Inventory - MSS 224 - Gretna Diamond Jubilee Collection - Library Guides at University of New Orleans

Gretna Diamond Jubilee COLLECTION

(Mss 224)

Inventory

Earl K. Long Library

University of New Orleans

October 2010

Summary

Size: 6.8 linear feet (6 boxes)

Geographic

locations: Gretna, La.

Inclusive dates: 1890-1988

Summary: Photographs gathered for Gretna: A Self Portrait in Retrospect; A Photography Exhibit Commemorating Gretna's Diamond Jubilee. Exhibit produced by German Heritage, Cultural & Genealogical Society of Louisiana and the City of Gretna, Louisiana through a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Arts. Includes original photographs, duplicate prints, photocopies, and negatives (both positive and negative), together with related documentation.

Source: Deposit, March 1991

Access: No restrictions

Copyright: Physical rights are retained by the Earl K. Long Library, University of New Orleans. Copyright may reside with various holders.

Citation: Gretna Diamond Jubilee Collection (Mss 224), Earl K. Long Library, University of New Orleans

Historical Note

Across the Mississippi River from New Orleans and just upriver from McDonoghville, Gretna had its beginnings as the small village of Mechanikham, laid out in 1836. Many of the early settlers of Gretna were Germans, descendants of whom reside in Gretna today.

In 1790, the Ursuline nuns received a land grant on the site of present-day Gretna from Spanish governor Estevan Miró. They sold the property to Pierre St. Pé, who, in 1815, sold it to Charles Derbigny and Noel Barthélémy LeBreton. In several transactions in the 1820s and early 1830s, the land, which apparently was used to grow sugar cane, passed into the Destrehan family. It was Nicolas Noel Destrehan who, in 1836, engaged surveyor Benjamin Buisson to draw up a plan for a Mechanick’s Village or Mechanikham. Specifications called for a railroad, a foundry, a ferry landing, a church and outbuildings, and a quantity of small residential lots which were sold for sums ranging up to $250.

The St. Mary’s Market Steam Ferry Company, with a vested interest in increasing ferry service on the river, received authorization in 1838 to develop a town directly below and adjacent to Mechanikham. It was called Gretna, and the name soon came to be applied to both villages. How the name originated is uncertain, but there is presumed to be some connection between a judge there who was willing to perform runaway marriages, and a popular play entitled Gretna Green, about the Scotland town nearest to England and to which many elopers fled. The play was performed at the St. Charles and American Theatres in New Orleans from 1837 to 1847.

Norman’s New Orleans and Environs described Gretna in 1845 as “spotted with comfortable residences, principally inhabited by the owners of the adjoining grounds, and the walk from Algiers [two miles downriver] to this village is very gratifying to one partial to such exercise. There is a steamboat constantly plying from here to the city which affords a desirable excursion of nearly three miles, touching at Lafayette in its passage each day. The village has a rural appearance, is regularly laid out, and exhibits some neat tenements. The forest approaches quite near and, the idea that one may lose himself in the neighboring woods, gives to the place a touch of romance which only the denizens of a crowded city know how to appreciate.”

Surrounded by vegetable farms and dairies, and with ship building industries on the river, Gretna developed into a bustling community. On November 17, 1945, the New Orleans Weekly Delta reported, “Now it counts its hundreds of houses, embracing not only the comfortable and even elegant residences, but hotels, stores, manufactories and shops of all descriptions, besides steam-mills, which supply this city and vicinity, as well as every foreign market on the Gulf of Mexico, with lumber and shingles, in large quantities.” Mechanikham boasted three steam sawmills, brickyards, a foundry, blacksmith and coppersmith shops, a carriage factory, and a china-painting and –gilding business. The principal hotel was “spacious” and attached to a “splendid garden.” By the early 1890s Gretna had developed into a manufacturing town. It was the home of the Union Stone Company, the Louisiana Cypress Lumber Company, three large oil mills, brick and cooperage manufactories, and two moss factories, as well as a dozen groceries, two drug stores, two dry goods stores, nine saloons, a shoemaker, a baker, a blacksmith, and feed, variety, clothing, and hardware stores.

