Slidell, Louisiana

Slidell, Louisiana
City
City of Slidell
Heritage Park in Slidell
Nickname(s): The Camellia City (official), The Dell
Slidell, Louisiana Location of Slidell in Louisiana
Coordinates: 30°16′45″N 89°46′40″W / 30.27917°N 89.77778°W / 30.27917; -89.77778Coordinates: 30°16′45″N 89°46′40″W / 30.27917°N 89.77778°W / 30.27917; -89.77778
Country	United States
States	Louisiana
Parish	St. Tammany
Government
• Type	Mayor
• Body	Freddy Drennan
Population (2010)
• Total	27,068
• Density	1,828.9/km2 (1/sq mi)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	70458, 70459, 70460, 70461, 70469
Area code(s)	985
Website	myslidell.com

Slidell /slaɪˈdɛl/ is the largest city situated on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain and St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 27,068 at the 2010 census. Greater Slidell has a population of about 90,000. It is part of the New Orleans−Metairie−Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area.

One of the earlier settlers to the area was John William Gause. Along with a younger brother, Wesley Coke Asbury Gause, Judge Wingate, and several others, they left Shallotte, North Carolina, on February 18, and arrived at Pearlington, Mississippi, on April 14, 1836. Wesley and his family decided to remain there, while John and family decided to cross the Pearl River, and built a log cabin on the west bank, just a little further south. He then began a lumber mill, in the fledgling town later to be 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 located at the northwest area of where Gause Boulevard crosses the railroad track. The log cabin was built at the very 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.