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Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and PreserveBull Frong Along Barataria Trail
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Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
Battle of New Orleans Anniversary
 
American troops load cannon for firing.

American troops load cannon for firing.

Remember the Battle of New Orleans at Chalmette Battlefield, the very place where it happened. Meet the American and British troops who fought one of the most significant battles in world history and the civilians who kept the home fires burning in New Orleans.

Over 100 living history experts in period dress will bring the sights and sounds of January 8, 1815, to life in 2010 on

Friday, January 8

  • 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. living history encampment, cannon and musket firings, military drills, and campfire cooking. 
  • 10:00 a.m. wreath-laying ceremony.        
  • 7:00 p.m. St. Bernard Parish sponsors a reenactment of the December 23, 1814, night battle at historic Pakenham Oaks, just downriver from the battlefield.

Saturday, January 9

  • 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. living history encampment, cannon and musket firings, military drills, and campfire cooking. 
  • 5:45 p.m. (first tour begins)-7:15 p.m. (last tour begins) Lantern Tour of battlefield camps on "the night before the battle." Tours begins every 10 minutes (5:45, 5:55, 6:05, etc.). 90-minute tour by advance ticket only. Tickets go on sale December 1.

Only handicapped parking is available at the battlefield. Free offsite parking is at the St. Bernard Parish Government Complex, 8201 West Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette. Free shuttles run continuously to the battlefield. Restrooms, a hospitality and welcome center, and tourism information is available at the government complex. A map to the parking area is available here.

Check out the photo galleries from previous years and watch this space for event schedules and more!

Want to get involved? Volunteers are needed for four-hour shifts January 7 through 10 to set up and take down tents, distribute supplies to living history volunteers, direct traffic, and assist National Park Service staff. Call 504-589-3882 ext. 121 to find out more.

 

 
General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans anniversary
For Teachers and Field Trip Leaders
Battle of New Orleans anniversary field trip information
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Women of 1815 gather around a table during Lantern Tour
Lantern Tour
Women of 1815 share their stories
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Tennessee Militia reenactors
For Living History Participants
links to Living History Participant Information
more...

Closures and Construction
Get the latest information before you come
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Two big red, black, and yellow lubber grasshoppers sit on a leaf  

Did You Know?
Lubber grasshoppers are sometimes known as devil's horses in south Louisiana. They lay their eggs in the fall and prefer loose dirt, so they often lay their eggs in cemeteries. These enormous flightless grasshoppers hatch in spring and spend the summer munching their way through vegetation.

Last Updated: November 17, 2009 at 13:18 EST