Myths about the Westbank – DEBUNKED!

Hello. If you’re a native to this Greater New Orleans area, (and we all are, even if we don’t all start out that way) you’ve probably heard some unflattering, untrue things about the western side of the great Mississippi river. (Well, technically southern side, but that’s a whole other issue.)

Allow me to help dispel some of these stereotypes and generalizations about the Westbank for you.

#1 – There is an invisible force field that makes the journey to and from prohibitive.

FALSE

I am happy to say that this is very untrue. I take at least one bridge at least 2 times a day, and my car has never slipped into an otherworldly dimension. In fact, the Huey P. Long bridge in Jefferson Parish has recently undergone an overhaul. Eastbankers, you can now travel in your OWN lane instead of straddling the line, hogging up two lanes as you previously did.

#2 – There aren’t a lot of dining options on the Westbank.

FALSE

Ok, when I hear this one, I know the speaker has never set foot on the Westbank. We boast some of the best restaurants in the city, from fancy-pants (Banana Blossom) to neighborhood classics (Mo’s Pizza of Westwego), to a bizarre combination of the two (just how do you explain Mosca’s, exactly?) and that’s not even scraping the roux. One could argue (as I do all the time) that the Westbank (and New Orleans East) is responsible for the current Vietnamese/Pho craze, and by the way you are very welcome.

We have fancy restaurants, too.

#3 – We are all related/all know each other.

FALSE/Ok, kinda true.

No, we are not all related, although there are some last names that you seem to hear more on the Westbank than anywhere else. But there is very rarely more than 2 or 3 degrees of separation between you and the person in the car next to you in the Harvey Tunnel – so watch your driving. They might know your maw maw.

#4- The Westbank is a ‘rural,’ or ‘undeveloped’ area.

FALSE

This one I hear probably the most often. My friend Sarah once had someone ask her if she took a pirogue to school. Yep, a pirogue. Sarah lived in Gretna. I also had a coworker a number of years ago when the Wii was sold out. She asked me if she could give me some money and I could go the Gamestop on Barataria and buy one for her there, since “Westbankers couldn’t afford it.” After tossing my hand on my hip and spitting out, “Ok, FIRST of all, Deborah!” (because of course her name was Deborah) I explained to her that if a community can support a Gamestop, the people around it can afford a Wii.

This is the Jefferson Parish Courthouse, it’s in Gretna!

#5 – There’s no place to shop

FALSE

I could end this quickly and just mention that we DO have our very own Fleurty Girl.
But we also have most of the major “big box” stores: Target, multiple Wal-Marts, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc. We also boast a number of small family shops that have been around for years, perhaps most famously Szabo’s Party Supplies, which is still the best place in the city to get cups printed or for hard to find cake decorating items.

Also, Marrero has Mr. Nola’s Glitter … A. Glitter. Store.

You know you’ve made it when you get an “FG”…

#6 – It takes so long to get there and back!

FALSE

I once attended an event in the CBD and mentioned to someone that I had come from old Gretna, which is literally right over the bridge. “You poor thing!” She exclaimed. “Coming all that way!” She lives in LaPlace. Even in the “deeper” areas of the Westbank, the way the infrastructure has been laid out makes it very easy to get around. Consider that it is 9.9 miles from the Belle Chasse tunnel (that’s Plaquemines Parish, y’all) to the Superdome- and 9 miles even from Clearview Mall. Bet you didn’t know that.

#7 – It’s all the same.

FALSE

We’re made up of several distinct areas, including places like Gretna, Jean Lafitte and Westwego, which are actual cities with their own mayors, police departments, etc. You know Westwego, right? It’s where you go to get your license renewed, but you gotta drive five MPH slower than a sloth. Lumping Gretna together with Avondale is like saying someone from Kennah, bruh is from River Ridge. It’s inaccurate and gauche.

#8 – The education options on the Westbank are stagnant and unchanged.

FALSE

Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy in Avondale is ranked by U. S. News and World Report as #2 high school in the state. Thomas Jefferson – #6. Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies and Marrero Academy for Advanced Studies are rated numbers 13 and 14 elementary schools in the state, respectively.

#9 – The Westbank is ugly.

FALSE

This one hurts, guys.

