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Regular Session, 2010 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 166
BY SENATOR MARTINY
A RESOLUTION
To commend the city of Harahan, Louisiana, on the celebration of its ninetieth birthday and
to recognize this memorable and joyous occasion of July 24, 2010, as Harahan Day
in Louisiana.
WHEREAS, it is appropriate to congratulate the citizens of Harahan for their city's
bounty, cultural heritage, and unique history; and
WHEREAS, in1715, a land grant from the French government, located in the
Territory of Orleans, was ceded to the LaFreniere family; those six thousand acres comprised
a portion of what would later be known as East Jefferson Parish, positioned between the
Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, and LaFreniere Plantation was carved from that
tract of land; and
WHEREAS, the city's locale sets on a portion of the plantation which was renamed
by successive owners as Elmwood Plantation, St. Peter Plantation, and St. George
Plantation; and
WHEREAS, until the Twentieth Century, the area remained largely a rural region of
farms, dairies, and vast tracts of undeveloped land until the 1890s, when the local industrial
economy emerged, and Illinois Central Railroad constructed several rail yards and a
locomotive roundhouse, that supported a vast track system, and the country borough soon
became the hub of a prosperous rail and freight center; and
WHEREAS, the municipality, itself, is unique in character as well as name, in that
no other city in the United States is called, "Harahan", named in honor of a president of the
Illinois Central Railroad, 1841-1912, James Theodore Harahan; and
WHEREAS, the community of Harahan was incorporated in 1920 as the first official
act of newly-elected Governor John Parker; the village plat was bordered on the east by
Power Road, on the north by the tracks of the Illinois Central Railroad, on the west by Folse
Street, and on the south by the Mississippi River, and had two other streets, Oak and
Hickory; and SR NO. 166 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, as the economy of Jefferson Parish grew, Harahan also prospered with
a direct connection to the commercial district of Canal Street in New Orleans by way of the
Orleans-Kenner Trolley Line, for which O.K. Avenue is named; and
WHEREAS, known as the City of Friendship, Harahan's growth and history have
been intrinsically linked to New Orleans due to its close proximity, however, the
municipality stands on its own as an attractive, distinct, and vibrant community; and
WHEREAS, Harahan sustains a wide range of manufacturers, retail businesses, and
service industries; and
WHEREAS, Harahan remains a solid, residential community and home to nearly ten
thousand Jefferson Parish residents; and
WHEREAS, Harahan is a "youthful" metropolis with forty-five percent of the
population under the age of forty years of age; and
WHEREAS, a favorite son of Harahan is former state senator and American Football
Hall of Fame member, Hank Lauricella; and
WHEREAS, the city of Harahan merits a special measure of commendation for the
tremendous pride and honor that it brings to the state of Louisiana with its uniquely rich
historical and cultural legacy.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend the city of Harahan upon the joyous and memorable occasion of the
celebration of its ninetieth birthday and to recognize July 24, 2010, as Harahan Day.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does
hereby commend the citizens of Harahan, both past and present, for their outstanding
accomplishments and for their extraordinary contributions to the state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be transmitted to
Mayor Paul Johnston of Harahan and to Steve Theriot, president of Jefferson Parish.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE