Northshore Stories

To purchase a copy of NORTHSHORE STORIES, please call the WYES office at
(504) 486-5511.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the 1600s, French settlers called it “L’autre cote du lac,” literally,
“the other side of the lake.” In more recent times, the term “Northshore”
was adopted by the media, the tourist commission and most of the nearly
200,000 residents that live in St. Tammany Parish. The name “Northshore”
has stuck, despite the fact that some parish natives think the term
is geographically inaccurate.

Premiered July 2002

WYES-TV/Channel 12's new documentary highlights the history and people of St.
Tammany Parish. Artist and former broadcast journalist, Garland Robinette narrates.

Both the area’s natural beauty and its collection of distinctively unique towns are explored in this latest local documentary, which joins the ranks of other acclaimed programs such as
GULF COAST MEMORIES, JEFFERSON PARISH STORIES,
LOST RESTAURANTS OF NEW ORLEANS, and ITALIAN NEW ORLEANS.

Viewers will tour the towns of Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, Lacombe, Madisonville, Folsom and Abita Springs, as well as the area’s streams, rivers, bayous – and Lake Pontchartrain.

Among the topics covered in this new program are:

	Lacombe’s French and Indian roots Boat-building and brick-making – two important industries on the Northshore – as well as the more recreational Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival.
Covington’s oldest merchant – H. J. Smith & Sons General Store and Museum, where one of the most amazing sights is the legendary petrified rat. A Creole community that is located near Slidell, between Bayou Bonfouca and Bayou Liberty – where residents still speak the Creole language.
	Mandeville’s role as a resort town, which included dance halls, such as the African-American community’s Dew Drop Dance Hall. Folsom’s history as a busy town during the thriving timber industry, that has now given way to plant nurseries and horse farms.

The openings of both spans of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway,
which joined the Northshore with New Orleans and the south shore.

Abita Springs’ reputation as a “health spa” community

Terri Landry is writer-producer of NORTHSHORE STORIES. Associate producer is Dawn Raymond. The editor is Larry Roussarie, and the videographers are Paul Combel and Walter Bardell.

Funding was provided by Fleetcor Technology and the WYES Producers Circle, a group of special donors who contribute to local programming.