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.