On May 19, 1913, Gretna, which had been the parish seat since 1884, was declared a village. After the Board of Aldermen voted on June 3 to incorporate adjacent McDonoghville, however, Gretna moved up to the status of a city and was proclaimed to be such on August 20, 1913. Its first mayor was John Ehret.

Source: Betsy Swanson, Historic Jefferson Parish: From Shore to Shore (Gretna, La.: Pelican, 1975), 116-118.

List of Series and Subseries

Series I: Exhibit Photographs

Series II: Exhibit Negatives

Series III: Non-Visual Materials

Series IV: Photo Collection Forms

Series Descriptions

I. Exhibit Photographs

Gretna: A Self Protrait in Retrospect was a photographic exhibit commemorating Gretna’s Diamond Jubilee Festival put on display in 1988 at the Gretna City Hall. Consisting of over one hundred photographs of Gretna locations and residents throughout the decades, it was created with the help of volunteers from the German Heritage, Cultural & Genealogical Society of Louisiana with support from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. The majority of exhibited photographs have been glued to a white cardboard backing, with short titles and descriptions beneath them. Most are duplicate prints of photographs donated by local Orleans and Jefferson Parish residents, but original photographs and photocopies of newspaper articles are also included.

II. Exhibit Negatives

Negatives of visual materials contributed to the Gretna photography exhibit by numerous individuals. While it appears there is a complete set of negatives for the items that were ultimately put on display, the majority of negative strips encompass items that were not used in the photography exhibit. While primarily consisting of standard 35mm film, this series also includes 120mm gauge and 55mm gauge negatives.

III. Non-Visual Materials

Non-visual materials related to the Gretna photography exhibit including a photocopy of a July 14,1988 Times-Picayune article discussing the exhibit, and an itemlized list of the prints used in the show itself.

IV. Photo Collection Forms

Forms used to collect information from donors at the Gretna Diamond Jubilee Photo Fair. Recorded information includes short descriptions, approximate dates, titles, contact information, and whether or not the item was meant to be donated or copied and returned.

Container List

Series I: Exhibit Photographs

Gretna: A Self Portrait in Retrospect was a photographic exhibit commemorating Gretna’s Diamond Jubilee Festival put on display in 1988 at the Gretna City Hall. Consisting of over one hundred photographs of Gretna locations and residents throughout the decades, it was created with the help of volunteers from the German Heritage, Cultural & Genealogical Society of Louisiana with support from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. The majority of exhibited photographs have been glued to a white cardboard backing, with short titles and descriptions beneath them. Most are duplicate prints of photographs donated by local Orleans and Jefferson Parish residents, but original photographs and photocopies of newspaper articles are also included.

Box 1:

