Sassagoula Delta Claimed In The Name Of France, 1704!
The Beginning of Port Orleans

The city’s famous port was the original landing place of
Pierre d’Orr and Philip Leane when they claimed
the land in the name of France.

It wasn’t until 1704 that Pierre d’Orr and Philip Leane sailed up the Sassagoula. Realizing that the mouth of the Sassagoula would someday produce a great trading port and the fertile lands would provide a rich bounty of harvests, they decided to settle there. The delta they chose hosted a wilderness teeming with wildlife and fauna worthy of only the most adventurous and hearty pioneers.

The two men envisioned a city teaming with markets and trading houses and quaint boulevards with fine homes and shops. It would be the perfect location for the fulfillment of their fathers’ dreams and it all became official in September of 1704 when Pierre and Philip claimed the land in the name of France. A full ten years had passed since the expedition was formed but the city of Port Orleans was born, its name honoring the two families that were responsible for its existence.

Article quoted from the Sassagoula Sentinel, circa 1994