Saint Bernard Parish is named for Saint Bernard, who was the patron saint of Bernardo de Galvez, who granted land to the Canary Islanders who settled in the area in 1778 while Louisiana was under Spanish rule.
Created: March 31, 1807
Parish Seat:
St. Bernard 1807 – 1939
Chalmette 1939 – present
Parish Courthouse – Chalmette
Location: 1101 East Bernard Highway / Jackson Boulevard
Built: 1939 – 1940
Style: Art Deco
Architect: Weiss, Dreyfous & Seiferth
Contractor: R P Farnsworth & Company, Inc.
Description: The building faces south and is a three story cream colored stone and concrete structure. The building is located on Courthouse Square with landscaped grounds. The south front has five recessed vertical sections with entrances on the first story and glass panels above. There is a wide header below the roof line. The east and west wings are lower and recessed. The roof line is flat. The building was damaged by hurricane Katrina in 2005 and was renovated from 2005 to 2013. The architect was Beazley Moliere Architects and the contractor was Landis Construction Company. The building is named as the Jack F Rowley Courthouse. On the north side is Courthouse Square constructed in 2010 to 2012. The architect was Fauntheroy, Latham, Weldon, Barre Architects and the contractor was F H Myers Construction Company.
Note: The courthouse was the brain child of architect Solis Seiferth and was inspired by the grand temple of Mesopotamia, an ancient building in Iraq. Construction was completed by laborers under the works Progress Administration during the Great Depression.
Old Parish Courthouse – St. Bernard
Location: 1201 Bayou Road / Beauregard Lane
Built: 1915 – 1916
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: Toledano and Wogon
Contractor: Unknown ( J C Bourg )
Description: The building faces south and is a three story cream colored poured concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds and was part of the Beauregard High School, The building was damaged by hurricane Katrina in 2005 and was renovated from 2005 to 2013.
Note: The first courthouse was built on the site in 1848 and was destroyed by fire in 1884. The second courthouse was built by Harmon Turner in 1884 and the building was destroyed by a hurricane in 1915.
Courthouses:
N – Orleans Parish, Hancock County, Mississippi and Harrison County, Mississippi
E – Gulf of Mexico
S – Gulf of Mexico
W – Plaquemines Parish and Orleans Parish
Construction 2011
Photos taken 2011 and 2017