Bywater, New Orleans
Encyclopedia
Bywater is a neighborhood
of the city of New Orleans
. A subdistrict of the Bywater District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Florida Avenue to the north, the Industrial Canal
to the east, the Mississippi River
to the south and Franklin Avenue Street to the west. Bywater is part of the Ninth Ward of New Orleans
, but is located along the natural levee of the Mississippi River, sparing the area from significant flooding. It includes part or all of Bywater Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
During Mardi Gras
the Society of Saint Anne
marching krewe
starts their procession on Mardi Gras
morning in Bywater and gathers marchers as it travels through the French Quarter
and ends at Canal Street. This walking parade of local residents, artists, and performers is preceded by the Bywater Bone Boys Social Aid and Pleasure Club (founded 2005), an early-rising skeleton krewe made up of writers, tattoo artists, painters, set designers, musicians, and numerous other pre-7 a.m. revelers.
After Hurricane Katrina
, many survivors flocked to the area as it was less affected by the storm, due to the slightly higher elevation closer to the Mississippi river. Bywater became part of what was known as the "Sliver By The River
", meaning neighborhoods that saw no flooding, including Faubourg Marigny
, the French Quarter, Irish Channel Area, and parts of the lower Garden District including St. Charles Avenue
.
, the district has a total area of 1.33 square miles (3.4 km²). 0.94 square miles (2.4 km²) of which is land and 0.39 square miles (1 km²) (29.32%) of which is water.
Locals usually designate less complex boundaries: the Mississippi River to St. Claude Avenue, and the railroad tracks along Press Street to the Industrial Canal.
of 2000, there were 5,096 people, 2,263 households, and 1,030 families residing in the neighborhood. The population density
was 5,421 /mi² (2,123 /km²).
"Downtown
" section of New Orleans. Many people from France, Spain and the French Caribbean
settled here. During the century, it grew with both White Creoles of French and Spanish descent, as well as mixed race Creoles of French, Spanish, African and Native American descent. They were also joined by immigrants from Germany
, Italy
and Ireland
.
There was little distinction between this area and what became known as the Lower 9th Ward until the Industrial Canal
was dredged in the early 20th century, dividing the two.
A generation knew the area as the "Upper 9th Ward", but as other parts of the 9th Ward above the Canal farther from the River became developed, a more specific name was needed. Inspired by the local telephone exchange
designation of Bywater, which fit the neighborhood's proximity to the River and the Canal, the neighborhood was known as "Bywater" by the 1940s.
Development and speculation surrounding the 1984 World's Fair prompted many long-term French Quarter
residents to move down river, at first into Marigny, but by the late 1990s the bohemian
artistic type of communities such as were found in the French Quarter mid-century had spread down to Bywater, and many long-neglected 19th century houses began to be refurbished.
The Bywater is also home to the site at which Homer Plessy
was removed from an East Louisiana Railroad car for violating the separate car act, an event that resulted in the Plessy v. Ferguson
case and the legal doctrine of "separate but equal
." Today, a historical marker stands at the intersection of Press Street and Royal Street to commemorate the event.
As the section of Bywater on the river side of St. Claude Avenue was one of the few portions of the 9th Ward to escape major flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
, it has made steady progress toward recovery, more so than many other parts of the city.
New Orleans neighborhoods
In 1980 the New Orleans City Planning Commission divided the city into 13 planning districts and 72 distinct neighborhoods.While most of these assigned boundaries match with traditional local designations, some others differ from common traditional use...
of the city of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. A subdistrict of the Bywater District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Florida Avenue to the north, the Industrial Canal
Industrial Canal
The Industrial Canal is a 5.5 mile waterway in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The waterway's proper name, as used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and on NOAA nautical charts, is Inner Harbor Navigation Canal...
to the east, the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to the south and Franklin Avenue Street to the west. Bywater is part of the Ninth Ward of New Orleans
Ninth Ward of New Orleans
The Ninth Ward or 9th Ward is a distinctive region of New Orleans, Louisiana that is located in the easternmost downriver portion of the city. It is geographically the largest of the 17 Wards of New Orleans....
