♪ (ANNOUNCER) Along Lake Pontchartrain is made possible by the WYES Producers Circle.

A group of generous contributors dedicated to the support of our local productions.

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♪ ♪ OH, YEAH, YOU HAD TO BE CAREFUL 'CAUSE MY DADDY WAS ALWAYS KEPT A WATCHFUL EYE ON US, SAID 'DON'T GO TOO FAR DOWN CAUSE YOU'LL SLIP IN AND THE WATER WILL SUCK YOU UP UNDER THE SEAWALL.

THAT WAS ALWAYS THE THREAT [LAUGHS]... THAT WE'D GET CAUGHT IN THE CROSS CURRENT AND GET SUCKED UP UNDER THE SEAWALL [LAUGHS].

♪ (KEITH HURT) SMELLS OF MUSTARD, COTTON CANDY, THE LAUGHTER OF THIS HUGE CLOWN HEAD THAT THEY HAD...

IT WAS JUST A, A LONG STRETCH OF EXCITEMENT AND LIGHTS AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE AND, ANYWHERE YOU LOOKED SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING.

(SAM SCANDALIATO) EVERY YEAR WE WOULD RENT A CAMP IN LITTLE WOODS FOR A WEEK.

♪ AND WE WOULD DO IT IN JUNE BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE FELT THAT THE CRABS WERE RUNNING TH- THE BEST.

NO AIR CONDITION, NONE OF THAT KIND OF STUFF.

AND IT WAS LIKE BEING IN ANOTHER WORLD.

♪ (JOHN BESH) OUT IN A LITTLE SAILBOAT SAILING...

WATCHING THE BEAUTIFUL SUNSET, THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST PEACEFUL THINGS IN THE WORLD TO DO.

♪ ♪ ♪ I'M PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE.

LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF LIFE IN THE NEW ORLEANS AREA.

LOCALS WOULD SWIM, FISH, SAIL, MAYBE JUST SPLASH, OR GO CRABBING ALONG THE SEAWALL.

AS WITH ANY BODY OF WATER, THE LAKE'S BOUNDARIES MUST BE CONTAINED, AND WE'VE LEARNED WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY ARE NOT.

ONCE POLLUTED, NOW THE LAKE IS CLEANER AND CLEARER.

IT CAN BE A SOURCE OF DISASTER AND JOY.

NEW ORLEANS WOULDN'T EXIST WITHOUT IT.

IT'S VITAL TO THE CITY'S FUTURE, YET A SOURCE OF GREAT NOSTALGIA.

LET'S LOOK BACK AT WHAT USED TO BE OF LIFE 'ALONG... LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.'

♪ ♪ ♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN IS HOME TO OVER 1OO SPECIES OF FISH, ALONG WITH CRABS, SHRIMP AND OYSTERS.

ALL HELP DEFINE THE LOCAL CUISINE.

THE LAKE IS ALMOST 630 SQUARE MILES: 40 MILES LONG AND 24 MILES WIDE IN MANY PLACES LESS THAN SIX FEET DEEP.

WE CALL IT A LAKE BECAUSE THE FRENCH NAMED IT A LAKE... TECHNICALLY IT'S AN INLAND BAY BECAUSE OF TWO TIDAL PASSES, THE RIGOLETS AND CHEF MENTEUR PASSES, LEADING TO THE GULF.

(FRANK DAVIS) AND IT WAS FORMED BY A BIG OLD SWELL, WHEN THE MISSISSIPPI'S COURSE RAMBLED, YOU KNOW, ON ITS WAY TO THE GULF OF MEXICO, IT, IT SWIRLED AND IT CAUSED THIS GREAT BIG SWIRL OF LAND BUILD UP AND THE MIDDLE WAS THE LAKE.

(CARLTON DUFRECHOU) ABOUT TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED OR SO YEARS AGO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER STARTED TO DISCHARGE SEDIMENTS INTO WHAT TODAY IS JEFFERSON, ORLEANS UH, SAINT BERNARD PARISHES, ACTUALLY PART OF PLAQUEMINES.

THE LAKE ITSELF IS ABOUT TWO THOUSAND YEARS OLD NOW.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) NATIVE INDIANS CALLED LAKE PONTCHARTRIAN "OKWATA", MEANING "WIDE WATER".

THEY LIVED ON ITS SHORES FOR CENTURIES.

IN 1699, FRENCH CANADIAN BORN EXPLORERS, PIERRE LE MOYNE, SIEUR D'IBERVILLE, AND HIS BROTHER, JEAN BAPTISTE LE MOYNE, SIEUR D'BIENVILLE, WERE SENT BY FRANCE TO STAKE OUT A PIECE OF THE NEW WORLD THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY BECOME NEW ORLEANS.

(PANI KOLB) WELL IT'S NAMED LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN FOR THE MARITIME MINISTER OF FRANCE.

AND UHM, OF COURSE THEY WERE ALWAYS TRYING TO NAME SOMETHING FOR SOMEBODY AT THE HOME OFFICE, HOPING THIS WOULD, YOU SUCK UP ENOUGH THEY'LL GIVE YOU MORE MONEY.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) LOCAL INDIANS SHOWED THE EXPLORERS A CRUCIAL PATH LINKING LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN TO A SOUGHT AFTER SPOT OF HIGH GROUND ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

A PORTAGE ROUTE.

THE FRENCH CANADIAN EXPLORERS, BIENVILLE ET AL WERE FRENCH CANADIANS.

PORTAGE?

THEY KNEW PORTAGE.

YOU JUST PADDLE YOUR CANOE THEN YOU CARRY YOUR CANOE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

SO BAYOU ST. JOHN WAS THAT.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) AT THE SITE OF WHAT IS TODAY'S FRENCH QUARTER, BIENVILLE FOUNDED NEW ORLEANS IN 1718 AND COMMERCE BEGAN TO FLOW.

WE THINK OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN SORT OF AS OUR BACKYARD BUT IN MANY WAYS UH LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN WAS IN MANY WAYS THE STREET ADDRESS OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.

IT WAS A MUCH EASIER PLACE TO GET TO FOR SHIPPING THAN COMING ALL THE WAY UP THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) FLOODING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CONCERN.

IN 1890, THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE CREATED THE ORLEANS LEVEE BOARD.

ITS SCOPE INCLUDED THE MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE LAKE'S SHORELINE.

IN NEW ORLEANS THE SHORE OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN WAS MOSTLY SWAMPLAND.

DURING THE 1920S, A DECISION WAS MADE BY THE BOARD TO ELIMINATE WHAT WAS CONSIDERED AN UNHEALTHY, MOSQUITO RIDDEN ENVIRONMENT.

THEIR PLAN WAS TO DRAIN AND CLAIM LAND FROM LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

THIS ENORMOUS UNDERTAKING WOULD BE FINANCED BY THE SALE OF A LARGE PART OF THE LAND FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

THE PUMPING AND DRAINAGE OF THE SWAMP AREA BEGAN IN 1926.

A STEPPED CONCRETE WALL WAS BUILT 3000 FEET IN FRONT OF THE ORIGINAL SHORELINE, WHICH IS WHERE ROBERT E. LEE AND LEON C. SIMON BOULEVARDS ARE TODAY.

ASSISTING IN THIS EFFORT WAS THE WORKS PROJECT ADMINISTRATION OR WPA, A FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT PROVIDED JOBS DURING THE DEPRESSION.

THE RECLAMATION PROJECT TOOK ALMOST 2 DECADES TO ACCOMPLISH.

(JOHN SCHAKAI) THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS THEY WENT OUT 500-600 FEET OUT INTO THE LAKE AND SO THEY DROVE SHEET PILE ACROSS LAKE AND THEN THEY USED PUMPS AND DREDGES TO FILL IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE SHEET PILE AND ROBERT E LEE BOULEVARD.

IT WAS ALL HAND BUILT, THAT'S THE AMAZING THING, BY HUNDRED OF LABORERS.

♪ ♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) MUCH OF THIS NEWLY CREATED LAND WAS DEVELOPED INTO NEIGHBORHOODS INCLUDING LAKESHORE, LAKE TERRACE, LAKE OAKS AND LAKE VISTA.

LAKE VISTA WAS PLANNED AS A SERIES OF CUL DE SAC STREETS LEADING TO A CENTRAL COMMUNITY AREA.

SMALL DIAGONAL PARKS WERE INCLUDED IN THE DESIGN PLAN.

IT WASN'T UNTIL THE 1940S THAT MOST OF THE LOTS FROM THE LAND RECLAMATION PROJECT WERE SOLD.

EVERY SUMMER, IN FACT I USED TO ASSOCIATE SUMMER WITH HAMMERS AND THE SMELL OF FRESHLY CUT LUMBER.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) THIS NEW NEW ORLEANS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS PLANNED WITH A DESIGN UNIQUE TO THE AREA.

(CARLTON DUFRECHOU) THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE WAS ACTUALLY ON A SIDEWALK OR PARKWAY.

BUT THE REAR ENTRANCE WOULD BE YOUR DRIVEWAY INTO THE REAR OF THE HOME.

WHILE IT WAS WELL INTENDED, I THINK HAD INITIALLY HAD SOME UH, PUSHBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.

BECAUSE IF YOU HAD VISITORS, THE ONLY WAY FOR THEM TO GET TO YOUR HOUSE WOULD ACTUALLY BE FROM THE, THE REAR DOOR.

SO FOR PROBABLY, GOLLY, AT LEAST IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF THE COMMUNITY I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY WAS NOT AS WELL RECEIVED.

IT WAS NEW.

IT WAS NOVEL.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) BETWEEN LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN AND THE NEW NEIGHBORHOODS, LEVEES, PUBLIC GREEN SPACES AND A PARKWAY WAS CONSTRUCTED, AS WELL AS THE ALMOST FIVE MILE LONG SEAWALL.

