[StBernard] THE DENIS de LA RONDE OAK ALLEY WILL UNDERGO TERMITE ABATEMENT

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Wed Jul 16 09:19:42 EDT 2014


THE DENIS de LA RONDE OAK ALLEY WILL UNDERGO TERMITE ABATEMENT

July 24 and 25, 2014

 

At the July 15, 2014 Council Meeting, Parish President David Peralta and
Councilmembers recognized companies that will perform termite abatement to
each of the historic trees  in the Denis de La Ronde Oak Alley.   BASF ATBS
Termite bait stations and bait will be installed around each of the de La
Ronde Oak trees (St Bernard Highway and Paris Road).  BASF Chemical will
donate the stations and bait for the project.   Members of the Greater New
Orleans Pest Control Association will install the stations and bait along
with BASF.  The abatement will take place on Thursday, July 24th and Friday,
25th.

 

Special thanks to Univar Chemical- Mark Pellittieri A.C.E.( Chemical
Representative GNOPCA), Terminix- Leroy Chevolleau (Secretary), Orkin-
Gordon Melerine (Ex-Officio), Leblanc Pest Control-Don Leblanc (Sargent at
Arms), Billiot Exterminating- Brian Billiot,  DA Exterminating- Ira Sommers,
E&G Pest Control- Gary Wehlen, New Orleans Pest Management- Ramiro Guerra
(President) and ew Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control - Dr Claudia
Riegel B.C.E.,  and BASF- Dr Bob Davis B.C.E.

 

The oak alley planted by the Denis de La Ronde family extending from West
St. Bernard Highway toward the Mississippi River in Chalmette is the largest
and most impressive alley of oak trees remaining in Metropolitan New
Orleans, standing atop a historic site of unparalleled significance.  The
night battle of December 23rd, 1814 raged on these grounds almost two
centuries ago.  That battle is believed by military historians to have
checked the British Expeditionary Force advance on New Orleans.  Had Major
General Andrew Jackson failed to immediately engage the British, New Orleans
would have fallen and the United States would have lost control of the
Mississippi Valley.  The Americans were able to complete their line of
defense at what is today the Chalmette Battlefield because of the December
23rd engagement.  It was there, at the property of Juan Rodriguez, on
January 8th, 1815 that General Jackson won his ultimate victory in the
Battle of New Orleans.

 

The Delaronde House became the temporary headquarters and field hospital for
the British Expeditionary Force January 8th, 1815.  British Commanding
General Sir Edward Pakenham's corpse was brought to the Delaronde House for
preparation to be returned to Great Britain for burial, as were the bodies
of other British officers.  The British Expeditionary Force remained
encamped on the site for most of January 1815.  Today, Delaronde is the only
house that stood on the battlefield in 1815 of which there are visible
remnants.  Maps prepared by Arsene Lacarriere Latour establish concretely
that parterre formal gardens with orange hedges surrounded the Delaronde
House and that the oak alley was non- existent in 1815.  The first map
depicting the oak alley in place was drawn by engineer Charles Zimpel in
1836.  Consequently, the oaks were probably planted in the 1820s.  Although
the oaks are popularly called the "Packenham [sic] Oaks," Sir Edward
Pakenham never saw them!  Pierre Denis de La Ronde purchased the property
which became the Delaronde Plantation in 1799.  He is believed to have
constructed the home about 1805.  

 

Denis de La Ronde fought in the American Revolution under the command of
Louisiana Spanish Governor Bernardo de Galvez.  He served as second
commandant of the Poblacion de San Bernardo from 1788 to 1802 and as a
member of the Cabildo in New Orleans.  His niece, Micaela Almonester,
married Celestin de Pontalba and constructed the Pontalba Buildings facing
Jackson Square in New Orleans.  Pierre served as colonel commanding the
Third Regiment of Louisiana Militia in the Battle of New Orleans.  He died
in 1824 and his family sold the plantation to developer Daniel Warburg in
1832.  Warburg named the development Versailles, opened Paris Road and
established the street grid around Paris Road which remains in place today.

 

St. Bernard Parish Government acquired the Delaronde Ruins and Oak Alley by
donation from the New Orleans Terminal Company.  The Delaronde Oak Alley
stands today as a magnificent monument to historic events which transpired
during the Battle of New Orleans that shaped the destiny of the United
States.





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