Uptown New Orleans
Encyclopedia
Uptown is a section of New Orleans, Louisiana
on the East Bank of the Mississippi River
encompassing a number of neighborhoods between the French Quarter
and the Jefferson Parish
line. It remains an area of mixed residential and small commercial properties, with a wealth of 19th century architecture http://www.neworleansonline.com/tools/neighborhoodguide/uptown.html. It includes part or all of Uptown New Orleans Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Historically, "Uptown" was a direction, meaning movement in the direction against the flow of the Mississippi. After the Louisiana Purchase
, many settlers from other parts of the United States
developed their homes and businesses in the area upriver from the older Creole
city. In the 19th century Canal Street
was known as the dividing line between "Uptown" and "Downtown New Orleans
", the boundary between the predominantly Francophone
area downriver and the predominantly Anglophone
area upriver.
The very broadest definition of "Uptown", if derived from this historic definition including everything upriver from Canal Street, would encompass about one-third of the city. In narrowest usage, as a New Orleans City Planning neighborhood, Uptown refers to an area of only some dozen blocks centering on the intersection of Jefferson and St. Charles Avenues. Neither of these is what most New Orleanians of recent generations usually mean by "Uptown". While some may quibble about the exact boundaries, "Uptown" generally refers to the areas of the city closer to the River (riverside of S. Claiborne Avenue) upriver from the Pontchartrain Expressway
and modern CBD/Warehouse District
neighborhood.
The boundaries of the federal Uptown New Orleans Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, are the river to S. Claiborne Avenue, Jackson Avenue to Broadway. Adjacent areas, which are often colloquially referred to as parts of Uptown are other federal historic districts: Carrollton
, The Garden District
, Irish Channel
, Central City
, and the Lower Garden District
.
s in the Colonial era. Several sections were originally developed as separate towns, like Lafayette, Jefferson City, Greenville, and Carrollton
. For a time in the early 19th century most of Uptown was part of Jefferson Parish until the City of New Orleans annexed them. In 1874, New Orleans added the towns of Lafayette (not to be confused with the present city of the same name in Lafayette Parish
), and Carrollton
. This newly-absorbed area became known as Uptown New Orleans.
People from other parts of the United States settled Uptown in the 19th century, joined by immigrants, notably from Italy
, Ireland
, and Germany
. Uptown has always had a sizable African American
population. Census data shows that ethnically and racially mixed blocks were common Uptown in the 19th and early 20th century, which continues to be the case in much of Uptown.
. The center of town was around Jackson Street. Lafayette was also the site of the original Jefferson Parish court house. The New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad, also incorporated in 1833, constructed a spur from the main line along Nyades Street (now St. Charles Avenue) down Jackson Street. Lafayette annexed Faubourg Delassize in 1844, bringing that city's boundary with New Orleans to Toledano Street. In 1853, New Orleans annexed Lafayette, moving the New Orleans city limit upriver into Jefferson Parish to Toledano Street. The seat of Jefferson Parish moved to the City of Carrollton. However, the boundary between Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish remained at Felicity Street until 1870, when it was moved to Lowerline Street.
Cornelius Hurst, developer of Faubourg Hurstville, sold a square block to the City of Lafayette for a cemetery in 1833. Now known as Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, the land is bounded by Washington Avenue, 6th Street, Coliseum Street and Prytania Street. In 1972, this cemetery was added to the National Register of Historical Places, but in 1996 it was listed in the 1996 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund
. The Fund helped in the creation of a preservation plan with assistance from American Express
. In 2010, the Louisiana Landmarks Society rated Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 as one of the nine most endangered New Orleans landmarks. It said that two large oak trees threaten to destroy 30 tombs. The society also cited inadequate groundskeeping, improper maintenance and damage by movie film crews as contributing to this decline.
bounded by the present-day Audubon Park
and Lowerline Street, and extended from the river to St. Charles Avenue. The city was annexed by New Orleans and became part of Orleans Parish. Although the name of Greenville is sometimes used in referring to a neighborhood in Uptown New Orleans, it should not be confused with the community of the same name in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana
.
