Chalmette is located just east outside New Orleans in St. Bernard Parish, surrounded by the Mississippi on one side and marshland on the other. Named after plantation owner Martin de Lino de Chalmette, it was the site of the historic Battle of New Orleans, fought in 1815 during the war of 1812. In this battle Andrew Jackson led American troops in a defense against the British attacking from the sea. The Americans had geography in their favor as the British had to cross through the swamps in their attack. Jackson’s army defeated the British, which forever ended any attempts by the British to take control of America. Today, tourists can visit the Chalmette Battlefield, which serves as a monument to the battle. Also at the site is the Beauregard House, built in 1830 but never used as a plantation. It now is used as a visitor’s center and museum. Next to the Battlefield is the Chalmette National Cemetery, which honors soldiers on both sides who died in the Civil War, including the famous Buffalo Soldiers.
Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 had a major impact on Chalmette and all of St. Bernard Parish. The Parish is surrounded on all sides by water and is two thirds of its land consists of marshlands from the Mississippi River Delta. The elevation is either at sea level or below sea level, placing it in a very precarious situation during hurricane seasons. When Katrina hit the entire parish was submerged and water level rose to seventeen feet high and above in some places. Since many people take a lot of pride in their community, many did not evacuate for Katrina and were therefore trapped in their houses as the water levels rose. However, those that stayed behind and were able to help rose the occasion remarkably. One group that was instrumental in the relief effort was the St. Bernard Fire Department.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Janna's Field Notes
We first visited Chalmette on a Sunday afternoon. The town seemed pretty deserted and our first planned stop, the family restaurant Rocky’s, was closed; not a very good sign. We proceeded to a bar called RC’s Tavern, which was also fairly empty. The bartender told us that on Sundays the town sort of shuts down because most people go to church. When we asked her where people hung out around Chalmette she told us bars or nail salons. The impression that I got from the bartender was that she thought Chalmette was a decent, maybe a little boring, town with hardworking people and a very close community. Next we stopped at one of the three fire houses in Chalmette. The firefighters we met and talked to were very welcoming and friendly. We mostly discussed the effects of Hurricane Katrina on Chalmette. Apparently St Bernard Parish was one of the few parishes that was completely, 100% destroyed by Katrina. It’s not surprising when you look at a map of Chalmette and see that it’s boxed in by swamp land. The firefighters, like pretty much all of Louisiana, are pretty distrustful of the government and especially FEMA. When asked how Chalmette is different now than from pre-Katrina one of them answered that it was just the little things, like how some neighborhoods still have dozens of vacant lots where houses have been destroyed, how they still don’t have a Taco Bell or Walmart, or how not all of the firehouses have reopened. After the firehouse, we drove to the Chalmette Battlefield where the Battle of New Orleans was fought in 1815.
When we went back on Tuesday, this time with the whole group, we decided to hit up Rocky’s to observe the type of people that lived in Chalmette. From our observations it seems that Chalmette is comprised mostly of white working-class people. At the restaurant the close, family feel of the community that we were previously told about could be seen. A lot of people seemed to know each other and everyone was really friendly. Afterwards, we went back to RC’s Tavern. However, the bartender who was working on Sunday wasn’t there and the new one wouldn’t let anyone under twenty-one stay inside. So after awkwardly hanging around outside while our other group members were inside, we went to another bar. This bar was much friendlier than the other and we talked to the customers a bit. Like almost everyone we talked to, they discussed mostly Katrina, its effects on the parish, and their contempt for FEMA. After turning down their offers to do karaoke, we decided it was time to go home.