, but is located along the natural levee of the Mississippi River, sparing the area from significant flooding. It includes part or all of Bywater Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
During Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
the Society of Saint Anne
Society of Saint Anne
The Society of Saint Anne is a New Orleans Mardi Gras marching krewe that parades each Mardi Gras Day. The Society was founded in 1969.Known for the very elaborate and beautiful costumes of its members, the core group gathers in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans each Mardi Gras morning, with...
marching krewe
Krewe
A krewe is an organization that puts on a parade and or a ball for the Carnival season. The term is best known for its association with New Orleans Mardi Gras, but is also used in other Carnival celebrations around the Gulf of Mexico, such as the Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa, Florida, and...
starts their procession on Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
morning in Bywater and gathers marchers as it travels through the French Quarter
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
and ends at Canal Street. This walking parade of local residents, artists, and performers is preceded by the Bywater Bone Boys Social Aid and Pleasure Club (founded 2005), an early-rising skeleton krewe made up of writers, tattoo artists, painters, set designers, musicians, and numerous other pre-7 a.m. revelers.
After Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, many survivors flocked to the area as it was less affected by the storm, due to the slightly higher elevation closer to the Mississippi river. Bywater became part of what was known as the "Sliver By The River
Sliver By The River
The Sliver by the River is a nickname for the area of New Orleans, Louisiana closest to the Mississippi River that escaped major flooding after Hurricane Katrina hit the city on August 29, 2005. It exists on higher ground made up of the natural levee built up by hundreds of years of flooding before...
", meaning neighborhoods that saw no flooding, including Faubourg Marigny
Faubourg Marigny
The Marigny is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Bywater District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: North Rampart Street and St...
, the French Quarter, Irish Channel Area, and parts of the lower Garden District including St. Charles Avenue
St. Charles Avenue
St. Charles Avenue is a thoroughfare in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. and the home of the St. Charles Streetcar Line. It is also famous for the hundreds of mansions that adorn the tree-lined boulevard for much of the Uptown section of the route. The southern live oak trees, particularly found in...
.
Geography
Bywater is located at 29°57′46"N 90°02′24"W and has an elevation of 3 foot (0.9144 m). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the district has a total area of 1.33 square miles (3.4 km²). 0.94 square miles (2.4 km²) of which is land and 0.39 square miles (1 km²) (29.32%) of which is water.
Adjacent Neighborhoods
- Desire AreaDesire Area, New OrleansDesire Area is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Bywater District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Gentilly Boulevard to the north, the Industrial Canal to the east, Florida Boulevard, Alvar Street, Higgins Boulevard, Piety Street,...
(north) - Lower Ninth Ward (east)
- Holy CrossHoly Cross, New OrleansHoly Cross is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Lower Ninth Ward District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: St. Claude Avenue to the north, St. Bernard Parish to the east, the Mississippi River to the south and the Industrial Canal...
(east) - Mississippi RiverMississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
(south) - Marigny (west)
- St. ClaudeSt. Claude, New OrleansSt. Claude is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Bywater District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Law, Montegut and North Galvez Streets to the north, Lesseps Street to the east, Burgundy Street, Clouet Street and St. Claude Avenue...
(west) - Florida AreaFlorida Area, New OrleansFlorida Area is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Bywater District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Florida Boulevard, Gallier, Law, Congress and North Dorgenois Streets to the north, Mazant Street to the east, North Galvez Street...
(west) - Florida ProjectsFlorida ProjectsFlorida Projects is a neighborhood and a housing project of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Bywater District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Florida Boulevard to the north, Mazant Street to the east, North Dorgenois Street to the south and...
(west)
Boundaries
The City Planning Commission defines the boundaries of Bywater as these streets: Florida Avenue, the Industrial Canal, the Mississippi River, Franklin Avenue, St. Claude Avenue Avenue, Clouet Street, Burgundy Street, Lesseps Street, North Galvez Street and Mazant Street.Locals usually designate less complex boundaries: the Mississippi River to St. Claude Avenue, and the railroad tracks along Press Street to the Industrial Canal.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 5,096 people, 2,263 households, and 1,030 families residing in the neighborhood. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5,421 /mi² (2,123 /km²).
