Entry 7

The issue of what problems Norco, LA is facing depends heavily upon who you ask. If you talk to some of the poorer of lower class sections of town they will stress upon the need for police oversight, and health problems related to the plant. But, one gets a very different picture when talking to business owners or those of middle to upper middle class from the area. They describe problems related to how the schools need to be improved, and how the area could benefit from an influx of new economic development.

These two oppinions are closely related to the individual's circumstance, more specifically, where the individual lives. As we observed and one citizen pointed out, the closer one lives to the plant, generally, the lesser off, the family is. So, it makes sense that the closer a person lives to the plant, the more that that would encomapss their daily lives. Everything from health problems, to disruption via pollution burnings late at night, stems from where the person is located.



On the other hand, the upper-middle, and middle classes tend to live in the central areas of Norco, farther from the plant, bordering the old Diamond neighborhood. Here the houses are much neater and well kept. Most of the parents in this area send their kids to Sacred Heart instead of Norco Elementary. They talk constantly about the poor quality of Destrahan High, and how they wish they could send their kids to a better school. In addition to that, many local business owners worry about the sustainability of their businesses. They notice that the population of Norco is aging, and as kids grow up and move out of Norco, economic growth oppurtuinities are limited.

Entry 4: Jordan Butler

We made another visit to Norco, LA this past Tuesday. We went with the mindset of talking to some local business owners and getting a feel for the local economy.

One of the first people we spoke with was Brittany, an employee of Todd's Cream Shack. She had been working at the Shack for three years, but commutes in everyday from Destrahan. She grew up in Destrahan, went to Norco Elementary, and finished up at Destrahan High School. She told us that a majority of her business comes from refinery workers looking for some refreshment after a long day at the refinery. Her location makes her easily accessible, (Todds cream shack is located right next to the exit for the plant). She also pointed out that during the summers and when kids are out of school, a bunch will come over and buy some ice cream and hang out.

The next person we talked to provided a much different picture than what we had been told about Norco in the past. Jenny, a cashier at the Greaud's Food Market, painted a picture of a vibrant community where people all get along and would "help you out if you were a dollar short at the market". Her family history in Norco goes back over five generations, well before the plant even existed in Norco. She has been working for and operating Greaud's for over 25 years, and her family has owned it even before that. She struck me as a very intelligent person, and given how much she mentioned kids she knows going off to college, I would say she was upper middle class in Norco.

She mentioned drugs as something "not from Norco", telling us that they come mostly from "outsiders" or people that have "migrated into Norco". She told us that most kids stay away from drugs by keeping active in the after school sports programs offered by Destrahan High. She said that the community really comes together over high school sports, and that the park on the east side of town provides a great place for community.

Entry 8: Hurricane Katrina

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast and left a path of flooding and destruction that devastated the area. Fortunately however, Norco was not too badly affected by the storm. Residents explain that Norco didn't experience any flooding, just wind damage. Shell helped the community pull itself together after the storm to repair any damage and provided assistance to any residents in need. Many of the areas surrounding Norco were flooded, so residents of those communities moved to Norco, causing a population explosion in the small town. Tammy, an employee at the Dollar General, expressed that she thought the community had experienced more drug problems since Katrina, and that many businesses were forced to leave the community because the owners lived outside of Norco, where their homes may have been damaged and were forced to move. Ashley, a woman we met at the spillway who grew up in Norco but moved to Destrehan, said that Katrina brought more people to Norco, and therefore there are fewer jobs available to the population. Even though most of the people who came during recovery ended up leaving, some did stay, and continue to hold jobs in Norco. The basic consensus seems to be that Katrina didn't physically hurt Norco too much, but that the effects of the storm did have an impact on the community. 

Entry 6 Photos

The spillway is the biggest hangout area for Norco's residents. People fish, walk their dogs, or drink a few beers with their friends after work. 

The spillway bar is another one of Norco's main hangouts.

