Things to DO and SEE in MANDEVILLE - Louisiana History, Culture, and Folklore

Host: Kyle Crosby
Camera/Editor: Michael Malley
Coordinator: Samantha Rohr
Transcript:
We are in Mandeville, Louisiana on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain. The quickest way to get here from New Orleans is by crossing the longest bridge over water in the world, the Causeway. Back in the times of Creole dominance, Bernard de Marigny even had a ferry going back and forth across the lake. To tell the history of the area though, we gotta go way back. I’m talking waaaaaaay back!
500 BC was known as the Woodland Period and the Tchefuncta People were the earliest inhabitants of the Lower Mississippi River Valley around modern day Mandeville. Primarily, they were fishers, hunters, and collectors and used to make clay artifacts that have been found along the North Shore. The pottery made by the Tchefuncte people is pretty unique in appearance and was decorated using various techniques. Their pottery paste was crude, and their vessels typically consisted of globe-shaped jars and bowls.
The Mandeville area was then inhabited by people who followed the Marksville culture until about 400 CE, which is roughly around the time that Rome was in its decline for perspective. This culture is considered by some to be a continuation of the Tchefuncte culture that ended around the year 1 CE. The Marksville people were also incredible potters, and some of their pots that archeologists have found have distinctive complex curvilinear designs and visual traits that set them apart from what their predecessors made.
The next tribe to take over the area was the Choctaw, but during this time, contact with Europeans was made and the area was under French rule from 1682-1763, British rule after that for about 20 years till 1783, and Spanish rule until 1810. During the brief period of British control, there were several loyalist sympathizers who claimed their grants and settled. They set up charcoal and brick kilns along Bayou Castaine and traded with tribes and businesses in New Orleans. French landowners would end up doing the same, and one of these families stands out above others.
There are two villages in Normandy, France named Mandeville, which means “big farm” in old Norman French. The Louisiana version of Mandeville would be founded by a man named Bernard de Marigny de Mandeville in 1834. The Marigny family were extremely prominent in the early days of Louisiana having owned over a third of the city of New Orleans and still have an entire district named after them directly to the East of the French Quarter. Mandeville was mainly an agricultural land, but soon became a summer destination for wealthy New Orleanians.
Bernard de Marigny built his sugar plantation there and had roughly 100 slaves living and working on the grounds. To learn more about the enslaved families of this plantation, check the description of this video for a link to resources and further reading. Later, these slaves would construct a massive mansion known as Fontainebleau Plantation. It’s named after the famous forest in France and only a few ruins remain in Fontainebleau State Park. Steamboat travel soon became commonplace around the lake to get people to and from Mandeville. This would all come to an end during the Civil War when Union troops invaded and occupied New Orleans.
During Union occupation, the Confederacy held St. Tammany parish. A trade blockade, with regular patrols along the lake, put a stranglehold on Mandeville. Owners of the wharves were told to dismantle them or Union soldiers would burn them. After the war, business would return to usual, but white supremacists and confederate sympathizers would continue to infiltrate the governments for over a century.
Mandeville is a fascinating town with a rich history and a few ghost stories to add to its charm, which I will cover on our Patreon channel. If you're ever in the area, visit the Fontainebleau mansion ruins at the Fontainebleau State Park and keep an eye open for the ghost of Bernard that is said to still roam the grounds. I wouldn’t challenge him though, he is known to be an expert duelist. Other things to see are the Mandeville Trailhead, the Old Mandeville Cemetery, and the Lakefront so be sure to stop by and see the sights on your next Louisiana road trip. Who knows, you might just have a ghostly encounter of your own.
We couldn't bring you this information without your support on Patreon so check out Patreon.com/LouisianaDread
Research Sources:
www.louisianatravel.com/mande...
crt.state.la.us/Assets/Parks/...
www.laapa.com/blog/a-history-...
www.cityofmandeville.com/comm...
#history #louisiana #louisianahistory

[@mooeygarnet]

I live in Mandeville! 36 years! Thanks for the video! I learned some stuff! Used to live in a tent at the Fountainbleau state park. Super interesting, thank you again

[@LouisianaDread]

I’m happy you enjoyed it!

[@patriciadeas132]

Thanks for the history lesson,so very interesting!

[@LouisianaDread]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@JeremyMcCant]

Things to do in Mandeville: GO TO THE ICONIC/LEGENDARY OCEANMEMES LAKEFRONT!🤣🤣🤣

[@LouisianaDread]

OceanMemes

[@jarosawmatkiewicz2095]

Great work. Very interesting

[@LouisianaDread]

Thank you for the compliment!

[@PurpleArrowAnimations]

I live in mandeville! You might not see this - but If you dont live in mandeville, i recommend you go there, im not forcing you but you should go, its beautiful here i. mandeville.

[@LouisianaDread]

I filmed there and go there often.

[@jackbusby9602]

Isn't the Honey Island Swamp ( and monster) near there? I've got it in my head that it's sort of between Covington and Mandeville. Am I close?

[@LouisianaDread]

Sort of… it’s in the Honey Island Swamp between Slidell and Pearl River.

[@DP-oi9nd]

Beautiful

[@LouisianaDread]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@nadiaborzacchini6858]

Looks pretty put there

[@LouisianaDread]

It certainly is!