♪ ♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) WALKING DOWN THE STEPS OF THE SEAWALL TO FISH, SWIM OR GO CRABBING REQUIRED BOTH SKILL AND CAUTION.

(ROCKY FRANCOIS) THE SEAWALL IS A FRIGHTENING THING AND IT'S A MYSTERIOUS THING 'CAUSE I KNOW A CAT THAT DROWNED THERE.

YEAH, BIG BOOM BOOM MCCARVER, MAN.

BOOM BOOM DROWNED OUT THERE AND HE GOT CAUGHT UP DOWN UNDER THE SEAWALL LIKE THAT.

HE WAS A BIG HEAVY-SET MAN AND HE WAS THERE OFF, RIGHT OFF THE SEAWALL.

HE WASN'T GOING OUT THERE IN THE WATER SWIMMING FAR OUT.

YOU KNOW, CLOSE BY.

SO WE ALWAYS WERE SCARED FROM A YOUNG AGE 'CAUSE WE KNEW BOOM BOOM HAD DIED THERE.

NAVIGATING THE NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT SEAWALL WAS LIKE TRYING, TRYING TO GET AROUND THE GOSPEL.

YOU CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE THE LAW WAS THE FIRST 11 STEPS... ISNT IT SOMETHING, THE FIRST 11 STEPS ARE FINE.

BUT 12, 13, 14 AND 15, AND THAT'S HOW MANY THERE ARE INCIDENTALLY, WERE COVERED IN GREEN ALGAE, THE SLIPPERIEST STUFF IN THE WORLD.

THE WAY TO AVOID THAT IS, YOU HAD A BIG PAIR OF COTTON ATHLETIC SOCKS, AND YOU'D PUT THE SOCKS ON AND THE SOCKS WOULD GIVE YOU TRACTION AGAINST THE ALGAE.

AND I REMEMBER THAT, AND THEN OF COURSE YOU HAD TO COME UP ONE STEP AT A TIME LIKE YOU WERE A REALLY OLD MAN WALKING THE STEPS.

BUT WE NEVER SLIPPED.

♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) A PART OF THE SEAWALL WAS A GATHERING SPOT FOR THE CITY'S BLACK COMMUNITY THE AFRICAN AMERICAN SIDE OF NEW ORLEANS WAS BETWEEN SEABROOK AND FRANKLIN.

FROM WHERE THE MOUND OF THE LEVEE TO THE WATER UH PEOPLE WERE PICNICKING A PERFECT AREA FOR FISHING, CRABBING, SHRIMPING AND PEOPLE THROWING THEIR CAST NETS OUT IN, IN LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN TO GET SHRIMP.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) WHILE MANY ORLEANIANS WOULD CAST A LINE FROM THE SEAWALL FOR FUN, DEACON JOHN MOORE, ONE OF THIRTEEN CHILDREN, REMEMBERS THAT HIS FATHER FISHED TO PUT DINNER ON THE TABLE.

(DEACON JOHN) HE'D GO THERE ALMOST EVERY DAY AFTER HE GOT OFF FROM WORK.

HE'D GO DOWN TO LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN AND HE HAD A HAND LINE.

HE'D GET THE REAL THICK STRING YOU KNOW [LAUGHS].

AND MY FATHER WOULD TAKE SPARK PLUGS OR UH, THE RAILROAD TIES, YOU KNOW THE METAL SPIKE, YOU KNOW.

AND HE'D FASHION HIMSELF SINKERS AND HE'D PUT ABOUT 5 OR 6 HOOKS ALONG THE LINE AND HE'D JUST SLING IT OUT AND THROW IT OUT IN THE WATER AND HE'D JUST WORK WITH HIS HAND, HE DIDN'T USE A POLE.

HE JUST USED A HAND LINE, AND WHEN HE'D FEEL THE FISH NIBBLING.

OH!

[LAUGHS] THEN HE COULD CATCH 2 OR 3 AT A TIME [LAUGHS].

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) FISHING WAS ONLY PART OF THE "ACTION" THAT TOOK PLACE ALONG THE LAKE.

YOU DROVE AT THIS LITTLE STRIP OUT BY WHERE THE LIGHTHOUSE WAS.

YOU PASSED THERE, THERE WAS A LITTLE STRIP AND IT WAS CALLED LOVERS' LANE.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE ALL WENT AND MADE OUT.

THERE WAS A STORM ONE NIGHT AND THE CAR SLID INTO A DITCH.

AND THE GIRLS HAD TO HELP US PUSH THE GUY'S CAR OUT AND THEY WERE NOT TOO THRILLED.

AND THEN THEY NEVER TALKED TO US AGAIN.

BUT IT WAS COOL.

IT'S LIFE THEN.

♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) IN SEARCH OF SOMETHING COOL TO EAT OR DRINK?

NEARBY ON LAKESHORE DRIVE WAS A CONCESSION STAND CALLED KRUPP'S IN ONE OF THE PICNIC SHELTERS THAT DOTTED THE LAKEFRONT (BOB MURRET) THEY WERE KNOWN FOR THEIR WATERMELON.

ICE COLD WATERMELON.

THEY USED TO ICE THEM DOWN IN WASH TUBS.

AND THEY HAD BIG BLOCKS OF ICE IN THERE WITH THE WATERMELON.

AND, AND THEY WERE JUST ICE, ICE COLD.

SOLD THEM BY THE SLICE AND THEY HAD THE NEWSPAPER, YA KNOW, AND YOU'D SIT DOWN UNDER THE SHELTER, AT THE, WITH THE BENCH AND START SLICING YOU UP SOME, ICE COLD WATERMELON.

IT WENT DOWN REALLY WELL, TOO, AFTER A HOT DAY AT THE BEACH.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) THE OTHER LAKEFRONT SHELTERS WERE PUT TO GOOD USE, ESPECIALLY DURING HOLIDAYS.

(ROCKY FRANCOIS) THE MEN WOULD GO AT NIGHT TIME, AND THEY WOULD GO GET A SHELTER 'CAUSE YOU'D HAVE A MILLION PEOPLE COMING OUT TO THE LAKEFRONT ON THIS HOLIDAY TO CELEBRATE.

SEVERAL DIFFERENT FAMILIES WOULD COME AND EACH MAN FROM EACH FAMILY WOULD BE A REPRESENTATIVE AND HE WOULD SLEEP UNDER SHELTER HOUSE WITH THE MEN.

THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR SANDWICHES AND BEER AND STUFF.

THEY'D PLAY CARDS AND HANG OUT ALL NIGHT 'TIL THE NEXT DAY WHEN THE LADIES AND THE CHILDREN CAME AND YOU'D BARBECUE ALL DAY LONG AND KIDS WOULD GO SWIM IN THE LAKE.

THE LAKE WAS CLEAN.

WE'D SWIM IN THE LAKE AND PLAY GAMES.

WE USED TO PLAY ALL THESE FUN GAMES.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) IN ADDITION TO CRABBING AND FISHING, MAKING OUT OR JUST HANGING OUT, FOR MANY ORLEANIANS, THE PLACE TO LEARN HOW TO SWIM WAS ALONG THE SEAWALL.

(FRANK DAVIS) MY DAD BELIEVED IN, IF YOU GOT INTO THE WATER, AND IT WAS DEEP ENOUGH, YOU WOULD EITHER SINK OR SWIM.

SINKING WASN'T FUN AT ALL.

AND HE WOULD HOLD ME ON HIS HAND, HE'D SAY 'GO!'

AND I WOULD MAKE 3 OR 4 STROKES I'D GO DOWN LIKE A SUBMARINE, SUCK HALF THE WATER OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE, COME BACK UP AND DO IT AGAIN.

AFTER ABOUT 4 OR 5 TRIPS, I LEARNED HOW TO SWIM POORLY.

SO I WENT OUT IMMEDIATELY KNOWING THAT MY EXPERTISE AS A SWIMMER WAS VERY NIL.

UH, I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A REALLY NICE LIFE JACKET.

♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) ALONG WITH SWIMMING, THE SHORES OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN OFFERED OTHER ADVANTAGES.

(PANI KOLB) BEING ON THE LAKE MEANT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THOSE LAKE BREEZES AND BEFORE AIR CONDITIONING THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND YOU WERE A LITTLE FAR FROM THE PEOPLE WHO WERE MAYBE GOING TO ENFORCE THE LIQUOR LAWS WE MIGHT THINK.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) IN THE LATTER PART OF THE 1700'S WHILE NEW ORLEANS WAS UNDER SPANISH RULE, FORT ST. JOHN, WHERE BAYOU ST. JOHN AND THE LAKE MEET, WAS RENAMED SPANISH FORT.

AS OTHER FORTS WERE BUILT, THE OLD FORT BECAME LESS NECESSARY.

THE FORT AREA WAS INSTEAD DEVELOPED AS A RESORT.

ITS SEASON WAS FROM MAY TO OCTOBER.

FOR LOCALS, TAKING A FIVE MILE JAUNT OUT TO THE LAKE WAS CONSIDERED THERAPEUTIC, AND THE AREA BLOSSOMED WITH HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, BATHING PIERS AND PICNIC FACILITIES.

A 24-HOUR CASINO BECAME VERY POPULAR.

THERE WAS EVEN A SMALL THEATRE.

IN 1882, WHILE ON HIS AMERICAN TOUR, BRITISH WIT AND PLAYWRIGHT OSCAR WILDE GAVE A LECTURE AT SPANISH FORT.

ONE OF THE FORT'S RESTAURANTS PLAYED HOST TO ULYSSES S. GRANT.

IN THE EARLY 1900'S A FIRE DESTROYED MANY OF THE RESORT'S BUILDINGS.

THE NEW ORLEANS RAILWAY AND LIGHT COMPANY BOUGHT UP MUCH OF THE PROPERTY AND TRANSFORMED IT INTO MORE OF AN AMUSEMENT PARK.

SPANISH FORT WAS BILLED THE "CONEY ISLAND OF THE SOUTH."

