Editing Slidell, Louisiana (section)

==History==
===Beginning===
One of the earlier settlers to the area was Foster Willie. Along with a younger brother, Wesley Coke Asbury Gause, Judge Wingate, and several others, he left [[Shallotte, North Carolina]], on February 18, and arrived at [[Pearlington, Mississippi]], on April 14, 1836. Wesley and his family remained there, while John and family crossed the [[Pearl River (Mississippi–Louisiana)|Pearl River]] and built a log cabin on the west bank, a little further south. He then began a [[lumber mill]] in the fledgling town later known as Slidell. His traveling back and forth from lumber yard to home created a road known today as Gause Boulevard, a major east–west street in the town. The lumber yard was where Gause Boulevard crosses the railroad track. The log cabin was built at the east end of the road, just a few yards from the river. The house stood until the late 1990s, and a small family burial plot still remains where John is buried between his two wives, Lydia Russ and Johanna Frederica VanHeemskerk.

Slidell was founded on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in 1882 and 1883 during construction of the [[New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad]] (N.O.N.E.).<ref name="history">[http://www.slidell.la.us/pdf/slidell_museum_brochure.pdf Slidell museum brochure] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625203239/http://www.slidell.la.us/pdf/slidell_museum_brochure.pdf |date=2008-06-25 }}</ref><ref name="History of Slidell">{{Cite web| url=http://myslidell.com/history| title=History of Slidell | publisher=City of Slidell| access-date=June 7, 2019}}</ref> The N.O.N.E. line connected [[New Orleans]] to [[Meridian, Mississippi]]. The town was named in honor of American politician and Confederate ambassador to France [[John Slidell]], and officially chartered by the [[Louisiana State Legislature]] in 1888.<ref name="history"/>

===20th century and beyond===
Around 1910, Slidell began a period of economic and industrial growth. A large [[creosote]] plant was built, and Slidell became home to the Fritz Salmen Brickyard, a major producer of bricks later named St. Joe Brick. A lumber mill and shipyard were also built. Following the construction of [[Interstate 10 in Louisiana|Interstate 10]], [[Interstate 59 in Louisiana|Interstate 59]], and [[Interstate 12]], Slidell became a major [[Crossroads (culture)|crossroads]] for those traversing the Gulf States.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}

In 1915, the creosote plant burned to the ground.<ref>{{cite report|url=https://www.crt.state.la.us/Assets/OCD/hp/uniquely-louisiana-education/Design-Guidelines/Slidell%20Louisiana%20Olde%20Towne%20Historic%20District%20Design%20Guidelines.pdf |title=City of Slidell, Louisiana Slidell Olde Town Preservation District Design Guidelines |publisher=City of Slidell, Louisiana |date=May 2012| access-date=January 17, 2022}}</ref> The plant was rebuilt on Bayou Lane, closer to a water source and a fire station. Eventually, creosote polluted the [[bayou]], a source of drinking water for many of Slidell's residents. The creosote plant was abandoned in 1986 and became an [[Superfund|EPA Superfund site]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=second.cleanup&id=0600574 |title=BAYOU BONFOUCA SLIDELL, LA |publisher=[[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] |access-date=January 17, 2022}}</ref> The canal was dredged and waste incinerated until completion of the cleanup in the 1990s. At that time a boat launch was built and Heritage Park was constructed on the former site.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nola.com/news/communities/st_tammany/article_5631261d-cf09-5412-90b0-93f7790a5fdc.html |last=Pagones |first=Sara |title=Slidell breaks ground on long-awaited marina at Heritage Park |publisher=NOLA.com |date=April 18, 2017 |access-date=January 17, 2022}}</ref>

With the advent of the U.S. space program in the 1960s, [[NASA]] opened the [[Michoud Assembly Facility]] in New Orleans, the [[John C. Stennis Space Center]] in nearby [[Hancock County, Mississippi]], and a NASA computer center on Gause Boulevard. This nearly tripled Slidell's population over ten years, and the city became a major suburb of New Orleans. The [[National Weather Service]] forecast office for the New Orleans and [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]] area is also in Slidell.<ref name="nwsoffice">[https://www.weather.gov/lix/ National Weather Service New Orleans/Baton Rouge Weather Forecast Office] Accessed 2019-05-18</ref> Slidell is the headquarters of [[Dorothy Vest#Notes|Vesco Tennis Courts]], a privately held firm specializing in construction of hard surfaces for [[outdoor sports]] facilities.<ref>[http://vescoinc.com/ Vesco corporate site] (accessed 2011-12-09).</ref>

The city has hosted several parade [[krewe]]s each [[Carnival]] season.<ref name="krewe">Nola.com, [https://archive.today/20130130030942/http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/08/slidell_carnival_krewes_city_o.html Slidell Carnival krewes, city officials agree on single route for 2011 parades] 2010-08-13. Retrieved 2010-08-28.</ref><ref name="krewe2">''[[St. Tammany News]]''. [http://www.slidellsentry.com/articles/2010/08/18/news/doc4c6b01036b066576200241.txt "Route changes coming for Slidell parades"]. 2010-08-18. Retrieved 2010-08-28.</ref>

On August 29, 2005, Slidell suffered extensive damage from [[Hurricane Katrina]], as the storm made final landfall on the morning of August 29, 2005. The municipal area is about {{convert|2|mi|0}} inland, and parts of the city experienced a [[storm surge]] in excess of {{convert|10|ft|m}}. The unincorporated areas of St. Tammany Parish, to the south and east, often called Slidell, experienced a storm surge of {{convert|13|to|16|ft|m}}.<ref>FEMA (2009-06-04). "Hurricane Katrina Flood Recovery". Last modified: Thursday, 04-June-2009 13:13:33 EDT. Retrieved on 2009-09-15 from [http://www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/recoverydata/katrina/katrina_la_mmds.shtm#2 FEMA.gov Recovery].</ref>

On April 20, 2011, an Amtrak train derailed in Slidell which injured six people.

On April 10, 2024, an EF2 tornado struck through the southern side of the city.

The city received 7 inches of snow during the [[January 20–22, 2025 Gulf Coast blizzard]]

=== Slidell Museum ===
The Slidell Museum is a small museum that highlights the founding of the city as a railroad town. Located in [[Old Town Slidell]] on 1st Street, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free to the public.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Slidell Museum |url=https://myslidell.com/departments/cultural-public-affairs/slidell-museum/ |access-date=2022-07-09 |website=The City of Slidell, Louisiana |language=en-US}}</ref>