Milneburg facts for kids

An old photo of Milneburg from the air in 1921.

Milneburg was once a small town located on the southern edge of Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana. Over time, it became part of the larger city of New Orleans. Today, the original spot where Milneburg stood is mostly covered by the campus of the University of New Orleans. There's also a neighborhood south of this area that people still sometimes call Milneburg.

Milneburg's Past: A Look Back

This lighthouse used to be at the end of the Milneburg pier. It was built in 1855.

Milneburg got its name from a man named Alexander Milne. He was a landowner and developer. People often said the name as "Mill-en-burg" or "Mil-lan-burg." Because of this, you might sometimes see it spelled as "Milenberg." For a while, the area was officially called Port Pontchartrain. But the name Milneburg quickly became more popular. Only the United States Coast Guard kept calling the lighthouse there "Port Pontchartrain Lighthouse" until 1929.

How Milneburg Became a Busy Port

In the early 1800s, Milneburg was connected to New Orleans by a road called Elysian Fields Avenue. New Orleans was much smaller back then. In 1830, people decided to build the first railway in the area along this road. The Pontchartrain Rail-Road opened on April 23, 1831. It used steam locomotives to carry people and goods. The railway track was about 5 miles (8 kilometers) long.

A very long pier was built into the shallow water of the lake. Part of the railway line ran on top of this pier. This allowed large ships to dock right at Milneburg. The port quickly became very busy. Many hotels, restaurants, bath houses, and resorts were built around it. Most of these buildings were on tall wooden piers over the water. They were all connected by wooden walkways, like a big network of bridges.

Milneburg as a Fun Resort Town

Later in the 1800s, Milneburg became less important for shipping. But it stayed a popular resort spot. Many "camps" were built there. These were houses on piers over the lake. People would rent them for parties, fishing trips, picnics, and dancing. Live bands often played music for everyone to enjoy.

Milneburg also played a big part in the early days of jazz music. Bands from different parts of New Orleans would come here. They would listen to each other's music and try to play even better. A famous musician named Sharkey Bonano grew up in Milneburg. The area is even remembered in a famous jazz song called "Milenburg Joys." This song was made popular by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. It is still a well-known jazz tune today.

Milneburg's Transformation Over Time

In the 1920s and 1930s, a big project changed Milneburg forever. Workers used a process called dredging to create new land. They pulled sand and dirt from the bottom of Lake Pontchartrain. This extended the shoreline much further out into the lake. This new land covered where old Milneburg used to be.

The Pontchartrain Beach amusement park was built on this new land. It was right where the center of Milneburg once stood. Later, the University of New Orleans was built nearby. The neighborhood that is now called "Milneburg" by the city is actually south of the original historic area. It is more inland, away from the lake. You can learn more about the modern neighborhood at Milneburg, New Orleans.