Ponchatoula, Louisiana

Tangipahoa Parish

Ponchatoula is a small town in Tangipahoa Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located on Interstate 55 and Louisiana Highway 22, almost exactly halfway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The nickname is " The Strawberry Capital" or " Strawberry Capital of The World ". Strawberries were 1900 for a long time the major product of regional agriculture. The name of Ponchatoula is Indian in origin and means " flowing hair ". This refers to the beauty of the landscape, especially the trees.

History

Ponchatoula was founded in 1820 as a lumber camp. Until about 1900, the timber industry was the dominant form of economy. Thereafter, an increasing shift to agriculture took place. Strawberries were the most important agricultural product. In the 1980s, then, tourism has become the leading economic sector.

Only since the advent of tourism is a year in April a " Strawberry Festival " celebrated. The Strawberry Festival is after Mardi Gras the biggest folk festival in Louisiana.