Louisiana | Photo of the Day

[dimebag1980]

Nice old pics Nate. I've had a hard time finding many books on my city.

I doubt it will always be that way. You've probably got a local historian or two in the process of writing books about your city as I type this. Your are has become such an important part of not only the Arkansas economy over recent years, but the national economy as well. I would venture to guess it wouldn't be long before you saw a book or two pop up about Fayetteville, although that's just a hunch.

[Mith242]

I doubt it will always be that way. You've probably got a local historian or two in the process of writing books about your city as I type this. Your are has become such an important part of not only the Arkansas economy over recent years, but the national economy as well. I would venture to guess it wouldn't be long before you saw a book or two pop up about Fayetteville, although that's just a hunch.

I have seen a few but ironically they tend to focus more on other northwest Arkansas cities than Fayetteville. That and the few books I've seen rarely have any pictures. But anyway there's some great history there in New Orleans and Louisiana.

[NCB]

But anyway there's some great history there in New Orleans and Louisiana.

Oh thats for sure. I've always thought it was interesting to look at pictures of cities like Alexandria or Monroe from the times when they were just booming. Both of those cities now are losing population, jobs, businesses, etc. But if you go back 60-70 years, and these cities were booming. The same could be said for the smaller towns around Louisiana that were booming during the Oil Boom, but have since turned into small country towns with no action going on at all for the most part.

And just in case some of you didn't know, in 1840, New Orleans was the third largest city in the country, with a population of 102,193. It was only about 200 people away from passing up Baltimore to become the second largest city in the country, behind only New York City. To give you an idea of how times have changed, in 2000 New Orleans was the 44th largest city in the country with a population of 484,000, and the 92nd largest city in the country on that list from 1840, Chicago, had a population of 2,896,016, up from 4,470 in 1840.

[dimebag1980]

I have seen a few but ironically they tend to focus more on other northwest Arkansas cities than Fayetteville. That and the few books I've seen rarely have any pictures. But anyway there's some great history there in New Orleans and Louisiana.

Not to toot my city's horn too much, but Shreveport has the second-largest amount of historically significant buildings, in Louisiana, listed on the National Register of Historic Places outside of New Orleans.

[dimebag1980]

I realize line-by-line quoting is against the rules on UP so I'm going to try and be careful here...

Oh thats for sure. I've always thought it was interesting to look at pictures of cities like Alexandria or Monroe from the times when they were just booming. Both of those cities now are losing population, jobs, businesses, etc. But if you go back 60-70 years, and these cities were booming.

Yes Sir, and it's very sad. Even Monroe recently was experiencing another boom... before Shreveport's economy picked back up, Monroe was building new shopping areas, a nice big mall, movie theaters, etc. And that city was home to Louisiana's headquarters for State Farm Insurance, and is still home to CenturyTel Corp. Monroe also shares much of Coca-Cola's history with Atlanta, GA... look that up sometime. Just as well, Monroe is where Delta Airlines first began and they lost that as well. Just last year they lost their State Farm center and things really aren't looking good for that city right now.

Even Alexandria is trying, but not having much luck. With the loss of England Air Force Base, they turned the base into an "international" airport and business park. It still just doesn't replace what was there, due to the loss of all those military jobs.

The same could be said for the smaller towns around Louisiana that were booming during the Oil Boom, but have since turned into small country towns with no action going on at all for the most part.

I can name a few in my area right now... Vivian, Oil City, Rodessa, Plain Dealing, Hosston, Belcher, Dixie, etc.

And just in case some of you didn't know, in 1840, New Orleans was the third largest city in the country, with a population of 102,193. It was only about 200 people away from passing up Baltimore to become the second largest city in the country, behind only New York City. To give you an idea of how times have changed, in 2000 New Orleans was the 44th largest city in the country with a population of 484,000, and the 92nd largest city in the country on that list from 1840, Chicago, had a population of 2,896,016, up from 4,470 in 1840.

Amazing about New Orleans.... absolutely amazing. It's amazing how much things can change.

Oh, and last time I was up in Chicago I looked at an exhibit about the city's growth. It's amazing that the city now known as Chicago first started as one farm and grew from there. ONE FARM!! And now look at that city... mind-blowing!

[NCB]

Amazing about New Orleans.... absolutely amazing. It's amazing how much things can change.

Yea, it really is. It's hard to understand how important New Orleans was to not only the country, but the world throughout the 1700's and early 1800's. It was important enough for multiple countries to fight wars for control of the city and the port, and that tells you alot. It's always been important, and still is extremely important to the country and parts of the world, as the Port of Southeast Louisiana is the largest port in the world in terms of raw tonnage. Now however, you have cities like Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and Miami as the leading centers of the South, back in the 17 and 1800's, nothing even came close to New Orleans. It was king in every way. But, thats how things work. Times change, and there are plenty of cities who were some of the largest in the country back in the early 1800's, that are now considered to be small and much less important. An example is Salem,MA, which in 1820 was the 10th largest city in the country, and now has a population of 40,000.

[dimebag1980]

Yea, it really is. It's hard to understand how important New Orleans was to not only the country, but the world throughout the 1700's and early 1800's. It was important enough for multiple countries to fight wars for control of the city and the port, and that tells you alot. It's always been important, and still is extremely important to the country and parts of the world, as the Port of Southeast Louisiana is the largest port in the world in terms of raw tonnage. Now however, you have cities like Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and Miami as the leading centers of the South, back in the 17 and 1800's, nothing even came close to New Orleans. It was king in every way. But, thats how things work. Times change, and there are plenty of cities who were some of the largest in the country back in the early 1800's, that are now considered to be small and much less important.

