Delacroix Island, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Delacroix Island or Delacroix is an unincorporated town
in St. Bernard Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
.
, settled in the area after being given land grants from Spain
. After selling their land grants to the planters, the Isleños
frequently worked on the plantations they helped to create. Some began to resettle in the easternmost reaches of St. Bernard parish around the 1820s resulting in the firm establishment of Delacroix Island fishing community before the Civil War
.
By the 1900s, Yscloskey, Louisiana and Shell Beach, Louisiana near Lake Borgne
were thriving communities. Seafood harvested by these fishermen in the 1800s and 1900s supplied New Orleans restaurants with a seemingly inexhaustible supply of shrimp, fish and crabs.
Previously connected to the outside world by boat, in the 1930s a road was constructed to "the island" (in reality an inland area surrounded by marsh and bayou
s).
Since the 20th century, Delacroix has been regionally famous for fishing and trapping.
Like much of the region, Delacroix was devastated by Hurricane Katrina
and its storm surge
in 2005. The entire area was flooded, and the majority of buildings completely destroyed.
By 2010, much of this fishing town had been reconstructed, with most new construction elevated high on piers.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in 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...
.
History
In the 1780s, Spanish Canary Islanders, or IsleñosIsleños
Isleño is the Spanish word meaning "islander." The Isleños are the descendants of Canary Island immigrants to Louisiana, Cuba, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and other parts of the Americas....
, settled in the area after being given land grants from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. After selling their land grants to the planters, the Isleños
Isleños
Isleño is the Spanish word meaning "islander." The Isleños are the descendants of Canary Island immigrants to Louisiana, Cuba, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and other parts of the Americas....
frequently worked on the plantations they helped to create. Some began to resettle in the easternmost reaches of St. Bernard parish around the 1820s resulting in the firm establishment of Delacroix Island fishing community before the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
By the 1900s, Yscloskey, Louisiana and Shell Beach, Louisiana near 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:...
were thriving communities. Seafood harvested by these fishermen in the 1800s and 1900s supplied New Orleans restaurants with a seemingly inexhaustible supply of shrimp, fish and crabs.
Previously connected to the outside world by boat, in the 1930s a road was constructed to "the island" (in reality an inland area surrounded by marsh and bayou
Bayou
A bayou is an American term for a body of water typically found in flat, low-lying areas, and can refer either to an extremely slow-moving stream or river , or to a marshy lake or wetland. The name "bayou" can also refer to creeks that see level changes due to tides and hold brackish water which...
s).
Since the 20th century, Delacroix has been regionally famous for fishing and trapping.
Like much of the region, Delacroix was devastated by 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...
and its storm surge
Storm 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...
in 2005. The entire area was flooded, and the majority of buildings completely destroyed.
By 2010, much of this fishing town had been reconstructed, with most new construction elevated high on piers.