History
The area now known as Bywater was mostly plantation land in the Colonial era, with significant residential development beginning the first decade of the 19th century as part of what was known as "Faubourg Washington", part of the predominantly FrancophoneFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
"Downtown
Downtown New Orleans
In New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, "downtown" has historically referred to neighborhoods along the Mississippi River down-river from Canal Street, including the French Quarter, Treme, Faubourg Marigny, Bywater, the 9th Ward, and other neighborhoods...
" section of New Orleans. Many people from France, Spain and the French Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
settled here. During the century, it grew with both White Creoles of French and Spanish descent, as well as mixed race Creoles of French, Spanish, African and Native American descent. They were also joined by immigrants from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
There was little distinction between this area and what became known as the Lower 9th Ward until the Industrial Canal
Industrial Canal
The Industrial Canal is a 5.5 mile waterway in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The waterway's proper name, as used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and on NOAA nautical charts, is Inner Harbor Navigation Canal...
was dredged in the early 20th century, dividing the two.
A generation knew the area as the "Upper 9th Ward", but as other parts of the 9th Ward above the Canal farther from the River became developed, a more specific name was needed. Inspired by the local telephone exchange
Telephone exchange
In the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
designation of Bywater, which fit the neighborhood's proximity to the River and the Canal, the neighborhood was known as "Bywater" by the 1940s.
Development and speculation surrounding the 1984 World's Fair prompted many long-term French Quarter
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
residents to move down river, at first into Marigny, but by the late 1990s the bohemian
Bohemianism
Bohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people, with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic or literary pursuits...
artistic type of communities such as were found in the French Quarter mid-century had spread down to Bywater, and many long-neglected 19th century houses began to be refurbished.
The Bywater is also home to the site at which Homer Plessy
Homer Plessy
Homer Plessy was the American plaintiff in the United States Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson. Arrested, tried and convicted of a violation of one of Louisiana's racial segregation laws, he appealed through Louisiana state courts to the U.S. Supreme Court, and lost...
was removed from an East Louisiana Railroad car for violating the separate car act, an event that resulted in the Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 , is a landmark United States Supreme Court decision in the jurisprudence of the United States, upholding the constitutionality of state laws requiring racial segregation in private businesses , under the doctrine of "separate but equal".The decision was handed...
case and the legal doctrine of "separate but equal
Separate but equal
Separate but equal was a legal doctrine in United States constitutional law that justified systems of segregation. Under this doctrine, services, facilities and public accommodations were allowed to be separated by race, on the condition that the quality of each group's public facilities was to...
." Today, a historical marker stands at the intersection of Press Street and Royal Street to commemorate the event.
As the section of Bywater on the river side of St. Claude Avenue was one of the few portions of the 9th Ward to escape major flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, it has made steady progress toward recovery, more so than many other parts of the city.
Notable residents
- Sallie Ann GlassmanSallie Ann GlassmanSallie Ann Glassman is a Vodou practitioner, author, and artist, born in Maine of Jewish–Ukrainian heritage.-Vodou:Glassman has been practicing Vodou in New Orleans since 1977 and in 1995 became one of few White Americans to have been ordained via the traditional Haitian initiation...
artist, Voodoo priestess - Dave PirnerDave PirnerDavid Anthony "Dave" Pirner is an American songwriter, singer, and producer best known for being the lead vocalist and frontman for the alternative rock/grunge band, Soul Asylum.-Biography:...
of the 90s Grunge band Soul AsylumSoul AsylumSoul Asylum is an American alternative rock band that formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1983.The band originally formed in 1981 under the name Loud Fast Rules, with the original line-up consisting of Dan Murphy, Dave Pirner, Karl Mueller and Pat Morley. The latter was replaced by Grant Young in...
External links
- Famous St. Roch Cemetery in the Bywater
- Bywater Neighborhood Association
- http://www.scadnola.com St. Claude Arts District
- Wikitravel New Orleans/Bywater
- Faubourg Marigny Improvement Association Faubourg Marigny Improvement Association