Gretna’s history is
mostly unwritten
The public archives hold only 3 old photos of Gretna. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.
The story
from WikipediaRead it all ↗According to the history published by the city, Gretna's history can be traced to a plantation established by Jean-Charles de Pradel by 1750 (when the plantation house, Monplaisir, was built). By 1813, the plantation had passed into the hands of one François Bernoudy. John McDonogh (also spelled John McDonough), then a resident of New Orleans, bought the establishment, moved into the house and founded a settlement in 1815, that would be named McDonoghville. He subdivided the rest of the former plantation into regular city lots and 30-arpent farming strips. McDonoghville thus became the first subdivision in Jefferson Parish. McDonough either leased or sold these properties to white laborers or free people of color.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Timeline
built from the dates on the items belowStart Gretna’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Gretna’s history is told.
2 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 🔁Retake an old viewAmerican Aloe at Gretna Louisiana…, 1871: stand where they stood+15 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10Gretna, decade by decade
1970s
1990s
LOCOpened in 1858 and originally a firefighters' burial ground…2021
LOCThe "Love That" mural by Keith Eccles2021
CommonsGretna Holiday Inn LA July 20142014
CommonsUS-90 BUS ^ Westbank Expy ^ U.S. 90 Access Rd, Gretna, LA 7…2011
CommonsGretnaStoneJeffDavisHwyMarker2008
CommonsCrescentCityConnectionFromGretnaLevee23Nov052006
CommonsGretnaToJacksonSuperdome23Nov052005
CommonsGretnaCCCPortStation2005Then & now
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as American Aloe at Gretna Louisiana A R Waud (1871) and it appears here side by side.
🔁 Retake this view · +15Historic places
National Register · via Wikidata
From Wikimedia Commons (9), the Library of Congress (2) and the National Register (1). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.