Way Down Yonder in Plaquemines, Parish Histories

A Louisiana historian presents the definitive history of Plaquemines Parish, the rich land that encompasses the mouth of the Mississippi River.

“Way down yonder, at the mouth of the Mississippi River sits a land like no other on this continent. A land occupied by man but belonging to a force greater than he.” So begins Janice P. Buras’ history of Louisiana’s Plaquemines Parish (County). Land, however, is an imprecise term. The Plaquemines could be more accurately described as marsh, or swamp, or even water. Yet this isolated area has also been home to people of many different cultures throughout the history of Louisiana.

With some of the most fertile soil in the world, the varieties of plant life found in Plaquemines are almost as numerous as the many stories that arise on its riverbanks. In her crusade to spread the word about her beloved Plaquemines Parish, Buras has published a monthly magazine highlighting its people and events. Now this dedicated local historian has written the definitive history of this unique corner of the world.