The fact that the Port in that are is still tops in the world definitely shows how important that area still is.

An example is Salem,MA, which in 1820 was the 10th largest city in the country, and now has a population of 40,000.

No way I ever would have thought of that one, but since you mentioned it... wow. Can you imagine if Salem had continued to be an important major city? While New Orleans proper may have lost lots of population over the years, even it's still 10x the size of Salem. Unbelievable.

[NCB]

While New Orleans proper may have lost lots of population over the years, even it's still 10x the size of Salem. Unbelievable.

That's exactly what I was thinking. And one thing thats very interesting is to look at the lists of the top ten largest cities in the country from the early 1800's, and then look at the same list from 2000. The only cities that have stayed on the list are New York and Philadelphia. And when the 1840 list was made cities like Houston and Phoenix, which are on the list today, hadn't even been founded yet!

[NCB]

And now, after about a million posts with no pictures, here is a shot of the front of the 915 car of the Saint Charles Avenue line, though the car is currently on the Riverfront, along with many others.

[dimebag1980]

And now, after about a million posts with no pictures, here is a shot of the front of the 915 car of the Saint Charles Avenue line, though the car is currently on the Riverfront, along with many others.

I can't wait until the cars are all back running again, and you have the correct colors in the correct areas. In the pictures I've seen since Katrina, it looks really strange seeing the St. Charles cars down along the riverfront and Canal Street.

[NCB]

In the pictures I've seen since Katrina, it looks really strange seeing the St. Charles cars down along the riverfront and Canal Street.

I was the same way. I spent my whole life seeing the green cars on Saint Charles, and most of it seeing the red cars on the Riverfront, and later the red cars on Canal. And then after Katrina, seeing the green cars on Canal and the Riverfront was just weird. But not nearly as weird as seeing a blue streetcar on the Riverfront last week! And I believe that car is going to be permanent, which is fine with me, as long as the Saint Charles Avenue cars stay green, which I know they will.

[dimebag1980]

That's exactly what I was thinking. And one thing thats very interesting is to look at the lists of the top ten largest cities in the country from the early 1800's, and then look at the same list from 2000. The only cities that have stayed on the list are New York and Philadelphia. And when the 1840 list was made cities like Houston and Phoenix, which are on the list today, hadn't even been founded yet!

Wow, to think how far they've come in such a short period of time.

But that's awesome that New York and Philly have stayed on that list. We all know how historically important both of those cities are to this nation.

[NCB]

But that's awesome that New York and Philly have stayed on that list. We all know how historically important both of those cities are to this nation.

My top 5 most important historic cities in the country.(In no particular order)

• New York
  
• Philadelphia
  
• New Orleans
  
• San Francisco
  
• Boston
  

I know there are so many others, but I just made a list with cities that are still major today. I could go on forever about historic cities and their importance to the country.

[Mith242]

Nice pic Nate. And some interesting info guys.

[NCB]

Jackson Square during the French Quarter Festival

[dimebag1980]

May 1, 2006 contribution

Beautiful, palm-lined sidewalk outside Harrah's New Orleans Casino

[NCB]

^Great picture, Brian!

Canal Street is currently under a huge renovation and improvement. And parts of it, like work on the sidewalks in some sections is nearly complete.

The whole plan is here:

http://www.canalstreetvision.com/

[dimebag1980]

^Great picture, Brian!

Canal Street is currently under a huge renovation and improvement. And parts of it, like work on the sidewalks in some sections is nearly complete.

The whole plan is here:

http://www.canalstreetvision.com/

Looks cool from what I saw. A better mix of retail would benefit Canal, since most of the shops along their are rundown and look like the shops in downtown Montego Bay! And the brick sidewalk continuation would be really nice.

[Mith242]

Nice pics Nate and Brian.

[byrde]

OK fellas I'm at work trying to research some info and I come across a link to Old photo in Louisiana. It is the New Orleans Public Library.

http://nutrias.org/~nopl/photos/photolist.htm

Take a look at some of the old pictures of Downtown New Orleans at this link.

http://nutrias.org/photos/allison/nodt/nodt1.htm

[dimebag1980]

OK fellas I'm at work trying to research some info and I come across a link to Old photo in Louisiana. It is the New Orleans Public Library.

http://nutrias.org/~nopl/photos/photolist.htm

Take a look at some of the old pictures of Downtown New Orleans at this link.

http://nutrias.org/photos/allison/nodt/nodt1.htm

Very cool, byrde, thanks. I just got finished putting together a collection of vintage Shreveport-area photopraphs, which I intend to post at some point. I'm actually in the process, as I type this, of uploading all my finds to my PictureTrail account.

Very nice New Orleans photo find!

Edited May 1, 2006 by SBCmetroguy

[NCB]

Very nice, bryde! Thank you very much for letting us know about them!

[NCB]

An old oak in New Orleans across the street from Jackson Square and right next to Cafe Du Monde near the levee.

[Mith242]

Nice pic Nate. I know not everyone on UP is always bing on the non-urban pics. But I think some vegetation always improves an area. Maybe I also feel this way because I live in a state like Arkansas that's not particularly urban.

[richyb83]

Thats a great pic! The Deep South has some of the prettiest old oak trees.