blake N JOINO IN FEE! G LIM ITED ONLYTIME
A COMPLETE CARDIO & STRENGTH TRAINING CENTER & PERSONAL TRAINING
2917 MAGAZINE ST. • SUITE 202
504-896-2200 • www.salvationstudio.com
in celebration of Bastille Day
“Let them Drink Wine” AMNESTY WILL BE GRANTED WITH YOUR DINNER ON THE EVENINGS OF
JULY 12 | JULY 13 | JULY 14
You may bring that special bottle of wine, French perhaps. ONE BOTTLE PER COUPLE •
RESERVATIONS 504-525-4455
GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > JULY 12 > 2011
Fisher & Sons Jewelers
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COMPLETE LINE OF BABY GOODS SILVER PL ATED, PEW TER & STERLING
“WHERE THE UNUSUAL IS COMMONPLACE.” 5101 W. ESPLANADE AVE., METAIRIE, LA 70006 504-885-4956 • 800-222-4956
the
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$ 50 CASH& DZ CARRY
NEW ORLEANS KNOW-IT-ALL
Questions for Blake: askblake@gambitweekly.com
HEY BLAKE, DID BAYOU ST. JOHN AT ONE TIME RUN ALL THE WAY TO DOWNTOWN?
ALSO FEATURING
430 RUE DAUPHINE
PONTCHARTRAIN™
best deal in town
815 FOCIS STREET [OFF VETERANS ]
837-6400
JOHN
DEAR JOHN, Yes. Maps show Bayou St. John extended into areas much closer to the French Quarter, but we have to go way back to explain. Shortly after the last ice age ended, glaciers began to melt and the seas began to rise again. About 4,000 B.C. the shoreline stabilized along the Gulf much as it is today, except for Louisiana. Its shoreline is believed to have been about where the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain is today. The Mississippi River continued to build deltas in the area, creating a bay about 2,000 years ago that we now know as Lake Pontchartrain. The lower Mississippi had changed course several times — and still continues to try. Until we built levees, the river overflowed its banks annually, and this water seeking the Gulf carved out bayou tributaries. It is believed this process created Bayous Metairie and Gentilly flowing between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain. Bayou St. John, once known as Bayou Choupic by the Acolapissa Indians, originally formed about 500 years ago as a tributary of Bayous Metairie and Gentilly. Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville and his brother Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville explored the lower Mississippi River in 1699. During this trip, they were shown the river terminus of a portage (the way to go from one body of water to another) that led to Bayou Choupic (St. John). It was on March 9 that Iberville wrote, “The Indian who accompanied me revealed a terminus of the portage from the southern shore of the bay where the Indian boats land in order to descend this river. They drag their boats along a fine path …” This portage eventually led to the decision to develop a city at the site of present-day New Orleans, and the “fine path” later became Bayou Road, the oldest road in New Orleans. HEY BLAKE, WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY, I REMEMBER TRAVELING ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF DAVID DRIVE TO VETERANS HIGHWAY. THERE WAS LITTLE THERE EXCEPT FOR THE CHECKERBOARD WATER TANK, BUT THERE WAS A BIG NEW STORE THAT ONLY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES COULD ACCESS. I REMEMBER IT AS GEX, AS IN GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE EXCHANGE.
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville decided to found New Orleans in its present location largely because what is now Bayou Road provided a way to move boats and goods from the Mississippi River to Bayou St. John.
WHAT’S THE HISTORY OF THIS STORE, AND WHAT’S THERE NOW? GEORGE GILLESPIE
DEAR GEORGE, You must have been a little boy in 1963 because that’s when the GEX came to Jefferson Parish. Located at 7000 Veterans Highway, it was a membership department store, an early version of Sam’s Club or Costco. You had to fill out an application form, provide proof of eligibility and pay a $2 membership fee. But you were eligible if you were an active or retired member of one of many different groups: federal government; state government; city government; parish government; a school, college or university; school board; armed forces or National Guard or an employee of a company having all or a substantial portion of its production under contract with city, parish, state or federal government. As you can see, this covers a lot of folks. Your $2 got you a lifetime membership card and an extra one for your spouse. Then you could take advantage of all the benefits. The store carried more than 90,000 brand-name items ranging from groceries to gasoline and fashion to furniture. Other services included an auto service center, an optical service, shoe repair, a cafeteria, dry cleaning and more. The store closed in 1976, but now that you’re a big boy you can drive to the Barlon Plaza Shopping Center, where all the shops will let you in without a membership card.