Chef Menteur Pass Bridge

Thank you to all who have provided this information regarding our beloved

Chef Menteur Bridge (Also known as the Long-Simpson Bridge).

I had the privilege of growing up in the Chef Menteur community in the 1950's-1970's.

My husband's father, along with his brothers, owned the Marques Brothers' Seafood Restaurant located at the foot of the bridge. It was "The" place to go to enjoy fresh seafood straight from Lake Pontchartrain.

In the 1930's, my grandfather, Gabriel Vinot, was one of the first bridge tenders to operate the bridge. In the years to come, two of my uncles became bridge tenders of our beloved bridge.

I possess many beautiful memories of this small fishing community and the people who spent many leisurely hours at Marques Restaurant, as well as the many fisherman who worked every day to provide the community with the freshest

seafood our gumbo pots could hold.

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your post.

Pauline Marques

New Orleans, LA

"Chef Menteur," which is part of the place-name for several geographic features in the Orleans Parish area including this bridge, is a French phrase that translates to "Lying Chief." This is commonly understood to derive from the Choctaw phrase of the same meaning, "oulabe mingo." This was NOT a nice phrase with the Choctaw, who were famed for hating liars. Depending on your historical source, this appellation was given to former French Colonial Governor Louis Belcourt, Chevalier de Kerlerec after violating a treaty with them; the Mississippi River, whose path through the Delta Region was notoriously untrustworthy before the levees were built; or a deposed Choctaw Chief whose other names are lost to history. This possibly mythical "Chef Menteur" was exiled by the Choctaw to what is now known as the Point aux Herbes" area of the shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

Picture taken in 1965.

Wow. Many thanks to you and Mr.Erikson and Mr. Miser for the information! This website is a great resource!

There are no markings visible. The photo and frame seem to be stuck together due to age. I think any attempt to separate them to see the back of the photo may cause damage.

Again, many thanks! And if anyone wishes to inspect this photo or display it somewhere, I would be glad to ship it and freely lend it.

Ralph Nazario

Ralph......I think Mr. Erickson may have found your bridge here!

The truss type; number of spans; number of panels in the closest span......and they all seem to line up.

Not saying that there isn't another 3-span Warren through with a center swing-span out there somewhere......but this one looks like a real possibility.

Just out of curiosity, have you taken the photo out of the frame to see if there is any writing on the back?

a photo

The bridge re-opened a few weeks ago. (Today is 8-24-06)

Side Note: The camps that lined Chef Hwy have been completely wiped out. Fort Pike, which is next to the Rigolets swing bridge, took a beating from Katrina. Also, the bridge at the Rigolets is open and the construction on the new bridge is progressing well.

chef pass bridge has been closed to thru traffic since being damaged from katrina. does anyone know if it is open yet or when it will open?