Hathian is a fictional place, but did you know it's based off the very real town of Hopedale? A lot of data is extrapolated for the role-play here, including the local weather. Let's go over a few interesting details from the area based upon recent information pulled from various sources.

 

LOCATION

• State: Louisiana
• State Code: LA
• Parish (County): Saint Bernard
• Coordinates: 29.820N, -89.656W
• Zipcode: 70085

We're just 32.3 miles (49 minutes) east of New Orleans. Hopedale primarily runs along the Hopdale Canal, which is parallel to Hopedale Hwy. Much like Hopedale, Hathian also runs primarily along Hathian Hwy.

Several nearby canals lead to greater bodies of water. The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Canal runs from Lake Borgne (our northern body of water), through the Hopedale Canal, and south to Bay La Fourche. At the far western end of the Hopedale Canal, the Spoil Canal flows right out into the Atlantic Ocean.

 

PHONE NUMBER

• Area Code: 504
• Exchange Numbers: 654, 640, 259, 813, 278, 239

 

DOMESTIC DATA

• Population: 4,427. In 2005 the area was decimated by hurricane Katrina, leading to a population loss of about 3,000. Population since then has mostly remained steady.
• Wealth: The median household income is $36,185, the average is $56,674, and per capita is $21,208. The wealth index is 50; a score of 100 would be about average. Income levels in the area continue to drop. Those living here are considerably poorer than most places across the United States.

EARLY REGIONAL HISTORY

Many communities in the area were originally founded by families from the Canary Islands following the sugar trade. The people here called themselves Los Isleno (The Islanders), which is an identity built off Spanish cultural traditions and a coastal life of hunting and fishing. These early people were severely isolated from everyone else and relied mostly upon family ties and community reciprocity. Their crafts were primarily focused around hunting and fishing but they were also known for their lace making, furniture building, wood carving of birds and ducks, and palmetto weaving. Decima singing was a popular tradition and was communally done after work, celebrations, after meals, and for entertainment. They faced significant challenges settling in the area due to severe storms, winds, and flooding from the shifting delta.