males had a median income of $33,916 versus $24,896 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $17,480. About 9.2% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Chalmette is served by the St. Bernard Parish Public SchoolsSt. Bernard Parish Public Schools
St. Bernard Parish Public Schools is a school district headquartered in unincorporated St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, United States. The district operates public schools in the parish.-Schools:...
district.
As of 2007, Chalmette is served by three schools in unincorporated areas:
- Andrew Jackson Elementary School (in Chalmette)
- Trist Middle School (in the community of MerauxMeraux, LouisianaMeraux is a census-designated place in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. The population was 10,192 at the 2000 census...
) - Chalmette High SchoolChalmette High SchoolChalmette High School is a high school in the Chalmette area unincorporated St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is a part of St. Bernard Parish Public Schools.Chalmette High School opened in 1954 at the current site of Chalmette Elementary School, previously known as Chalmette Middle...
(in Chalmette)
Before Katrina, Chalmette was served by other schools including:
- C.F. Rowley Elementary School
- Joseph J. Davies Elementary School
- Lacoste Elementary School
- Lynn Oaks (K-7)
- Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic School (K-8)
- Chalmette Middle School
- Andrew Jackson Fundamental Magnet High SchoolAndrew Jackson Fundamental Magnet High SchoolAndrew Jackson Fundamental Magnet High School Andrew Jackson Fundamental Magnet High School Andrew Jackson Fundamental Magnet High School (now known as Andrew Jackson Middle School (prev. Andrew Jackson Elementary, re-opening after Hurricane Katrina) was a magnet high school located in Chalmette in...
(now the site of Andrew Jackson Elementary School, soon to be Andrew Jackson Middle School) - St. Bernard High School
- Archbishop Hannan High School
- Arabi Elementary (formerly Arabi Park Middle)
- Saint Mark Elementary
- Saint Louise Elementary
- Saint Robert Bellarmine Catholic School (Pre-K- 8)
- Sebastion Roy Elementary
- P.G.T Beauregard
See also
- Andrew Jackson Fundamental Magnet High SchoolAndrew Jackson Fundamental Magnet High SchoolAndrew Jackson Fundamental Magnet High School Andrew Jackson Fundamental Magnet High School Andrew Jackson Fundamental Magnet High School (now known as Andrew Jackson Middle School (prev. Andrew Jackson Elementary, re-opening after Hurricane Katrina) was a magnet high school located in Chalmette in...
- Chalmette High SchoolChalmette High SchoolChalmette High School is a high school in the Chalmette area unincorporated St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is a part of St. Bernard Parish Public Schools.Chalmette High School opened in 1954 at the current site of Chalmette Elementary School, previously known as Chalmette Middle...
- Chalmette National CemeteryChalmette National CemeteryChalmette National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located within Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Chalmette, Louisiana. The cemetery is a plot adjacent to the site that once was the battleground of the Battle of New Orleans...
- Nita Rusich HutterNita HutterNita Rusich Hutter is a community college administrator from New Orleans, Louisiana, who is a departing Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 104 in nearby St. Bernard Parish.-Background:...
- Mississippi River Gulf Outlet
- Samuel B. Nunez, Jr.Samuel B. Nunez, Jr.Samuel Bernard Nunez, Jr., known as Sammy Nunez , is a Louisiana politician and businessman from Chalmette, the seat of St. Bernard Parish in the New Orleans suburbs. He was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1964 to 1969. From 1969 to 1996, the Democrat Nunez was a state...
- Leander PerezLeander PerezLeander Henry Perez, Sr. , was the Democratic political boss of Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes in southeastern Louisiana during the middle third of the 20th century. Officially, he served as a district judge, later as district attorney, and as president of the Plaquemines Parish Commission...
- Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and PreserveJean Lafitte National Historical Park and PreserveJean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve protects significant examples of the rich natural and cultural resources of Louisiana's Mississippi River Delta region. The park, named after Jean Lafitte, seeks to illustrate the influence of environment and history on the development of a unique...
- The Colony U.S. TV series
External links
- Chalmette Battlefield - Visitor Information: from National Park Service, nps.gov.
- Chalmette photos after Hurricane Katrina, photos of Katrina damage in Wikimedia Commons.
- Chalmette photos after Hurricane Katrina on KatrinaDestruction.com, from late September 2005.
