Community ties and a long history of industry define Garyville
Anchored by one of the largest oil refineries in the nation, Garyville is a historic community on the east bank of the Mississippi River. Its roots trace back to the rise of the logging industry in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when the Lyon Cypress Lumber Company of Chicago needed housing for its workers and management staff. The mill’s president, John W. Gary, would serve as the neighborhood’s namesake. Industry continues to shape Garyville today, with some residents working at the neighboring Marathon Petroleum refinery or the Nalco Co. chemical manufacturing plant. “It’s a community of longtime residents, but more people are coming to Garyville because their parents lived here and they have inherited their homes, or people want a quieter place,” says LaDean Troutt, who’s been working at the Frazee-Harris Memorial Library in Garyville for nearly a decade. The enclave, less than 40 miles west of New Orleans, is home to historically significant landmarks, such as St. John the Baptist Church, which stands on the site of the original church of the same name built by Acadian settlers in the late 18th century.
A mix of historic homes, midcentury builds and early 2000s construction
Garyville’s single-family homes rest on narrow streets lined with stormwater ditches. Most of the neighborhood’s original houses were built along Historic East and Historic West streets in the first three decades of the 20th century. These cottages and bungalows, constructed for lumber mill workers, sit close to the street and feature covered porches. “A lot of the homes here are being renovated instead of being torn down,” Troutt says. Garyville has grown to include a wide range of home styles, from manufactured homes and midcentury brick ranch-style homes to early 2000s Acadian-style homes and neo-traditional builds. Properties don’t go on the market often. In September 2024, a three-bedroom ranch-style home was sold for around $150,000, and a two-bedroom cottage went for $230,000 in April 2025.
Hurricanes are a reality of living in Southern Louisiana. According to FEMA’s National Risk Index, St. John the Baptist Parish has a relatively moderate risk of hurricanes and coastal flooding. A levee along the Mississippi River helps to protect Garyville from potential storm surge and flooding. Residents are encouraged to be prepared for the Atlantic Hurricane Season and have a plan in place, as mandatory evacuations are possible.
Small businesses in Garyville and national chains in LaPlace
A few locally owned businesses and restaurants dot the community. Garyville General Store, a meat market and grocer, has been in operation for decades. It’s known for its fresh sausage made in-house. The store faces Fatty's Restaurant, a regulars' hangout for beer, burgers and Cajun and Creole comfort food. A mural along the side of Buddy B’s Restaurant welcomes people to the neighborhood. The self-described “awesome dive joint,” dating to 1998, is a family-run breakfast and lunch spot. “If you’re doing heavy-duty shopping, you’re going outside of Garyville. If you just need a loaf of bread, you can run to the dollar store,” says Troutt, referencing the Dollar General along state Route 54. She says residents often shop at the Winn-Dixie LaPlace, which hosts national retailers like Walmart Supercenter and the Home Depot.
A library, public park and access to nature
Resting at the corner of Historic Front and Historic Main streets, the Frazee-Harris Memorial Library is where residents stop by to check out a good book, print documents and connect over common interests. “We do things like story time and book clubs. We have crafts. Adults come and do masks for Mardi Gras or a planter for the summer,” says Troutt, who adds that her favorite part about working at the library is getting to know the people it serves. “They’re all my friends.”
Garyville has one public park: Ezekiel Jackson Park, which got a few upgrades in 2023, including an airnasium. The open-air structure provides a shady spot to play basketball during Louisiana’s sweltering summers. Along with a playground and multipurpose field, the park features a walking trail with fitness equipment. More recreational spaces are nearby in Reserve. Regala Park offers a baseball field, an outdoor pool and a gymnasium.
Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area offers an expansive wetland for hunting and fishing north of Garyville. It neighbors Lake Pontchartrain, famous for its causeway, which is the world’s longest continuous bridge over water.
Blood, Sweat and Bonfires light up the Mississippi
A centuries-old Christmas Eve tradition draws crowds from around the world to Garyville each year. After sunset, dozens of pyramid-shaped bonfires light up along the Mississippi River levee between Baton Rouge and New Orleans to guide Papa Noel on his journey. In Garyville, a talented group of lifelong friends known as Blood, Sweat and Bonfires creates unique wooden sculptures to serve as their wooden pyres, often in the shape of native animals. “Alligator, deer, fish and pelicans. Some have lights and moving pieces,” Troutt says. Much like a Tibetan sand mandala, the wooden sculptures are short-lived, going up in flames after months of hard work and preparation.
St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools has an emphasis on STEM
St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools serves Garyville and receives a D-plus overall rating from Niche. Garyville is home to Garyville/Mt. Airy Math and Science Magnet School, which offers a STEM-focused curriculum for kindergarten through eighth grade. Students can continue studying STEM at East St. John High. Both schools earn D-plus ratings.
Several private options are available nearby in Reserve, including the B-rated Riverside Academy and Liberty Christian Academy, which Niche does not yet rate. Reserve also hosts a campus for River Parishes Community College.
Getting around the East Bank from Garyville
While Garyville has few sidewalks, Troutt says many residents walk to places like the library. Overall, the community is car-dependent with access to several highways. State Route 44 and Interstate 10 connect commuters to towns and cities along the Mississippi River. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is about a 25-mile drive.
Important to know
Garyville is in Louisiana’s so-called “Cancer Alley,” where dozens of communities along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans neighbor oil refineries and chemical plants. Human rights groups and environmental activists have long called for more regulation of this region, where research shows residents are disproportionately impacted by industrial air pollution. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, residents in St. John the Baptist Parish face a cancer risk nearly seven times higher than the national average.