Accession	Exhibit #	Title	Date
224-1	43.2	Brunies Restaurant, corner of Second and Newton St.	1930s
	61.3	Colma Linden in Easter Finery.	1929
	86.2	June Swells: Old Gretna ferry house under water.	Circa 1920
	65.11	Huey Cochran's house, Lafayette St., Gretna.	1915
	19.8	“Making Groceries” at Miller's Grocery Store, 417 Weidman St., McDonoghville.	1925
224-2	91	Harvey’s Castle on the Harvey Canal.	1920s
224-3	57.16	Ladies of the Westbank Business & Professional Womens' Club (BPW).	1951
	78.11	Signing School Bond Issue.	1950s
224-4	39.2/22.17	First Salem Lutheran Church.	Circa 1900
	24.3	Ladies of Salem Lutheran Church..	October 9, 1955
224-5	88.3	First Black Practical Nursing Class in Gretna.	1922
224-6	60.1	Locomotive Derails in Mississippi River. (Oversize print.)	Circa 1900
	60.1	Locomotive Derails in Mississippi River.	Circa 1900
	38.12	Boy (Burt Strehle) on Train.	1916
	27.2	Working on the Railroad.	1920s
224-6	38.1	150 years of Service on the Railroad by three Strehle family members.	1950
224-7	54.4	Inside Keller's Grocery Store.	1920s
	79.1	Outside Keller’s Grocery Store.	Early 1900s
224-8	36.3	Honoring Gretna’s Early Postmaster.	1939
		Early Gretna Post Office, Second St.	1988
		McDonoghville Post Office in 1988 (Moved to Algiers Point.)	1988
224-9	10.9	Mayor John Ehret in buggy on Front St.	1908
224-10	90.2	Gretna Ice Works operated by August Gerdes.	1900
224-11	90.3	Inside the Gretna Ice Works, where inventor August Gerdes manfuactured the first clear ice in Gretna.	1900
224-12	90.1	Gretna Ice Works operated by August Gerdes (photograph of drawing.)	1890s
224-13	92	Portrait of Theresa & Peter Moulliet.	1859
	44.2	Wedding Party of Theresa Moulliet & Lawrence Broussard Jr.	1929
	66.01-66.04	Gretna Fertilizer Plant Burns.	Feb. 28, 1932
	86.3	High School Friends, Lucile Cherbonnier and Ethelyn Gelbke (Hock).	1919
224-14	24.13	Lady in Mirrors, Helen E. Gruhler (Calzada).	March 1914
224-15	44.1	Early Chart Class.	1905
	88.1	McDonogh 27: First Black Public School in Gretna.	1914
224-16	14.13	Father and daughters; Salvador, Rafaela and Clara Ruiz.	1909
	14.3	Ruiz Home at 526 Front St.	December 28, 1910
224-17	43.3	Brunies Restaurant, Second & Newton.	1940s
	9.1	Salvador Russo Store, Huey P. Long & Third St.	1918
	87.1	Thirty-five years of doctoring: Banquet honoring mayor, Dr. Charles Gelbke.	1935
224-18	36.1-2	Lillian and George Herman Thoede in front Second St. Post Office in 1916.	1916
224-19	90.1-90.3	Portrait of Dr. Carroll F. Gelbke; Bridal picture of Julia Anna Holmes; Dinner at the Blue Room.	No date, 1933, Circa 1949
	37.1	Reunion of Confederate Veterans who served under Capt. Guy Dreux.	1900
224-20	45.2	Gretna's first 5 & 10 cent store. Huey Long Ave. between First and Second St.	April 1934
224-20	19.25	Funeral at McDonoghville Cemetery of Mrs. Beauregard Gustav Miller.	1940
	42.09	Bride Theresa Grentz with bouquet.	1923
224-21	22.16	Bathing Beauty. Florence Puderer, wife of Frank Puderer.	1920s
	14.6	The swimmers. Rafaela Ruiz Zufle, Peter Zufle, Clara Ruiz, and friends.	Circa 1924
224-22	9.3	American Cotton Oil Co. on Front St. (Original.)	1918
224-23	9.3	American Cotton Oil Co. on Front St.	1918

Box 2:

