History
Welcoming Tourists for Over 100 Years
Once a Choctaw Indian village, this community near New Orleans is now widely recognized for its attractive historic district. Visitors and locals enjoy shaded sidewalks, friendly restaurants, beautiful gardens, art galleries, country stores, and a quaint folk art museum. Bike riders, walkers, joggers, skaters, and horseback riders make use of the popular Tammany Trace that passes through the center of this small town.
Abita Springs has always been a popular destination for New Orleanians. Over 100 years ago, visitors were attracted to the cooler weather and the fresh spring water. They crossed Lake Ponchartrain by steamboat to Mandeville and then travelled by tallyho or streetcar to Abita Springs.
In 1887, the train arrived; the depot was in the middle of town, near the entrance of the Trailhead & Park. This new rail line circled the eastern side of the Lake and brought even more visitors to the several large hotels and guest houses that were then opened.
People have always lived in Abita Springs. The mild climate coupled with the clear spring fed creeks and rivers provided Native American families with a comfortable life. Artifacts over 2,000 years old have been uncovered within the town limits. The first white settlers were French; they moved from New Orleans to the area in the early 1700’s. Anglo-Saxons later followed the French. There were about 20 Indian families in Abita Springs at this time.
The Indians traded with the settlers and helped them establish their settlement. They showed the newcomers how to structure a dependable bow; how to convert local timbers into cured planks; how to par and pitch log cabins; and how to use herbs and plants for healing purposes.
Around 1905, visitors began coming to the area from New Orleans’ summer heat, others saw the area as a medicinal retreat and to others, the flora and fauna were the attraction. During the 1930’s, the area’s popularity as a vacation destination decreased dramatically. Today’s visitors appreciate Abita Springs for the same reason the visitors who came 100 years ago: clear spring water, sparkling creeks and rivers, tall pine trees, fat old live oaks and friendly people.
Abita Springs Trailhead & Park
Located on the Abita River, the Trailhead & Park has several sheltered picnic tables, historic pavilion and a children’s playground which is under construction. This pavilion was designed by Thomas K. Sully for the New Orleans Cotton Centennial Exposition of 1884; it was later moved to Abita Springs to cover the then famous free flowing spring.
Other attractions in the Abita Springs area include guest houses, a local brewery that has free tours on weekends, golf courses, nature trails, bicycle rentals, historic homes, restaurants, art galleries, and a folk art museum. Bird watchers, bicyclists, roller-bladers, hikers, joggers and horseback riders can enjoy the Tammany Trace, a former railroad line that is 31 miles long and has 31 bridges.