Gentilly Woods (Claiborne, St. Gabriel, Kinder: homes, magnet school, living)

[Daisy8]

Wow...I've never heard anything but negative things about that area. Thank you for giving me new perspective. The neighborhood I grew up in Shreveport was very much the same as you describe, but it also has seen MUCH better days.

Thanks for sharing memories. It sounds like it was a great place to grow up back in the day. Here's hoping it will return to its former glory.

[wallyburger]

Toupsee - I had Ms Stroll for kindergarten, Mrs Rigden, Mrs, Davies, Mrs Barnes and Mrs Honeree...yeah it hard to believe we can remember that stuff but sometimes it doesn't seem that long ago.

[wallyburger]

Originally Posted by Drouzin

When I was a kid my plan was to run away to Canal St. because the street lights had the cross the street signs, and I would live in Maison Blanche.

Thanks for the memory jog Wally

Drouzin - the best part of that plan would be hanging out with Mr. Bingle in the front window at Christmas.

[Drouzin]

Oh wow, I didn't even think of that advantage! I guess on some level I was much more practical I was worried about how I was going to cross the street with out permission. Of course this is coming from the same kid who ate dry catfood with her lemonade .

[toupsee]

Oh, Mrs. Stroll! Everyone loved her. Your class cooked and did all sorts of wonderful things. All the other 2nd grade classes were so jealous of that grandmotherly teacher.
Yeah, seems like yesterday. Then reality sets in when I see my AARP card.

[bradford2024]

I grew up on Congress Dr. and lived there until around 1995. Claiborne was changed and I think at one point was even owned by St. Gabriel's. Reading through brings back old memories. I still remember seeing First Blood and the first Superman at the Gentilly Woods theatre - lol. I rode through the neighborhood a few months ago to see what has become of it - it looked just as bad as St. Bernard. I still remember when we even had a Maison Blanche in the neighborhood.

[Drouzin]

Sigh, I passed by St. Ferdinand drive just to see what was happening and there is a new roof on our old house, but Gram's house on the corner was gone. I miss eating lunch with my former co-workers at the Picadilly's in the mall. Bradford, lol, I had just convinced myself that The Parish wasn't too awful bad; I guess I've just gotten used to it.

[bluejean53]

I attended WCC about 63-65. I also was curious about the school recently. I got on google earth and did a little fly by, and then down to street level look. Wow , is all I could think of. The street level photos were taken sometime after Katrina. Not sure of the time. The school is boarded up and closed it looks like. And yes, they changed the name. Google earth allows you to look at the school from the streets around the school. its quite a shock, because the memories start to return, and then you see the reality of this torn up school. The buildings look the same as I remember them, the playground still there--it all comes back.
I'd like to know current status just for curiousity sake.

[tokdl]

I sort of remember moving on Congress Dr. just as " *Zare " was opening. For some odd reason I really liked that store, now the entire complex is a "Store all" storage facility. Last time I drove down Congress it was looking a bit better than what Katrina did to it. Can only hope and pray that this past storm was much more forgiving.

[Gil3]

Originally Posted by bradford2024

I grew up on Congress Dr. and lived there until around 1995. Claiborne was changed and I think at one point was even owned by St. Gabriel's. Reading through brings back old memories. I still remember seeing First Blood and the first Superman at the Gentilly Woods theatre - lol. I rode through the neighborhood a few months ago to see what has become of it - it looked just as bad as St. Bernard. I still remember when we even had a Maison Blanche in the neighborhood.

I had a couple of relatives that lived in that area in the 70s and I remember my mother taking me there and to the Mall. At that time, the area was well kept and there was little crime. As mentioned, the neighborhood and surrounding areas went downhill way before Katrina.