1810s

1812 - New Orleans joins the United States

New Orleans becomes part of the United States after the Louisiana Purchase. Several important ports flourish on Lake Pontchartrain's shores. Sailboats carry cargo and people between the Gulf of Mexico and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin ports. Commerce grows on the south and north shores of Lake Pontchartrain. Exported products include: lumber, charcoal, bricks, shells, cotton, and oysters. Imported products include: raw materials and food unavailable locally. The wealthy spend their leisure time on the lake shore at several exclusive resorts, eating at the famous restaurants, gambling and enjoying the lake breezes. The first resort to open is at Spanish Fort at the mouth of Bayou St. John.

1815 Steamboat travel begins on the Lake

Travel by steamboat begins in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, replacing many of the sailboats.

British Options In attacking New Orleans

"British Options In attacking New Orleans from their base at Negril Bay, Jamaica, the British had seven potential routes...(One of which was) The route from Lake Borgne through the narrow straits known as the Rigolets, across Lake Pontchartrain, and up Bayou St. John." During "Preparations for War...(Andrew) Jackson moved quickly to prepare for the enemy's expected assault. He prepared defense strategies to match the variety of attack paths available to the British. Jackson deployed Louisiana militia detachments to fell trees, scout enemies, and guard the numerous small streams the British could use to enter the city. To protect Lakes Borgne and Pontchartrain Jackson relied on navy gunboats under the command of Daniel T. Patterson. He also sent Major Plauché's New Orleans militia companies to Forts St. John and Petites Coquilles north of the city to fend off a Lake Pontchartrain approach. " Source: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/search/qfullhit.htw?CiWebHitsFile=/museum/publications/bno.pdf&CiRestriction=%20%20pontchartrain%20%20&CiQueryFile=/search/query.idq&CiBeginHilite=%3CB%20CLASS=%22HIT%22%3E&CiEndHilite=%3C/B%3E&CiUserParam3=/query.htm&CiHiliteType=Full Photo of Major Jean Baptiste Plauche credit: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/cabildo/cab6.htm

Jackson's greatest fear

Jackson's greatest fear is whether or not he has enough men to stop the British. Reports about their numbers have been high, perhaps as many as 12,000. The American general still harbours worries about the British invading the city from the north, so he has had to move men to the banks Lake Pontchartrain to prevent a possible disaster. This has left him with less than 4000 men lining the Rodriguez Canal, many of them sparsely trained and poorly armed volunteers. Source: http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/events/orl_battle.html Photo of General Andrew Jackson credit: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/cabildo/cab6.htm

1816 - U.S. Congress establishes a port of delivery at the town of Bayou St. John

Source: Library of Congress - http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=003/llsl003.db&recNum=343