Accession	Exhibit #	Title	Date
224-24	88.2	The Roaring Twenties: Ida Young and friend.	1920s
	44.3	Graduation Day of Irene Gross from McDonogh Jefferson High School.	1915
224-25	99.1	Louise Bartels Wagner Thilborger.	Circa 1900
		O.V. Wagner house at Second and Richards St.	1988
224-26	18.22	First Rainbow Girl Installation in Gretna.	1953
	20.16	Three J's Meeting, 1945. Meeting of the Jolly Jacks and Jills, a local teenage club in Gretna.	Circa 1945
	3.02	Mother and Child: Shirley Bergeron McAnespy with daughter, Cherly Ann.	1950
224-27	49.1	Political Get Together: Congressman Hale Boggs, Mayor Bill White and others.	1950s
	49.11	Stars of Law Enforcement. Officer Henry "Ippy" Braud and Police Chief B.H. Miller Sr.	Late 1960s
	49.7	When City Hall was at the Jail House:Mayor Dr. Charles Gelbke and others.	1930s
224-28	12.48	Bevy of School Marms. Gretna Primary #1 School; Lilly White Ruppel, Kitty Strehle, Katy Peabeck, Marguerite Westermann.	1920s
	59.3	Viering's Hardware. Charles Heinrich Viering, father of Henry P. Viering Sr., a mayor of Gretna.	1926
	59.4	Henry Paul Viering Sr. in the crockery dept.	1926
224-29	22.3	Funeral of Louis Oscar Fried: Laid out at home at 220 Huey Long Ave. (formerly Copernicus) with mother, Mary Fried. (Original.)	1914
224-30	22.3	Funeral of Louis Oscar Fried: Laid out at home at 220 Huey Long Ave. (formerly Copernicus) with mother, Mary Fried.	1914
224-30	22.3	Photocopy of newspaper article, Mary Fried in her garden.	No date
		Photocopy of newspaper article, Louis Oscar Fried.	1914
224-31	13.1	Picnicking at Crescent Park under German lanterns, Delhonde St. & River. Mathilda Pfeiffer and Mary Wilson Pfeiffer.	1908
	9.2	Knights of Columbus Initiation, Archbishop Blenk Council, in front of the Old Hollywood Theater. (Original.)	June 10, 1923
	9.2	Knights of Columbus Initiation, Archbishop Blenk Council in front of the old Hollywood Theater.	June 10, 1923
	22.5	Early Gretna Barber shop.	Circa 1900
224-31	50.1	Stumpf's Magic Hoodoo Baseball Team.	1933
	60.2	Punt Sisung's Gang's Deer Hunting Club.	1936
	35.7	Boy Scout Troop 64. Back row left to right: FNJ Banker W. Richard "Dick" White; Parish Assessor Vernon Wilty; Senator Alvin Stumpf; former mayor Dr. Charles Gelbke; Mayor William J. White; Russell Gomez; and Troop Leader, Fire Chief Reuben Hock.	Circa 1948
	16.1	Inside Oplatek's Drugstore on Front St.	1900
224-32	31.8	Ladies in White: Red Cross ladies during World War II.	1940s
	58.2	David Crockett Fire Company Auxillary.	Circa 1930-1935
224-33	65.5	Heebe's Bakery Wagon.	1920
	25	McDonogh 26 School.	Early 1900s
	No #	Inside Wisser's Bar and Restaurant.	1940s
	25.14	McDonoghville Post Office. Ms. Lenore Drinkhaus Ward, Post Mistress.	1972
	86.1	Out Kodaking: a popular pasttime. Helena Hock posing on parked train.	1920s
224-34	23.1-23.5	Wilhelm Karl Weyer Jr., Private First Class U.S. Army in World War I, plus duplicates of two postcards from Bez Trier.	1918
224-35	40.6	Jefferson Memorial Arch. (From a color post card).	Circa 1923
	26.3	Stonecutter: Anthony Adams Huber, who carved the names on the Jefferson Memorial Arch.	1943
224-36	18.26	Swearing in of new Mayor Wm. J. White by outgoing Mayor Dr. Charles Gelble.	1949
	2.02	Man of the Year: A banquet honoring Senator Alvin T. Stumpf.	1940
224-37	65.3	Family home of William Dietrich White, early Gretna blacksmith.	1920
224-37	65.4	August "Gus" White.	1920
224-38	26.2	Miss Lily White Ruppel stepping out in carnival ball gown.	Circa 1937
	67.1	Grela's First Queen, 1948 Katherine Spahr Ward and King Leycester Trauth.	1948
	No #	Photocopy of newspaper article about Christine Gruhler kitting for British soldiers during World War II.	1940
224-39	76.7	Front Street. Viering’s Hardware and Jefferson Ice House at corner of First and Newton.	1900
	2.01	Inside Stumpf's Magic Hoodoo.	1934
	16.1	Oplatek Pharmacy.	1913
224-40	57.3	Gruhler Family on porch, 409 Newton St.	August 20, 1916
	60.4	Family potrait of Mahler family on porch at Lafayette St. house.	1912
	100.01	Afternoon on the porch. Lottie Hock top step; Edith and Ethelyn Gelbke; Burnley C. White; bottom step Ora Mae Hock.	1915
224-41	45.1	Ribaul’s Trucking Co.	1935
	28.2	Family Outing in the Maness's Columbia Auto.	Circa 1907
	34.2	Neebs Hardware Delivery Truck.	December 20, 1930
	24.6	Sunday Outing. Bill Pares and Mollie Bishop, Lawrence Calzada.	1920s
	76.6	Steering out of the lot. Henry Viering and friends leaving “the lot” behind Viering’s Hardware.	Circa 1914

