1812 - New Orleans joins the United States
New Orleans becomes part of the United States after the Louisiana Purchase. Several important ports flourish on Lake Pontchartrain's shores. Sailboats carry cargo and people between the Gulf of Mexico and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin ports. Commerce grows on the south and north shores of Lake Pontchartrain. Exported products include: lumber, charcoal, bricks, shells, cotton, and oysters. Imported products include: raw materials and food unavailable locally. The wealthy spend their leisure time on the lake shore at several exclusive resorts, eating at the famous restaurants, gambling and enjoying the lake breezes. The first resort to open is at Spanish Fort at the mouth of Bayou St. John.