When we went back on Tuesday, this time with the whole group, we decided to hit up Rocky’s to observe the type of people that lived in Chalmette. From our observations it seems that Chalmette is comprised mostly of white working-class people. At the restaurant the close, family feel of the community that we were previously told about could be seen. A lot of people seemed to know each other and everyone was really friendly. Afterwards, we went back to RC’s Tavern. However, the bartender who was working on Sunday wasn’t there and the new one wouldn’t let anyone under twenty-one stay inside. So after awkwardly hanging around outside while our other group members were inside, we went to another bar. This bar was much friendlier than the other and we talked to the customers a bit. Like almost everyone we talked to, they discussed mostly Katrina, its effects on the parish, and their contempt for FEMA. After turning down their offers to do karaoke, we decided it was time to go home.
Pictures from our visits
-First coming into Chalmette
-Da Parish Coffee House
- A sign located next to the entrance to the local jail
- During Katrina, the water reached about a foot over the floor in the second level of the fire station
- Some of the group with the local firemen
-Exxon mobil refinery
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Field Notes - Rob
One of the first things I came to notice about Chalmette was its family-oriented style of living. In the restaurant we ate in, I noticed many families sitting together in the dining room, and many middle-aged men sitting at the bar laughing amongst themselves, presumably workers from the town's large ExxonMobile owned refinery, desiring an after work drink. In the dining room, many families occupied the tables, all seemingly comfortable eating in the presense of their loved ones. The ages in the restaurant ranged from toddler to elderly, with a few tables encompassing this whole range. Some of the tables had young parents with young children, some had elderly women and men sitting with their children and grandchildren, etc. A certain spirit existed in these families, despite the everyday challenges they face each day as low-income workers supporting families at a time of economic hardship, not to mention the devastation still left in their minds from Katrina. Chalmette suffered from the Hurricane as much as anyone, as many of their buildings were destroyed, waters were as high as 14-15 feet, and some lost their lives. One man, sitting at the restaurant with his family, was wearing a tee-shirt that expressed the resentment that many residents of Chalmette feel, it read: "FEMA - fix everything...my ass". The food was fattening but good, and the wide variety of choices made the restaurant a good place to bring one's children. But outside the restaurant, where one could see roads in three directions and the refinery in the other, there was quiet, deserted feeling. At RC's tavern, there were only a few customers, and none seemed particularly eager to speak with us. One laughed at the notion of an urban sociology project about Chalmette and seemed to express the idea that Chalmette had been too mistreated for anyone to fully understand or report its current situation, and the thinking of its people. We also went to another bar named Bruster's, with a larger group of customers. Men sat at the bar and played darts, and at the opposite, restaurant side, a group of elderly women took up the biggest table with a few other groups of customers nearby. Many at this bar seemed to know eachother, a testament to the close-knit feel of Chalmette.
Ben's Field Notes
When we first arrived, we noticed that most of the public areas seemed deserted. We stopped in at the RC tavern and began talking to people. The two locals, Buck and Ricky, made me wait until a commercial came up on the tv before talking with them. (A world pool championship was playing) When I did speak with them, I learned that the reason most of the town seemed dead was because most people were in church or the nail salon on Sunday. After they got over the shock that anyone would want to do a sociology project on Chalmette, they recommended some places to go. Ignoring their suggestion to try the nail salon, we made our way the Fire Station. The firefighters were all very friendly and willing to tell us about their experiences living in Chalmette. Mostly, this involved them discussing the events of hurricaine Katrina and the complete devastation that St. Bernard Parish experienced. It seemed that many of them were just barely holding on to their pre-Katrina lives. Most of their extended family had moved away, and their immediate family had relocated to somewhere outside Chalmette. Most of the firefighters have to commute at least thirty minutes to get to work now. After our talk, we left the firefighter station and drove around, looking at the local jailhouse, and the battlefield, famous from the war of 1812.
John's Field Notes
I visited Chalmette twice for this project. From what I have gathered, Chalmette is a predominantly white low income area. When we first drove out there on Sunday, the first thing I noticed was how far away from New Orleans and Tulane (at least a half hour drive). Upon entering Chalmette, the town was very barren and run down; you could still see the lingering effects of Katrina. Most of the houses we drove by were brand new, small, mainly one level homes. These were homes that were rebuilt right after Katrina. However, with every one or two newly built houses came a few empty lots. Before even talking to anybody I could tell they were hit hard just by looking out the window. I could see houses had floated away by the amount of empty lots and newly built homes. There were fast-food restaurants that had closed down, leaving behind all the remains of their abandoned business.
