Arabi, Louisiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arabi, Louisiana
Census-designated place
Location in St. Bernard Parish and the state of Louisiana.
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	St. Bernard
Area
• Total	2.03 sq mi (5.26 km2)
• Land	1.75 sq mi (4.55 km2)
• Water	0.28 sq mi (0.71 km2)
Elevation	3 ft (0.9 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,533
• Density	2,582.91/sq mi (997.30/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Zip Code	70032
Area code(s)	504
FIPS code	22-02550

Arabi is a small community in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, United States. It's called a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's an area identified by the census bureau for statistics, but it's not an officially incorporated town. Arabi is located on the eastern side of the Mississippi River. It sits between New Orleans and Chalmette and is part of the larger New Orleans area. In 2020, about 4,533 people lived there.

Discovering Arabi's Past

Arabi started in the 1800s as a neighborhood near New Orleans. It was first known as Stockyard Landing. This name came from the many places where animals were kept and prepared for food. An old map from 1851 called the area Jacksonburgh, possibly after Andrew Jackson.

Later, the name Arabi became popular. Some people think it was named after Arabi Pasha, an Egyptian leader. He was in the news in 1882 for a revolt against the British. The people of Arabi felt a connection to his fight for freedom, similar to their own desire to be separate from New Orleans. In 1875, Arabi officially became part of St. Bernard Parish, moving away from New Orleans' control.

Arabi's Gambling Era (1907–1952)

In 1907, a street called Friscoville Avenue was built in Arabi. Because gambling was not allowed in New Orleans, many gambling halls opened on Friscoville Avenue. It was easy to get to these clubs from New Orleans by streetcar.

These clubs were often raided by police. In 1928, the governor, Huey P. Long, even sent the National Guard to shut down two clubs. Soldiers entered the clubs, and people quickly tried to grab money from the tables. All the gambling equipment was later destroyed. These gambling places continued to operate until 1952. They were finally closed down as part of a statewide effort against illegal gambling.

Historic Places in Arabi

"Le Beau" was a plantation house built in 1854. It was destroyed by fire in 2013.

The local newspaper, St. Bernard Voice, has been printed in Arabi since the late 1800s. Its office is still in a small building near the Mississippi River.

In the 1970s, most of Arabi was named a historic district. This includes the old St. Bernard Jail and the remains of the LeBeau Plantation. Sadly, the LeBeau Plantation was destroyed by a fire in 2013.

Major Hurricanes and Tornadoes

Arabi has faced several powerful storms over the years.

Hurricane Betsy (1965)

On September 9, 1965, Hurricane Betsy hit the New Orleans area. A huge rush of water, called a storm surge, came from the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet. This surge caused levees to overflow. Most of Arabi was flooded, with water rising very quickly. Many people thought the storm was over and went to sleep, only to wake up to rising water. Survivors had to use their own fishing boats to get to higher, dry ground.

Hurricane Katrina (2005)

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina brought an even bigger storm surge. All of Arabi was flooded, with water reaching over 20 feet high in some places. Just like in Hurricane Betsy, many locals who stayed behind thought the worst had passed. But then, a huge wave of water hit, flooding homes and destroying some completely. Again, people used their private boats to rescue themselves and their neighbors. They went to the Mississippi River levee, which was the only dry land for miles. Local officials helped evacuate people using ferry boats.

Tornadoes in 2022

Arabi was hit by two strong tornadoes in 2022.

March 2022 Tornado

On March 22, 2022, a powerful tornado, rated EF3, struck Arabi. It caused a lot of damage along Friscoville Avenue and other main roads. Many homes were badly damaged or destroyed, cars were tossed, and trees and power poles broke. Arabi Elementary School was also damaged. One person died, and several others were hurt. The tornado left Arabi without power for days.

December 2022 Tornado

Just nine months later, on December 14, 2022, another strong tornado, rated EF2, hit Arabi. It caused serious damage again. Homes were damaged, and trees and power lines fell. The same brewery that was destroyed in March was destroyed once more. Luckily, no one died this time, but six people were injured.

Arabi's Location

Arabi is located at 29°57′27″N 89°59′56″W / 29.95750°N 89.99889°W / 29.95750; -89.99889. The United States Census Bureau says Arabi covers about 2.1 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Population and People

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,533 people living in Arabi. There were 1,683 households and 961 families.

Religion in Arabi

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans used to have a church in Arabi called St. Louise Marillac Church. In 2008, this church was closed and combined with another church in Chalmette. The building was taken down in 2009.

Education in Arabi

Students living in Arabi go to schools run by the St. Bernard Parish Public Schools. As of 2007, Chalmette High School serves the students from Arabi.

Famous People from Arabi

• Patrick Scheuermann, a director at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
• Christina Cuenca, who was crowned Miss Louisiana USA in 2006
• Al Copeland, who started the famous Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits restaurants
• Juvenile, a well-known rapper from the Southern United States
• Kenneth L. Odinet Sr., a state representative from 1988 to 2008
• Edward Ripoll, a state representative from 1984 to 1988

See Also

In Spanish: Arabi (Luisiana) para niños