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.”