Our first stop in Chalmette was RC's Tavern. We went in and were friendlily greeted by, "You all are gonna need some ID," however the bartender proved to be very friendly. She introduced us to all the people in the bar and told us about the main places to hang out in Chalmette. The bartender was very nice, and gave Ben a free coke. She was around 27 years old, white and a little overweight. The people in the bar were either her friends, who were similar in appearance to her, or old retired white men.
After the Bar we went to the Fire Department. At the Fire Department we talked to the Fire Fighters for quite a while and got a good grasp on what the town was like, as well as the lasting effects of Katrina on the town. The Firefighters showed us the physical effects of how Katrina hit them, detailing to us the height of the water that flooded the town (about 7 feet). These firefighters were involved with the rescue efforts right after the storm hit, and discussed what that was like for them with us too, even showing us pictures in a book that was written about them. When discussing the lasting effects of Katrina on the town, one firefighter said how much of the previous population was lost, and how 50% of the population now is new people coming in just to work. He said all the big businesses moved out and still haven't come back. There is no Wal-Mart, or major grocery store, only a few fast food restaraunts have been brave enough to come back, and worst of all, the nearest hospital is the Tulane University Hospital downtown.
After the Fire Department, we drove over to the jail house and experienced a different side of the town. Fun Fact: On the way into the prison, there was a sign that said Think Positive, St. Bernard. As we continued down toward the jail, we decided to go the safer route, leaving and going to the historical battle site. There was a historic battle in Chalmette right up against the water, where the Americans held the line against enemies entering from the sea. Chalmette actually is a pretty interesting place, and has a lot going on, despite the solemn appearance and state. For one, 25% of America's oil comes from Chalmette itself. Secondly, Chalmette is a rich area for fishing and they host numerous professional fishing events. in addition to the historical battle sight from the war of 1812, thats a lot of stuff going on for such a small place like Chalmette. After the battlefield we went to a coffee shop and a Wendys before coming back home.
We went again to Chalmette Tuesday. We went to eat and then went back to RC's Tavern. In the restaurant was mostly white families and older couples; the workers were largley latino. One man, a father in a family of four, was wearing a shirt that said, "FEMA - Fix Everything...My Ass." The patrons in the restaurant were all white. After we went back to the bar, RC's Tavern, only this time at night on a Tuesday instead of a Sunday afternoon. This time, instead of a friendly greeting, we got kicked out. After Darryl and Taylor stayed inside for five uncomfortable minutes, we went to another bar. The reception there was a little warmer.
Our first stop in Chalmette was RC's Tavern. We went in and were friendlily greeted by, "You all are gonna need some ID," however the bartender proved to be very friendly. She introduced us to all the people in the bar and told us about the main places to hang out in Chalmette. The bartender was very nice, and gave Ben a free coke. She was around 27 years old, white and a little overweight. The people in the bar were either her friends, who were similar in appearance to her, or old retired white men.
After the Bar we went to the Fire Department. At the Fire Department we talked to the Fire Fighters for quite a while and got a good grasp on what the town was like, as well as the lasting effects of Katrina on the town. The Firefighters showed us the physical effects of how Katrina hit them, detailing to us the height of the water that flooded the town (about 7 feet). These firefighters were involved with the rescue efforts right after the storm hit, and discussed what that was like for them with us too, even showing us pictures in a book that was written about them. When discussing the lasting effects of Katrina on the town, one firefighter said how much of the previous population was lost, and how 50% of the population now is new people coming in just to work. He said all the big businesses moved out and still haven't come back. There is no Wal-Mart, or major grocery store, only a few fast food restaraunts have been brave enough to come back, and worst of all, the nearest hospital is the Tulane University Hospital downtown.
