Category: Uncategorized

  • Demourelles Island: The Story of New Orleans’ Little-Known Island on Bayou St. John

    Demourelles Island: The Story of New Orleans’ Little-Known Island on Bayou St. John

    You most definitely know about Bayou St. John. It’s one of New Orleans’ treasures, a sanctuary along which you can sit with friends for a drink, jog, or — if the season’s right — maybe even boil some crawfish. But did you know Bayou St. John is also home to an island, called Demourelles Island,…

  • Rediscover the 1984 World’s Fair in Present Day New Orleans

    Rediscover the 1984 World’s Fair in Present Day New Orleans

    For a long time, hosting a World’s Fair was an extremely big deal. People would travel across the globe to a host city to experience the newest, cutting edge technologies and learn about different cultures.  New Orleans hosted its first World’s Fair in 1884, mostly in what is now Audubon Park. But our fair city…

  • The New Orleans Streetcar Through the Years: Part 2

    The New Orleans Streetcar Through the Years: Part 2

    We’re talking about the history of streetcars and public transportation in New Orleans! In Part 1, we charted its course from the first days of the local rail era, through the founding of the oldest continuously active streetcar line IN THE WORLD, and all the way to the vast network that eventually connected those early,…

  • Boeuf Gras: Get Your Carnival Fill Before Lent

    Boeuf Gras: Get Your Carnival Fill Before Lent

    If you’ve seen the Rex parade on Fat Tuesday it’s likely you’ve noticed the enormous white bull sitting atop one of the iconic parade’s signature floats. And you’re not alone. Decades of New Orleanians have seen the same bewildering sight. Welcome to Boeuf Gras. The massive creature is known as Boeuf Gras and is one…

  • King Cake’s Cousins Around the Globe

    King Cake’s Cousins Around the Globe

    When you ask most Americans where king cake is eaten, the most frequent answers you’ll hear are Louisiana or New Orleans. But, to the surprise of many, king cake is enjoyed all across Europe and North America.  This is because the king cake tradition began thousands of years ago in Ancient Rome. Mardi Gras (or…

  • Twelfth Night Traditions of New Orleans

    Twelfth Night Traditions of New Orleans

    Twelfth Night — or January 6 — is the undisputed kick-off to Carnival season! But the Twelfth night of what?  In many parts of the world, Twelfth Night and the Christian holiday, Epiphany, are synonymous. One definition of epiphany is “the manifestation of a supernatural being.” In this case, that supernatural being was the baby…

  • The Native People of New Orleans

    The Native People of New Orleans

    When a city has as much history as New Orleans, it can be easy to get swept up in the dramatic parts. From the yearly fight against yellow fever epidemics to the French Quarter burning twice, too often we forget that hundreds of small events added up to create the ones everybody remembers. We also…

  • Guardians of the Groove: How a Community Radio Station Became an Archive of Music History

    Guardians of the Groove: How a Community Radio Station Became an Archive of Music History

    WWOZ 90.7FM is a rarity among community radio stations. Where most have gone off the air in the decades since streaming music services debuted, WWOZ has grown from a favorite among locals to being heard all over the world. Named for the Wonderful Wizard of OZ, this station encourages you to pay no attention to…