Poydras Louisiana Shell Road to N.O Phillips Land Co Real Photo Postcard

Poydras, Louisiana, an unincorporated community in St. Bernard Parish, historically functioned as an agricultural area southeast of New Orleans. The shell road depicted was a prevalent form of early 20th-century infrastructure in the Gulf South, where crushed oyster or clam shells provided a durable and well-draining surface in regions lacking traditional gravel or bedrock. Such roads were vital arteries, connecting rural farming communities like Poydras to the major port and economic hub of New Orleans (N.O.), facilitating trade and transport.