History

Thumbnail image for NOLA History: German Heritage and Legacy in New Orleans

NOLA History: German Heritage and Legacy in New Orleans

by Edward December 14, 2011 History

Tales of the French, Spanish and Italians coming to South Louisiana are commonplace, but Germans played an important part in the formation of New Orleans as well, including developing some of its most treasured cornerstones. We tend to think of the Germans and their beer and bratwursts only around Oktoberfest time, but they’ve been here since the days of Bienville.…

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Thumbnail image for From Oranges to Palm Trees: Christmas in New Orleans

From Oranges to Palm Trees: Christmas in New Orleans

by Nicole Biguenet Pedersen December 12, 2011 Arts & Culture

In 1877, writer Lafcadio Hearn stood on the deck of the Natchez, keeping his balance as the Mississippi gently rocked the steamboat. He looked back at New Orleans, having ventured out, as he explained, “to watch the spectacle of the levee in holiday times.” Like an artist planning a painting, he chose the best vantage point to view the …

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Thumbnail image for Three New Orleans Bars Celebrate the End of Prohibition

Three New Orleans Bars Celebrate the End of Prohibition

by Elizabeth Pearce December 2, 2011 Cocktail Culture

On December 5, 1933, Congress ratified the 21st Amendment, ending thirteen years of Prohibition in the United States. What some – namely government officials – called The Great Experiment, most of America had come to call The Great Mistake. But while most of the country was mixing up bathtub gin, New Orleans had a more steady and reliable supply of …

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NOLA History: Horse Racing in the Crescent City

by Edward November 24, 2011 History

Thanksgiving Day in New Orleans means turkey, oyster dressing, and all the other trimmings as we give thanks for our many different blessings. For New Orleanians who are fans of horse racing – or just fans of bloody marys during the day, big hats, and a meal prepared by someone else – Thanksgiving holds an entirely different meaning: opening day …

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NOLA History: The Legend of Pirate’s Alley

by Edward November 9, 2011 Arts & Culture

There are two alleyways that run on either side of St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans’ Jackson Square, connecting Rue Royale and Rue Chartres. The alley on the “Uptown” side of the cathedral (between the church and the Cabildo) was long called “The Pirate’s Alley” before that name was formalized in 1964. But were there really “pirates” in “Pirate’s Alley?”…

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GoNOLA TV Presents: The Historic New Orleans Collection

by Sally Tunmer November 3, 2011 Arts & Culture

The Historic New Orleans Collection is the preserver of captivating New Orleans artifacts and history. With the bicentennial of 1812 coming up on April 30, 2012, 200 years after Louisiana was inducted into the union as the 18th state, THNOC is currently hosting an exhibition in commemoration. The piece called “The 18th Star: Treasures from 200 Years of Louisiana Statehood” …

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Thumbnail image for Voo Dat?: New Orleans Voodoo History and Shops

Voo Dat?: New Orleans Voodoo History and Shops

by Nikki Carter October 27, 2011 Arts & Culture

It’s high time we all get in the Halloween holiday spirit, especially with Voodoo Music Experience 2011 kicking off this weekend! Since New Orleans Voodoo is something most of us have been exposed to through pop culture – The Skeleton Key, Anne Rice’s Mayfair witch family, etc. - I thought it would be fun to shed some light on …

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Thumbnail image for NOLA History: Jean Lafitte the Pirate

NOLA History: Jean Lafitte the Pirate

by Edward October 26, 2011 Arts & Culture

He’s one of the most romantic figures in the history of New Orleans. Books and movies have been written about him. A National Park and the oldest rumored bar in the United States is named after the man, the pirate. There was even a ride at the old JazzLand amusement park themed for him. But who was the “real” Jean …

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Thumbnail image for The Best Oysters in New Orleans: Casamento’s Restaurant

The Best Oysters in New Orleans: Casamento’s Restaurant

by Will Woldenberg October 21, 2011 Food

There are few cities in the United States that zealously defend the concepts of “tradition” and “heritage” as much as New Orleans. That attention to convention is mainly attributable to the Carnival “Krewes” whom ironically were partially established to mock the propriety of the French royal court. In this town, restaurants and hotels proudly state the year of their birth …

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NOLA History: The Neighborhoods of Uptown New Orleans

by Edward October 12, 2011 History

New Orleans is defined by its unique parts of town. New Orleanians regularly refer to the section of the city upriver from Canal Street as “Uptown,” but that area of town is really a combination of a number of distinct neighborhoods. We hear about the Garden District and Riverbend neighborhoods all the time, but the rest of “Uptown” has a …

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Thumbnail image for NOLA History: The Flags of New Orleans

NOLA History: The Flags of New Orleans

by Edward September 28, 2011 History

Throughout history, flags have been used to mark all types of territory from castles and palaces, to cities and towns, to even sporting fields. New Orleans is no stranger to being marked as someone’s territory as it has been by many different people and places all for a different reason since 1764. The custom continues today every Jazz Fest when …

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Thumbnail image for NOLA History: The Night the Inquisition Came to Town

NOLA History: The Night the Inquisition Came to Town

by Nicole Biguenet Pedersen September 21, 2011 Arts & Culture

A little alley, too narrow for cars, stretches between the gardens of Jackson Square and the boutiques of Royal Street. Pedestrians will find on one side the austere beige stone of the Presbytère and on the other the white stucco and stained glass of St. Louis Cathedral. The passageway is named for one of the most beloved priests in …

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Thumbnail image for WAS There a House in New Orleans They Called The Rising Sun?

WAS There a House in New Orleans They Called The Rising Sun?

by Liz Genest Smith September 19, 2011 Arts & Culture

Like many other myths and legends in the Crescent City, a cloud of mystery surrounds “The House of the Rising Sun,” the song made famous by The Animals in the 1960s. Everyone agrees that it’s about the dark and debaucherous side of New Orleans’ culture, but that’s pretty much where the consensus ends. But not where my questions do.

Was …

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Thumbnail image for NOLA History: New Orleans in 1812

NOLA History: New Orleans in 1812

by Edward September 14, 2011 History

Next year, 2012, is an important milestone in the history of New Orleans. 2012 marks the bicentennial of three events: Louisiana statehood, the War of 1812, and the founding of Faubourg Treme. While the city’s starring role in the war doesn’t take place until 1815, New Orleans was still of strategic importance throughout the 19th Century. In preparation for the …

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Thumbnail image for GoNOLA TV Presents: The 1850 House

GoNOLA TV Presents: The 1850 House

by Andrew September 12, 2011 Arts & Culture

Ever wonder how people lived in New Orleans back in pre-Civil War times, before there was a neon sign on Bourbon St. or when ‘The Saints’ referred to celestial icons, not a football team? Well, the 1850 House in the French Quarter provides a small, preserved glimpse of life in 19th Century New Orleans. As part of the Louisiana State …

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Thumbnail image for Gumbo and Gris-gris: The Astonishing Story of the Battle of New Orleans

Gumbo and Gris-gris: The Astonishing Story of the Battle of New Orleans

by Liz Genest Smith September 5, 2011 History

Anyone who’s ever been to the French Quarter is familiar with Jackson Square and its iconic statue of General Andrew Jackson. The soon-to-be president is gallantly seated atop his noble steed with St. Louis Cathedral’s spiky spires serving as a dramatic backdrop. Locals and tourists alike may have a vague knowledge of some connection to the War of 1812, and …

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