French Quarter
Emily, Sola, Rebecca, and Sam
Origins
The French Quarter of New Orleans was first founded by French Canadian naval officer Jean Baptiste Bienville. The French Period legacy endures in the town plan and central square, church of St. Louis, Ursuline Convent and women’s education, ancient regime street names such as Bourbon and Royal, the charity hospital, and a mixed legacy of Creole culture, Mardi Gras, and the important effects of African enslavement combined with a tolerant approach to free persons of color.
The "Spanish" Quarter
In 1762 Louis XV transferred Louisiana to his cousin Charles III of Spain. What is left of the Spanish presence can be seen in the semi-fortified streetscapes, the common-wall plastered brick houses, and the walled courtyards used as gardens and utility spaces with separate servants’ quarters and kitchens. Olive oil cooking and graceful wrought iron balconies also remain from the four decades of Spanish rule.
Brick buildings also brought during Spanish rule
Wrought Iron balconies brought to New Orleans during Spanish rule
Wrought Iron balconies brought to New Orleans during Spanish rule
French Quarter after the Louisiana Purchase
In 1803 New Orleans, and the French Quarter, changed hands again, this time to the United States. American culture slowly made its way into the French Quarter starting with the placement of a statue of Andrew Jackson in Jackson Square and then continuing with american, Irish, German, African and “Foreign French” immigrants swelling the population, creating a heterogeneous matrix of culture, language, religion and cuisine. In the 1900s The birth of Jazz in Louisiana created musical legends like Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Buddy Bolden, King Oliver, Bunk Johnson and Nick LaRocca. The French Quarter also attracted many artists and writers like William Faulkner, Sherwood Anderson, Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote.
Famous Places located in the French Quarter
Cafe Du Monde
Cafe Du Monde is a cafe started in 1862 that sells beignets, which are a square french style donut covered in powdered sugar. Kim Kardashian flew all the way to New Orleans just to eat their beignets when she was pregnant.
Jackson Square
Jackson Square, named after Battle of New Orleans hero, Andrew Jackson, is located facing the Mississippi Rive and is surrounded by historic buildings, including St. Louis Cathedral and the Louisiana State Museums. Jackson Square is also a famous place for local artists paint, draw, create portraits and caricatures, and display their work on the square's iron fence.
Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street dates back to 1798 when New Orleans was founded. It is also known as "Rue Bourbon" and is one of the most popular streets in New Orleans. You can always hear jazz music when walking down Bourbon Street. It also has the oldest gay bar in the country “Lafitte-In-Exile”
Voodoo Museum
Voodoo has been a very important part of the culture in the French Quarter since the 1700s. Voodoo was developed in the French Quarter by enslaved Africans and is one of the many incarnations of African based religions. The Historic Voodoo Museum preserves this aspect of history by informing visitors about mysteries, legends, and traditions of voodoo, and educates visitors on the influence voodoo.
New Orleans French Quarter Tour 2012 Part 2
The birthplace of Jazz music
It is said that the French Quarter in New Orleans is where jazz music first started. Jazz music is a combination of European and African music. Over the years jazz music has changed and evolved. "La Bomboula- Danse Negre" is the most early record of European and African music together. It was composed by Louis Moreau Gottschalk in 1847. This is what is thought to of been the start of jazz music. His music inspired many other people to start doing the same thing and this is how jazz was born. About 170 years later you can find jazz clubs and street musicians all over the French Quarter.
Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Bamboula (Dance des N'egres
Doreen's Jazz in New Orleans' French Quarter