More of the spillway

Danny, a friendly Norco volunteer firefighter

Entry 6

In terms of urban form, Norco is definitely a small town, in both size and population. Based on what we have learned from meeting Norco residents it seems apparent that the community is very close-knit and that everyone seems to know everyone else. Furthermore, Norco appears to be a family-oriented community, such that people acquire property, homes, and jobs through familial connections. The residential areas of Norco are very nice; many homes are small but are well-kept with nicely manicured lawns. For the most part, there doesn’t seem to be many visible distinctions between social classes, but one resident told us that the majority of the upper class people move to a nearby town called Montz.

As a result of its small size, there does not seem to be many options for community activity. There are a few bars in Norco where adults hang-out, including Club 99 and the Spillway Bar. There are also a few food places including Sub Express, the Cream Shack, and two other sandwich-type places. For the most part, however, residents spend time at the Bonnet Carre Spillway, which can be likened to “the levee” or “the fly” here in New Orleans. People go to the Spillway to fish, to ride in boats, to picnic, or basically to meet down by the water. From what we could tell, people from Norco either spent their time at the bars, at the Spillway, or out in Metairie, Kenner or Destrehan.

Entry 5 Photos

Entry 5

In Norco, the town’s economy is and has been overwhelmingly stable due to the presence of the Shell Oil and Chemical refineries.The refineries employ enough people to sustain the local businesses. Many of the refinery employees travel from nearby communities. In result, these workers also contribute Norco’s economy. The town businesses give the citizens the bare necessities, meaning mostly food and gas. For any sort of entertainment, like a movie, a Norco resident must go else where. However, the town does offer two bars, the Spillway Bar and Club 99, which are popular spots for Norco residents and refinery workers.

Entry 4 - Teddy Hart

After learning the history of Norco, I pictured a small town with little charm that is completely dependent on the Shell Oil and Chemical Refineries. Half of my speculation was correct. The Shell refineries employ hundreds of local Norco citizens and other habitants of nearby communities. As we travled down Route 61, the first thing I noticed was the refinery which spanned for miles before we actually made it to the main street of Norco.

As we travled down Apple Street, the main steet in Norco, we had to wait for several mintues for a train traveling to the refinery to pass. When I got out the car in front of Gréaud Market, the local grocery store, I could not help but notice the stench of pollution in the air. It was about 1:30 in the afternoon and the weather was cloudy. There were not many people out and about so we walked across the train tracks to Todd’s Cream Shack where we met a lady known as Brittany. Brittany is a white woman most likely in her early to mid - 20s. She was born and raised in Destrehan, but moved to Norco three years ago. She could not provide much of an description for what life was like in Norco, but explained that she obtained most of her business from refinery workers and local students.

We then walked back to Gréaud Market where we began talking to Jenny, a store clerk. Like Brittany, Jenny was white, but most likely in her mid fortys if I had to guess. She was born and raised in Norco and has remained there throughout her life. Jenny claimed that her family has been in Norco since the refinery was built in the early 20th century. It was from Jenny that we got a descriptive summary of life in Norco. When asked “What is there to do in Norco?” She chuckled as she responded “This is it.” We first discussed race relations with her. Jenny explained that there has been very little tension between the whites and blacks of Norco, but did point out that there has always been spatial segregation as blacks typically lived in the Diamond neighborhood. We then talked about the people of Norco. She expressed that Norco citizens were generally very friendly. “If you ask someone for a dollar for something, they’re going to give it to you,” she remarked. She then noted that Norco is a close-knit community that does not face too many problems. I asked her how the recession has affected Norco’s economy. Jenny replied that the recession has not affected Norco at all. The refinery and refinery’s employees give the town enough business to do generally well.

After leaving Gréaud Market, we took a ride down Apple street. Houses varied in size and there are slso numerous churches. A learning center provided free adult education for obtaining a GED. We then drove a short distance to the Diamond neighborhood. Almost every street you travel, there is some evidence or sight of the refinery. In the Diamond neighborhood, I observed small houses that are spaced far apart. One house had burnt down. At the end of the road, there are baseball and softball fields as well as a playground. All of this is sitting right next to the refinery as you can see in one of the pictures.