. In 1870, New Orleans annexed Jefferson City, Hurstville, Bloomingdale, Burtheville and Greenville. It also annexed the undeveloped area between Greenville and Burtheville that would soon become Audubon Park.
of what is now Uptown New Orleans, created in 1833 by Cornelius Hurst, a wealthy businessman. It ran along the Mississippi River from Joseph Street to "the Bloomingdale Line" between Eleonore Street and State Street, continuing inland to Claiborne Avenue. The land had been part of a plantation once owned by Jean Baptiste Francois LeBreton. Cornelius Hurst, Pierre Joseph Tricou and Julie Robert Avart had bought the plantation in 1831, dividing it into three equal parts. Hurst commissioned a plantation house to be built on his land in 1832. The site of this house later became the corner of Tchoupitoulas and Joseph Streets. The house was moved in 1922 to a site at 3 Garden Lane.
Tricou sold his part to Hurst in 1832. Hurst's property was surveyed for development into Faubourg Hurstville. Avart's portion became Faubourg Bloomingdale in 1841.
Hurst named three streets perpendicular to the Mississippi River Eleonore, Arabella and Joseph for his wife, daughter and son, respectively. He named the fourth street Nashville, as part of his plan to get the New Orleans & Nashville railroad to construct a spur into his faubourg. However, both Hurst and the railroad went bankrupt during the Panic of 1837
, and the proposed track was not built.
Although Hurst himself is largely forgotten, his name lives on as Hurst Street, which crosses the four streets named above. The name Hurstville is still used to identify the former faubourg, and as of 2010, still appears in local news items and real estate listings.
According to the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, Uptown also refers to a specific neighborhood that is bounded by Napoleon Avenue, Magazine Street, Jefferson Avenue and La Salle Street. The neighborhood was once known as Faubourg Bouligny, until it became part of Jefferson City. The area was annexed by New Orleans in 1870.
Major roadways echoing the river's crescent include Tchoupitoulas Street
closest to the river. Formerly heavily devoted to river shipping commerce, as shipping became more containerized in the later 20th century more of Tchoupitoulas became devoted to residential and other commercial uses. The next major street back is Magazine. While Magazine Street
has only one lane of traffic in both directions, it is a major commercial district, known for its many locally owned shops, restaurants, and art galleries. Prytania Street is the next major street inland, although it extends only up to Jefferson Avenue as a major thoroughfare. Next is famous St. Charles Avenue, home to the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar line. St. Charles was the city's "millionaire's row" in the 19th century, and a good number of the architecturally significant old mansions still stand along St. Charles, but much of it has more recently built apartment buildings and commercial establishments as well, and some of the old mansions have been converted into apartments. Further back, the streets Simon Bolivar, La Salle, and Freret form another parallel with the river. Furthest back is wide Claiborne Avenue, which until the early 20th century had a canal running down its neutral ground, and in much of Uptown was the back boundary of developed area until the drainage pumps designed by A. Baldwin Wood
were installed (see: Drainage in New Orleans
).
Major "spokes" perpendicular to the river include Melpomene/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Jackson, Washington, Louisiana, Napoleon, Jefferson, Nashville Avenues, Broadway, Carrollton Avenue, and Leonidas Street. Many of these were formerly the main streets of, or boundary lines between, the various early 19th century towns which were absorbed into the city.
Near the upper end of Uptown, on and around the land used for the 1884 World's Fair
"World Cotton Centennial
", are Uptown landmarks Audubon Park, Tulane University
, and Loyola University New Orleans
.
Some definitions of Uptown also include areas back from Claiborne such as the Broadmoor
and Fontainebleau
neighborhoods. Central Business District
, historically also known as the "Old American Quarter", was the earliest area called "Uptown New Orleans", though many no longer include it in their definition of Uptown.
The United States Postal Service
operates the Uptown Station in Uptown.
musicians Louis Armstrong
, Buddy Bolden
, George Brunies
, Harry Connick, Jr.
