by Alana A. Carmon

Created in 1807, St. Bernard Parish was one of Louisiana’s original nineteen parishes. French colonists once called the area Terre aux Boeufs (French translation for land of oxen) since it was allegedly the last haven for buffalo.

Attracted to the availability of large land grants by the French and Spanish governments, colonists from France and Spain began to settle in the region as early as 1720. In the late eighteenth century, settlers from the Canary Islands also established themselves along Bayou Terre aux Boeuf and became known as Islenos, for their previous homes were located on an island. The group remains today as one of the state’s most distinctive communities.

During the antebellum period, planters in St. Bernard Parish devoted the majority of their time to truck farming and the cultivation of sugarcane. Present day St. Bernard, with a population slightly over 66,600, still receives substantial revenues from the truck farming industry, as well as oil and gas production, commercial fishing, and trapping. With 1,328 square miles consisting of wetlands, St. Bernard Parish is also an ideal spot for recreational fishing.

Located only a few miles from downtown New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish is a historically fascinating place. Near the National Battlefield, on Highway 46 in Chalmette, is where the Battle of New Orleans was fought in 1815 between Jackson’s American army and Pakenaham’s British invasion force. Also located on Highway 46 are the Ducros Museum and Library, dedicated to the preservation and presentation of St. Bernard Parish’s history. Next-door is the Isleno Museum, which portrays the history of this unique community. Other historic sites include the seventeenth century St. Bernard Cemetery, the old courthouse, and the parish's first sugar refinery.