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PLEASE HELP “SAVE THE HAUS”

Many don’t realize, both at our lodge and the Deutsches Haus, that we have a common denominator, that being our German heritage. Throughout the past many members both present and past belonged to both organizations. After Katrina, around November 2005, the members of the Haus, which was much more devastated that Germania, decided that there would be an Oktoberfest in 2006. The building was stripped down to the dirt floor, walls pulled out, all old refrigeration, AC, Heat, the old bar, tables, chairs and virtually everything was stripped out. The Haus then started from the ground up with just the shell in place. New concrete pillars were poured, new floor joists and double deck flooring were placed topped with Mahogany, new walls, art work, refrigeration and a very expensive kitchen. Ninety percent of the work was done by volunteers! In 2006 the citizens of New Orleans and the surrounding area responded with the most successful Oktoberfest in history! There was literally reconstruction work going on when the doors were opened for the 2006 fest. Over 15,000 people attended and enjoyed German food, beer and dance! Now the plans for the V.A. and L.S.U. hospitals are out and the Haus is not included in them. It is heartbreaking, depressing and just plain wrong that we had to hear it from the grape vine, now that the area will be prosperous, that the Haus is on the demolition block. Members of the Haus and dual Germania members who include Mike Possienot, Eddie Bopp, Andy Kessler, Glenn Cupit, Wendel Leibe and I, are totally in favor of the project but want the Haus included in the plans. It’s a seventy acre site and consideration must be given to a New Orleans icon that has been there since 1928, the building 1910. Please come to Oktoberfest and support our effort to “Keep the Haus”. Let everyone you know that the city needs to preserve its culture and history. I will be working every Friday Night and look forward to seeing all of you there.

-kkueck

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Little Known Louisiana Facts

Besides Hurricane Katrina causing the levees to break in New Orleans here are a few more interesting facts about the Bayou State:

• Louisiana has the tallest state capitol building in the nation at 450 feet.
• The Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans is the largest enclosed stadium in the world.
• The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the longest over-water bridge in the world at 23.87 miles.
• Louisiana 's 6.5 million acres of wetlands are the greatest wetland area in America .
• The oldest city in the Louisiana Purchase Territory is Natchitoches Louisiana founded in 1714.
• The first bottler of Coca-Cola, Joseph Biedenharn, lived in Monroe, Louisiana and was one of the founders of Delta Air Lines, initially called Delta Air Service.
• Delta Airlines got its start in Monroe, Louisiana when County Agent, C.E. Woolman, decided to try dusting the Boll Weevil that was destroying the Cotton crops in the Mississippi River Delta from an airplane. It was the first crop dusting service in the world.
• Southern University in Baton Rouge , Louisiana is the largest predominantly black university in America ..
• Baton Rouge was the site of the only American Revolution battle outside the original 13 colonies.
• The formal transfer of the Louisiana Purchase was made at the Cabildo building in New Orleans on December 20, 1803.
• The staircase at Chrétien Point, in Sunset, Louisiana was copied for Tara in "Gone with the Wind."
• Louisiana is the No. 1 producer of crawfish, alligators and shallots in America .
• Louisiana produces 24 percent of the nation's salt, the most in America.
• Much of the world's food, coffee and oil pass through the Port of New Orleans.
• Tabasco, a Louisiana product, holds the second oldest food trademark in the U.S. Patent Office.
• Steen's Syrup Mill in Abbeville, Louisiana is the world's largest syrup plant producing sugar cane syrup.
• America 's oldest rice mill is in New Iberia, Louisiana at KONRIKO Co.
• The International Joke Telling Contest is held annually in Opelousas, Louisiana .
• LSU (The Ole War Skule) in Baton Rouge has the distinction of contributing the most officers to WW II after the U.S. military academies.
• The Louisiana Hayride radio show helped Hank Williams, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash achieve stardom. It was broadcast from KWKH Radio in Shreveport , Louisiana from 1948 to 1960.
• The term Uncle Sam was coined on the wharfs of New Orleans before Louisiana was a U.S. territory as goods labeled U.S. were from "Uncle Sam."
• The game of craps was invented in New Orleans in 1813 as betting was common activity on the wharves.
• When states had their own currency, the Louisiana Dix (French for ten) was a favored currency for trade. English speakers called them Dixies and coined the term Dixieland.
• New Orleans is the home of the oldest pharmacy in America at 514 Chartres Street in the French Quarter. These early medical mixtures became known as cocktails (guess they were good for what ails ya?) coining yet another term.
• New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz, the only true American art form. Jazz gave birth to the Blues and Rock and Roll music.

Viva La Louisiane!!!