Wooden Boat Festival
Wooden Boat Festival
During the Fall, you can check out the Wooden Boat Festival held at the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum. The museum's educational programs are hands-on and feature model boats and hands-on activities. You can also learn about the history of lighthouse keeping with presentations by Lighthouse Keeper Frederick Schrieber. The museum also hosts the annual Wooden Boat Festival in October. It is located at 133 Mabel Dr, Madisonville, LA 70447, United States 133 Mabel Dr, Madisonville, LA 70447. More Here
The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum is located on the scenic Tchefuncte River in Madisonville, Louisiana. It takes visitors on a journey through maritime Louisiana's history. The museum's educational programs include hands-on boat building, hands-on field trips, and the restoration of the Tchefuncte River Lighthouse. Visitors are encouraged to participate in the Wooden Boat Festival and participate in a tournament to benefit the museum and community.
The museum is home to a variety of maritime artifacts, including historic pictures and models. One exhibit features a 1900 Madisonville shipyard, which built massive wooden ships for the U.S. Navy. Life-size models of a Civil War submarine and a vintage steamboat also are on display. This museum is a wonderful place for families and children of all ages. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly.
Several projects in the area were completed in 2008, including the restoration of the Tchefuncte River Lighthouse. The lighthouse, built in 1837, is a symbol of maritime history and Louisiana culture. The original tower was destroyed during the Civil War, but was reconstructed in 1867-1868 on the same foundation.
The museum also hosts the Madisonville Lighthouse, a historic structure that was destroyed during the Civil War and rebuilt from the same brick. The museum also has a collection of early light keepers as well as lighthouse parts from other Louisiana lighthouses. The museum also has the lens of the Chandeleur Lighthouse, which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Lake Pontchartrain was created between 2,600 and 4,000 years ago. In the Mississippi River Delta, it was formed with alluvial deposits. The Indigenous people of the region called the lake Okwata. This name was later changed to Pontchartrain by explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville in the 17th century.
The Lake Pontchartrain Basin is an important part of Louisiana's maritime history and culture. Native Americans, European explorers, and early settlers relied on the rivers and bayous to move around the region. These waterways connected the interior to the sea. Today, they are still a source of cultural and economic history.