Losing Ground
Documenting Louisiana’s Disappearing Coastal Communities - MSS 1036
An oral history project that records the history and culture of Gulf Coast communities endangered by coastal land loss.
During the 20th century, the construction of levees and dams on the Lower Mississippi nearly halted the natural process of land creation from sediment the Mississippi River would deposit in its delta region. In the same period, the oil and gas industry carved almost 10,000 miles of transportation canals through the coastal marshes, leading to saltwater intrusion and land loss. Major storms, from Hurricane Betsy in 1965 to Hurricane Ida in 2021, have exacerbated this threat. These factors, combined with rising ocean levels due to climate change, make coastal communities in the Greater New Orleans region increasingly vulnerable. Many are unlikely to survive the 21st century.
The Losing Ground oral history project is a long-term effort to document threatened Gulf Coast communities as residents face difficult decisions about abandoning their generational homes and settlements. The project collects oral narratives from residents, in addition to photographs and ephemera, that document life in threatened places. It also includes an extensive review of HNOC’s holdings to help guide future acquisitions to build on our historic understanding of these communities—before they disappear forever.
Explore the Interviews
All oral history interviews are available, in their entirety, through our online catalog. To access audio recordings and transcripts, click the links beneath the contributor names below, which will take you to each corresponding catalog page. Scroll down to the View Online field to find links to audio and transcript files.
Contributors
Royal Ann Moll
Tina Freeman
Ben Depp
Margaret Orr
Lawrence “Bren” Haase
Robert Twilley
Mark Davis
Windell Curole
Albert “Rusty” Gaudé
David Muth
Alvin E. Duvernay III
Steve Mathies
Mary Landrieu
Denise Reed
Oral History
HNOC’s oral history program preserves diverse personal narratives, fostering a richer collective memory through interviews and vignettes.
Related Stories
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Photographer Ben Depp uses a paraglider to capture wetland views that are as beautiful as they are alarming.
How Nutria Took Over Louisiana
What started as a South American import to bolster the fur economy became an invasive threat. From sporting shootouts to nutria gumbo, the state has struggled to cope.
Related Collection Highlights
Zanatta Editions Environmental Art Prints
A collection of prints by Jacqueline Bishop and Douglas Bourgeois, donated by art publisher Zanatta Editions, probes the complex relationship between humans and the natural environment.
Related Exhibitions
Edge of Tomorrow: Aerial Views of Louisiana’s Changing Coastline by Ben Depp
Related Virtual Exhibitions
Enigmatic Stream: Industrial Landscapes of the Lower Mississippi River
Photographs by Richard Sexton capture the essence of a complicated, often mysterious section of the country’s largest waterway.
Related Books
Enigmatic Stream: Industrial Landscapes of the Lower Mississippi River
by Richard Sexton
with essays by Paul Schneider and John H. Lawrence
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