Subsequent to seeing this area, I can conclude that Norco is a town where people are generally satisfied with their way of the life. Shell takes care great of the town and the citizens and, according to Jenny, there is little tension between the company and the people. Though there is little to do, there is a large presence of “small-town charm.”

Entry #4- Carolyn's Field Notes

We visited Norco, LA on the afternoon of Saturday, February 28. It took about half an hour to get there from Tulane's campus. As close as about three miles away from the Destrehan/Kenner/Norco area, we were able to see smoke and exhaust being let off into the sky, and some of the plant's towers and smokestacks in the distance. After a few more minutes of driving, about a mile away from Norco, the plant came into full view and dominated the skyline on both sides of the highway. It was an impressive but overwhelming sight, and it made it clear why the area is named after the refinery.
Once we got past the plant and into the residential and commercial area of Norco, there was a drastic change of scenery (though the plant was still very visible). There was no space between the residential neighborhoods and the refinery--many houses were situated less than fifty feet away from the fence of the plant. Most of the houses were modest and well-kept, though there were only a few people outside doing yardwork, which I found strange considering it was a fairly warm weekend afternoon. The few children to be seen were at what we presumed to be a birthday party, playing on a small moon bounce.
When we got to the main street of town, there were about a handful of cars driving slowly on the road. Otherwise, the town seemed deserted. We decided to stop at the Sub Express, since there were some cars parked outside. Inside, we met Rose, a middle-aged resident of Norco (whose interview will be posted in detail by another group member). After talking with Rose for a while, we went outside and walked to the end of the main road, and then up to the levy to get a better view of town. With our backs to the river, the view we got from the levy was unsurprising-- the plant lay to the east as far as the eye could see, and to the west there seemed to be nothing but houses. I did, however, note several things from our vantage point: the river did not seem to look any different than it does downriver, near New Orleans, and the wildlife (including a large flock of herons) seemed to be unaffected by the plant; also, I was able to note that most of the cars in town were either new or close to new trucks and SUVs. There were very few sedans or mini-vans. This trend in cars could point to the working class status of the citizens of Norco, who need more practical/utility vehicles for their jobs, etc.
From there, our group decided to split up--Emily and Jordan went into a bar, Club 99, while Michelle and I went to the Fantasies Hair Salon. When we walked in, there was no one at the desk, but the shop seemed to have a few clients and all the employees seemed busy at work. We noted that the shop seemed surprisingly modern and trendy, something we would not have expected after driving around the nearly deserted town outside. We asked two women who were waiting to get their hair done whether they lived in Norco. They quickly responded with an emphatic "No."
We deicded that the salon probably would not be the best place to get information at that time because the employees were busy, so we walked back towards the front of town to the Dollar General. Upon entering, we again noted that there were not many people out and about. The store seemed to stock many different products, from groceries to clothing, at low prices. After walking around the store a bit, we came across two female employees stocking shelves. Michelle and I said hello and explained to them that we were Tulane students doing research for a project on Norco. Once we said "Tulane," the women became somewhat standoffish, but one of the ladies, Tammy, eventually ended up talking to us and even seemed to enjoy it after a while. Tammy's take on Norco was very different from the bleak perspective we had gotten from Rose earlier. Tammy generally thought that living in Norco was not that bad, but did seem to recognize the fact that it was a stereotypical small town-- she joked numerous times about the Dollar General being the "Norco mall."
She told us that Norco used to have a lot more going for it, that there was a roller rink, a movie theater, and a fried chicken restaurant several decades ago. She said that a lot changed after the infamous explosion at the plant in 1989, which she admitted was "a nightmare," especially since she was pregnant at the time. When we asked her about what she knew about health problems caused by the plant, she didn't give a conclusive answer, but did tell us about her first husband who died of cancer at the age of 29. She didn't have much to complain about, unlike Rose, when it came to the plant, and told us that a large number of men in Norco work for Shell. When asked about the school system, she said she "[could] not say enough" about how good they are, which is in large part caused by the fact that Shell Company gives a lot of money to the schools in the surrounding area.
After we left the Dollar General, we were able to look at the town very differently. Obviously some residents, unlike Rose, are at least fairly content living there, though they know that Norco is not a perfect town in many ways. We met back up with Jordan and Emily, jotted down some notes, and then drove around town a bit more, mainly down Good Hope Avenue and Apple St.. Still there were very few people outside, but we were able to locate both the Norco Civic Center and the newly reinstated Norco library (both of which were unfortunately closed at the time). Having spent nearly three hours on site, we decided to head back to Tulane, with plans to visit Norco again in the near future. Hopefully next time we will be able to get a better idea of what Norco used to be like around the time when it had a movie theater, etc., and also be able to talk to residents of different age groups.

Entry 4: Jordan Butler

We got back from our first visit to NORCO today. The initial reaction was that this town is very different from even New Orleans. As you get off the interstate and onto the highway, you pass an area that looks like one massive refinery, but the signs around say that it is for Shell, Valero, and Air Liquide. The smog in the air is pretty noticeable and a few of my teammates feel a shortness of breath when we first step out of the car.

Our first stop is a sub shop/convenience store. We begin talking to one of the employees, Rose. We ask her what it is like to live around the refineries and her immediate answer, "shitty". Her sister has recently died of cancer and her family, who have lived here all their lives, have had problems with respiratory diseases, as well as cancer. She talked to us about how the neighborhood is full of "good kids", but the cops seem to be looking for whatever reason to arrest you. Her son and daughter are both in jail now as the result of a citywide police raid, that arrested "60-90 people". She told us that this is almost a yearly event.

Rose also talked about the chemical plants as an everyday aspect of life. She complained how the plant will fire its furnaces at 2am when they "think everyone is asleep. Her and several other residents have complained to the plant, but with little effect. One good thing she did have to say about the plants, was that Shell helps out a bunch with the schools in the area. They buy books, supplies, and sports equipment.

Our next stop brought Emily and I to one of the local bars. There we met three guys who were willing to talk to us. Robbie, Jason and Kenny, were initially very hesitant to talk to us. We introduced ourselves as Tulane students, looking for some help with our project on NORCO. Robbie's immediate reaction was that he was afraid we were trying to bash the plants. He informed us that anyone that works at the refineries keeps pretty tight lips about the plant.

Jason has been working at the refinery for 10 years now and he was working during one of the two plant explosions that Shell has gone through. He said that the sound and light from the explosion could be heard and seen all the way in New Orleans (approx. 1/2 hr away). We asked Jason what their relationship with the minorities of NORCO was like. He said that there was hardly any of them left. After the refineries bought up all the housing in the Diamond Neighborhood, most of them left. He said "and those that didn't leave keep the house to 'cook' their money", referring to crystal meth labs.

All three of the guys mentioned that the cops harass the citizenry quite a bit. They knew all about the police raid this past year. They told us the police called it "Operation Sleighride", and that closer to 30 people were locked up for a variety of crimes the police had been documenting for months. Jason told us that for the most part, the crime problem in NORCO is the result of the younger generation acting stupid towards the cops.

Norco Pictures

This is Apple Street, where we first arrived in Norco.



















This was one of the buildings near the refinery; most of the buildings looked like this.





















This is the playground that is right next to the refinery, which you can see in the background.



























This is Club 99, the bar where we met Kenny, Robby, and Jason.























Another sign for Club 99.
























Norco runs along the Mississippi River and this is the levee.






















St. Charles Street in Norco, which is right next to Club 99.

This is a view of the Shell refinery.

