Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez

[Hedo69]

I do love me some New Orleans. It's been a few years since we've been and I sure do miss it. The year Katrina hit, we were scheduled to go the next weekend on Labor Day for Decadence Weekend. I was glued to the Weather Channel that weekend, not to lament our soon to be missed trip, but in shock and horror in what unfolded before our eyes.

These are NOLA before the storm. Back in the innocent days of yore. Innocent and New Orleans in the same sentence?? You betcha!

I'll start with one of my fav things. In amongst all the buildings, so snug up next to each other without room for nary a hair, there are hidden spaces. Escapes from real life. Secret Gardens













If you have any memories to share of this unique spot on the globe, please, please add them!

[innit Geezer]

We never made it to nola, but on occasion try cooking the good food of the region.

[Hedo69]

Can structures evoke romance? Can they be permeated by the energy of millions of wandering souls? There are several places on earth where this seems to be so and New Orleans is one of them.




I "think" this is the house where part of Interview with a Vampire was filmed. Could be mistaken.






Napoleon House, a painter and my sweet daughter watching










The Clover Grill. Where else can you get served a full breakfast or burger at 4:30 am by a transvestite waitress? Well in New Orleans, probably lots of places, but this one is a classic.

[Hedo69]

Jul 31, 2008 5:13:20 GMT -6 innit Geezer said:

We never made it to nola, but on occasion try cooking the good food of the region.

Gary, you're up early. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm the food there is most wonderful. The Acme grill is where I learned to like Shrimp.

[innit Geezer]

I'm loving the pictures Deb and YES, structures do evoke romance. Locally, here in the Hudson River Valley, I often think what it was like 125 years ago when the mansard colonails were built. From the 1800's till the 1930's, brick was a huge industry and supported the build up of NYC. The robust economy gave way to some fine looking architecture that still stands today.

I have local documents from that era (land deeds, contracts and even early phone books)

[Tex]

We love the French Quarter and the Garden District. We used to drive a motor home full of kids and friends to NOLA. We stayed at the Richilieu at Chartres & Barracks because they had a spot to let me park the motor home.

We once were eating breakfast at Cafe Du Monde looking out on Jackson Square and a naked young lady ran between the tables with cops in tow. When they caught her, they wrapped a blanket around her.

The architecture of the quarter appears to be a little hodgepodge and it is unique, but it has some rules (such as the tops of the windows and doors are generally even with each other).

I bought a book (with numerous photographs) here some years ago entitled "Architecture of the French Quarter" which explained it in detail and dealt with the gardens and courtyards, and also features such as doors, cornices, soffits, balconies, windows, etc. One earmark of French Quarter interiors is to have very high ceilings. This helps ventilate and provides the illusion of spaciousness even in a room with meager horizontal dimensions.

Gay neighbor (pre-Katrina) went to New Orleans once or twice a year. He and his entourage invited us about six months ago and I'm glad we didn't make it. He said that even though the quarter has fairly unscathed by Katrina, the residents on the whole have gotten a surly attitude toward visitors. I don't need that. Too many other nice places to go.

[hilary]

I love New Orleans and not just because my one and only threesome started cooking on the counter stools at the Clover Grill after a night of dancing and drinking on Bourbon Street.

My favorite hotel is A Creole House www.acreolehouse.com on St Ann between Rampart and Burgundy. It was the perfect location for me - 2 blocks from Bourbon Street and right at the edge of the gay part of the Quarter. So as single girl I always felt safe walking back to the hotel late at night - the guys definitely keep an eye out for you and 4 blocks from Cafe Du Monde, less than that for the Quarter Scene Restaurant and Clover Grill and just down the block from a great corner grocery that made the best roast beef with gravy and fried shrimp po'boys.

Now I am hungry.... maybe I need to plan a visit for my 9th Mardi Gras in 2009!

Hilary

[nolaflacav]

Growing up in New Orleans was a wonderful experience. With the drinking age only 18 back then, and at that rarely enforced, we spent a large part of our time in the French Quarter every weekend. I remember heading down Bourbon Street one night about 2:00 AM. Coming in the other direction was Dr. John and what I would call 2 groupies. He stopped to talked to us because we had two bottles of wine in our group. We proceeded to share the wine and Dr. John spent about 30 minutes with us in the middle of Bourbon Street having a mini concert with a couple of musicians that wandered out into the street from one of the clubs. Only in New Orleans. We still eat at Acme Oyster House every time we go back. It never gets old.

Unfortunately New Orleans is still hurting from Katrina. And I don't know if it will ever make it all the way back. I am not so sure I would say the natives are surly towards tourists. I think it is more a case of them just being tired and worn down. It makes me sad every time I go back now to still see some parts of the city still empty. But I know resiliency is part of the Creole heritage.

[Hedo69]

Random shots from around the city:






One of the street performers at Jackson Square


Behind the Green Door


I just love this man. You have to wonder exactly where he is going and what he is going to do when he gets there.


I hid in a doorway to capture this cigar smoker. I probably look like a crazed stalker, but I like talking picture of strangers unaware, in their own little world.


Blvd of palm down at the Casino.


Pure South.




Somehow, when you throw on one of these boas and a necklace of cheap plastic, your whole outlook on life ch-ch-changes.




Surly smoking clown. When you're on break you don't have to smile, dammit!


The Grand Mississippi River and the Cathedral at Jackson Square viewed from Algiers.

[Tex]

More cool pictures. Makes me want to drive down to NOLA for a weekend. It will have to wait. I don't do New Orleans in August. It is the hottest most sultry place this side of Saigon.

[Hedo69]

There nothing like New Orleans in August. Not only the heat, but the garbage on the street gets ripe real fast!

