Only a thousand years ago, Plaquemines Parish was being formed by the Mississippi River. This wild and organic land was first home to Native Americans, who lived off the water much as we do today. In 1682, the French explorer La Salle claimed all of the Mississippi River basin for King Louis XIV and named it Louisiana. The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were dominated by plantations and river boats. As the parish grew so did its role as a strategic location for trade, fishing and agriculture. At the recommendation of General Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans, Fort Jackson was built on Plaquemines’ west bank in 1822 to offer a first line of protection for the city of New Orleans. Today, Plaquemines Parish continues to play an important role in the shipping, agriculture, seafood and oil and gas industries.