THERE WAS A ROLLER COASTER AND A FERRIS WHEEL.

A HIGHLIGHT WAS AN ALLIGATOR PIT FOR FOLKS WHO HAD NEVER SEEN A GATOR UP CLOSE.

ALSO ON EXHIBIT, A CONFEDERATE SUBMARINE THAT HAD SUNK IN THE LAKE.

RAILROADS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PLEASURE POINTS AT THE END OF THE ROUTE SO THEY WOULD SELL TICKETS TO PEOPLE GOING AND THEN COMING BACK.

AND PEOPLE OF COURSE ALSO LIKED TO GO OUT THERE AND FISH.

GO OUT THERE AND HAVE SUMMER HOUSES.

AND ANYWHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE GATHERINGS OF PEOPLE AND ALCOHOL AND FOOD AND A PLACE TO DANCE, IN NEW ORLEANS.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MUSIC.

AND SINCE THE FOLK MUSIC OF THE CITY WAS JAZZ, YOU'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE JAZZ.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR RESTAURANTS AT SPANISH FORT WAS TRANCHINA'S, WHICH FEATURED FINE DINING AND MUSIC PERFORMED BY JAZZ PIONEER ARMAND J. PIRON AND HIS ORCHESTRA.

BY 1926 SPANISH FORT WAS ON THE WANE.

THE ORLEANS LEVEE BOARD'S LAND RECLAMATION PROJECT CONTRIBUTE TO THE FORT'S CLOSURE.

THROUGH THE YEARS, THE RESORT ALSO EXPERIENCED COMPETITION FROM ANOTHER LAKEFRONT SPOT, WEST END.

THE TREK TO WEST END FROM THE CITY WAS BY BARGE ON THE NEW BASIN CANAL OR BY CARRIAGE, TAKING THE SHELL ROAD ALONGSIDE THE CANAL.

THERE WAS EVEN A STREETCAR LINE.

ROWING AND SAILING WERE POPULAR PASTIMES AT WEST END.

IN 1849, THE SOUTHERN YACHT CLUB WAS FORMED, THE SECOND OLDEST IN AMERICA.

SIR THOMAS LIPTON OF TEA FAME, HIMSELF A RENOWN YACHTSMAN, EVEN FUNDED A PRIZE FOR ONE OF THE CLUB'S REGATTAS.

OVER THE YEARS SOUTHERN YACHT CLUB SAILORS HAVE WON FOUR OLYMPIC MEDALS AND MANY NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS.

REFERRED TO AS A "SOCIAL MECCA" IN A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE IN THE 1920'S, THE YACHT CLUB WAS OFTEN THE SITE OF DANCES, IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESORT AREA WHERE BANDS PLAYED IN RESTAURANTS AND FOR PICNICS.

WEST END IS EVEN IMMORTALIZED IN A TUNE WRITTEN BY JAZZ PIONEER JOE "KING" OLIVER, BUT MADE FAMOUS BY HIS PROTIGI, ANOTHER YOUNG NEW ORLEANS MUSICIAN WHO PLAYED ALONG LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN'S SHORES.

LOUIS ARMSTRONG'S VERSION OF "WEST END BLUES" GIVES A THEN UP AND COMING PERFORMER A CHANCE TO SHOW OFF HIS SKILLS [LOUIS ARMSTRONG PLAYS "WEST END BLUES"] ♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) FROM WEST END, YOU COULD TAKE A STEAMBOAT RIDE ACROSS THE LAKE, TO THE RESORT TOWNS OF MADISONVILLE AND MANDEVILLE.

FOR A DOLLAR, A ROUND TRIP EXCURSION ON THE NEW CAMELIA INCLUDED A BAND AND A FISH BREAKFAST.

IN MANDEVILLE, WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR LUNCH, VISITORS COULD DINE AT BECHAC'S, OWNED BY FRENCH IMMIGRANT DENIS BECHAC, WHOSE FAMILY WOULD OPERATE THE BUSINESS FOR ALMOST A CENTURY.

BUT UPON RETURN TO THE SOUTHSHORE, WEST END ITSELF WAS ALSO A PRIME RESTAURANT DESTINATION.

GERMAN IMMIGRANT THEODOR BRUNING OPENED A SEAFOOD RESTAURANT IN 1859.

IT REMAINED IN OPERATION AT WEST END FOR OVER 150 YEARS.

(PANI KOLB) SO YOU ALWAYS USED TO GET THE FRIED SPECKLED TROUT AND WE'D GET GUMBO.

(KEN KOLB) AND THE BAR... (PANI KOLB) OH THE BAR ITSELF WAS GORGEOUS.

BRUNINGS BAR (KEN KOLB) OH THE BAR BEHIND BRUNINGS IS A FAMOUS BAR.

(PANI KOLB) AND IT WAS ALL CARVED AND ORNATE AND VICTORIAN AND...

IT WAS A WONDERFUL BAR.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) THE BULDING THAT HOUSED BRUNING'S RESTAURANT FOR SO MANY YEARS WAS DESTROYED IN 1998 BY HURRICANE GEORGE.

AFTER MOVING TO ANOTHER STRUCTURE NEARBY, IT BECAME A VICTIM OF ANOTHER HURRICANE, KATRINA.

A LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN LANDMARK WAS THE BRUNING FAMILY HOME.

IT WAS BUILT IN THE 1890'S.

ALMOST A CENTURY LATER, THE HOUSE WAS THE SETTING FOR A PARTY SCENE IN THE 1987 FILM "THE BIG EASY. "

IT TOO WAS DESTROYED BY HURRICANE KATRINA.

♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) STILL REMEMBERED AT WEST END DURING THE 1950'S AND SIXTIES IS FITZGERALD'S RESTAURANT.

(BOB MURRET) IN THE OLD DAYS THEY WERE OPEN AND THEY JUST HAD SCREENS SO YOU COULD, JUST GET THE BREEZE AND THAT WAS REALLY AUTHENTIC.

BEFORE THEY HAD THEM GLASSED-IN WHEN THERE WAS AIR CONDITION THEY JUST LEFT IT OPEN WHERE YOU COULD GET THE LAKE BREEZE BLOWIN' THROUGH THE SCREENS AND EATIN' YOUR BOILED CRABS AND HAVIN' A GOOD TIME DRINKING YOUR BEER [LAUGHS].

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) OTHER WEST END RESTAURANTS INCLUDED FONTANA'S, SWANSON'S, PAPA ROSELLI'S AND MAGGIE AND SMITTY'S, KNOWN FOR ITS BOILED SEAFOOD.

VERY MUCH A PART OF THE NEW ORLEANS NIGHTCLUB SCENE WAS WEST END'S MY O MY CLUB.

ELABORATELY GOWNED FEMALE IMPERSONATORS ENTERTAINED BOTH LOCALS AND TOURISTS.

IN ADDITION TO ENTERTAINMENT, NEARBY WAS AN IMPORTANT REMINDER THAT THIS SECTION OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN ALSO PROVIDED A SAFE HARBOR FOR BOATERS.

IT'S AN HISTORIC LIGHTHOUSE, AT THE ENTRANCE TO WHAT WAS THE NEW BASIN CANAL (CARLTON DUFRECHOU) WHEN THE COAST GUARD DECOMMISSIONED IT IN THE LATE NINETIES, THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN FOUNDATION'S ALWAYS WANTED A PERMANENT HOME AND A PERMANENT OUTREACH FACILITY.

IT SEEMED LIKE A NATURAL FIT.

THEN KATRINA COMES AND DOES A NUMBER ON THE 100 YEAR OLD LIGHT.

WE WILL REBUILD THAT LIGHT.

IT'S AN ICON FOR THE CITY.

IT'S AN ICON FOR THE LAKEFRONT.

♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) DURING ITS HEYDAY, COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC FROM THE NEW BASIN CANAL INTO THE LAKE WAS BRISK.

(PANI KOLB) IT WAS LIKE THE INTERSTATE OF THAT DAY.

BUT THERE WERE LUGGERS THAT WENT BACK AND FORTH TO THE NORTHSHORE.

AND THE SHIPS WOULD THEN CARRY ALL THE BRICKS THEY WERE MAKING IN SLIDELL, WOULD COME IN, IN THESE LUGGERS OR FLAT SHIPS, AND THEY COULD SAIL THEM ACROSS THE LAKE.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) NOT FAR FROM THE SITE OF THE NEW BASIN CANAL IS THE 17TH STREET CANAL.

ON THE JEFFERSON PARISH SIDE OF THE CANAL IS BUCKTOWN.

IN EARLIER DAYS, THIS TINY FISHING VILLAGE WAS KNOWN FOR GAMBLING AND ITS SPEAKEASIES.

IN THE MORE RECENT PAST, IT HAS BECOME A SPOT FOR RESTAURANTS.

ONE OF BUCKTOWN'S LANDMARKS WAS SID-MAR'S.

AND GRADUALLY SIDMAR'S SORT OF BECAME MORE AND MORE UPSCALE.

I SUPPOSE THE FAMILY CONSIDERED IT BECOMING MORE AND MORE OF A SUCCESS, BUT I DIDN'T QUITE SEE IT THAT WAY.

I LIKED THE MISMATCHED FURNITURE.., AND I LIKED THE IDEA THAT MARION WOULD BE SITTING AT THE END OF THE BAR AND FROM THERE SHE COULD SURVEY THE KITCHEN, THE DINING ROOM, AND THE BAR AT THE SAME TIME.

...AND THE BAR WAS LINED WITH THE MEN WHO EARLIER THAT MORNING HAD BEEN CATCHING THE CRABS THAT WERE PILED ON YOUR TABLE (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) TRULY A BUCKTOWN FIXTURE WAS A PLACE CALLED SCHULTZ'S FRESH HARDWARE.

(DR. JOHN) I JUST LOVED RALPH SHULTZ FRESH HARDWARE STORE NOT ONLY CAUSE HE HAD EVERYTHING.

