Chalmette

History

Chalmette was founded by plantation owner Louis-Xavier Martin de Lino de Chalmette (1720–1755), a native of Quebec and grandson of René-Louis Chartier de Lotbinière of Maison Lotbinière. His eldest son, Louis Xavier Martin de Lino de Chalmette (1753–1814) was born there and married the sister of Antoine Philippe de Marigny, grandfather of Bernard de Marigny. In January 1815, the Battle of New Orleans was fought at the Chalmette plantation, then owned by his second son, Ignace Martin de Lino de Chalmette (1755–1815), a maternal half-brother of Col. Pierre Denis de La Ronde (founder of Versailles, Louisiana), who commanded the Louisiana militia's Third Regiment during the battle. The American forces under Major General Andrew Jackson defeated the British forces (led by brevet Lieutenant General Sir Edward Pakenham). On Andrew Jackson's orders, the Chalmette plantation was completely destroyed during the battle to prevent the British from using it for cover. The battlefield is preserved as a national monument complete with visitor center, and the Chalmette National Cemetery is adjacent. Since the mid-1970s, the site has been part of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, a multi-site National Park Service property with its headquarters located in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The Greek Revival-style plantation house next to the Chalmette battlefield, named the Malus-Beauregard House, was built in 1830 and is open to the public. From 1951 to 1983, Chalmette was the location of a major Kaiser Aluminum plant. On August 29, 2005, a storm surge from Hurricane Katrina overflowed through the Mississippi River–Gulf Outlet Canal (commonly known as MRGO)—a commercial channel dug by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in the 1960s—and flooded most…

Geography

Chalmette is located at (29.945504, -89.961602), along the Mississippi River and has an elevation of . It is located east of New Orleans, and is part of the Greater New Orleans area. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land, and (7.56%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Chalmette High School
  High · Chalmette · 2,334 students · 17.8:1 ratio
• N.P. Trist Middle School
  Middle · Meraux · 787 students · 20.7:1 ratio
• Lacoste Elementary School
  Elementary · Chalmette · 709 students · 17.3:1 ratio
• Joseph J. Davies Elementary School
  Elementary · Meraux · 649 students · 17.1:1 ratio
• Arlene Meraux Elementary School
  Elementary · Chalmette · 611 students · 17:1 ratio
• Andrew Jackson Middle School
  Middle · Chalmette · 606 students · 17.3:1 ratio
• Arabi Elementary School
  Elementary · Arabi · 569 students · 16.7:1 ratio
• J.F. Gauthier School
  Elementary · St. Bernard · 520 students · 16.8:1 ratio