Port Pontchartrain LA
Harbour Lights #836

The history of this beloved lighthouse can be traced to a Scottish immigrant, Scott Alexander Milne. Milne worked as a gardener, at Gordon Castle, and was asked to cut his natural red hair and wear a powdered wig. Unwilling to accept this order, Milne left for the United States and settled in New Orleans.

Milne's hardware business began to flourish due to a devastating fire that destroyed the city of New Orleans. As Milne's fortunes increased, he began purchasing tracts of land on the Bayou Saint John and the shores of Lake Ponchartrain, sometime around 1800 Milneburg was settled.

In 1831, a train connected Milneburg with the French Quarter. On hot summer days, residents of New Orleans would board the Smokey Mary and cool themselves off in the lake.

Port Ponchartrain, the first artificial port on Lake Ponchartrain, was built at Milneburg. The port connected Milneburg to the health resorts on the lake's north shore. Additionally, with the Milneburg Harbor and the railroad to New Orleans shipping vessels, to and from the city, would no longer have to negotiate the Mississippi River below New Orleans. The Ponchartrain railroad company constructed a crude light, a square lantern between two poles, as the first aid to navigation. Despite a March 1834 appropriation of $5,000 a more substantial light failed to materialize, there was a dispute between the railroad and the government regarding the height of the tower. In 1837 appropriation began to fund the source of a 28' octagonal wood tower to be built This new tower was similar to those on New Canal and Bayou Saint John.

Milneburg developed into a large resort with hotels, restaurants and dance halls filled with people looking to escape the summer heat. Later, the lakeshore began to fill with small cottages.

In the 1850s, the three towers were in need of replacement. A brick tower, 2011' from shore on a concrete pad, with pilings driven deep into the lake bottom was completed in 1855 using the lighting apparatus from the former tower, until a fifth-order Fresnel lens was installed in 1857.

As a historical footnote, the Port Ponchartrain Light was the only, gulf coast light, to retain a keeper throughout the Civil War. In 1880, the diameter of the top of the tower was increased to support a new lantern room. Brickwork flared out at the top of the tower, adding 7' in height and giving the tower is unique look.

The light was extinguished in 1929.

As a result of the New Orleans Levee Board implementing lake front reclamation, Milneburg was destroyed.

In 1939, the Ponchartrain Beach Amusement Park was developed in the area. Until the early 70's the park was recognized as the largest in the south. In 1984, the Park was forced to close due to the competition of newer and more technologically advanced theme and amusement parks.

The University of New Orleans Research and Technology Park now occupies the grounds.

The lighthouse has lost some of its height to settling, but appears to be in good condition.

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