I’m not going to pretend that the dilapidated factory on 4th Street fills me with romance and wonder, but there are a comparable number of eyesores on your side of the water (and you all know it…) If we are craving nature, Westbankers can choose to enjoy not one, but two beautiful options: Bayou Segnette, a state park or Jean Lafitte, a National Park and Preserve, without even bothering to fill the tank.

For nightlife, Algiers Point has quaint corner restaurants and even an English pub!
The Westbank has stately, historic homes, sweeping oaks, and magnificent views of that gorgeous, intoxicating, devastating city that we all adore, and call home.

English pub in the Point, mate!

#10- Luling isn’t the Westbank.

FALSE.

Y’all the Westbank. Deal with it, Luling.

Jeanne Rougelot
Jeanne is a proud Westbanker and wife, full time working parent, and middle child. She and her insanely handsome husband of 20 years have 2 daughters, aged 15 and 7. Her hobbies include cake decorating, reading, devouring movies, and slowly turning into her mother. When they are not patronizing local restaurants, she and her family enjoy driving around to take in the surroundings of their home, from Lafitte to Folsom, and all points in between. She is a passionate advocate for Ovarian Cancer Awareness.

13 COMMENTS

  1. And did you know that the Old Gretna Fleurty Girl is our training and on-boarding location for all new hires? I am Jennifer Shea- a born and raised Westbanker and also the Development Director for Fleurty Girl LLC and Store Manager of the Fleurty Girl Old Gretna store. Come shop with us! We love our customers from either “bank”. ?✅??

    • Al Shea your dad? My sister used to live right behind your mom& dad. Your mom gave her a sweater of yours when he had her Jennifer. It had your name knitted into it, all over. I lived on that corner. Liked watching him on TV.

      • Yes! That’s me. Dad passed away in 2009, and I can proudly say, he was on television, appearing or reviewing stage and screen from the age of 18 to 80 without missing a beat! The “JENNIFER” sweater was green with pale yellow writing. My Aunt Bettina knitted that sweater… I loved it! There have been times that I wondered what happened to it-It was so original, but alas, I grew out of it! Thank you for reaching out and hope you are doing well!

  2. I once heard someone reference the Westbank as the “country”. I exclaimed “The country!!??!! You have to go a ways to hit country!!” I was born and raised on the Westbank and consider myself a city girl, not country!

  3. Clean creations offers Healthy meal options and smoothies in our grab and go in beautiful old Gretna on Lafayette st! Also an awesome upscale Beauty boutique that does Brows, lashes, makeup etc right down the street from us! (Beauty boutique)

  4. I love this article! The west bank is a small community where everyone knows everyone and it is mostly a good thing. 🙂 From doors we don’t have to lock to traffic jams that dont exist….there is no place to live and love in the area than the west bank!!!!

    🙂
    Paige

  5. I believe I can top some of these. I once knew a woman who lived with her parents in Metairie. When I went over to her house for the first time, all I heard was “The Westbank has such white trash” “All that lives there are poor, white people”. I tried to explain the error in there statement, but they refused to hear it.

  6. Love love love this article! I was born and raised in Algiers and now live in Marrero. I work in Metairie and constantly have people say terrible things about the Westbank. A lady once apologized to me and said “you must see awful things” because I lived in Algiers. So dumb! I had to share this to my facebook page for my youtube channel. We cover horror, nerd and New Orleans related stuff. We have a couple videos that have shown Friendship Day in Algiers Point. But thanks again for this article!

    • I work in Metry, too! There’s so little understanding about the Westbank, I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, and thanks for sharing it!!!!

  7. I too grew up on the Westbank, moved away and now living in N.O. East. I went from bad on the Westbank to the “worst crime-ridden part of the city” in a beautiful 3200 square foot home in a gated subdivision in N.O. East, but that’s another story for another day. I loved growing up on the Westbank and hate the negative comments that I hear. My experience was great, my high school was well diverse and my experience afforded me the opportunity to be well rounded. Just recently, a co-worker mentioned that he was looking to purchase a home (he’s from Mississippi), dating a girl from Metairie. She promised that if he bought the home, they would break up. Sadly, people view Westbankers are subpar and beneath the rest of the people in the city.

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