1910s MILENBURG

Old Milneburg (sometimes spelled Milenburg on jazz records) at Lake Pontchartrain in the twenties.

Ory's band used to play the camps here on Sunday afternoons.

There were dozens of camps on piers over Lake Pontchartrain at the end of Elysian Fields Avenue.

Lake goers got there aboard the Smokey Mary train which ran from the French Market.

The train backed up on the way back as there was no roundhouse or siding at the lake.

(Milneburg site later became the Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park in 1939.

The old Milneburg Point Pontchartrain Lighthouse, built in 1859 is still there).

(Gift from John McCusker).

Old Milneburg. For 55 years, Pontchartrain Beach was the annual summertime destination for many New Orleanians but was for 'whites only' until the mid 1960s. Many older New Orleans referred to Pontchartrain Beach as 'Milenburg' but in actuality, "The Beach" was built on land reclaimed from the lake in the area due north of Milneburg.

http://www.neworleanspast.com/aroundlakepontchartrain/id9.html