Pictures of Norco

The refinery from the highway

The local steelworkers' union

A closer view of the refinery

Children playing in the playground next to the plant

The playground right next to the plant

The towers of the refinery are visible right behind these homes

The "Norco Mall"

Club 99 and the refinery in the background

Some Norco Homes

Apple Street

Sub Express

Entry 4, Emily Gatto

Before arriving in Norco, I was eager to see what the town would be like. All that I knew was based on a documentary called “Green” that I saw last semester. What I knew, was that “Norco” stands for New Orleans Refining Company, and that the town was first built as an oil refinery. When we arrived in Norco, I think we were all a bit confused as to where we could go; it seemed as though there were not many businesses at all except industrial supply companies. All we saw were residential neighborhoods comprised of relatively small houses. As we drove down Apple Street, we found a sandwich shop that was open so we decided to go inside and talk to whoever we could find; it was a Saturday, so I figured there would be people out and about. We went into the shop and decided to speak to the owner, who was at the cash register. The owner quickly informed us that he lived in Metairie, and that we should speak to one of the employees, a woman named Rose.

Rose was a very interesting lady, and she had a lot to say about Norco. She grew up in New Orleans, but ten years ago she inherited her sister’s house so she moved out to Norco with her two children. Rose told us that she works two jobs just to pay the bills. She had very strong opinions about the Shell refinery, and is convinced that her sister died of inflammatory breast cancer resulting from exposure to the toxins from the refinery. Rose told us that the refinery knowingly emits toxins and chemicals, often late at night when they think people are sleeping (this may or may not be true). Several years ago there was an explosion at the refinery that damaged numerous houses in the town. Rose told us that her sister’s house had a lot of damage and that Shell paid her $100,000 for repairs. Despite all of the problems that the plant seems to have caused, Rose did tell us that Shell helped to rebuild and repair Norco after Hurricane Katrina. Furthermore, she told us that the refinery helps school districts and puts money into the school system.

After we spoke to Rose, we decided to drive around some more to see if we could find any other places to meet people. We found a bar called Club 99 and Jordan and I went in because we are both over the age of 21. We met three men at the bar named Robby, Kenny, and Jason. These guys were great to talk to because two of them worked at the refinery, so they offered us a different perspective of a resident of Norco (a plant worker vs. a non-refinery worker). At first, the three men were reluctant to talk to us because they thought we were there to "bad-mouth" the refinery. Once we explained to them that we were simply doing a project about the town of Norco as a whole (not just the refinery) they were much more eager to talk to us.

One significant thing that we learned from the men at Club 99 was that the Diamond Neighborhood, which was once the area where the majority of African American residents lived, no longer existed because the Shell refinery bought out all (or most of) the homes. Furthermore, Kenny, Jason, and Robby explained to us that there were not really any spots for young people (adolescents/teenagers) to hang out, and that everyone had to go to Kenner or to LaPlace to find things such as a mall, or an arcade or bowling alley. When we arrived in Norco and couldn't find anywhere to go to talk to people, we basically assumed that there weren't many places to hang out, which seems to be true based on what the guys from Club 99 and Rose told us.

In terms of the police force in Norco, the general feeling is that the police are somewhat corrupt, and that they look for people to arrest. This may or may not have been true, but both Rose and the men from Club 99 told us about an incident back in December when at least 40 people were arrested in Norco; the guys from Club 99 told us that it was called "Operation Sleigh Ride," and that it may have involved drugs.

Ultimately, I learned several things from my trip to Norco. The town itself seems to be extremely limited in both local businesses and in places for residents to "hang out" or spend time. Furthermore, there is a great stigma about the oil refineries; many residents seem to have problems with the refinery, while workers refuse to talk about it and have nothing bad to say. The saddest thing that I saw was a playground literally up against the fence of the refinery. Regardless of what the residents have to say, there are toxins emitted by the refinery which are hazardous to the health of the residents of Norco, and the site of the playground next to the refinery was somewhat jarring for me to see.

Entry 4, Michelle Kricheff

We went to Norco on Saturday, February 28, 2009 at around 12:45 pm. Driving in, there didn't seem to be much around, but I noticed the obviously Katrina-damaged bayou structures on the way into Destrehan. There were houses and vehicles that were totally gutted and had clearly been moved from wherever they initially were. It seemed weired to me that even 3 1/2 years after the storm, nobody has done anything about them, and I wondered if anyone was even planning on doing anything. I figure it is either a cost issue or that people just don't think it's worth the trouble to fix the area. After Destrehan, it seemed as if civilization ended, and there just seemed to be the road and the bayou. Then, all of a sudden, the refinery appeared through the trees. There were multiple massive chimneys and huge clouds of steam and smoke coming from them. It seemed to take forever to drive past it, it was like a small city. 

