Slidell, Louisiana -- Camellia City
Slidell - its History
– Settlement to Present
“Slidell – Camellia City”
was concluded by Gulf Coast heritage writer Dan Ellis after a year-and-a-half in depth effort of research that resulted in the first complete history of the Slidell area. Through research of courthouse and municipal records, newspapers, past publications, and intensive interviews with older citizens, including personnel who are involved with churches, institutions, and organizations, Ellis provides an in-depth chronology of the cities and eras he writes about.
“Slidell was a natural selection,” he says, “because it is an original part of the geographic West Florida heritage.” The first family settlers moved between the old village settlements during the early stages of colonial growth through governmental changes under French to English to Spanish and eventually to the Americanization era.”
The story of Slidell reveals how the Salmen family picked up their roots from Handsboro, now a part of Gulfport, and resettled in Slidell with the development of the Railroad. Ellis follows the trek of “kissin' cousins” as families and neighbors moved between New Orleans, the Gulf Coast, and the North Shore regions in spreading out to finally establish their own private domains.
The Haas family is a good example of movement around the Pearl River region and having settled at New Orleans, Waveland, Bay St. Louis, Kiln, and at Slidell.
The Dubuissons had originally settled in the LaCombe/Slidell region with Eugene Dubuisson being credited for proliferation of that name in West Harrison and Hancock counties of Mississippi.
Captain William Hardy is well known for his founding of Gulfport and Hattiesburg, Mississippi -- but during earlier years, he built the railroad from New Orleans to Jackson, MS, which caused the origin of Slidell and many other railroad towns.
The book – liberally illustrated with photos, drawings, and maps – sweeps through West St. Tammany history from its first settlements in the Bonfouca region to the economic impact affected by NASA. Ellis describes the richness of Olde Town and the early leaders since the incorporation of Slidell in 1888. “Slidell has evolved through many evolutions as a CrossRoads community that has been ever challenged by new crossroad decisions in becoming a major Louisiana municipality today,” asserts Ellis.
Included are chapters on North Shore, Pearl River, Lacombe, NASA, and past Slidell community leaders.
History Sketch of Slidell | Antebellum Mansion on the Bayou | Industrial Slidell | Time Table | Avatarus | Amazon Books
