 Slidell,
Louisiana was founded in 1883 during construction
of a major new railroad from New Orleans to Meridian,
Mississippi. The New Orleans and Northeastern (N.O.N.E.)
Railroad established a building camp at the first
high ground north of Lake Pontchartrain which eventually
grew into the city. Slidell was chartered as a town
in 1888 by the Louisiana legislature. The town was
named after John Slidell, a prominent state, national
and Confederate political figure. In the thirty or
so years after its founding, Slidell developed a creosote
plant, one of the country's largest brick manufacturing
facilities, a large lumber mill, and a shipyard which
contributed significantly to the nation's effort in
both world wars. Slidell residents worked in local
ship, tank, and airplane construction during World
War II.
 In
1907 a two-story, brick building was erected with
five jail cells and a marshall's office on the first
floor and the mayor's office and a meeting room on
the second floor. The cost was $3,685. Although City
Hall and the Slidell Police have long since taken
new residence, the city converted this old town jail
into a museum housing a collection of the history
and development of the Camellia City.
The entire building has been recently refurbished
with new collections and dynamic displays. Ever wonder
who was the first mayor of Slidell or why Olde Towne
streets have names like Fremaux, Erlanger, and Bouscaren?
Well come for a visit to the Slidell Museum - you'll
find the answers lurking downstairs in the old jail
cells and on the walls of the marshall's old office.
You will see numerous photographs and artifacts dating
from Slidell's earliest days to the present.
The old town hall upstairs has been dedicated to a
study on the War Between the States from 1861 - 1865,
with emphasis on military operations here in Louisiana.
This multimedia display includes numerous battle flags,
portraits of generals and southern leaders, and Confederate
and Union Army uniforms and weapons, all accompanied
by concise interpretive text and audio telling the
story of the south. The
Slidell Museum will also host a number of traveling
exhibits:
- Summer
2003 - The Washington Artillery of New Orleans Fall
& Winter
- 2003
- West Florida Parishes Rebellion
- Spring
2004 - Louisiana Indians
|