Box 3:

Accession	Exhibit #	Title	Date
224-42	104.1 - 104.4	Four photographs and supporting Gretna Grapevine article. W. Richard White and Helen Hock on deck of Steamship Momum headed for honeymoon voyage.	Sept. 22, 1925
224-43	93	Left Russell Gomez and Mayor Bill White, unidentified, banker Wm. Richard "Dick" White, Sen. Alvin Stumpf, unidentified, Capt. Reuben Hock. (Damaged Original.)	1940s
	101	Tower Theater: Panic in the Streets.	1950s
224-44	94	Photocopy of sports articles on Stumpf's Hoodoo baseball team which won the American Legion championship.	1935
	94.5	Photocopy of article and photo at the Gretna Swimming pool in 1929.	1929
224-44	No #	Photocopy of individual portraits of McDonogh Jefferson graduating class of 1915.	1915
	No #	Photocopy of newspaper articles on Davidson-Pick Fertilizer Plant.	Feb. 28, 1932
224-45	65.6	St. Rosalie Procession outside St. Joseph's Church in Gretna. (Oversize print.)	1920
	65.6	St. Rosalie Procession outside St. Joseph's Church in Gretna.	1920
	65.7	St. Rosalie Procession. (Oversize print.)	1920
	65.7	St. Rosalie Procession.	1920
224-45	65.8	St. Rosalie Procession. (Oversize print.)	1920
	65.8	St. Rosalie Procession.	1920
	65.9	St. Rosalie Procession. (Oversize print.)	1920
	65.9	St. Rosalie Procession.	1920
	65.3	Home of William D. White, 209 Lafayette St., Early Gretna blacksmith.	1920s
224-46	No #	Photocopy of photo and articles in West Bank Herald on educator Kitty Strehle.	1936
	No #	Photocopy of newspaper article and mug shot of baseball great Mel Ott.	No date
224-47	96	Photocopy of Jefferson Parish Police Jury in 1909.	1909
		Photocopy of Police Jury in 1930s.	1930s
224-48	4	Class picture of Gretna Primary School #1, Grade 2. (Original.)	1925
	97	Gretna High School Class of 1937. (Original plus photocopy.)	1937
224-49	13.2	Pfeiffer's Grocery Store.	1908
224-50	90.4	August Gerdes Building at Second & Lavoisier Streets.	No date
		August Gerdes Building in 1988.	1988
224-51	65.2	Zufle Grocery Store at Sixth and Lavoisier Streets.	1900
		Aucoin Building (Zufle Grocery Store) in 1988.	1988
224-52	16.2	Gretna's Front Street, 1900. (From post card).	1900
		Front Street: A ghost of its past.	1988
		Stumpf’s Magic Hoodoo, Front St.	1988
224-53	91.1	Restauranteur Emma Whiteside and her grandson Marvin Trauth.	1940s
	22.19	Meisner Family Portrait.	1920s
	22.13	Meisner Family Portrait.	Late 1800s
	85.2	Dedication of the Jefferson Memorial Arch.	November 11, 1923
224-54	35.8	Music Makers: Woods Band. (Original.)	1926
		Music Makers: Woods Band.	1926
224-54	35.8	Stephens' Band.	Circa 1930
	53.02	Fortmeyer Band.	1920
224-55	100	Heading to the Shriners Convention. Texas and Pacific Engine 332 at McDonoghville. Engineers Rudolph Engler. (Original.)	April 20, 1924
	100.01	Heading to the Shriners Convention. Texas & Pacific Engine 332 at McDonoghville. (Original.)	1924
		Heading to the Shriners Convention. Texas & Pacific Engine 332 at McDonoghville.	1924
224-56	58.1	Brunies Restaurant, Campaign Luncheon.	1930s
224-57	36.3	Photocopy of George Thoede's appointment as Gretna postmaster in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson.	1916
224-58	10.12	Portrait of John Ehret, Gretna's first mayor.	1913
	10.5	The Hunter: young Frank J. Ehret Jr., grandson of Mayor Ehret, holding game and gun.	1930s
		Frank J. Ehret Jr. in 1988.	1988
224-59	31.6	St. Joseph School Children's Carnival Ball.	1941
	31.17	Mr. and Mrs. Gretna, young Roy Wilty and Ann Lee David honor Gretna's Grand Old Lady, Miss Lily White Ruppel.	1939
	31.5	St. Joseph Junior Sodality Ball. circa 1940s. Royal couple: Lurline Gaudet and Billy Hepting.	Circa 1940s
	39.3	The Great Cravasse of 1891: 635 Lafayette St.	1891
		621 and 635 Lafayette St. in 1988.	1988
	39.2	Sunday Outing: Lonia Spies house at 621 Lafayette St.	1891
224-60	102	"Is This American or Nazi Germany: Political flyer of the Dauenhauer-Miller Ticket.	1940s
224-61	103	"A Kiln Replaces the Card Table," An article about Louise Higgins' pottery shop in McDonoghville. Dixie Roto Magazine.	Feb. 6, 1955

