Poydras, LA

Poydras sits on the east bank of the Mississippi River in St. Bernard Parish, just upriver from the Plaquemines Parish line. It is a census-designated place, not an incorporated town, but its name carries a long local history: Isleno settlers arrived here in the 18th century, when Louisiana was Spanish, and the community is traditionally linked to Julien Poydras. The river and delta give the place its shape, with Poydras connected to the wider St. Bernard landscape of levees, waterways, fishing, and working roads south of New Orleans. Children attend St. Bernard Parish public schools, including Chalmette High School. Poydras is the kind of place whose character is tied closely to the parish, with the Mississippi, old Spanish-Isleno roots, and nearby bayou communities doing most of the storytelling.