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Lake St. Catherine () is a brackish-water
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
that is located in eastern Orleans Parish
New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
, between
Two lives were lost during Hurricane Katrina in 2005; the death toll would likely have been more severe if most people had not evacuated. Father Arthur Ginart, better known as "Father Red" to his parishioners, lost his life by choosing to remain in his church, St.
, between
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain ( ) is an estuary located in southeastern Louisiana in the United States. It covers an area of with an average depth of . Some shipping channels are kept deeper through dredging. It is roughly oval in shape, about from wes ...
and Lake Borgne
Lake Borgne (french: Lac Borgne, es, Lago Borgne) is a lagoon of the Gulf of Mexico in southeastern Louisiana. Although early maps show it as a lake surrounded by land, coastal erosion has made it an arm of the Gulf of Mexico. Its name comes fro ...
in Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
.
Between Lake St. Catherine and Lake Borgne was the original Town of Lake Catherine. Established between Unknown Pass and Miller's Ditch, it was settled for railroad workers, trappers, hunters and fishermen.
New Orleans Hurricane of 1915
The 1915 Hurricane destroyed the town and thirty-five people lost their lives by remaining in the town. It was rebuilt with a number of hunting and fishing clubs being established along with the railroad workers and the Rigolets Train Station. During the Great Depression, clubs like the Winchester Club, which was for gentlemen only, The Rosemary and St. James Place were boarding houses for families and sportsmen to stay and hunt and fish the area. There were a number of families who owned camps in the area prior to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Some of their family members worked for the railroad and helped maintain the line. The town was built next to the railroad track; the last known resident of the town was Mr. Acy. The entire area was heavily damaged during Katrina.New Orleans East Land Bridge
To the north, between Lake St. Catherine and Lake Pontchartrain is a nine-mile (14 km) long populated island known as the New Orleans East Land Bridge which had been well-populated since the 1920s, with several marinas, taverns, and restaurants, boat yards and docking facilities. Pre-Katrina the area total population was 754, not counting the weekend camp owners. On a Labor Day weekend the total population of the area would reach two to three thousand with friends and family all joining together for the last big weekend before winter. The New Orleans East Land Bridge is made up of five distinct residential areas: theRigolets
Rigolets is a 12.9 kilometer (8 mi) long deepwater strait in Louisiana. "Rigolets" comes from the word ''rigole'', French language, French for 'trench' or 'gutter'. The name is now locally pronounced "RIG-uh-leez".
The strait begins at and ...
, Chef Pass, Greens Ditch, Lake St. Catherine, and Fort Pike
Fort Pike State Historic Site is a decommissioned 19th-century United States fort, named after Brigadier General Zebulon Pike. It was built following the War of 1812 to guard the Rigolets pass in Louisiana, a strait from the Gulf of Mexico, via L ...
Subdivision; all of which border Highway 90 in New Orleans East
New Orleans East is the eastern section of New Orleans, the newest section of the city. It is bounded by the Industrial Canal, the Intracoastal Waterway and Lake Pontchartrain. Developed extensively from the 1950s onward, its numerous residential ...
.
Geography
Lake St. Catherine is a shallow lake. Inlets that feed into it include Fort Pike Canal; Sawmill Pass; Marques Canal; Unknown Pass; Miller's Pass; St. Catherine Pass; and Counterfeit Pass. The lake has excellent fresh water and salt water fishing and is also abundant in crabs, clams, and shrimp. Ponds off the main lake are ideal during hunting season for ducks and geese.Hurricane Katrina
Two lives were lost during Hurricane Katrina in 2005; the death toll would likely have been more severe if most people had not evacuated. Father Arthur Ginart, better known as "Father Red" to his parishioners, lost his life by choosing to remain in his church, St. Nicholas of Myra
Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-day Demre ...
, located near Chef Menteur Pass
The Chef Menteur Pass is a narrow natural waterway which, along with the Rigolets, connects Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne in New Orleans, Louisiana. It begins at and follows a generally southeastward course. In the days of sailing ships, mu ...
, during the storm. It is assumed that he drowned inside the church and was washed out to sea by the retreating storm surge, which gutted the building. The church was closed, but then reopened in 2014. The second to lose his life was Wayne Aaslestad, who chose to stay with his home and was later found inside his car in Lake Pontchartrain. It is assumed he tried to evacuate too late.
See also
* Fort Pike BridgeReferences
{{authority control Saint Catherine Bodies of water of Orleans Parish, Louisiana