We turned onto Apple St, which seems to be one of the main roads in Norco. The houses on the street were smaller, but most of them were well kept, with nice landscaping. There were a lot of SUVs, particularly Nissans. This seemed to be a working class community where, like in Beltway, people took a lot of pride in the appearance of their homes.

There were a few industrial businesses related to the refinery, but there were also some smaller shops like an ice cream shop, a Sub Express, and a Dollar General. I also noticed at least two law offices, which struck me as odd. It seemed weird that Norco, such a tiny community, should have even one law office, let alone two. I figure there are probably many workers' compensation cases related to the refinery, but I also wonder if the refinery gets sued for many health related issues of Norco residents. 

We first stopped at the Sub Express and spoke to the store owner, an Asian man who we found out actually lived in Metairie, not Norco. He told us to talk to one of his employees, Rose, who lived in the area. Rose was a 47 year old white woman (but appeared to be much older) who is the mother of two children. She grew up in New Orleans, and quit school after 11th grade. She has lived in Norco for 10 years, and moved into her sister's house there after her sister died of cancer. Rose's brother and neighbor also died of cancer, and she says that everyone in Norco seems to have some form of cancer, which she blames on the refinery. She was very bitter about the refinery, saying that they burn off toxic waste at 2 or 3 am when they think nobody will notice. She informed us that the plant bought more than 40 homes around Norco, and made it sound as if the residents had no choice but to sell their homes. Many of these residents were poor and black, and moved out of the area after selling their homes, which is why Norco has such a small black community. She also told us that the plant laid off a lot of people, many because the workers had criminal records. She also said that many of the people who work there won't say their true feelings about the refinery, because they're afraid that if they speak out against it, they'll also get fired. She did have good things to say about Shell when it came to Katrina, and told us that they helped a lot with the hurricane recovery effort, and that Shell gives a lot of money to the local schools. Rose's other main grievance was against the Norco cops. She says they're corrupt, and that they get bored and plant drugs on "youngsters" so that they have something to do. Her own son has been arrested 17 times and is currently in jail, although she is sure of his innocence. Her daughter was also arrested on drug charges, bur Rose was able to get her out of jail. She told us that on December 15, 2008, the cops arrested 98 teenagers on drug charges, and she believes that they were all innocent. Rose told us that she hates living in Norco, and that there is nothing to do there. when we asked about the general population of Norco, she told us that it's an older community age-wise, and that most people at least finish high school or get their GED. she also told ust hat there are no race issues in Norco. Rose works two jobs, and seemed to me to be very tired. Through speaking with Rose, we were able to discover that the community of Norco as a whole is mostly working class, and most people have a lower level of education. There is little to no spatial segregation, and there is a heavy police presence in the community. 

After we left Sub Express, we split up into two groups. Carolyn and I walked into a nail salon, but the only woman there was very unwilling to talk to us, and only told us she didn't live in Norco. We eventually decided to go to the Dollar General, where we spoke to Tammy, a middle-aged white employee. Tammy moved to Norco in 1981 after living in New Orleans. She first told us about the explosion that happened at the plant in 1988, and she said Norco was "like a ghost town" afterwards, and that it was a really scary time to be living there. However, she also said that prior to that explosion there hadn't been one in 50 or 60 years, so she still felt safe living in such close proximity to the plant. When we asked about cancer, Tammy wasn't as quick as Rose to say that everyone she knew had cancer. Her own husband died of cancer at 29, and she does think that the cancer rate is higher in Norco than in other places, although she informed us that studies have shown that there is no actual difference. She also insisted that Norco's water is some of the cleanest water in the country, and that she feels completely safe drinking it. We also discussed the effects of Katrina on the area, and she said that there really wasn't that much damage. However, a lot of people from the surrounding flooded areas came into Norco, and that there has been a higher drug presence ever since. Tammy also elaborated on the huge drug bust that Rose spoke about, but she said only 44 people were arrested, not the huge figure Rose gave us. She said she hasn't heard anything about corrupt cops, and she personally loves them. She did however, agree with Rose that there is nothing to do in Norco, and joked that the Dollar General was the "Norco Mall." She told us there used to be more to do, but the fun hangouts like the arcade, movie theater, and skating rink all closed down. I attribute this to the fact that Norco's population is older, so businesses can't get enough teenagers with free time and money to provide their stores with business. I also wonder if since those stores closed, the kids turned to drugs for something to do.