, Percy Humphrey
, The Neville Brothers
, Joe "King" Oliver, Leon Roppolo
, singers the Boswell Sisters
and Mahalia Jackson
, author Anne Rice
, inventor A. Baldwin Wood
, ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin
, and professional football players Peyton Manning
, Eli Manning
, Drew Brees
and rappers B.G.
, Birdman (rapper), Soulja Slim
and Lil Wayne
Like most of the oldest parts of the city developed before 1900 on the city's higher ground, the majority of Uptown had very little flooding from Katrina For this reason, the portion of New Orleans along the riverfront stretching from the Bywater to Carrollton and including about half of Uptown was sometimes called "the Sliver by the River
" and "Isle of Denial." High water did affect some portions of Uptown, especially the areas closer to Claiborne Avenue, in some places severely. While 20th century floods such as from the 1909 Hurricane and the May 8th 1995 Louisiana Flood
affected Uptown, the post-Katrina flooding was worse than anything seen since Sauvé's Crevasse
in 1849. In these areas many old homes were built on piers 0.9 to 1.2 meters (3 to 4 feet) above street level to insure against the occasional disastrous flood. These piers proved to be insufficiently raised, taking on another 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 feet) of water above their elevation. However, the area on the riverside of Saint Charles, and a varying amount further back, escaped flooding, being the single largest section of New Orleans to escape the flood.
Since it was spared the levee disaster flood, for months early in the post-Katrina recovery, Magazine Street became a commercial hub of New Orleans, with many businesses owned and run by locals reopening before chain stores in the Metro area.
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...
on the East Bank of 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...
encompassing a number of neighborhoods between 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 the Jefferson Parish
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States that includes most of the suburbs of New Orleans. The seat of parish government is Gretna....
line. It remains an area of mixed residential and small commercial properties, with a wealth of 19th century architecture http://www.neworleansonline.com/tools/neighborhoodguide/uptown.html. It includes part or all of Uptown New Orleans 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...
.
Boundaries and definitions
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
, many settlers from other parts of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
developed their homes and businesses in the area upriver from the older Creole
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
city. In the 19th century Canal Street
Canal Street, New Orleans
Canal Street is a major thoroughfare in the city of New Orleans. Forming the upriver boundary of the city's oldest neighborhood, the French Quarter , it acted as the dividing line between the older French/Spanish Colonial-era city and the newer American Sector, today's Central Business District.The...
was known as the dividing line between "Uptown" and "Downtown New Orleans
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...
", the boundary between the predominantly Francophone
French 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...
area downriver and the predominantly Anglophone
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
area upriver.
The very broadest definition of "Uptown", if derived from this historic definition including everything upriver from Canal Street, would encompass about one-third of the city. In narrowest usage, as a New Orleans City Planning neighborhood, Uptown refers to an area of only some dozen blocks centering on the intersection of Jefferson and St. Charles Avenues. Neither of these is what most New Orleanians of recent generations usually mean by "Uptown". While some may quibble about the exact boundaries, "Uptown" generally refers to the areas of the city closer to the River (riverside of S. Claiborne Avenue) upriver from the Pontchartrain Expressway
Pontchartrain Expressway
The Pontchartrain Expressway is a parallel 6-lane section of Interstate 10 and U.S. Route 90 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The designation begins on I-10 near the Orleans Parish/Jefferson Parish line at the I-610 Split. The expressway follows I-10 into the Central Business District of New Orleans ...
and modern CBD/Warehouse District
New Orleans Central Business District
The Central Business District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the French Quarter/CBD Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Iberville, Decatur and Canal Streets to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, the New Orleans Morial...
neighborhood.
The boundaries of the federal Uptown New Orleans Historic District, 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...
, are the river to S. Claiborne Avenue, Jackson Avenue to Broadway. Adjacent areas, which are often colloquially referred to as parts of Uptown are other federal historic districts: Carrollton
Carrollton
Carrollton is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Carrollton, Alabama*Carrollton, Georgia*Carrollton, Illinois*Carrollton, Carroll County, Indiana*Carrollton, Hancock County, Indiana*Carrollton, Kentucky...
