Louisiana Has A Lost Island Town That Most People Don’t Know About

Isles Dernière, often referred to as Last Island, was located just south of Cocodrie.

The island was about 25 miles long and known for its crystal clear water, cool sea breezes, and pristine sandy beaches. There were about 100 beach homes, a resort, gambling dens, and more. It was such a popular destination that there was a regular steamer service between mainland and Last Island.

Later named Last Island Hurricane, the storm killed roughly 200 of the 400 people on the island at the time. The Star, a ship that provided regular transportation to and from the mainland, was scheduled to pick up passengers for evacuation, but got caught up in the storm and was shipwrecked on the shores, forcing them to wait out the storm on the island. The wrecked vessel became a shelter for those who could make it to the ship, but many vacationers were presumably swept out to sea by the storm surge.

The hurricane demolished every structure on the island, left it completely void of vegetation, and actually split the island in half. The resort was never rebuilt and the destruction was so intense that the former paradise was never again inhabited by humans.

Louisiana’s ever-changing coastline has greatly impacted the history of our state in countless ways, just one of which was the loss of Isles Dernière.