The name "Plaquemines" comes from a Native Americans in the United StatesNative American word, piakimin, meaning persimmon. It was first used to name an old military post on the banks of the Mississippi RiverMississippi which was surrounded by large number of persimmon trees. Eventually the name was applied to the entire parish. One of the remaining historical treasures of Plaquemines Parish is Fort Jackson, built in 1822 under the recommendation of General Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans. In 1861, Fort Jackson served as an important defense for the city of New Orleans during the American Civil WarCivil War because it was at the mouth of the Mississippi River. It was also used as a training base during World War I - 1917-1918. Because Plaquemines Parish encompasses the first 70 miles of the Mississippi River, it plays host to several oil refineries which make use of the shipping lanes. The Mississippi River Delta of Plaquemines also provides assistance to off-shore oil rigs. Plaquemines Parish was also the first place from where a container was first used to ship cargo in foreign trade. In the early 1900s Plaquemines was an exporter of citrus, and used the train and the river to move its large annual harvest. The parish has also been a big commercial fisheries haven, especially for oysters. From 1919 to 1969, Plaquemines Parish (together with neighbouring St. Bernard Parish, LouisianaSt. Bernard Parish), was effectively the domain of political boss Leander Perez, who established a virtual dictatorship in the area. He was notorious for fixing elections and mandating strict racial segregation. During the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, city and state leaders used dynamite to breech a levee at Caernarvon, LouisianaCaernarvon, thirteen miles below Canal Street, in order to save the city of New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans from flooding. However, this action resulted in the flooding of both St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes, causing widespread destruction. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaquemines_Parish%2C_Louisiana