After the Fire Department, we drove over to the jail house and experienced a different side of the town. Fun Fact: On the way into the prison, there was a sign that said Think Positive, St. Bernard. As we continued down toward the jail, we decided to go the safer route, leaving and going to the historical battle site. There was a historic battle in Chalmette right up against the water, where the Americans held the line against enemies entering from the sea. Chalmette actually is a pretty interesting place, and has a lot going on, despite the solemn appearance and state. For one, 25% of America's oil comes from Chalmette itself. Secondly, Chalmette is a rich area for fishing and they host numerous professional fishing events. in addition to the historical battle sight from the war of 1812, thats a lot of stuff going on for such a small place like Chalmette. After the battlefield we went to a coffee shop and a Wendys before coming back home.
We went again to Chalmette Tuesday. We went to eat and then went back to RC's Tavern. In the restaurant was mostly white families and older couples; the workers were largley latino. One man, a father in a family of four, was wearing a shirt that said, "FEMA - Fix Everything...My Ass." The patrons in the restaurant were all white. After we went back to the bar, RC's Tavern, only this time at night on a Tuesday instead of a Sunday afternoon. This time, instead of a friendly greeting, we got kicked out. After Darryl and Taylor stayed inside for five uncomfortable minutes, we went to another bar. The reception there was a little warmer.
Joel's Field Notes
I lived in St. Benard parish for the first 13 years of my life so needless to say I had a pretty good idea about what to expect to see in da parish. When we arrived our first stop was at Rocky & Carloses, Rocky's is a historical marker of sorts in the parish, everybody who lives there has eaten there at least once in there life. I didn't have any cash on me so I didn't eat anything there, but i did notice that they had the same menu now that they did when I was a kid. Rocky's serves homestlye food like fried chicken, macaronie and cheese, stuffed artichoke, and spaghetti. I think this is worth mention because Chalmette is a very family oriented city. After leaving Rocky's we went to RC's tavern, this was my first time here and I was suprised when they kicked us out for being under age. The only group memberes that stayed were Taylor and Darryl the only 2 in our group that were of age. I thought that any observations they made or interviews they conducted would be intersting because they were also both black. It seemed as if they were quick to get them out because we only spent about 5 mins waiting for them outside. They both returned with a vodka and pineapple and little to say about the bar other than the bartender kept saying that they were leaving there friends outside. Our next stop was a bar called Brusters. When we walked up the first thing I noticed was there were two logos on the windows of the bar, a Chalmette Owls logo, and LSU Tigers logo. I think this is significant because it shows that the people of the parish care deeply about sports. I can account for this first hand because when I was a youngster growing up in the parish I played every sport that was offered and the parents were the stereotypical ex-highschool football player pushing there kids way to hard, yelling at officals, and making an ass of themselves. When we went inside the bar they were setting up a kareoke machine, men were playing darts, a table of elderly ladies sat on the restraunt side and smoked, and scattered men and women lined the bar. It appeared as if most people there knew one another so I felt a little out of place. It looked like most of the people there had just gotten off of work and numbing the pain of a hard day. The majority of the parishes population is employeed by the refineries and has only a highschool education. Ben was talking to a man about to damages Chalemette suffered during Katrina, he seemed like a pretty nice guy, but he looked pretty wasted because he was a little slurry and one of his eyes was extremely squinty and the other was fine. We spent about 15 to 20 mins in Brusters before we left. On the way out we crossed the Jackson Barraks National Guard place, its sort of the race boarder of the parish, it seperates Chalmette from the 9th ward.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Census Info for Chalmette, La.
