City of Metairie Ridge
Jefferson Parish, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
Marker Inscription
City of Metairie Ridge. A 12-square-mile area incorporated as a village in June 1927 and as a city one month later. Charles P. Aicklen, Sr., mayor, introduced natural gas service, July 1928. Gambling was flourishing but was outlawed within the city limits. Incorporation declared illegal by La. Supreme Court in Nov. 1928 through suit backed by casino owners. Sponsored by the Jefferson Parish Historical Commission. 2013.
Erected by Jefferson Parish Historical Commission
The Story
In the summer of 1927, a twelve-square-mile stretch of Jefferson Parish incorporated first as a village and then, weeks later, as a city, with Charles P. Aicklen serving as mayor and bringing natural gas service the following year. But the young municipality moved to outlaw the gambling that flourished nearby, and casino interests fought back in court. By November 1928 the Louisiana Supreme Court had voided the incorporation entirely.
Why it matters
The short life of Metairie Ridge captures how vice, money, and local politics shaped the growth of America's suburbs in the Prohibition era.
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Related people
- · Charles P. Aicklen, Sr.
Related events
- · Incorporation of Metairie Ridge, 1927
Themes & tags
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