Long before the Mermentau Navigational Channel was cut to facilitate marine traffic, the Mermentau River emptied into the Gulf in the general vicinity of the present-day Rutherford Beach pavilion. Hackberry Beach was on the east side of the river, Rutherford Beach was on the west side. Surprisingly, many modern maps still show the river emptying out near the pavilion, but it has long since silted over.
The following is a 1931 map from the Louisiana Digital Library. Rutherford Beach (before it was Rutherford Beach) is across the river from Hackberry Beach.
Following is a tidbit of information on each beach from the 1900 - 1918 time frame.
Hackberry Beach, south of Oak Grove on the Gulf, was a resort area years ago and two hotels operated there - the Portie Hotel and another hotel whose name may be lost to time. Tourists from Lake Arthur and beyond would take boats down the Mermentau River and while away the hours on the beach. After scouring the Cameron Pilot Archives, I have found two mentions of the two hotels. The first mention is in an April 24, 1959 article:
The second mention is in this excerpt from a June 6, 1963 article:
The Unnamed Hotel
While conducting research, I discovered the following information in "The Birth of Jennings" by Walter D. Morse. While most of the book is about Jennings, LA, there is a page dedicated to a steamboat trip taken down the Calcasieu River to Cameron, across to Grand Chenier, and back on the Mermentau River.
On that page is a picture of this hotel:
The following is speculation on my part, but I believe it is solid speculation. I believe the picture above of The "Hotel" is the second unnamed hotel that stood on Hackberry Beach. I base that belief on the following:
1. The description "the beach near Cameron," not the beach at Cameron or the Cameron Beach.
2. Board-and-batten construction very similar to the board-and-batten construction shown on the Portie Hotel below. Granted this could have been the construction method of choice throughout the area, but it could also indicate both hotels were built by the same carpenter.
3. Very similar upper window locations on both hotels, with the top of the windows very near the roof line. Again, this could have been the construction method of choice throughout the area, but it could also indicate both hotels were built by the same carpenter.
4. The most compelling reason is the trip route. "Down the Calcasieu River to Cameron, across to Grand Chenier, and back on the Mermentau River" would have taken the traveling group within literally a stone's throw of the hotel on Hackberry Beach.
A point that I find interesting - the trip route states "across to Grand Chenier and back on the Mermentau." Obviously, to get to "today's Grand Chenier" you would take the Mermentau to Grand Chenier, not go to Grand Chenier and then get on the Mermentau. But I think there is a logical explanation. Notice in the caption with the picture of the Portie Hotel below, "the Joseph Portie Hotel built at Grand Chenier around 1908" but in handwriting at the end of the caption is "This was on the beach." It's not hard to imagine that the mouth of the Mermentau River was considered to be the start of Grand Chenier by local mariners and steamboat captains in 1900.
The Portie Hotel
To my knowledge, this is the only photo of the Portie Hotel. The 1918 hurricane destroyed the hotel and other hurricanes have long since destroyed all traces of the resort. (Photo from the Cameron Pilot)
There is a story related in Kathy LaCombe-Tell's "Oak Grove Community" about two girls with long hair being found hung in a large oak tree on top of the bluff following the 1918 hurricane. They were believed to have come from Hackberry Beach.
From this same era (approximately 3 years after the Portie Hotel was built), swimmers are shown on Rutherford Beach in 1911. Although there is no way to know for certain, I suspect they came by boat down the Mermentau River to enjoy some time at the resort. To my knowledge, this is the earliest photo from Rutherford Beach. (Photo from the Cameron Pilot)
Recollections in the June 24, 1971 Cameron Pilot. Last sentence mentions excursions to Hackberry Beach.
Recollections in the August 14, 2003 Cameron Pilot. Last sentence mentions the road to Rutherford Beach.
Story continues in The 1920s & 1930s - Journey Through Rutherford Beach History.
Comments