Port Hudson

[gary]

A member of the Baton Rouge CWRT informed me that Georgia Pacific (GP), a paper company that owns a huge tract of land (OK, pythonese) at Port Hudson, wants to make a conference center there. I don't think there is any demand for conference centers as businesss is down globally. No bizness, no conferences. That and they will be competing against New Orleans for conference sites. Clearly the latter would win out. Anyway, GP own the land the Devil's Elbow and the Citadel sit on. Presently GP makes Quilted Northern sanitary paper (arse wipe) there & Brawny paper towels. (Note: I am not calling for a bocyottt or some other social action).

 

[milhistbuff1]

A member of the Baton Rouge CWRT informed me that Georgia Pacific (GP), a paper company that owns a huge tract of land (OK, pythonese) at Port Hudson, wants to make a conference center there. I don't think there is any demand for conference centers as businesss is down globally. No bizness, no conferences. That and they will be competing against New Orleans for conference sites. Clearly the latter would win out. Anyway, GP own the land the Devil's Elbow and the Citadel sit on. Presently GP makes Quilted Northern sanitary paper (arse wipe) there & Brawny paper towels. (Note: I am not calling for a bocyottt or some other social action).

Did the CWRT or others mention if ABT have been alerted? Perhaps GP can be bought out. Is this in place of their existing operations south of the cemetery or on adjoining land? This map may be helpful in orienting those not familiar with the area. Port Hudson, Mansfield

 

[gary]

It's south of the Port Hudson National Cemetery and northeast of the Louisiana National Cemetery.

My source did not advise me whether ABT has been informed. The GP grounds is huge.

Look up Georgia Pacific Paper Company at Port Hudson for a map.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

First I've heard of of this. Hope it doesn't happen.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but last I checked Port Hudson was in the middle of nowhere.

 

[milhistbuff1]

Thank you, Gary. I found the complex and was trying to figure out where the planned convention center would go. Hope this doesn't come to pass.

 

[gary]

I wish someone would superimpose GP's property over a Civil War era map to show the size of GP's 1,350 acres. A lot of it is on former Mississippi River land.

 

[bdtex]

A member of the Baton Rouge CWRT informed me that Georgia Pacific (GP), a paper company that owns a huge tract of land (OK, pythonese) at Port Hudson, wants to make a conference center there.

I would think that it would need it's own hotel. Closest ones are in Zachary as I recall.

 

[milhistbuff1]

1864 map

Modern map

From what I can tell, the GP complex is all either former Miss. River land or reclaimed marshland from East of Thompson's creek/points south and east.

 

[gary]

I'm not good enough to superimpose maps. Georgia Pacific has the Devil's Elbow, Citadel, ravine where Dwight's cavalier and the 1st Indiana Heavy Art. battery that had iron mantlets. It's important land to the battlefield. They (buyers) can keep the flat part where the Mississippi was. BTW, Devil's Elbow is accessible to the public and some Boy Scouts made trail with interpretative signs. Good job! (I only know this b/c images were posted on this site).

 

[milhistbuff1]

First I've heard of of this. Hope it doesn't happen.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but last I checked Port Hudson was in the middle of nowhere.

Baton Rouge suburbs have come quite close. Along Route 61 especially.

 

[milhistbuff1]

I'm not good enough to superimpose maps. Georgia Pacific has the Devil's Elbow, Citadel, ravine where Dwight's cavalier and the 1st Indiana Heavy Art. battery that had iron mantlets. It's important land to the battlefield. They (buyers) can keep the flat part where the Mississippi was. BTW, Devil's Elbow is accessible to the public and some Boy Scouts made trail with interpretative signs. Good job! (I only know this b/c images were posted on this site).

Thanks, hopefully they're willing to part with them for a reasonable price/grants can be used etc. Similar, not sure i'd do it accurately enough. The small potato shaped piece of land south of the swamp area west of town seems to be a partially submerged area SW of Fancy Point Towhead on the modern map but can't say for sure. The one creating the false river cutoff.

Fancy Point.

View attachment 574764

 

[gary]

Correction: In studying the map it appears that GP is actually south of the Confederate lines but within Union lines. If I'm correct, the Citadel is heavily forested over and not on GP land. Look at the hills and today's bodies of water to orient yourself.

Milhistbuff1 - thanks. That map allows me to convert to photo and terrain and you can see that Thompson's creek runs N/S over where the Mississippi once ran. Terrain helped me (along with the bodies of water on the ABT map) determine the location of GP.

 

[bdtex]

BTW, Devil's Elbow is accessible to the public and some Boy Scouts made trail with interpretative signs. Good job! (I only know this b/c images were posted on this site).

Had a real nice guided Sunday tour there a few years ago, courtesy of the BRCWRT Symposium committee.

 

[bdtex]

I get to look at the wartime layout of Port Hudson every day at my house.

 

[milhistbuff1]

Correction: In studying the map it appears that GP is actually south of the Confederate lines but within Union lines. If I'm correct, the Citadel is heavily forested over and not on GP land. Look at the hills and today's bodies of water to orient yourself.

Milhistbuff1 - thanks. That map allows me to convert to photo and terrain and you can see that Thompson's creek runs N/S over where the Mississippi once ran. Terrain helped me (along with the bodies of water on the ABT map) determine the location of GP.

Happy to help! Thank you for alerting everyone to the situation and sharing your knowledge of the area.