Series II: Exhibit Negatives

Negatives of visual materials contributed to the Gretna photography exhibit by numerous individuals. While it appears there is a complete set of negatives for the items that were ultimately put on display, the majority of negative strips encompass items that were not used in the photography exhibit. While primarily consisting of standard 35mm film, this series also includes 120mm gauge and 55mm gauge negatives.

Box 4:

224-62 Contact sheets #1-2 (three pages.)

Negatives #1-2 (73 negatives.)

224-63 Contact sheets #3-4 (three pages.)

Negatives #3-4 (70 negatives.)

224-64 Contact sheets #5-6 (three pages.)

Negatives #5-6 (65 negatives.)

224-65 Contact sheets #7-8 (three pages.)

Negatives #7-8 (74 negatives.)

224-66 Contact sheets #9-10 (three pages.)

Negatives #9-10 (72 negatives.)

224-67 Contact sheets #11-12 (three pages.)

Negatives #11-12 (70 negatives.)

224-68 Contact sheets #13-14 (two pages.)

Negatives #13-14 (70 negatives.)

224-69 Contact sheets #15-16 (two pages.)

Negatives #15-16 (68 negatives.)

224-70 Contact sheets #17-18 (three pages.)

Negatives #17-18 (68 negatives.)

224-71 Contact sheets #19 (one page.)

Negatives #19 (37 negatives.)

224-72 Oversize negatives #1-2 (55mm gauge.) (25 negatives.)

Additional oversize negatives (120mm gauge.) (35 negatives.)

224-73 Damaged negatives, “ruined at printer”. (4 envelopes, 29 strips.)

Series III: Non-Visual Materials

Non-visual materials related to the Gretna photography exhibit including a photocopy of

a July 14,1988 Times-Picayune article discussing the exhibit, and an itemized list of the

prints used in the show itself.

Box 4:

224-74 “Historic Photographs of Gretna, Louisiana”

“Gretna’s Front St. In 1900”

“Gretna: A Self Portrait In Retrospect”

“Gretna: A Self Portrait in Retrospect, August 20, 1913 – 1988”

“Photo fair in Gretna Saturday”

“Inventory of Photographs on Display”

“Oversize photos”

Series IV: Photo Collection Forms

Forms used to collect information from donors at the Gretna Diamond Jubilee Photo Fair. Recorded information includes short descriptions, approximate dates, titles, contact information, and whether or not the item was meant to be donated or copied and returned.

Box 5:

224-75 Photo collection forms, accession #001.01-30.1

Box 6:

224-76 Photo collection forms, accession #031.1-90.3

Supplemental photo collection list for items donated after the fair, accession #93-104.4

Index Terms

German Heritage, Cultural & Genealogical Society of Louisiana

Germans—Louisiana

Gretna, La.

MSS 224 - Gretna Diamond Jubilee Collection: Inventory