HE COULD EVEN GET YOU BRAKE-TAG STICKER AT RALPH'S AND ALL OF THAT.

BUT RALPH WAS A REAL BUCKTOWN CHARACTER.

LIKE THERE WAS SEVERAL OF THEM.

BUT HE WAS SPECIAL ONE CAUSE HE WAS EVERYTHING RIGHT THERE.

YOU COULD GET YOUR ANYTHING FOR YOUR CARS AND YOUR DRIVERS STUFF.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) ONE CHILDHOOD MEMORY BECAME A VALUABLE LESSON.

YOU KNOW I LEARNED HOW TO SWIM RIGHT THERE AT BUCKTOWN IN THAT 17TH STREET DRAINAGE CANAL IT WAS ONE OF MY FIRST LEARNING HOW TO SWIM TO DON'T TOUCH YOUR FEET ON THE BOTTOM WITH ALL THOSE CANS AND BROKEN GLASS.

IT WAS FUN; LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE TEACHES YA SOME BIG WEIRD LESSONS THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT USE.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) WHILE THERE ARE NOSTALGIC MEMORIES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CANAL, THE STORM SURGE OF HURRICANE KATRINA, SHOWED US THAT THIS WAS ONLY ONE OF MANY NEW ORLEANS CANALS WHOSE LEVEES WERE NOT STRONG ENOUGH.

THE PORTION OF BUCKTOWN ALONG THE 17TH STREET CANAL HAS BEEN CHANGED FOREVER, TO MAKE WAY FOR A U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS LEVEE PROTECTION PROJECT.

♪ IN THE MORE DISTANT PAST, YET ANOTHER SPOT FOR LEISURE ACTIVITIES ALONG LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN WAS MILENBERG OR MILNEBERG ON THE EASTERN SHORELINE.

IT WAS NAMED AFTER PROSPEROUS BUSINESSMAN ALEXANDER MILNE, WHO OWNED MOST OF THE LAND ALONG THE ORLEANS PARISH LAKE FRONT.

THIS TINY COMMUNITY WAS FOUNDED IN THE 1830'S AND BECAME AN OFFICIAL PORT OF ENTRY TO NEW ORLEANS.

UPON ARRIVAL, TO GET TO THE HEART OF THE CITY, TRAVELERS WOULD TAKE AN ALMOST FIVE MILE JOURNEY BY CARRIAGE OR TRAIN ALONG WHAT WOULD BECOME ELYSIAN FIELDS AVENUE.

IN 1830 THE PONTCHARTRAIN RAILROAD, BETTER KNOWN AS THE SMOKY MARY, BEGAN PUFFING BACK AND FORTH.

(CATHERINE CAMPANELLA) IN ITS HEYDAY, MILNEBURG WAS THRIVING WITH RESTAURANTS.

IT WAS A REAL TOWN BUT IT HAD BECOME A VERY POPULAR PLACE TO GO OUT AND HAVE A GOOD TIME ON THE LAKE CAMPS, RESTAURANTS, UH BATH HOUSES, PIERS... ♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) FAMILIES WOULD HIRE BANDS TO PLAY AT PICNICS AT THE CAMPS.

AN EARLY JAZZ TUNE NAMED "MILENBERG JOYS" HELPED PUT THIS TINY COMMUNITY ON THE MAP.

IT WAS CO-WRITTEN BY NEW ORLEANS JAZZ PIONEER JELLY ROLL MORTON.

♪ BY THE 1930'S, DUE TO THE ORLEANS LEVEE BOARD'S LAND RECLAMATION PROJECT, RESIDENTS WERE TOLD TO MOVE.

IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY DID WAS SIMPLE BUT WHAT THEY DESTROYED WAS INCREDIBLY A COMPLEX SOCIETY ONE OF THE BIRTHPLACES OF JAZZ ....AND ITS GONE.

A LOT OF WHAT WAS FILLED IN BECAME VERY PRODUCTIVE.

THE SAD THING WAS THAT, THAT THEY DESTROYED A COMMUNITY.

AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO.

♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) ONCE FILLED IN, THIS SECTION OF THE LAKEFRONT WAS DEVELOPED AS AN AMUSEMENT PARK- PONTCHARTRIAN BEACH.

A VESTIGE OF MILNEBERG WAS A LIGHT HOUSE FROM 1855.

IT ANCHORED THE BEACH'S KIDDIELAND AREA.

FOR MANY YEARS, A SEVEN-UP SOFT DRINK SIGN STOOD NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO PONTCHARTRAIN BEACH.

IT INVITED BEACH VISITORS TO TAKE A DIP AND OF COURSE A SIP.

AND THEN THERE WAS THE MIDWAY- THE MILE AND A HALF LONG STRETCH BETWEEN THE SHORE AND MOST OF THE AMUSEMENT RIDES.

THERE WAS ALL THESE DIFFERENT RIDES.

I USED TO LIKE THE ONE: IT WAS THE HORRORS THING.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD ROMANTICAL SPOT THERE.

THERE WAS A BUNCH OF LITTLE RIDES.

IT WAS THE KIDDY RIDES, THEY HAD THE LITTLE CARS WITH ELECTRICAL CARS.

I USED TO LIKE ALL OF THAT.

I WAS OLDER THAN THE KIDS THAT WAS DOING IT, AND I WOULD LIKE IT STILL, YA KNOW.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) THE FIRST PONTCHARTRAIN BEACH WAS LOCATED NEAR THE SPANISH FORT AMUSEMENT PARK IN AN AREA THAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE OLD BEACH.

THE NEW PONTCHARTRAIN BEACH WAS THE ANNUAL SUMMERTIME DESTINATION FOR MANY NEW ORLEANIANS FOR OVER HALF A CENTURY.

THE LAND WAS DEVELOPED BY THE ORLEANS PARISH LEVEE BOARD, IT WAS LEASED TO HARRY BATT SENIOR AND LATER, HIS TWO SONS.

AT THE NEW IMPROVED BEACH, THE RIDE OF ALL RIDES WAS THE ZEPHYR.

NAMED AFTER THE LEGENDARY TRAIN, THE BURLINGTON ZEPHYR, THE WOODEN ROLLER COASTER'S SPEED WAS SIXTY MILES AN HOUR.

KENNY GAVE ME MY ENGAGEMENT RING ON THE TOP OF THE ZEPHYR.

WE WERE ON TOP OF THE ZEPHYR, RIGHT WHERE IT PAUSES.

AND IT WASN'T IN A BOX, HE JUST HANDED ME THE RING AND I PUT IT IN MY MOUTH AND I PUT MY TONGUE THROUGH IT AND I HELD IT ALL THE WAY DOWN THE ZEPHYR AND THEN I COULD PUT IT ON MY FINGER.

AS YOU WENT UP THIS INCLINE, AND, WHEN YOU GOT TO THE TOP YOU LOOKED DOWN AND THE DROP WAS SO PRECIPITOUS THAT IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THE CAR COULD POSSIBLY STAY ON THAT TRACK.

IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS A COMPLETE FREEFALL.

AND, AT THE BOTTOM YOU CAME UP AGAIN, WHIPPED AROUND ON TO A CURVE AND THAT CURVE WAS BANKED HEAVILY AND IT WAS THAT PART THAT YOU STARTED TO REALLY APPRECIATE IDEAS OF CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AND GRAVITY WORKING TOGETHER FOR YOUR SAFETY.

THE ZEPHYR WAS NOT ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, I COULDN'T HANDLE GOING UP AND FIRST AND THEN GO DOWN.

MY GUTS WOULD JUST LIKE, THEY COULDN'T HANDLE THAT.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) NOT SO GENTLE WAS A RIDE THAT DID MUCH MORE THAN SQUEAK THE WILD MAUS, FROM GERMANY... (MONICA TURNER) I WAS NOT GETTING ON THAT.

'CAUSE YOU KNOW FROM THE PARKING LOT YOU COULD SEE HOW THE LITTLE CAR WOULD KIND OF HANG OFF THE EDGE OF THE TRACK TO MAKE THE TURN TO GO BACK TOWARD THE BEACH.

I SAID IT WOULD HAPPEN THAT I WOULD GET ON IT AND IT WOULDN'T MAKE THE TURN.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) A LONGTIME FAVORITE WAS THE BUMPER CAR RIDE.

(HARRY BATT, JR) THERE WERE ABOUT TWENTY CARS AND THEY WENT AROUND THE CIRCLE, WE DIDN'T LET THEM GO HEAD AND HEAD, YOU COULD HIT 'EM ON THE SIDE OR IN BACK BUT HEAD AND HEAD WAS VERBOTEN.

YOU HAD ONE WAY TRAFFIC... GOD DID I LOVE THE BUMPER CARS!

THAT'S WHEN YOUR TOTAL AGGRESSION AS A NEW ORLEANIAN CAME OUT.

ACTUALLY I THINK THEY OUGHT TO PUT THE BUMPER CARS BACK JUST IN ONE SPOT OUT THERE ON THE BEACH SO THAT YOU CAN, WHEN PEOPLE ARE STRESSED OUT, THE DOCTORS SAY OKAY I WANT YOU TO TAKE THIS MEDICATION, THAT MEDICATION, AND GO TO THE BUMPER CARS AND GET YOUR AGGRESSION OUT.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) AT THE BEACH WAS A FACE THAT LAUNCHED A THOUSAND MEMORIES.

(HARRY BATT, JR) MY DAD WANTED TO HAVE A WALK THROUGH FUN HOUSE.

HE WANTED THE MAN TO DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD CONFIRM WITH A CIRCUS.

AND HE SAID, WELL I'LL GIVE YOU A CLOWN'S HEAD.

JUST LIKE YOU MET PEOPLE ON CANAL STREET UNDER THE HOLMES CLOCK, IF YOU WANTED TO MEET SOMEBODY AT THE BEACH, IF YOU SAID, 'HEY JOE, YOU AND LOUIE WANT TO COME TO THE BEACH?

