The residents of New Orleans have a history of creating unusual pronunciations of words. Local street names provide common examples of New Orleanians’ inventive pronunciations, such as Burgundy Street (pronounced bur-GUHN-dee, not BUR-guhn-dee) and…

In the 1920s and 1930s, the second floor of 1001 Canal Street was home to the Arcadia and Alamo Dance Halls. These dance halls served as a space for thirsty men in New Orleans to cut loose at the height of Prohibition. Prohibition, enacted in…

There is no way of knowing if young George Herriman ever accompanied his parents to the historic Café du Monde Coffee Stand, which was established in the New Orleans French Market in 1862, eighteen years before Herriman’s birth. What is certain,…

Kohlman’s Tavern, once located at 414 Homer Street in Algiers, was operated by Mr. Louis Kohlman. His son, Freddie Kohlman, the world-renowned jazz drummer, studied drums in the neighborhood with the legendary Professor Manuel Manetta, moved to…

For over 70 years, visitors and locals alike have considered Brennan’s Restaurant one of the French Quarter’s top-dining locations. In 1946, New Orleans native Owen Brennan founded the restaurant and since then, Brennan’s has specialized in fine…

Centrally located in the Seventh Ward, the St. Bernard Market began as a public market, part of an expansive network of public markets across New Orleans, in 1854. It carried everything from produce to livestock, including — as lore has it —…

Café Reconcile is known for great New Orleans food and a life-changing experience for both the customer and the trainees. Now in its 16th year, the restaurant operates an eight week on the job training program for young adults and places them in…

The Southern Food & Beverage Museum (SoFAB) is a non-profit that celebrates and educates visitors on the Southern culture of food and beverage. After years at the New Orleans Riverwalk development, SoFAB relocated to Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard…

The French Market is a notable location right at the edge of the French Quarter. The market was built in 1791 and has continued to be a historic and important location for the people of New Orleans. Throughout its years the market has changed with…

Enjoyed with a hot cup of New Orleans’ chicory coffee, the beignet, pronounced “bayne-yay”, is the official doughnut of Louisiana. True to an American migration story, the beignet’s journey to Louisiana has roots across the globe. From Rome and Gaul…

 In the nineteenth century, the port of New Orleans grew from a colonial supply depot into the second largest port in the country and the fourth largest in the world during the 1840s. European explorers and traders dispersed the centuries-old…

Saint Anthony’s Garden is located just behind the landmark St. Louis Cathedral in the heart of the French Quarter. The space is easily identifiable by the large iron fence and the statue of Jesus with his arms outstretched that casts a remarkable…

On September 9, 1960, seven local university students staged a sit-in at Woolworth’s department store located at 1031 Canal Street to protest the store’s refusal to serve Black people at the lunch counter. According to The New Orleans States Item,…

During the 1950s and 60s, Dooky Chase’s Restaurant provided a safe space for national and local civil rights activist to meet and strategize over a bowl of Leah Chase’s famous Creole Gumbo. Beginning in 1939, as a sandwich shop and lottery outlet on…

Located in the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter, Pat O’Brien’s is a prime destination for tourists who may not know its past as a popular speakeasy. On December 3, 1933, two days after the repeal of Prohibition, Pat O’Brien converted his…

In February 1896, William Sydney Porter was indicted for embezzlement of funds from the First National Bank in Austin, Texas, where he had been recently employed. In July of that year, instead of returning to Austin to face trial, Porter hopped on a…

Founded in 1896 by George Leidenheimer, Leidenheimer Bakery’s original bread baking style was far different from today's classic French Bread, po-boy making loaves. Leidenheimer established his Dryades Street bakery after moving to New Orleans…

Michael Mizell-Nelson was a historian of the streetcar, exploring the labor history and publicizing the connection of streetcar strikes to the creation of the Po Boy Sandwich, examining streetcar segregation and integration, documenting the women…

Gallatin Street was once filled with barrooms, dance houses, and brothels — most institutions serving as all three. There was rarely a fee to enter, but men were encouraged to buy a drink for their dance partner at the end of each dance, keeping the…

For over 170 years, Antoine’s Restaurant has served as one of the premier locations for fine Creole dining in the New Orleans French Quarter. Established in 1840 by Antoine Alciatore, Antoine’s is noted for being the oldest family-run restaurant in…