Interesting First District Facts

  • Includes the following Parishes; Washington, Tangipahoa, St. Tammany and parts of Jefferson, Orleans and St. Charles
  • 79.66% urban, 20.34% rural
  • Population (2000): 638,355
  • Median Income: $40,948
  • Area: 2,402 mi²
  • Hammond is home to Southeastern Louisiana University, and the city was the home base for production of the first season of the television series In the Heat of the Night.
  • Fairs held: Fall FunFest (Covington), Gretna Heritage Festival (Gretna), Slidell Heritage Festival (Slidell), Andouille Festival (La Place), Blues and BBQ Challenge Festival (Hammond), Seafood Festival (Mandeville), Strawberry Festival (Ponchatoula), Ozone Film Festival (Covington), Celtic Nations Heritage Festival (Madisonville), Independence Italian Festival (Independence), Louisiana Renaissance Festival (Hammond), Wooden Boat Festival (Madisonville), Strawberry Jam'n Toast To The Arts Festival (Ponchatoula), Three Rivers Art Festival (Covington), Louisiana, Bayou Lacombe Crab Festival (Lacombe)
  • The famous spice-maker Zatarain's was founded in Gretna in 1889.Portions of the movie "A Love Song for Bobby Long" were filmed in Gretna.
  • Metairie is home to the New Orleans Zephyrs baseball team. The minor league club has played its home games at Zephyr Field since 1997 and is a member of the Pacific Coast League.
  • Bayou Liberty in Slidell is featured in a boat chase scene in the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die when James Bond is chased in a motor boat.
  • Ponchatoula bills itself as "Strawberry Capital of the World".
  • Kentwood is known as the “Dairy Capital of the South”, and is best known as the hometown of pop singer Britney Spears and sister Jamie Lynn Spears.
  • The book, "Dead Man Walking", and movie about the book, was based on a murder that took place just south of Franklinton at Frickie's Cave (aka Frickie's Gourge).
  • Mandeville is the home town of Cajun fiddler and bandleader Amanda Shaw, the rock group 12 Stones and current Price Is Right model Rachel Reynolds.
  • Folsom is home to the Global Wildlife Center
  • Lacombe is home to Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge.
  • The Northshore is home to an array of wildlife, swamp, and eco-tourism attractions.
  • The Abita Brewing Company -- In 1986, Abita Brewing Company was established as a microbrewery, and in 1994 they added a brew pub & restaurant. Abita's beer is brewed with the pure water of the artesian wells in Abita Springs.
  • Movies filmed in the area:
    • 1995 — Dead Man Walking
    • 1995 — Kingfish
    • 1997 — Kasi Lemmon's Eve's Bayou
    • 2007 — Gretchen Zieske
  • Notable Residents:
    • Justin Wilson (chef)
    • Karl Wilson, NFL DT/DE 1987-1995
    • Frankie Ford (rock and roll performer)
    • Emmett Hardy (early jazz great)
    • Lash La Rue (Western film actor)
    • Mel Ott (baseball hall of famer)
    • Joe Clay (rockabilly musician)
    • Brendan Benson -- Solo artist and front man of The Raconteurs.
    • Al Copeland -- founder of Popeye's Chicken franchises and Copeland's.
    • Ellen DeGeneres -- Comedian, talk show host
    • Pete Fountain -- clarinetist
    • Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown: world-famous multi-instrumentalist and Grammy Award winner (1924-2005)
    • Tony Canzoneri: world boxing champion
    • Chris Duhon: former Duke University point guard and current Chicago Bulls reserve point guard; helped Duke to the 2001 NCAA men's basketball championship.
    • Mike Fontenot: 2nd baseman for Chicago Cubs. Played college baseball at Louisiana State University.
    • John Besh: Chef and owner of LaProvence Restaurant, Restaurant August and Luke. Recently was a finalist on the Food Network show Iron Chef America.
    • Juvenile: famous southern rapper, whose home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
    • Rich Clementi: Mixed martial arts fighter and UFC veteran who trains and resides in Slidell.
    • Matt Forte: Running back for Chicago Bears. Played at Tulane University and Slidell High School.
    • John Goodman -- Golden Globe and Emmy-winning American actor.
    • Paul Mares -- jazz musician
    • Candice Stewart -- first African-American woman to represent Louisiana in the Miss USA pageant.
    • Danny Granger-- Professional Basketball player. Forward of the Indiana Pacers
    • Jackie Smith, National Football League tight end and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
    • Collis Temple Jr., first African-American athlete at Louisiana State University
    • Robert Higgs, a prominent American economist, currently resides in Covington.