YEAH, LET'S TAKE OUR GIRLFRIENDS.

MEET YOU AT THE CLOWN FACE.

(EDDIE SAPIR) WHEN I SAW THE CLOWN, YOU KNOW I WAS SMILING AND I HAD A GRIN LIKE THE CLOWN 'CAUSE I JUST KNEW I WAS GONNA HAVE A GREAT DAY.

I WAS GONNA GET A NEW GIRLFRIEND, WE WERE GONNA DO SOME NEW RIDES, SOMETHING GREAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN, YOU KNOW.

WE WERE ALL UPBEAT, MAN.

PONTCHARTRAIN BEACH WAS THE PLACE TO BE AND HERE I WAS, I WAS GETTING PAID TO DO IT.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) SAPIR'S SKILLS EVEN GOT HIM A JOB AT THE BEACH.

AND UH, JUST THOUGHT IF I COULD EVER YOU KNOW, DREAM THE DREAM OF BEING A LIFE GUARD OUT ON LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN, THAT WAS UTOPIA.

BUT IT'S A LOT OF SERIOUS WORK.

♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) THERE WERE ALSO OTHER DUTIES THAT SAPIR WAS GLAD TO ASSIST WITH.

(EDDIE SAPIR) OH YEAH, FABIAN AND UH, FRANKIE AVALON, ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE PERFORMED OUT AT THE LAKE.

YOU KNOW, THEY WERE YOUNG GUYS.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO SO WHAT'D THEY WANT TO DO?

THEY WANTED TO HANG OUT WITH US.

IT WAS BOURBON STREET, ALL THE PLACES.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) ONE BUSY MUSICIAN AROUND TOWN HAD A BAND THAT PLAYED REGULARLY AT THE BEACH.

I CAN TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT FABIAN, THIS ALWAYS CRACKS ME UP.

HIS PEOPLE SAID, WHATEVER YOU DO PLAY LOUD AND FAST, AND WE HAD AN ATTITUDE BECAUSE THE GUY WASN'T EVEN THERE FOR HIS OWN REHEARSAL.

SO WE FIGURE WE GONNA FIX HIM.

WE PLAYED EVERYTHING SLOWER THAN THE GUY COUNTED IT OFF, AND VERY SOFT.

AND YOU KNOW IT DIDN'T MATTER BECAUSE ALL THESE KIDS WAS SCREAMING ANYWAYS, SO THE JOKE WAS ON US AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUT WE ALWAYS HAD FUN ON THOSE GIGS.

THERE WERE CIRCUS STYLE SHOWS, INCLUDING A GIRL AND HORSE HIGH DIVING ACT.

BEAUTY AND BODYBUILDING CONTESTS WERE A TOP ATTRACTION.

FUTURE MOVIE STAR DOROTHY LAMOUR WAS CROWNED MISS NEW ORLEANS AT PONTCHARTRAIN BEACH IN 1931.

IN ADDITION TO THE SHOWS, GAMES ALONG THE MIDWAY WERE ALSO POPULAR.

ONE GAME AT THE BEACH ACTUALLY INSPIRED ONE YOUNG VISITOR'S CAREER.

(FRANK DAVIS) THE LITTLE WOODEN FISH!

YOU HAD A LITTLE POLE, YOU'D WAIT FOR IT TO COME AROUND, AND YOU'D HOOK IT.

THAT'S HOW I BECAME A LOUISIANA FISHERMAN.

YOU'D TRY TO PUSH THAT LITTLE HOOK THROUGH THE EYE HOOK AND THEN YOU PICK THE FISH UP AND YOU'D SCREAM AND HOLLER LIKE YOU JUST WON THE GRAND ISLE TARPON RODEO.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) IN THE 1970'S A RIDE CALLED THE RAGIN' CAJUN WAS ADDED TO THE MIDWAY.

SO YOU'D GO UP ON OURS TO ABOUT 70 OR 80 FEET AND THEN YOU'D MAKE A TURN AROUND AND COME DOWN AND HIT THE LOOP.

♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) PONTCHARTRIAN BEACH CLOSED IN 1983.

ON THE SITE TODAY IS THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY PARK.

BUT FOR SOME FANS, THE BEACH'S COMMERCIAL JINGLE, LIKE SUGARPLUMS, STILL DANCES IN THEIR HEADS: ♪ AT THE BEACH, AT THE BEACH, AT PONTCHARTRAIN BEACH, ♪ ♪ YOU'LL HAVE FUN, YOU'LL HAVE FUN, EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, ♪ ♪ YOU'LL LOVE THE THRILLING RIDES, LAUGH 'TIL YOU SPLIT YOUR SIDES ♪ ♪ AT PONTCHARTRAIN, PONTCHARTRAIN BEACH.

♪ ♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) FROM THE 1930'S, THERE WAS A SEGREGATED SWIMMING AREA FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY KNOWN AS LINCOLN BEACH.

A LITTLE OVER TWO ACRES ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE LAKE NEAR THE LITTLE WOODS SECTION, THE BEACH WAS DEVELOPED BY THE NEW ORLEANS LEVEE BOARD.

WHAT BEGAN AS A BATH HOUSE DEVELOPED INTO A SMALL AMUSEMENT PARK.

ALONG A MIDWAY WAS A LOUNGE AND RESTAURANT.

LINCOLN BEACH'S HEYDAY, THE MID FIFTIES TO THE MID SIXTIES.

(DEACON JOHN) WE HAD THE ROLLER COASTER, THE MERRY GO ROUND, WE HAD THE, YOU KNOW THE OLYMPIC SIZED SWIMMING POOL AND WE HAD A SMALLER KIDDIE POOL.

WE HAD A RIDE CALLED THE WHIP, PUT YOU IN THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AND JUST KIND OF BOOM BOOM BOOM.

AND WE HAD THE BUMPER CARS OF COURSE.

THERE WERE A LOT OF NICE RIDES OUT THERE BUT THEY WERE LIKE KIND OF SMALL COMPARED TO THE ONES AT PONTCHARTRAIN BEACH THAT I DISCOVERED AFTER WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO PONTCHARTRAIN BEACH.

(LAUGHS) ♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) LOCAL AND NATIONALLY KNOWN MUSICIANS PERFORMED AT LINCOLN BEACH.

THIS WAS BACK IN THE LATE 50'S, EARLY 60'S...

I WAS A TEENAGER THEN IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND UH...I HAD A LITTLE BAND CALLED THE ROCKETTES I WAS PLAYING WITH THEN.

AND IT WAS A REALLY ROUGH JOB BECAUSE YOU HAD TO BE ON CALL ALL DAY.

LIKE FROM 10 IN THE MORNING TIL ABOUT 9 AT NIGHT.

WE'D WORK OUT THERE ALL DAY FOR 12 DOLLARS.

FATS DOMINO PLAYED AT THE BEACH.

BO DIDDLEY PLAYED AT THE BEACH.

[LAUGHS] YOU'D BE SURPRISED AT THE PEOPLE THAT PLAYED OUT THERE.

ROY BROWN PLAYED AT THE BEACH.

[SINGING] ♪ HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS.

THERE'S GOOD ROCKIN TONIGHT.♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) FUTURE PLANS CALL FOR ONCE AGAIN DEVELOPING THE AREA FOR RECREATION ACTIVITIES.

MEANWHILE THERE ARE THOSE WHO STILL RECALL "GOOD ROCKIN' TONIGHT" ALONG LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

♪ ♪ IN ADDITION TO THE GOOD TIMES ALONG THE LAKE, THERE WERE MORE SERIOUS ACTIVITIES.

LOCATED NEAR THE EASTERN SECTION OF THE ORLEANS LAKE FRONT IS THE MAIN CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS.

DURING WORLD WAR II MUCH OF THIS RECLAIMED LAND SERVED AS A UNITED STATES NAVAL AIR STATION.

(EARL MAGRI) WHICH WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN TRAINING NAVAL AIR FLIERS, NAVAL AVIATORS IN THE SUPPORT SYSTEM TO WORLD WAR II THERE.

YOU HAD CAMP LEROY JOHNSON.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) DURING WORLD WAR TWO, LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN WAS OFTEN USED AS A TRAINING GROUND.

CONSIDERED A KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF THE D DAY INVASION, THE LANDING CRAFT VEHICLE PERSONNEL OR LCVP'S, BUILT BY HIGGINS INDUSTRIES, WERE TESTED ON THE LAKE.

AND YOU HAD THE CONSOLIDATED AIR PLANT WHICH BUILT THE PBY'S ON FRANKLIN AVENUE ON THE LAKEFRONT.

IN FACT THE RAMP IS STILL IN THE SEAWALL THERE TODAY.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) THE SKIES WERE OFTEN CROWDED ON THIS EASTERN SECTION OF THE LAKE BECAUSE, JUST A MILE DOWN WAS THE CITY'S FIRST MAJOR AIRPORT.

SHUSHAN WAS NAMED AFTER POLITICALLY CONNECTED ORLEANS LEVEE BOARD PRESIDENT ABE SHUSHAN.

IT, OPENED IN 1934.

THE NAME WAS LATER CHANGED TO LAKEFRONT AIRPORT AFTER SHUSHAN WENT TO JAIL FOR INCOME TAX EVASION.

(CARLTON DUFRECHOU) IT'S A PENINSULA THAT IS IN LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

IT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST FOUR PAVED COMMERCIAL FIELDS IN THE COUNTRY.

THIS WAS STATE OF THE ART BIG TIME I BELIEVE IN THE 30'S WHEN IT WAS FIRST BUILT.

THE AIRPORT WAS THE COMMERCIAL FIELD FOR THE CITY UNTIL JUST AFTER THE SECONG WORLD WAR WHEN MOISANT, NEW ORLEANS INTERNATIONAL, WAS COMPLETED.

LAKEFRONT WAS STILL WHEN I WAS GROWING UP IT WAS ONE OF THE TOP 50 BUSIEST AIRPORTS IN THE COUNTRY.

