If Slidell had to give credit to any one thing being responsible for what it has grown into today, hands down, it would have to be the railroad that runs through the middle of Slidell today, parallel to Front St. Before the railroad came to Slidell, there was no easy way to get goods to the north. Then in 1881 engineers announced that it was possible to build a line directly across Lake Pontchartrain. From that point on, Slidell has not stopped growing. Train tracks needed creosote cross ties, the building of the railroad trestle required the need for pilings, and bridge timbers. To accommodate these needs, a creosote plant was built on Bayou Bonfouca, spurring growth of the local economy so much that any able bodied man who wanted a job could get one. One of the nation’s largest brick companies was also formed around this time here, St. Joe Brick, originally named the Fritz-Salmen Brickyard. A large lumber mill, and shipyard also sprout in the area, providing growth around that time.

With all of this growth and prosperity, the city of Slidell was founded in 1882, and eventually chartered as a town in 1888. From that point on, Slidell has not quit growing. In 1901, the St. Tammany Farmer, Covington’s weekly newspaper, wrote that “Slidell had six churches, three schools, a sawmill, five saloons, six stores, two brickyards, three barber shops, four fruit stands, and several other local favorites too numerous to mention.” It was said that Slidell was “two-towns-long and half-a-town-wide.” In 1890 the population was 364, over the next 100 years, Slidell’s population gained over 24,000 more people. In the 1960′s alone, Slidell’s population tripled due to the NASA space program. Slidell housed a NASA computer on Gause Blvd, the current home of Textron Marine. Fifteen minutes away, in New Orleans east, was the Michoud Assembly Facility, and in nearby Bay St. Louis, was the John C. Stennis Space Center. Today Slidell has a population of over 30,000 residents, making it the largest city in the parish and a major suburb of New Orleans.

Situated at the junction of three major interstates, I-10, I-12, & I-59, and a rail system running in every direction Slidell sits poised to continue to grow with the times. Along with a usual thriving economy, Slidell is also a sportsman paradise, offering opportunities for hunting, fishing, crabbing, shrimping, crawfishing, swimming, boating, & camping, almost literally in your own backyard. No matter what you are looking for, it seems Slidell has something for everyone. Below I have the MLS displayed for the great city of Slidell. If you see any real estate that you are interested in please feel free to contact me at your convenience so that you too can also call Slidell home.