History of Turtle Cove
Read Robert Hasting's article (PDF) describing the history of Turtle Cove.
History Highlights
The history of the Turtle Cove facility on Manchac Pass tells the story of the entire region.
Edward G. Schlieder of New Orelans built the main Turtle Cove lodge in 1908, where he later stayed while hunting and fishing. As he aged, Schlieder spent more time at the lodge until his death on May 12, 1948.
In 1951, the Turtle Cove Club, a private hunting and fishing club, was formed and began leasing the Schlieder Lodge as their headquarters. In 1975, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) purchased the surrounding 5,261 acres from the Schlieder Foundation to function as a laboratory and teaching facility. Although Wildlife and Fisheries agents used the facility during duck-hunting season, during the rest of the year, the facility was mostly vacant and fell into disrepair.
Southeastern Louisiana University assumed control of the facility and of the ten surrounding acres in 1981, signing a 99-year lease from LDWF. After raising capital funds to repair the facility and finding more ways to fund staff, the first full-time director, Dr. Robert Hastings, was hired in July, 1984. Robert Moreau later assumed this position in 2001 when Dr. Hastings retired.
In 1986, the Turtle Cove boat shed and dock were built at Galva Canal on land shared with LDWF, and these additions enabled more research activities now that people had a place to stow boats from a central dock. Several years later, in 1991, the first teacher workshops were held at Turtle Cove with cooperation from the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation and funding from Freeport-McMoRan, Inc. The workshops and field trips for students of all ages flourished in the mid- to late-90s as word spread about the Turtle Cove facility and the friendly and knowledgeable staff.