Stroll the Path to Prytania Street: The 1884 Cotton Centennial Exposition

Take a few moments here to enjoy the activity in the park and the beauty of the entrance. As you face the entrance again, Tulane and Loyola universities are across the street and were also originally part of the Foucher-Bore plantations. A plaque to your left commemorates the land as a training ground for Buffalo Soldiers immediately after the Civil War.

Now circle the fountain that graces the park thanks to the Gumbel family in memory of Sophie and Simon Gumbel. Peaceful water sounds help mask the noises along the avenue.

When you're ready, stroll to the left along the blacktop path or along the water's edge. The jogging path was a feature Olmsted originally designed for carriages; the Olmsted equestrian path is on the other side of the park. As you walk, you might detect parts of the Olmsted-era wall around the park. Also note the residences along Exposition Boulevard.

Odd that it is called a boulevard when now it is simply a sidewalk that runs along turn-of-the-century houses that front on the park. Yet, in 1884, the way was paved with shells so carriages could reach the exposition's entrance. At the time, this was undeveloped real estate, but the exposition made it a desirable address, as it is today.