Sharing Memories: (Week 29) From Westwego to Marrero

Point A, Westwego, LA to Point B, Marrero, LA
Located on the west bank of New Orleans

Point A, Dolores Drive; located off Ames Boulevard in Marrero

Mom and Dad decided to purchase their first home. In the summer of '68, our family moved from Westwego to Marrero, just a few miles across the west bank of New Orleans. Marrero was a CDP (census-designated place) meaning that it lacked a separated municipal government but otherwise physically resembled incorporated places. In other words, Marrero was a settled area with a concentrated population but it was not legally incorporated under the laws of the state.

Our little house was located on Dolores Drive in Marrero. It was only about 900 square ft. with three bedrooms and one bath. Frank Jr and Tony shared a bedroom furnished with a "trundle bed" and Sandy and I shared a bedroom furnished with twin beds. The living area and kitchen were very small, as were all of the rooms but we managed to live comfortably there for about five years. The house was located in a subdivision composed of multiple houses in the same basic design and price range. Back then, the subdivision was fairly new. When we moved into our house, there was no lawn grass yet. I remember Mom and Dad planting grass sprigs soon after we settled in. They also had a metal fence placed around the back yard. This was a big deal to us kids. We now had a yard to call our own. We had a place for a swing set and for a future dog. We had a bigger yard to play ball. We had a small patio for a barbeque grill and a patio set. We even had a covered garage where we could store our bicycles, tricycles and household junk. For the first time, I would be riding the school bus instead of walking to school. I would be missing my old school friends yet making new friends.

The bottom photo depicts Dolores Drive as it is now.  When we first moved there, many of the lots were still vacant.  South of Dolores Drive was woodlands- Jeanne Street and Carrie Lane didn't exist back then.  The area has grown vastly with many more streets and subdivisions.  I can't even imagine having to mull my way through all these neighborhoods looking for my own children when they were growing up.  It was difficult enough keeping up with them in a small town...