♪ ♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) AND STILL FURTHER EAST ON THE SHORES OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN WAS YET ANOTHER SPOT WHERE LOCALS GATHERED DURING THE SUMMER... LITTLE WOODS.

♪ (JOHN SCHAKAI) IT WAS MY FRONT YARD AND BACKYARD AND THE SCHOOLYARD FOR NATURE.. (EARL MAGRI) YOU COULD HAVE A GOOD TIME AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BE RICH.

TO ME, LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN MEANS FAMILY.

FOR FIVE GENERATIONS OUR FAMILY HAS EITHER OWNED OR RENTED CAMPS ON THE LAKE.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) BY THE 1940'S, THERE WERE OVER 300 CAMPS ALONG THE LAKE PARRALLEL TO HAYNE BOULEVARD IN LITTLE WOODS.

SOME HAD BEEN MOVED FROM MILNEBERG WHEN THE ORLEANS LEVEE BOARD'S LAND RECLAMATION PROJECT DISPLACED THE TINY COMMUNITY.

(JOHN SCHACKAI) THEY HAD TO MOVE THEIR CAMPS.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE TOOK THEIR CAMPS APART, ENOUGH OF THEM CAME FROM MILENBERG THAT CREATED THE SAME KIND OF ARCHITECTURE THAT WAS PREVALENT IN THE 1830'S.

IT STEMMED FROM THE WEST INDIES STYLE, SORT OF THE STEEP HIPPED ROOF, THE GALLERY THAT GOES ALL AROUND... LARGE DOORS AND WINDOWS, LETTING AIR AND CIRCULATION GO THROUGH.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) COUSINS JOHN SCHAKAI AND EARL MAGRI JUNIOR SPENT MANY SUMMERS AT THEIR FAMILY CAMP CALLED THE LU LAINE.

(EARL MAGRI) YOU COULD ALMOST SAY IT WAS A SUBDIVISION ON WATER BECAUSE THE CAMPS WERE FAIRLY CLOSE TOGETHER IN MANY LOCATIONS.

THE FURTHER YOU GOT OUT THE MORE WIDESPREAD THEY WERE.

BUT IN SOME OF THE LOCATIONS THE CAMPS WERE ALMOST RIGHT ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.

YOU WENT DOWN GRAVEL, DIRT ROAD AND YOU WOULD CROSS THIS RAILROAD TRACK AND AS SOON AS YOU WOULD CROSS THE RAILROAD TRACK THIS IS A WHOLE OTHER WORLD OVER HERE.

YA KNOW.

YOU HAD THE WATER, THESE CAMPS, AND, YOU KNOW YOU COULDN'T HEAR THE TRAFFIC, YOU COULDN'T HEAR ANY NOISE THAT WAS GOING ON IN THE CITY SIDE, EVERYTHING WAS BLISSFUL.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) EVEN THOUGH THE CAMPS WERE ON WATER, EXCEPT FOR STORMS, THERE WAS LITTLE CAUSE TO WORRY.

WE WERE 360 FEET OUT AND THE WATER WAS WAIST HIGH.

(BOB MURRET) THE WATER WAS SO CLEAR.

YOU COULD SEE THE BOTTOM.

YOU COULD SEE EVERYTHING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.

YOU COULD SEE ALMOST...

BELIEVE IT OR NOT... YOU COULD SEE ALMOST, TWO...THREE FEET DEEP.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) AT LITTLE WOODS, CRABBING WAS A PRIME PAST TIME.

MY BEST MEMORY OF CRABBING IS ONE YEAR, ONE SUMMER WE HAD UH, WE HAD THE BOAT OUT THERE AND THE MEN WOULD BRING THE TRAPS OUT EVERY DAY.

AND THEY'D CHECK THE TRAPS TWICE A DAY.

AND EACH TIME THEY'D COME IN, THEY WOULD HAVE HUNDREDS OF CRABS.

SO THAT SUMMER, EVERY NIGHT WE HAD BOILED CRABS.

THEN WE HAD LEFTOVER CRABS SO THAT WE HAD STUFFED CRABS, CRAB SALAD, MARINATED CRABS, WE HAD FRIED HARD SHELL CRABS.

YOU DID A LOT OF CRABBING, A LOT OF FISHING, A LOT OF JOKING AND A LOT OF BEER DRINKING.

WELL, THAT WAS A CAMP CALLED "THE SUNNY SUSAN.

IT HAD A PORCH ALL AROUND IT.

IT HAD A-A PIER, OR WHAT THEY CALLED A RUN, GOING OUT INTO LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN, AND THEN YOU'D MAKE A PASS ABOUT EVERY TWO HOURS AND PICK UP THOSE NETS WITH THE BOAT.

IT WAS NOTHING TO GET AT LEAST A DOZEN CRABS, MAYBE TWO DOZEN CRABS EVERY TIME YOU MADE A PASS OUT THERE.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) THANKS TO SOME LOCAL BREWERIES, WHAT PASSED FOR "DINNER" PLATES WERE EASY TO COME BY.

(SAM SCANDALIATO) THEY HAD THE JAX BEER TRAYS, THE REGAL BEER TRAYS, DIXIE BEER TRAYS.

YOU GOT 'EM FROM THE BARROOMS.

MY FATHER HAD A RESTAURANT AND BAR ON ST. CLAUDE AND PORT STREET WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.

THE BREWERIES WOULD JUST GIVE YOU THE TRAYS.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) MEMORIES OF LIFE AT LITTLE WOOS BOILED DOWN TO THE BASICS.

(BOB MURRET) YOU CAUGHT YOUR OWN SEAFOOD, YOU PLAYED CARDS, YOU DRANK BEER, YOU, YA KNOW, YOU JUST HAD A GREAT TIME.

♪ (KEITH HURTT) IF IT WAS NOT ON THIS SIDE OF THE LAKE, IT WAS ACROSS THE LAKE, WHICH WAS VAGUELY ENCOMPASSED THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST, COVINGTON, SLIDELL, CHICAGO AND CANADA.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) "ACROSS THE LAKE" THAT PHRASE HAS LONG BEEN A PART OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL SLANG OF NEW ORLEANS.. TODAY, THE TERMS "NORTHSHORE" AND "SOUTHSHORE" HAVE BECOME MORE COMMONLY USED.

IT WASN'T SO VERY LONG AGO THAT, FROM AN ORLEANIAN'S PERSPECTIVE, TRAVELING TO THE NORTH SIDE OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN WAS QUITE AN ADVENTURE.

THE FIRST SPAN OF THE CAUSEWAY OPENED IN 1956.

(NEWS REPORTER) THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN CAUSEWAY... 23.8 MILES LONG AND THE NATIONS LONGEST OVER-WATER SPAN, LINKS US WITH SAINT TAMMANY PARISH.

I WAS LIKE 10 OR 12 YEARS OLD.

WHEN THEY SAID OH WE'RE GOING TO GO ACROSS THE CAUSEWAY NOW.

AND IT'S THE LONGEST BRIDGE IN THE WORLD.

I WENT, WOW.

THEY SAID YOU'RE GOING TO GET INTO THE MIDDLE AND YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE LAND ANYWHERE.

WHOO!

AND WE HAPPENED TO GO, I REMEMBER THAT DISTINCTLY.

WE HAD THE MOST HORRENDOUS THUNDERSTORMS AND BLACK CLOUDS EVERYWHERE AND I JUST KNEW WHEN I GOT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE, I WAS GOING TO GO THROUGH A TIME WARP AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE END OF FRANK DAVIS, HE'S GOING TO BE GONE FOREVER.

AND YOU COULD, YOU'D SIT OUT THERE AND MY DAD WOULD SAY, OH THAT'S A BLACK ONE OVER THERE, THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A WATER SPOUT COMING OUT OF THAT ONE.

I'D GET DOWN A LITTLE BIT DEEPER, LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THE SEAT.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SECOND SPAN IN 1969, TWO WAY TRAFFIC ON THE RELATIVELY NARROW FIRST SPAN GAVE SOME DRIVERS CAUSE FOR CONCERN.

BUT I REMEMBER TIMES ON THE CAUSEWAY WHERE MY AUNT, IF WE WERE GOING ON A PICNIC MY AUNT USED TO, "LETS ALL BE QUIET AND SAY A PRAYER," WELL I GUESS IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENED ON THE WAY THAT WE WOULD BE ALL PRAYED UP.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) FROM THE CAUSEWAY, FIRST UP ON THE NORTHSHORE SIDE IS MANDEVILLE, NAMED AFTER ITS DEVELOPER THE COLORFUL BERNARD XAVIER PHILIPPE DE MARIGNY DE MANDEVILLE.

WHO BEGAN SUBDIVIDING HIS PROPERTY IN THE 1830'S.

OVER A CENTURY LATER, JUST AS ON THE SOUTHSHORE, THE SWAMPY LAKEFRONT WAS DRAINED.

AND, WITH LAND RECLAIMED, A SEAWALL WAS CONSTRUCTED.

(PANI KOLB) BUT ALONG THE SEAWALL THERE ARE OAK TREES AND THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A PATH THAT YOU COULD WALK ALONG.

SO WHETHER YOU WENT OVER THERE AND YOU ATE LUNCH OR YOU ATE DINNER, YOU HAD A CHANCE TO WALK ALONG THAT SEAWALL (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) SOME OF THE HOMES ALONG THE LAKESHORE OF MANDEVILLE, WERE BUILT BETWEEN THE 1830'S AND 1850'S.

I WAS PARTICULARLY ENAMORED OF THE ARCHITECTURE ALONG THE LAKEFRONT AT MANDEVILLE.

IT RAN FROM UH, BASICALLY WHERE IT ENDS AT THE BAYOU BACK TO THE OLD YACHT CLUB.

