La Balize, Louisiana: The Ghost Fort of the Mississippi
Ever heard of La Balize? Probably not, unless you’re a serious history buff or have a thing for forgotten places. La Balize, Louisiana, wasn’t exactly a bustling metropolis, but it played a surprisingly important role in the early days of America. Think of it as the gatekeeper of the Mississippi River, a tough little settlement that dared to tame one of the world’s mightiest waterways.
From French Claim to Muddy Outpost
Our story starts way back in 1682 when the French explorer Robert de La Salle, claimed a huge chunk of land for France. He was a smart guy, La Salle. He realized that the spot near the mouth of the Mississippi was strategically vital. It sat right above a couple of major splits in the river, making it the perfect place to control who came and went.
Fast forward to 1699, and the French decided to make La Salle’s vision a reality. They threw up a simple wooden fort and, not long after, a tower that doubled as a lighthouse. Their goal was clear: keep an eye on the Mississippi and control the flow of traffic.
La Balize was never destined to be a glamorous tourist destination. It was a working-class town through and through, populated mainly by fishermen, river pilots, and their families. Those pilots were the real heroes. They were the ones who guided ships through the Mississippi River Delta, a treacherous maze of shifting channels, strong currents, and hidden sandbars. Without them, getting to New Orleans would have been a nightmare.
A Town That Wouldn’t Stay Put
Life in La Balize was anything but easy. Perched on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico, the town was constantly at the mercy of hurricanes. It was destroyed and rebuilt so many times that you’d think the residents would have given up. But they were a resilient bunch, determined to hold their ground.
One old map from 1720 shows the Mississippi’s mouth, complete with all its forks, an island, and the fort of La Balize. By 1721, the French had really upped their game, constructing a 62-foot-high wooden pyramid. It wasn’t just for show, though. It provided a much-needed vantage point in the flat, marshy landscape.
By 1722, New Orleans had become the heart of the French colony, and the Catholic Church was quick to establish seven parishes, including one at La Balize. But don’t picture a grand cathedral. The parish never even got a church. A visiting priest probably swung by every now and then to tend to the spiritual needs of the locals. At the same time, the French founded four pioneer parishes in early villages of what is now Mississippi and Alabama.
Battling the Elements (and Each Other)
The challenges just kept coming. In 1726, French engineers tried to make life easier for ships by dragging an iron harrow through the sandbanks. It probably helped a little, but it was no match for Mother Nature.
In 1740, a hurricane wiped La Balize off the map. But instead of throwing in the towel, the residents rebuilt on a new island that had popped up, called San Carlos. Alas, San Carlos wasn’t any luckier. It was repeatedly battered by storms and eventually vanished altogether.
The Mississippi itself was constantly changing. In 1750, the main route for ships was the Northeast Pass, followed by the Southeast, Southwest, and South Passes. But the river had a mind of its own, and before long, the Southwest Pass was back in the lead.
By 1752, the La Balize Catholic parish had thrown in the towel and dissolved. The following year, the town packed up and moved again, this time about five miles northwest to the west bank of the Mississippi, near the Southwest Pass.
From French to American
In 1803, things changed dramatically when the Americans took control of the territory through the Louisiana Purchase. Suddenly, La Balize was part of the United States. In the 19th century, steam tugboats arrived, giving pilots more control over the big ships navigating the river.
Life in La Balize wasn’t all smooth sailing, even after the Americans arrived. In July 1819, a fierce gale trapped several ships near the town. Most survived, but a few ran aground.
Architect Benjamin LaTrobe, the guy who designed the U.S. Capitol, visited La Balize in 1819. He wasn’t exactly impressed, calling it "one of the most wretched villages in the country." He noted that it had a population of just 90 men and 11 women, and that the tavern (the main building) and a few other houses were built on U.S. land. He also suspected that it was a prime spot for smuggling.
The Final Blow
La Balize continued to struggle. It suffered major damage in 1831, and in 1846, another big storm cut a new channel between Cat Island and its lighthouse. By 1853, the town had moved yet again, back to the Southwest Pass.
Two years later, in 1855, a hurricane destroyed the lighthouse keeper’s house and threatened the lighthouse on Cat Island. Almost everything else in town was washed away.
Despite all the setbacks, La Balize hung on. In 1858, a steamboat made regular trips between New Orleans and the town. But the end was near.
In August 1860, a hurricane uprooted trees and flooded the area with a 10-foot storm surge. A month later, another hurricane struck, and that was it. La Balize was abandoned.
The pilots moved to a new settlement five miles upriver, called Pilottown. At its peak, La Balize had about 800 residents. There was even a school for the kids, which lasted into the 20th century. Today, Pilottown is still around, but it’s mostly just a place where pilots stay temporarily for work.
The Mississippi River kept changing its course. The main ship passage shifted four times before 1888. Even though La Balize had been abandoned since 1860, a final hurricane in 1865 swept away the last traces of the town.
By the early 20th century, all that was left was a rusted iron tomb. Today, even that is gone. La Balize has vanished, swallowed by the river and the relentless forces of nature.
A Forgotten Legacy
La Balize may be gone, but it’s not forgotten. It’s a reminder of the tough, resilient people who tamed the Mississippi River and helped build America. It’s a story of a town that refused to give up, even when the odds were stacked against it. So next time you’re near the mouth of the Mississippi, take a moment to remember La Balize, the ghost fort that once stood guard over the gateway to a nation.