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Mardi Gras History: In Search of "Point-du-Mardi Gras!"

Pictured: From the bay of a Black Hawk Helicopter is the image of Ft. St. Philip, which marks the spot some 120 ft from the landmark and where Pierre, and his men, celebrated the First Mardi Gras in the New World. The actual spot rest somewhere beneath the Mississippi River.

    Saturday, August 10, 2009 .......Recently we were posed with the question as to where is Point Du Mardi Gras? Our past research had indicated that Mardi Gras began in, what is now Louisiana , in an area located at the end of Hwy 1 in the bayou. After several phone calls to the different municipalities in this region as to the location of this hidden piece of history, we finally spoke with someone that knew what were looking for.

Mr. James Madere of Plaquemine Parish, along with the local historian Rod Lincoln steered us in the right direction to what the locals were calling, "Mardi Gras Bayou", where the point is located. They provided us with a wealth of information on the culture and history of the area.  Mr. Madere informed us that site we were looking for was located on Hwy 23 near Venice , LA. at Fort Jackson. Therefore, with that said, It was time for Digest to take a road trip in search of the exact location of POINT DU Mardi Gras.

Our anticipation of traveling to the site where Mardi Gras in the United States began made us giddy at best. We prepared for the 2 hour ride with all the accouterments needed for a fun fact finding trip.  Snacks, reading material, maps, music (CD’s Barry White, Rod Stewart, The O’Jays, just to name a few), cameras and contact information.  As our research is very important to our organization, being factual in our reporting is paramount.

 We filled the car with fuel and was off.  We traveled from Hammond , LA to New Orleans , across the Mississippi River Bridge to the town of Gretna located on the West Bank of the Metro area to Hwy 23 south towards the Gulf of Mexico .  Hwy 23 took us through various communities of Jefferson and Plaquemine Parish (If you are not familiar with a Parish it is relatively same as a county, but operates under local Louisiana Napoleonic Code Law). 

As we crossed the Belle Chase Bridge in Plaquemine Parish, we knew we were leaving one world and entering into another.  If you take this trip, your last stop should be using the restroom and making sure your gas tank is full, because once you cross the bridge, these amenities will become rare.  In addition, take this trip during the day; leave New Orleans early so you return to the metro area before dark. This is a safety tip especially if you are not from the area.

As we traveled down the highway, we saw beautiful countryside, with lots of livestock.  The smell the citrus trees as we past the orange groves was heavenly. This is the land of the Satsumas the sweetest citrus fruit grown.  If you are ever in the area during picking season, you will find roadside stands along various highway routes displaying this sweet nectar. In addition to finding oranges along the highway, other locally grown produce are readily available as well. The residents of this rural area are a part of fishing communities and offshore oilrigs.  Laid back and easy lifestyle seems to be the norm for this area. 

Top Picture: The Plaque placed at Fort Jackson    Bottom: Entrance to Fort		The Proclamation to rename Bayou Plaquemine, "Mardi Gras Bayou" its original designation.

Traveling through the bayous of Louisiana gives you a feeling of traveling back in time. Hotels, motels, restaurants and gas stations become rear but campsites are available in some of the small towns along the way.  As we got closer to the Gulf of Mexico , you could smell the water, feel the humidity. The Mississippi River was just over the levy and we saw various cargo and oil ships move through the river.  We arrived in Venice , LA , which is at the tip of the Gulf of Mexico .  If you are not careful, you can drive right into the bayou off the road (this part was scary).  I was excited, and giddy as a schoolgirl on a long awaited field trip because of the close proximity of walking or driving off into the Gulf.  IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!!

 Okay, now let us get back to the main purpose of the trip, locating  Point Du Mardi Gras. Well, as it turns out, The point is located upriver and across from historic Fort Jackson, which was built on the spot during the Civil war, along with Fort St. Philip across the river to form a gauntlet which no union ship should have wished to face during the war. 

  Looking at the map above, the Bayou behind Fort St. Philip was originally named, "Mardi Gras Bayou". When the maps of the area were drawn up, the name was changed to Fort Bayou and then finally to Bayou Plaquemine, with the point of land named in Pierre's journal, renamed Bolivar Point. There is a asterisk here about history and the method of the french on naming property. Almost without exception, when the French name an area,  it is almost certain to name the point of land to go along with the main body, and such is the case with Bayou Mardi Gras.

As written in Pierre's Journal, he declared, " the Bayou and the point of land," Mardi Gras Bayou", which would make the point of land, "Mardi Gras Point". That point is located approximately .25 mile upriver and had been named, "Bolivar Point", however, when the bayou had its name restored, on January 28, 1971,  the point of land reverted to its original designation as well.

In the journal, the Sieur d' Iberville, noted that with his companions, they camped where the bayou, then 135 feet wide, joined the river. Another note is the exact location of the camp, which enabled two historians in the 1930's, to rediscover the fort's original name and location. These two people were, John Chase and Maurice Riles, and in 1971, begged the Plaqueimines Commission to restore the original name to the location.

After some wrangling, the resolution was prepared and the name restored. It is very interesting to note that the side of Fort St. Philip is presently owned by a private party and you can not get there by road. However the Fort Jackson side is completely accessible and a treat to visit.        

 You will reach Fort Jackson before you reach Venice. Fort Jackson is closed to the public however; the surrounding area offers picnic tables and beautiful shady trees along the Mississippi River . We were able to tour the surrounding area and located the plaque that marks the spot. It felt kind of eerie, thinking of what happened at this spot. You could imagine hearing the sound of the cannons firing and the solders rallying to protect the claim to this area as you look across the Mississippi to Fort Phillip.

It is a shame that the state of Louisiana does not see this Fort as a historical place that needs to be developed, promoted and maintained in order to pass on the richness of the culture and legacy on to a public and generation that needs to know the roots of any legacy.  It is our desire and hope that this bit of coverage will give insight to those that enjoy this celebration every year and wish to travel a little further to where it all began.

If you are a history buff, I hope you enjoy exploring, because this is a place to check out, the starting point of Mardi Gras in the United States. ENJOY THE RIDE!

 Mardi Gras Digest

Reported by Shelia Marceaux

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