AND THE HOUSES WITH THE BIG SCREEN PORCHES... (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) BEFORE THE CAUSEWAY AND INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WERE CONSTRUCTED, THE ROUTE ACROSS THE LAKE AND ON TO THE GULF COAST WAS HIGHWAY 90.

OVER BRIDGES THAT SPANNED LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

IN THE TINY ISLAND FISHING COMMUNITIES THAT DEVELOPED IN THE EASTERN SECTION OF ORLEANS PARISH WERE PLACES TO EAT, INCLUDING MARQUES, AND SALLY'S RESTAURANT AND BAR.

BONNIE VANNEY IS RELATED THROUGH MARRIAGE TO THE FAMILY THAT OWNED SALLY'S FOR MANY YEARS.

PEOPLE WOULD JUST GET IN THE CAR ON A SUNDAY AND JUST GO RIDE.

SO, I MEAN AND YOU, YOU HAD TO STOP AND EAT... AND MARQUEZ WAS ON ONE SIDE AND SALLY'S WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE.

AND SEAFOOD.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) THE INTERIOR OF MARQUEZ RESTAURANT WAS MEMORABLE.

(BONNIE VANNEY) AND THEY HAD A TARPON HANGING OVER THE MIRROR IN THE BAR.

AND ON THE OPPOSITE WALL YOU HAD THE GROCERIES BECAUSE IT WAS STILL YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DOWN THERE, I MEAN, YOU HAD TO GO BUY YOUR GROCERIES SOMEPLACE AND IF YOU NEEDED TO BUY CANNED GOODS OR SOMETHING THEY HAD, GROCERIES ON THE WALLS.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) IN THE 1950'S THOSE GROCERIES WERE OFTEN PURCHASED BY THE OWNERS OF NEWLY BUILT CAMPS IN THE AREA.

MY MOTHER AND DADDY WANTED TO YOU KNOW, SPREAD OUT A LITTLE FURTHER, YOU KNOW AND, AND PEOPLE WERE STARTING TO BUY TWO HOMES.

A CAMP.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) A CAMP WAS OFTEN THE PRODUCT OF THE OWNERS' INGENUITY.

IT WAS BUILT OUT OF THINGS LEFT OVER FROM DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION SITES IN NEW ORLEANS.

LIKE IF SOMEBODY WAS GETTING RID OF THE WINDOWS IN THEIR HOUSE THEY WERE REBUILDING.

WE CAN BRING IT TO THE CAMP... WE CAN DO SOMETHING WITH THESE THINGS AT THE CAMP!

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS A BLUR BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE A MILLION COUSINS AND AUNT'S AND UNCLE'S AND THEN WE WOULD YOU KNOW WALK OUT TO DIFFERENT CAMPS AND SAY HELLO TO EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY FED YOU...

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE BEING IN A NEW ORLEANS NEIGHBORHOOD.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) EARLY ON, LOCATING A CAMP IN THE LAKE CATHERINE AREA ADJACENT TO LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN WAS A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.

BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT A STRAIGHT NINE-MILE RUN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME DIRECTIONAL, SOMETHING TO GIVE YOU A DIRECTION OF WHERE YOU ARE.

SO PEOPLE PUT UP SIGNS.

MY DADDY'S WAS REAL PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

HE WORKED FOR THE ORLEANS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD.

HIS SIGN WAS BRIGHT SCHOOL BUS YELLOW WITH BIG BLACK LETTERS ON IT.

EVERYBODY HAD A CUTE LITTLE NAME.

IN FACT THAT WAS SOME OF THE NEW ORLEANS AND NORTH SHORE ENTERTAINMENT FOR A WHILE.

PEOPLE WOULD TAKE A DRIVE OVER THE LAKE AND THEY DROVE ALONG 90 FROM THE CHEF TO THE RIGOLETS JUST TO READ THE NEW NAMES ON THE CAMPS.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) WHILE THERE ARE THOSE WHO APPRECIATE THE MANY BENEFITS OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN, THIS RENOWNED NEW ORLEANS CHEF HAS A CONNECTION WITH THE BODY OF WATER IN BOTH WORK AND PLAY.

MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN SPENT, ON OR AROUND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

MY EARLIEST MEMORIES WERE SPENT PROBABLY WITH MY FATHER FISHING, IN PARTICULAR SHRIMPING.

THERE'S A LOT OF GRASS BEDS THAT BLANKET THAT PART OF THE NORTHSHORE'S COAST LINE OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN AND RICH WITH LOTS OF FISH, CRABS, SHRIMP.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) IN A LAKE THAT HAS SUCH BOUNTY, THERE ARE INEVITABLE FAVORITES.

I THINK WHAT MAKES THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BLUE CRABS SPECIAL IS THAT IT'S THIS WARM, SWEET WATER WE HAVE.

SOMETHING SPECIAL IS WE HAVE A LOT OF RUNOFF OF FRESH WATER, FROM COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF BAYOUS AND RIVERS, FOR THAT MATTER, AND WE HAVE THE SALT WATER COMING IN FROM THE GULF, WHICH MAKES FOR A PERFECT CONDITION FOR ALL THAT A CRAB OR SHRIMP FEEDS ON.

THE ONLY THING THAT I SERVE AT RESTAURANT AUGUST OR AT LA PROVENCE FOR THAT MATTER IS THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN CRABS.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) EVEN THE NAME PONTCHARTRAIN HAS BEEN CONNECTED WITH THE CRUSTACEAN.

(JOHN BESH) THE TERM PONTCHARTRAIN ADDED TO ANY DISH ON A MENU WOULD ALMOST ALWAYS IMPLY THAT THERE'S WAS CRABMEAT IN THAT DISH.

IN LOUISIANA IF YOU WANT TO SELL SOMETHING, YOU PUT CRABMEAT ON TOP, THAT'S IT.

(LAUGHS) (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) SINCE 1976, THE NAME PONTCHARTRAIN CAN EVEN BE FOUND ON THE NEW ORLEANS MARDI GRAS PARADE CALENDAR.

THE KREWE'S ROOTS WERE IN EASTERN NEW ORLEANS.

AND THEN WE STARTED THINKING OF A NAME AND WE SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE'RE GONNA ROLL ALONG LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN, HAYNE BOULEVARD, LET'S JUST CALL IT THE KREWE OF PONTCHARTRAIN.

AND THAT'S WHAT STUCK.

WE DECIDED THAT SINCE WE WERE GOING TO CALL OURSELVES THE KREWE OF PONTCHARTRAIN, WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A... OUR SYMBOL WOULD BE A FISH, OBVIOUSLY.

AND UH, WE USED THE UH, THE GROUPER FISH BECAUSE IT'S A VERY DRAMATIC FISH, PUT THE CROWN ON HIS HEAD.

AND THAT IS THE SYMBOL TODAY OF THE KREWE OF PONTCHARTRAIN.

♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) IN ADDITION TO SEAFOOD, THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT WAS LONG HARVESTED FROM LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN FOR ALMOST A CENTURY, THOUGH THE METHOD USED ULTIMATELY PROVED TO BE HARMFUL TO THE BODY OF WATER ITSELF, THE DREDGING OF SHELLS.

(PANI KOLB) THERE'S A LAYER OF SHELLS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.

IT'S THE RANGIA CLAM.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE THERE'S STILL CEMETERIES IN NEW ORLEANS THAT HAVE THEIR ROADWAYS PAVED WITH THOSE SHELLS.

YOU USED TO SEE THEM ALL OVER THE PLACE (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) FRANK DAVIS REMEMBERS THE IMPACT OF THE DREDGING.

(FRANK DAVIS) IT WOULD POLLUTE THE WATER AND MAKE THE WATER SO TURBID.

TURBID MEANS WHAT KIND OF SUSPENDED SEDIMENT YOU GOT.

YOU SUCKED THIS OFF THE BOTTOM AND IT WAS SO LIGHT, IT WOULD FLOAT.

OR WOULD STAY IN SUSPENSION AS AN EMULSION.

AND THE PLUME GOT BIGGER AND BIGGER, WHICH MEANS YOU HAD CLEAN WATER OVER HERE AND FILTHY WATER HERE.

AND THE FISH COULDN'T SWIM THROUGH IT BECAUSE IT WOULD GET IN THEIR GILLS AND THEY GO OH, I AINT GOING OVER THERE.

SO THEY TRIED TO STAY AHEAD OF THE PLUME, AND THE HEAD OF THE PLUME WAS BRETON SOUND, THEY MOVED THEM OUT AND OUT.

YOU DIDN'T SEE MANY FISH KILLS AT THE TIME BECAUSE THEY DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, THE FIN FISH HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY AHEAD OF IT.

BUT IT PLAYED HAVOC ON THE SHRIMP AND OYSTERS.

BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE BOTTOM, THERE WAS NO NATURAL FEED FOR THEM ANYMORE.

(CARLTON DUFRECHOU) SHELL DREDGING WAS DISCONTINUED IN 1990.

ONCE THAT HAPPENED, THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE FINALLY GOT A CHANCE TO START TIGHTENING UP AGAIN.

I GUESS WITHIN FIVE OR SO YEARS, BY THE MID-90'S WE SAW A WATER CLARITY.

IN THE 60'S, WHEN I WAS A KID, IF THE WATER CLARITY IN THE LAKE WAS SIX INCHES, THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD.

AND THAT'S NOT VERY DEEP AT ALL.

IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TODAY TO HAVE SIX FEET OR MORE VISIBILITY IN THE LAKE ON A STILL DAY.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) WHILE THE ELIMINATION OF DREDGING HAS CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO A CLEANER LAKE, SO HAS THE INCREASED VIGILANCE OF COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING IT.

THE CLEANUP OF WASTE AND CHEMICAL RUNOFF ARE POSITIVE STEPS.

BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT CAN EASILY UPSET THE ECOLOGY OF THE LAKE.

IT'S A SAFETY DEVICE OF SORTS, FOR NEW ORLEANS THE BONNET CARRE SPILLWAY, WHICH CAN CONNECT THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO THE LAKE.