Chalmette, Louisiana - St. Bernard's Parish
CENSUS INFO FROM 2000
Population: 32, 069
CENSUS INFO FROM 2000
Population: 32, 069
Male: 15,593
Female: 16,476
Age:
Age:
Under 18: 7,605
18-64: 19,875
65 and older: 4,589
Median Age: 37.3
Race:
White: 30,214 (94.2%)
Hispanic: 1,543 (4.8%)
Black: 835 (2.6%)
Asian: 761 (2.4%)
Housing units: 12,896
Area in Square Miles:
-Total Area: 7.94
-Water Area: 0.60
-Land Area: 7.34
Density per square mile of land area:
-Population: 4,369.6
-Housing units: 1,757.2
Chalmette in 1990
population - all persons: 31,860
Land Area:
-18.0 square kilometers, 7.0 square miles
Persons per _____:
770.0 per square kilometer
551.4 per square mile
-Total Area: 7.94
-Water Area: 0.60
-Land Area: 7.34
Density per square mile of land area:
-Population: 4,369.6
-Housing units: 1,757.2
Chalmette in 1990
population - all persons: 31,860
Land Area:
-18.0 square kilometers, 7.0 square miles
Persons per _____:
770.0 per square kilometer
551.4 per square mile
Bruce's Field Notes
Being from New Orleans, I already have an idea of what Chalmette is like. Many of my friends and teachers from high school are from Chalmette. Many people refer to natives of Chalmette as "Chalmations," and the whole town as "Da Parish," referring to St. Bernard Parish. Many people from "Da Parish" have a distinct accent, and I think that that means something about this comunity.. Before visiting down there for this project, I had my views about this part of New Orleans, and after visiting, I found that my views were pretty accurate. From my experiences with Chalmations, they are some of the best people that one would ever meet. Chalmations are humble people who are proud of their town. No matter what it looks like to an outsider, it is a very strong community internally. I do feel that there is a decent amount of people in the parish that are racist, but there are people like that everywhere, so I don't think of racists when I hear Chalmette.
Sunday, me and a few of my group members went to Chalmette, and we visited a few places. Our first stop was at RC's Tavern, a bar on Paris Road. The place was extremely empty for its size; there were only 2 people at the bar. The bartender asked for our ID's, but we told her what we were doing, and she let us stay and talk to them. We asked the bartender about Chalmette, and she said that "down here, its pretty much bars, nail salons, and coffee shops."
She told us that most places are closed on Sundays, but she told us that we should go to one of the coffee shops that are open. We made it a point to stop at one on our trip. Our next stop was the fire station on Judge Perez Highway. There were a few fireman at the station, and they were really insightful. They told us stories about Katrina, and how the city was completely, 100% devastated, and that Chalmette is the only county/parish to be completely annihilated . They told us how life was right after the storm, and I remember one guy mentioning "perfecting the 20 oz shower," because they had no resources after the storm hit. They told us that 50% or less of the parish's population is back after Katrina, and they are still feeling the effects of the storm. We asked what things do they miss the most, and they kept mentioning "no Walmart and no Taco Bell. It may seem funny, but these are some of the things that many people take for granted. They also told us about the natural resources that Chalmette provides. It provides 25% of the nation's oil, and 4 of 33 of the nation's oil refineries are located in Chalmette, Exxon being one of them. Our next stop was the Chalmette Battlefield, where the War of 1812 took place. The security officer that was there didn't have much to say, only that he was "puttin' in his 9 to 5." We took a few pictures then stopped at Da Parish Coffee House. A few of our group members got some coffee, then we stopped at Wendy's, and headed back home.
Tuesday, we went to Rocky & Carlo's, a famous restaurant on St. Bernard Highway. I wasn't hungry, but I was told that the food was very good. After that, we went back to RC's tavern, but tere was a different bartender, and we didn't receive the same treatment as before. Leaving shortly after arriving, we went to Brewster's, another hangout spot.
It was a good experience, and I am definitely going back. There is an Irish/Italian parade this weekend down there, and I am in it. I'm DJing for a dance team. I did it last year, and it's really fun. People in the parade throw fruits and vegetables, along with beads and trinkets. The people who catch the food actually go home, clean off the food, cook, and eat it. Pretty much everybody in Chalmette goes to this parade, and I think that it's something that one should try to go to.
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