Slidell - The Building of a Railroad - The Building of a City

John Slidell migrated to New Orleans from New York City to become a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, a U.S. District Attorney from 1829 to 1833, and was elected to the U.S. Congress from 1843 to 1845, followed by election to the U.S. Senate, 1853 to 1861.

When Louisiana seceded from the Union, he resigned from Congress and was appointed the Confederate Commissioner to France charged with seeking aid from England and France. However, once in England, he was denied permission to return to the United States. Slidell died in exile at Cowes, England on July 26, 1871, and was interred in a private cemetery near Paris, France. He was never a part of the little town, but in all probability, his life story would have faded into oblivion except for the naming of the town in 1888.

The First Land Owners

Land ownership of large acreage tracts were owned by the Guzman and Robert families in addition to Joseph Laurent's large domain that was located on the west side of Bayou Bonfouca where later developments were made. Prior to building the railroad, the dirt road to Mandeville crossed at Bayou Vincent and then forked into two roads, one pursuing northward to Pearl River and the other continued southeasterly - called the Rigolets Road, which later became the foundation for part of Hwy 190.

The vast 5000 acre John Guzman Tract was first owned by Vincent Rillieux, the namesake for Bayou Vincent. Besides Bayou Bonfouca, Bayou Potassat also has a colorful name. A son, John E. Guzman, owned a brickyard, a hospital, a ferry, and a store in the vicinity of the present bayou bridge crossing. It was he who received the first telephone message that was sent over the newly constructed telephone line from Mandeville to Slidell on July 7, 1884. Streets that intersect near Bayou Potassat were named Guzman and Cary after the husband and wife team who produced 10 adult children.

A second large tract was called the Robert claim which consisted of nearly 1300 acres located north of the Guzman property and east of Bayou Bonfouca where the family plantation home was located near present-day Bayou Lane and Cousin Street - just west of the railroad tracks. Pierre Robert had two boat docks on his property, one for schooners and one for lighter boats, in addition to operating a maritime supply retail store, a small sawmill, a brick plant, a tar mill, in addition to raising cattle and horses. His son,

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