1997 WAS THE LAST TIME IT WAS USED.

(KEN KOLB) IT'S A SPILL WAY.

IT SPILLS THE WATER THAT, WHAT THEY DO IS, RAILROAD TRESTLE RUNS ALONG THE TOP OF THIS THING AND THE LITTLE CAR LIKE YOU USED TO PUSH ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS THERE, IT GOES AND LIFTS UP THESE SLATS AND THE ENGINEERS DETERMINE HOW MANY SLATS THEY WANT TO PULL UP TO OPEN THESE VERTICAL LEAR THINGS THAT WILL LET THE WATER FLOW THROUGH AND THEN THE WATER WILL FLOW FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT HIGH POINT, INTO THE SPILLWAY, THIS DEEP CHANNEL, THAT RUNS ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE LAKE AND IT WILL DIVERT IT.

WE DID HAVE THAT OPEN AT SOME TIME AND PEOPLE WERE SAYING OH YOU KNOW IT KILLED THE SEAFOOD AND DID ALL THAT BUT IT MADE SOME OF THE OYSTERS GREAT.

IT'S KIND OF A MIXED BAG WHETHER YOU'D WANT TO PUT FRESHWATER FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER THAT MAY BE POLLUTED INTO THE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

♪ ♪ ♪ (PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) THE FLOODING THAT HAD ALWAYS BEEN DREADED FROM THE RIVER, CAME INSTEAD FROM BREAKS IN SOME OF THE LEVEES ALONG CANALS THAT CONNECT TO THE LAKE, IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE KATRINA.

YOU CAN'T BLAME NATURE FOR SOMETHING THAT MAN CONCEIVED AND NATURE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) IN ADDITION TO THE FLOODING, THE STORM'S FEROCITY DESTROYED MUCH OF WHAT WAS ALONG THE LAKEFRONT.

I WENT TO THE MARINA AND I USED EVERY PIECE OF LINE, ROPE, STRING OR CHAIN TO TIE THE BOAT INTO THE SLIP AS SECURELY AS POSSIBLE, ALLOWING FOR A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT RISE IN THE WATER LEVEL.

HAVING DONE THAT, AND PUT OUT CHAFING LINES AND FENDERS, THERE'S NOTHING MORE YOU CAN DO.

AND, EVERY TIME.

EXCEPT THAT ONE, IT WORKED.

(CATHERINE CAMPANELLA) MY MOTHER SAID THAT WAS IT.

SHE SAID GO THROUGH THE CAMP AND TAKE WHAT YOU WANT.

TAKE WHAT YOU WANT BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE HERE WHEN WE COME BACK.

SHE WAS RIGHT.

WE FOUND MOST OF THE REMAINS OF OUR CAMP.

MY HUSBAND AND MY MOTHER AND I WENT OUT THERE AND STARTED COLLECTING WOOD.

'CAUSE A LOT OF THE WOOD WE HAD OUT THERE WAS NEW.

SO WE TOOK IT HOME AND I BUILT A PORCH ON THE BACK OF MY HOUSE THAT IS A REPLICA OF OUR CAMP PORCH, SO I GET TO GO TO MY CAMP EVERYDAY.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) ALSO DEVASTATED WAS THE AREA AROUND THE RIGOLETS AND CHEF MENTEUR PASSES TO THE LAKE FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO.

JUST GAVE A NEW MEANING TO SWEEPING SOMETHING CLEAN.

IT JUST TOOK EVERYTHING.

THE MAJORITY OF THE ISLAND IS JUST, IT WAS GONE.

HOUSES THAT YOU WOULDN'T EVEN THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED.

I MEAN, IT DIDN'T HAVE, IT DIDN'T PICK A POINT.

IT JUST TOOK THE WHOLE ISLAND.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) AFTER KATRINA, STATE LEGISLATION WAS PASSED TO CONSOLIDATE LOUISIANA'S LEVEE BOARDS.

THE ORLEANS LEVEE DISTRICT IS NOW PART OF THE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA FLOOD PROTECTION AUTHORITY.

THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS HAS CREATED A MULTI-YEAR PLAN TO PREVENT FUTURE LEVEE BREAKS.

(CARLTON DUFRECHOU) LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN TOOK A VERY BIG HIT WITH KATRINA.

WE HAD 120 SQUARE MILES OF THE SOUTH SHORE...

THE SOUTH SHORE BEHIND THE HURRICANE PROTECTION SYSTEM THAT WAS FLOODED.

THERE WAS A LOT OF HYPE IN THE MEDIA ABOUT TOXIC SOUP AND WAS VALID, THERE WAS SEWERAGE IN THE FLOOD WATERS.

THERE WERE OIL AND GAS FROM AUTOMOBILES FROM SERVICE STATIONS, PAINTS, HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS.

ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT WAS IN THE AREA BECAME PART OF THAT WATER COLUMN.

BY THE CLOSE OF 2005, WITHIN 90, 120 DAYS AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA, LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN BASICALLY CURED ITSELF.

IT RECOVERED.

IT WAS SUITABLE FOR SWIMMING AGAIN, IT WAS SUITABLE FOR FISHING AGAIN.

SO MOTHER NATURE ACTUALLY TOOK CARE OF HERSELF.

DID I EVER SWIM IN THE LAKE, I STILL SWIM IN THE LAKE.

NOW I STILL LIVE ACROSS THE LAKE.

LOT OF DAYS WE'LL JUST THROW OUT AN ANCHOR AND JUMP INTO THE LAKE AND SWIM...NOT AFRAID OF IT.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN IS PART OF A VAST ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM CALLED THE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN.

THE BASIN COMPRISES OVER 10,000 SQUARE MILES OF LAND.

BASICALLY EVERYTHING FROM BATON ROUGE, EAST TO THE PEARL RIVER, FROM MCCOMB MISSISSIPPI DOWN TO THE CHANDELIER ISLANDS.

WE LOST 60 PERCENT OF THE LAND MASS IN THE CHANDELIERS FROM 1999 THROUGH 2005 FROM HURRICANE GEORGES THROUGH KATRINA.

THE AVERAGE LAND LOSS RATE FOR THE ENTIRE COAST OF LOUISIANA IS 25 SQUARE MILES PER YEAR.

DURING THE ONE DAY OF HURRICANE KATRINA IN THE PONTCHARTRAIN BASIN WE LOST FOUR TIMES THAT MUCH.

WE LOST 80 SQUARE MILES OF OUR COAST IN ONE DAY.

THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) BUT CARLTON DUFRECHOU DOES SEE A GLIMMER OF HOPE.

WITHIN 10 YEARS WE HAD A LAKE THAT WAS SUITABLE FOR SWIMMING AND FISHING AGAIN.

THE SAME THING CAN HAPPEN WITH THE COAST.

THE COAST WILL NEVER BE WHAT IT WAS WHEN I WAS A KID.

IT WILL NEVER BE AS DENSE, AS ROBUST AS IT WAS.

BUT THE WETLANDS THAT ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, THEY CAN SURVIVE.

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST STORMS.

WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THIS AREA SUSTAINABLE.

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A STRONG COAST TOO.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) THAT FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE HELPS PROTECT A LAKE THAT HAS SEEN MANY CHANGES IN THE MORE RECENT PAST.

IN MY LIFETIME, I'M 50 NOW.

I'VE MADE THE HALF-CENTURY MARK.

IN MY LIFETIME I'VE SEEN IT FROM THE RECREATIONAL MECCA THAT IT WAS IN THE LATE 50'S, EARLY 60'S ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE TO A BROWN MESS TO NOW A RECOVERED ECOSYSTEM THAT ENVIRONMENTALLY IS VERY HEALTHY, RECREATIONALLY IS EXTREMELY UNDERUTILIZED AND ECONOMICALLY IS, I THINK, A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH THAT CERTAINLY COULD BE AS STRONG OF AN ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR NEW ORLEANS AS REALLY THE FRENCH QUARTER IS.

(PEGGY SCOTT LABORDE) LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN CAN NURTURE US IN MANY WAYS.

MAY FUTURE GENERATIONS LEARN TO RESPECT THE POWER OF THE LAKE AND APPRECIATE ITS BOUNTY.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I CAUGHT A CROAKER.

IT WAS SO BIG YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT WAS A FISH.

BUT MY DAD SAID, "DO YOU WANT TO ENTER THIS INTO A FISHING CONTEST?"

AND I SAID, NO, DADDY.

I WOULD LIKE IT COOKED.

AND HE SAID, "WELL YOU KNOW IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH."

AND I SAID, WELL CAN YOU COURTBOULLION IT LIKE YOU DO A REDFISH?

AND HE SAID, "YES."

AND HE SAYS, "YOU'RE LEARNING, KID."

SO WE'RE ON THE GRASS BY THE SEAWALL PRACTICING THROWING THE CAST NET AND KENNY SAYS OH I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT AND I DIDN'T AND I SAID WELL I'LL PRACTICE.

AND WE'RE THROWING THIS, WELL THERE WAS AN OLDER MAN AND HIS WIFE.

AND HE WATCHED US AND HE WATCHED US AND HE COULDN'T HELP HIMSELF.

HE SAID, 'I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW TO THROW THAT CAST NET.'

SO WE SAID FINE.

HE SAID 'WHAT YOU DO IS YOU GOT TO TAKE THE END OF THE NET IN YOUR TEETH.'

'YOU GOT TO TAKE IT IN YOUR TEETH, PODNUH.'

SO HE TAKES IT IN HIS TEETH AND HE CASTS THE NET AND HE THROWS HIS FALSE TEETH IN THE LAKE.

[LAUGHS] SO MUCH FOR AGE AND WISDOM.

♪ ♪ (ANNOUNCER) Along Lake Pontchartrain is made possible by the WYES Producers Circle.

A group of generous contributors dedicated to the support of our local productions.

Major corporate funding is provided by... Dreams.

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Thank You.

♪