[innit Geezer]

Pardon the thread drift but expanding on the notion of romantic feelings towards structures I took these pictures coming home from work to show you what I mean. I also like the original blue stone curbs and sidewalks.

This home is on the Hudson River and has been well maintained through the years. An educated guess I'd say it's about 130 years old.

[innit Geezer]

Another good period home, check out the original blue stone shingled roof. Certainly that was a cost effective choice.

I have a few land deeds from the 1850's and lots of business correspondence from people that lived in this area during that time.

[Hedo69]

Those are beautiful homes Gary! I see these and want to go inside to see if the inside is just as pretty.

Thanks for sharing.

[Hedo69]

As we are now all so aware of, New Orleans is below sea level. Due to this, they can't bury their dead under ground (they don't want any floaters if it floods) and their cemetaries are very fascinating to go to. I may be a little weird, but I like cemetaries anywhere...they are very peaceful places for the most part and I enjoy walking around looking at the headstones and epitaphs.

These are from a little cemetary right on the edge of the French Quarter.


View over the wall




The "reputed" resting place of one of NOLA's most famous residents. EEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH, another man done gone. Yep, Marie Laveau.


Still at Marie's grave. This is a closer view. Note all the XXX's and offerings. People will still come and give offering to Marie to either curse of bless certain people, events etc. The XXX that are circled are ones that have came to pass.






From what I understand, these bricked in tombs were used more than once. A body was placed in there...the hot southern sun and time would reduce the body to bones and dust, then when the family needed it, the tomb would be reopened and the next person put in. Real family togetherness.


Someone trying to get in? Or out???


The Guardian


A family affair. All together in this crypt.

[innit Geezer]

I have on occasion, gone through local cemeteries to verify dates and names of prominent local people that lived in my community during the 1820 - 1920's period.

There is one family in particular that I always found intriguing. A very astute son-in-law of a successful paper mill owner, started buying land along the Hudson River before the big push on brick making. When the brick industry took hold, he leased land to manufacturers. I have business correspondence from this family and 130 year old maps describing what's included in the lease etc....

An antique dealer had called me and asked if I would be interested in a large collection of documents. I purchased them and I came across the funeral invoice for the wife of this prominent land holder. It's completely itemized!

The entire family is buried together but a big question remains. My maps show precisely, with names on them, exactly which land was theirs. When the last family person died, what became of this enormous wealth?

This hospital was started on 1 large parcel in 1900 but how did the state of New York get it? I do know that small land holdings were donated all over town but could all of it have been donated?

www.helenhayeshospital.org/aboutHHH/history_mission.htm

I was asked by a town councilman if I would be interested in taking over as town historian when the time comes but I declined. I know a lot but I don't come close to the current person or his predecessor.

This library is part of the history in town and I have spent many winter afternoons reading town archives to educate myself.

(take note, all the buildings are brick!) (there's still broken brick in town everywhere!)

[innit Geezer]

This Presbyterian church is also a nice compliment to the town. It was built in 1790 and added onto in 1842 and 1910. Hardly old or coming close to what Simon's environment is, the U.S. is just to young and new.

[Tex]

Gary asked:

The entire family is buried together but a big question remains. My maps show precisely, with names on them, exactly which land was theirs. When the last family person died, what became of this enormous wealth?

Try looking up the last person's name with the county probate clerk and very likely you can find out in great detail.

[innit Geezer]

Tex! It's so funny that you brought this up, yesterday I located the county office on precisely where to go. This fall, when I have some time and can plan, I'm going to review whatever I can on this family.

[Tex]

Leasing land for oil and gas drilling combines the jobs of abstracter, detective, and salesman. You determine the title (often reading a few wills along the way), find the owners, and convince them to make a deal. The minerals are usually different from the surface and the mineral owners sometime live on other continents. Doing a "division order title opinion" (to sell oil/gas and divide the proceeds) it is necessary to trace the title back to sovereignty, which here is usually the Republic of Texas. Very much what you are doing Gary.

When you see it all typed up starting with the Republic and bringing the title forward though statehood and the CSA to the current owner it reminds me of:

1) Texas is not so long removed from being wilderness.
2) We are only here for a little while then someone else takes over.
3) The land will outlive us all.

[innit Geezer]

This is what I'll have access to:

* Census Records (1855-1925)
* Naturalization Papers (1812-1991)
* Marriage Records (1908-1935)
* County Deeds and Mortgages (1703-1800)
(Microfilm) (1798-1921) Original books are located at the County Clerk’s Office
* County Mortgages 1798 - 1931
* Tax and Assessment Rolls (various towns 1857-1964, 1855-1964, 1857-1964, 1855-1964, 1865-1964)
* Atlas of Hudson Valley (1891)
* Atlas of County 1876
* Index to Maps (1798-1940)
* Subdivision Maps
* Right-of-Way Maps
* Court Records (1798-2001)
* Court of Common Pleas
* General Sessions
* Oyer & Terminer
* Wills (1798-1965) (Genealogical purposes only)

Judgments (1847-1913)

* Index to Court Papers (1847-1982)
* State of the County Address (1985-1989)
* Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors (1798-1969)
* Proceedings of the Board of Legislators (1970-1999)
* Discharge of Mortgages (1830-1982, Books 1-207)
* Index to Assumed Business Names & Partnerships (1954-1960/1982)
* Index to Certificates of Partnerships (9/1939-12/1953)
* Index to Certificates of Incorporation (1798-1982)
* Highway Department Road Surveys ( R1-382)

[Tex]

The Social Security Death Index can be handy too.

ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

[innit Geezer]

Tex, that is a very strong tool, thank you for the link it's going to be useful.