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Bucktown Bucktown is neighborhood in northeast Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.

Origin of Name
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Hurricane Katrina
On the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, on the Jefferson parish line, there is a fishing village named Bucktown. Bordered by the lake and the 17th street canal it was a safe harbor for fishing boats and many fishermen live there. This area was developed in the mid 1800’s with a commercial wharf and a railroad that ran along the Orleans-Jefferson Parish line at the 17th Street Canal (originally called the Upperline Canal). The Jefferson and Lake Pontchartrain Railroad was an extension of the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad that ran down West End to Bucktown.

During Prohibition Bucktown was known for its speakeasies and prostitution. Gambling was legal in Bucktown, which contributed to its reputation as a rowdy place where barroom brawls were common. Jelly Roll Morton popularized the village with his tune Bucktown Blues.

It is unclear on the origin of the name Bucktown. Several theories have evolved over the years. One story is the prostitutes and Jazz music attracted the young “bucks” that came there looking for a good time. Some say the village was named for the good deer hunting in the area and others say it was named for a local fisherman, Oliver “Buck” Wooley who frequently hung antlers on the bridge into Bucktown.

The 17th Street Canal at Bucktown was home to a fleet of about one hundred shrimp boats. Every year on the 4th of July, a festival was held for the Blessing of the Fleet. The hurricanes of 1915, 1947 and Katrina exposed Bucktown floodwaters and intense winds, the resulting damage contributed to its ramshackle appearance.

Its residents are strong and determined however and the village still survives. The fishermen are fishing and Lake Pontchartrain seafood is the best tasting in the country. There are still many excellent seafood restaurants in Bucktown.

Today the entrance to the 17th street canal is now a set of locks that are closed during hurricanes. Bucktown remains a place where you can buy fresh seafood from local fishermen however most of its charm has found a place in the history books.