Finally, when we asked Tammy about the plant, she was very general. She said she had nothing against the plant, and added that people are generally pretty happy with it. She said that Shell does a lot for the schools and for the community. She told us that the workers who were laid off from the plant didn't stick around Norco, but moved out very quickly. Tammy also said that a lot of out of towners come to the Dollar General, but I noticed that most of the customers and employees knew each other. They were able to engage in pretty personal social conversation, suggesting that Norco is a fairly tightly knit community. 

It was also really interesting driving around Norco seeing how many parties and barbeques there were going on. We must have passed 4 or 5 parties happening outside. I noticed that there were blacks and whites interacting at these parties, and theres seemed to be no racial tension. Also interesting was the fact that even with all the health and safety concerns associated with the refinery, there was a playground and houses right next to the huge chimneys and boilers. I suppose the residents of Norco have decided they can't live in fear of the plant, and the must instead learn to exist with it as best they can. 

Shell Norco Refinery

Entry 1 ~ History of Norco

As early as the late 18th century, the area that is currently known as Norco was used for plantations that grew sugarcane. The land was officially given the name “Sarpy” when a post office opened around April, 1886. In December of 1894, Thomas Sellers purchased the land and the town name was changed to “Sellers.” Under Thomas Sellers, the town developed positions for a Sheriff, an Assessor, a Clerk of the Court, and a Superintendent.

After the turn of the 19th century, business in Sellers changed from agriculture and lumber to industry when oil became the prominent focus of industrialists. In 1916, E.B. Rowan obtained four hundred and sixty acres in Sellers and opened the New Orleans Refinery Company. Homes were built around the refinery as employment and population began to rise. Built between Sellers and the former town of Good Hope (both of which are present day Norco,) mail was sent to post offices of both towns, which created problems for the New Orleans Refinery Company. The post mistress of Sellers, Lillie Schexnaildre, and manager of the company, Charles Melancon, met to develop a solution. By using the first letters of the words of the Refinery’s name, the name “Norco” was created.

Prior to the name change, Shell Oil Company bought land and began business producing energy. This opening produced numerous jobs that drew habitants from many nearby parishes. Population continued to rapidly increase as Shell put Norco on the map as an industrial hot spot.

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, several other jobs and businesses opened in Norco as the town continued to develop. The Luling-Hahnville Bank opened a branch and doctors began to migrate to the area. It was also during this time that construction of churches began as Catholicism became the most prominent religion. Shell Oil and the New Orleans Refinery Company opened private schools to best accommodate their employees’ children. As far as public schools in Norco, they remained segregated until a local court order finally enforced the Brown ruling in 1965.

Norco’s industry had yet to peak. In 1955, Shell Oil opened the Shell Chemical Company, which continued to increase employment. By 1972, the plant had more than doubled in size. Shell also built tennis courts, swimming courts, a baseball stadium, and a golf course for their employees. Today, Shell still employs hundreds of Norco residents.

Demographic Profile - Entry #3

*Per Square Mile

Note: Demographics do not report population fluctuations in response to Hurricane Katrina. Norco residents report a drop in the Black population Post-Katrina.

Entry 2

Overview:

Our Stops:

A: Club 99

B: Dollar General

C: Sub Shop

D: Reception Hall

E: Library

F: Playground

G: Civic Center

H: Birthday Party