From 300 moments that make New Orleans unique. 300 · 2017. 6. 15. · beer, peep shows and T-shirt...

300 NEW ORLEANS TRICENTENNIAL 171 8 ~ 201 8 THE HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION THE HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE The street wasn’t always a strip of cheap beer, peep shows and T-shirt shops. It was once an upscale residential street in the mid- dle of the French Quarter. The French Opera House at Bourbon and Toulouse was the center of Creole society for decades until it burned down in 1919. About the same time, the Sto- ryville district was closed, and businesses migrated to Bourbon. Jazz musicians, prostitutes and li- quor during Prohibition, could be found along Bourbon Street. The street also attracted res- taurateurs — Jean Galatoire opened Galatoire’s in 1905 and later, Owen Brennan opened Bren- nan’s Vieux Carré Restaurant, on the street. The street was at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s with burlesque performers including Pearl of the Orient, Champagne Girl and Wild Cherry, at clubs like “Hotsy Totsy,” and “Gunga Den.” Jazz greats Pete Fountain and Al Hirt opened competing jazz clubs on the street. In an eﬀort to clean up Bourbon Street in the 1960s, District Attorney Jim Garrison be- gan raiding clubs known for illegal prosti- tution. Mayor Moon Landrieu followed on that effort by making the street a pedestrian mall and repaving the sidewalks. Critics said future eﬀorts to clean up the street led to more souvenir shops than clubs and that the street had lost its “authenticity.” Though Big Daddy’s swinging mannequin legs are long gone, and the old-time burlesque shows have been replaced by newer joints, Bourbon Street — buoyed by 24 hour bars and open-container laws — shows no signs of slow- ing down. Love it or hate it, Bourbon Street is the center of New Orleans for many who visit here. Storyville vices like jazz music migrated to Bourbon Street after the district was closed in 1917. From Bienville to Bourbon Street to bounce. 300 moments that make New Orleans unique. WHAT HAPPENED A sailor in 1962 checks out the enter- tainment at Club Pigalle at 232 Bourbon St., owned by Gaspar Gulotta, ‘The Little Mayor of Bourbon Street.’ The club was named after the Moulin Rouge district of Paris. Crowds on Bourbon Street for Mardi Gras. The Desire bus on Bourbon Street in 1948. The buses replaced the Desire streetcar line on May 30 of that year be- cause residents and shop owners said the streetcar was causing damage to their businesses and was making too much noise.

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Transcript of From 300 moments that make New Orleans unique. 300 · 2017. 6. 15. · beer, peep shows and T-shirt...

Page 1: From 300 moments that make New Orleans unique. 300 · 2017. 6. 15. · beer, peep shows and T-shirt shops. It was once an upscale residential street in the mid-dle of the French Quarter.

300NE W ORLE ANS

TRICENTENNIAL

1718 ~ 2018

E HIST

IC N

EW O

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NS C

OLLEC

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IST

IC N

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RLE

S C

OLL

ECT

ION

E NEW

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S AD

The street wasn’t always a strip of cheap beer, peep shows and T-shirt shops. It was once an upscale residential street in the mid-dle of the French Quarter. The French Opera House at Bourbon and Toulouse was the cen-ter of Creole society for decades until it burned down in 1919.

About the same time, the Sto-ryville district was closed, and businesses migrated to Bourbon. Jazz musicians, prostitutes and li-quor during Prohibition, could be found along Bourbon Street. The street also attracted res-taurateurs — Jean Galatoire opened Galatoire’s in 1905 and later, Owen Brennan opened Bren-nan’s Vieux Carré Restaurant, on the street.

The street was at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s with burlesque performers including Pearl of the Orient, Champagne Girl and Wild Cherry,

at clubs like “Hotsy Totsy,” and “Gunga Den.” Jazz greats Pete Fountain and Al Hirt opened competing jazz clubs on the street.

In an effort to clean up Bourbon Street in the 1960s, District Attorney Jim Garrison be-

gan raiding clubs known for illegal prosti-tution. Mayor Moon Landrieu followed on that effort by making the street a pedestrian mall and repaving the sidewalks. Critics said future efforts to

clean up the street led to more souvenir shops than clubs and that the street had lost its “authenticity.”

Though Big Daddy’s swinging mannequin legs are long gone, and the old-time burlesque shows have been replaced by newer joints, Bourbon Street — buoyed by 24 hour bars and open-container laws — shows no signs of slow-ing down.

Love it or hate it, Bourbon Street is the center of New Orleans for many who visit here.

Storyville vices like jazz

music migrated to Bourbon

Street after the district was

closed in 1917.

From Bienville to Bourbon Street to bounce. 300 moments that make New Orleans unique. WHAT

HAPPENED

A sailor in 1962 checks out the enter-tainment at Club Pigalle at 232 Bourbon St., owned by Gaspar Gulotta, ‘The Little Mayor of Bourbon Street.’ The club was named after the Moulin Rouge district of Paris.

Crowds on Bourbon Street for Mardi Gras.

The Desire bus on Bourbon Street in 1948. The buses replaced the Desire streetcar line on May 30 of that year be-cause residents and shop owners said the street-car was causing damage to their businesses and was making too much noise.