Click Here to hear "Camp Meeting Blues" recorded in 1923 by Joe "King" Oliver
http://www.stphilipneri.org/files/pontchartrain/Jazz/listen/1923campmeetingbluesKing Oliver.ram

1920 s - Postcard of Amusement Park at Spanish Fort Postcard circa 1920

1920's & 30's - Mosquitoes and Pylon by William Faulkner Quotes from a Gambit Weekly article (Rising Star, by W. Kenneth Holditch) about William Faulkner's life in New Orleans: 'In the next few months (1926), Faulkner wrote much of his second novel, Mosquitoes, which was a satiric look at the life of the artists and writers in the Quarter. The story grew out of a yacht cruise on Lake Pontchartrain attended by several members of the creative community the year before. Although the humor is hardly cruel, Anderson was not amused, and many of the others portrayed were still angry 50 years later, feeling that the writer they had befriended had betrayed their trust. Besides Mosquitoes, Faulkner was already at work on his first novel set in his mythical Yoknapatawpha County, Flags in the Dust, and on Father Abraham, a manuscript that would ultimately become the Snopes trilogy. Endless Inspiration Given the fact that Faulkner lived in New Orleans for only 15 or 16 months, the city's influence upon his work was astounding. When he arrived in early 1925, he had written nothing to indicate what lay ahead, but by the time he left at the end of 1926, he had produced two novels, begun work on three others and published a sizable number of newspapers and magazines pieces. He would return to New Orleans on several occasions -- in 1934 for the opening of Shushan airport, about which he wrote the novel Pylon, and again in 1951 when he was awarded the French Legion of Honor.' Source: Gambit Weekly http://weeklywire.com/ww/09-22-97/gambit_covs.html

1920s - Another view of Spanish Fort Back of postcard reads "The back advertises, Spanish Fort, the Coney Island of New Orleans erected in 1770, beautiful park on Lake Ponchartrain, and favortie, resort for those who enjoy the water, with its attendant sports of yachting, boating, and bathing. E. C. Kropp, Milwaukee, Wisconsin published the card." posted 2002-11-30

1920s - Jazz with A.J. Piron Armand J. Piron (1918-1928) with Peter Bocage formed A.J.Piron & his Novelty Orchestra and played at Tranchina's Restaurant in Spanish Fort, on Lake Pontchartrain, LA. Piron joined Papa Celestin's Tuxedo Orchestra in 1916 and started Piron's New Orleans Orchestra in 1918. The band traveled to New York in 1923 and returned the following year to play at the Roseland Ballroom. Piron returned to New Orleans and played for many years at the New Orleans Country Club on Lake Pontchartrain, in night clubs, and on Mississippi river boats. Sources: http://www.redhotjazz.com/piron.html http://nfo.net/.WWW/JOB.html Other Jazz venues at Spanish Fort included: Tokyo Gardens Ballroom. It was situated in the resort at Spanish Fort, near where the Bayou St. John runs into Lake Pontchartrain. Among the jazz groups that performed there was a band led by the cornetist Johnny Bayersdorffer, which was resident in the summer of 1924. Tranchina's Restaurant It was situated in the resort at Spanish Fort, near where the Bayou St. John runs into Lake Pontchartrain. Jazz was performed there from at least 1918, when A. J. Piron formed an orchestra to begin an engagement at the restaurant, which continued intermittently until 1923. Source: www.xrefer.com

1920s Spanish Fort postcard Notice railroad tracks for the "Smokey Mary". Postcard. Date unknown.

1921 Industrial Canal Opens This postcard describes the 1921 opening of the Industrial Canal--contrary the information below which states it opened in 1924. Postcard reads Postcard "Locks, Industrial Canal, New Orleans, La-142." Showing the "Commerical Pathfinder of Wilmington, Del. going thorough the locks. "75% capacity of the largest lock at Panama".

1921 Industrial Canal Opens - back of postcard click the thumbnail to real the description

1922 - Pontchartrain Railroad Schedule The Pontchartrain Railroad continued to run its "Smoky Mary" train between Decatur Street and Milneburg on the Lake until March 15, 1932. This timetable shows that on Sundays, at least, the trip lasted a total of twenty minutes. ~ Transportation to Milneburg was achieved via a branch line of the L. and N. R. R., on a wheezing vehicle, pulled by an engine known as "Smoky Mary." When put to the test, Smoky Mary could, amidst great puffing and blowing and much expulsion of smoke and cinders, attain the remarkable speed of ten miles an hour. Passengers usually emerged with clothes blackened and eyes and throat stuffed with cinders. [GumboYa-Ya (1945), p. 421] ~ Source: http://nutrias.org/~nopl/exhibits/choochoo/page2.htm posted 2002-11-03

1922 Postcard reads "Spanish Fort, the Coney Island of New Olreans

1922-1935 The Friars Society Orchestra plays on the Lake The Friars Society Orchestra was also known as the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. At one time the band included Jelly Roll Morton.