122.5 LBD Ormand Landing and Plantation

The plantation house at Ormand is believed to be one of the oldest still standing in Louisiana. Its central portion is framed in cypress timbers, mortised and pegged, and the frame filled with a mud, moss and brick mixture, lathed and stuccoed over. This is the oldest type of construction found in Louisiana, and indicates that the house was built before 1790. Two brick wings appear to have been later additions to the house. Just below Ormand plantation was an old building that had served as a river landmark from 1806 to 1930. German settlers in the area had built a log church on the river bank in 1740, and in 1806 had replaced it with a neat frame building. They painted the church red, and the steamboat pilots called it "Red Church." When the Red Church was found to be riddled with termites in 1930, it was demolished and replaced by a new brick one. A statue of St. Charles, more than 100 years old, was taken from the old church and is still in use in the new one. (Braggs)

123 RBD Dufresne

Good low/med water picnicking/camping up to 12NO with good protection from S wind and W wind or storms.

An unusual collection of sand dunes and one lengthy sandbar can be found at low and medium waters around the outside edge of Twenty-Six Mile Point from a low bar height at its upper end beginning around RBD 124 and rising to its highest prominence in a large dune at low water, that should provide room for camping up to around 12 NO gage. At 123 RBD, directly behind the channel crossing mileage sign “123” there is a clearing which extend to the levee, providing easy access to the land if needed. Great campsite in a tropical-feeling location (in low/med water conditions) with leafy willows luxuriantly spreading over the sun-drenched beach sand, and elephant ears and flowering plants in the bankside behind.