Versailles, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Versailles
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 Versailles
Location in Louisiana
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | St. Bernard Parish |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Versailles is a small community in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, United States. It's not an official city but a local area. It sits along the east side of the Mississippi River. This spot is about 3.5 miles south of New Orleans. For mail and government, Versailles is often seen as part of Chalmette. Sometimes, it's even considered part of nearby Meraux. However, people in the area still use the name "Versailles" to talk about this specific place.
Contents
Exploring Versailles's Past
How Versailles Was Founded
Versailles was started by Major-General Pierre Denis de la Ronde (1762–1824). He was a very rich plantation owner in Louisiana. His family had roots in France and Canada.
In 1802, Denis de La Ronde joined Louisiana's governing group, called the Cabildo. He took over a special role as a "Councilman for Life." This was a type of job that could be bought and passed down in families back then.
Plans for a New City
In 1805, when the U.S. controlled the area, Denis de La Ronde had big plans. He and other investors wanted to build Versailles along the Mississippi River. They also planned to dig a long barge canal through miles of swamp. This canal would lead to Lake Pontchartrain. There, they hoped to build another town called "Paris."
These towns were named after Paris and Versailles in France. The goal was to create a French-style area in Louisiana. Denis de La Ronde even thought his Versailles would become bigger than New Orleans.
Impact of the War of 1812
However, these plans were put on hold because of political problems. These problems led to the War of 1812. From 1814 to 1815, Colonel de La Ronde led Louisiana's local army, called the militia. They fought in the famous Battle of New Orleans.
Part of this battle, known as the Night Battle (December 23, 1814), happened at his plantation. The main battle was fought at the nearby Chalmette plantation. This plantation belonged to his half-brother.
Later Development and Changes
Versailles stayed a small town throughout the 1800s. The planned canal connecting the river and the lake was never built. A major canal, the Industrial Canal, was finally built in New Orleans in the 1900s.
But Denis de La Ronde's path through the swamps did become important. It turned into a main road. Today, Paris Road is still the farthest route downriver that connects the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain in the Greater New Orleans area.
In 1903, a railway company, the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway, wanted to buy land in St. Bernard Parish. They planned to move people from a nearby Black community called Fazendeville to Versailles. Some people agreed to move, but many did not accept the railway's offers.
The La Ronde Plantation
The La Ronde house was once considered the most beautiful plantation home in that part of Louisiana. Some people mistakenly call it "Versailles." But there's no real proof that the family or people at the time ever used that name for the mansion. The family lovingly called their home "Parnassus." It was known as a place where many guests were welcomed.
Pierre Denis de La Ronde bought the property in 1783. To celebrate his 21st birthday, he had enslaved people plant a long path of oak trees. These trees are now very famous. This path, called an allée, is still mostly standing today. It's known as the La Ronde Oaks.
However, these trees are also sometimes wrongly called "Versailles Oaks" or "Pakenham's Oaks." General Edward Pakenham was a British general who died from injuries during the battle near these trees.
The Plantation's Role in the Battle of New Orleans
On December 23, 1814, General Andrew Jackson learned about the British army's location. He got this information from Colonel Pierre Denys de La Ronde and his son-in-law. Because of this information, the Night Attack of the Battle of New Orleans happened on the La Ronde plantation.
The La Ronde mansion was robbed and badly damaged by the British during this attack. The British then used the house as a hospital for their injured soldiers. About 70 years later, the house burned down. Most of its walls remained standing until a hurricane in 1915 finally destroyed them.
Today, a few ruins of the house can still be seen along Highway 46 in St. Bernard Parish. The beautiful path of Southern live oak trees also remains. These trees once led from the Mississippi River to the grand manor house.
