Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum, Madisonville, LA. 2/4/2015

On the road again Feb. 4
 Creole skiffs were common in the early days in SE Louisiana.  We learned so much about the area at the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum.  Note the oars are positioned higher than normal.  This allowed the oarsman to stand and face forward as he traveled through the bayous and rivers.
Reproduction of the Pioneer which was discovered in Lake Pontchartrain in 1878.
The Pioneer was 20 feet long, 3 feet wide and 6 feet long.  It was the first submarine.  Although it sunk the first ship it fired on the Pioneer was not used in action against the Federal troops.  When New Orleans was captured in 1862 the Pioneer was sunk in Lake Pontchartrain by the locals.

There were many videos about the early days of cargo crossing Lake Pontchartrain to Madisonville.  It is one of the oldest permanent settlement in Louisiana founded in 1810 before it was a part of the U. S.  So often we heard the term "north shore."  During steamship days residents took the ship to New Orleans on Sunday mornings and came back that evening.
 Display of models of lighthouses.



I didn't take many photos but we were there almost 3 hours and really thought it was a great little Museum.

We stayed at Gulfport Flying J.  We arrived early enough I worked two hours on the blog...trying to get caught up.

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