, The Garden District
Garden District, New Orleans
The Garden District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Central City/Garden District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: St. Charles Avenue to the north, 1st Street to the east, Magazine Street to the south and Toledano Street to the...
, Irish Channel
Irish Channel, New Orleans
Irish Channel is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Central City/Garden District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Magazine Street to the north, 1st Street to the east, the Mississippi River to the south and Toledano to the...
, Central City
Central City, New Orleans
Central City is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. It is located at the lower end of Uptown, just above the New Orleans Central Business District, on the "lakeside" of St. Charles Avenue...
, and the Lower Garden District
Lower Garden District, New Orleans
Lower Garden District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Central City/Garden District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: St...
.
History
Uptown was developed during the 19th century, mostly from land that had been plantationPlantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s in the Colonial era. Several sections were originally developed as separate towns, like Lafayette, Jefferson City, Greenville, and Carrollton
Carrollton, Louisiana
Carrollton is a neighborhood of uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, which includes the Carrollton Historic District. It is the part of Uptown New Orleans farthest up river from the French Quarter...
. For a time in the early 19th century most of Uptown was part of Jefferson Parish until the City of New Orleans annexed them. In 1874, New Orleans added the towns of Lafayette (not to be confused with the present city of the same name in Lafayette Parish
Lafayette Parish, Louisiana
Lafayette Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Lafayette. According to the 2010 Census, its population was recorded as 221,578....
), and Carrollton
Carrollton, Louisiana
Carrollton is a neighborhood of uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, which includes the Carrollton Historic District. It is the part of Uptown New Orleans farthest up river from the French Quarter...
. This newly-absorbed area became known as Uptown New Orleans.
People from other parts of the United States settled Uptown in the 19th century, joined by immigrants, notably from 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...
, 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...
, and 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...
. Uptown has always had a sizable African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
population. Census data shows that ethnically and racially mixed blocks were common Uptown in the 19th and early 20th century, which continues to be the case in much of Uptown.
City of Lafayette
Several small settlements grew up at steamboat landings a few miles upstream of New Orleans. The original Lafayette began as one of these. The sugar plantation once owned by Francois Livaudais and situated in Jefferson Parish along the Mississippi River between the present Philip, Pleasant and LaSalle streets was sold to developers in 1832. It was subdivided and incorporated in April, 1833 as the City of Lafayette, and included the land that would later become known as the Garden DistrictGarden District, New Orleans
The Garden District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Central City/Garden District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: St. Charles Avenue to the north, 1st Street to the east, Magazine Street to the south and Toledano Street to the...
. The center of town was around Jackson Street. Lafayette was also the site of the original Jefferson Parish court house. The New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad, also incorporated in 1833, constructed a spur from the main line along Nyades Street (now St. Charles Avenue) down Jackson Street. Lafayette annexed Faubourg Delassize in 1844, bringing that city's boundary with New Orleans to Toledano Street. In 1853, New Orleans annexed Lafayette, moving the New Orleans city limit upriver into Jefferson Parish to Toledano Street. The seat of Jefferson Parish moved to the City of Carrollton. However, the boundary between Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish remained at Felicity Street until 1870, when it was moved to Lowerline Street.
Cornelius Hurst, developer of Faubourg Hurstville, sold a square block to the City of Lafayette for a cemetery in 1833. Now known as Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, the land is bounded by Washington Avenue, 6th Street, Coliseum Street and Prytania Street. In 1972, this cemetery was added to the National Register of Historical Places, but in 1996 it was listed in the 1996 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund is a private, international, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites around the world through fieldwork, advocacy, grantmaking, education, and training....
. The Fund helped in the creation of a preservation plan with assistance from American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
. In 2010, the Louisiana Landmarks Society rated Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 as one of the nine most endangered New Orleans landmarks. It said that two large oak trees threaten to destroy 30 tombs. The society also cited inadequate groundskeeping, improper maintenance and damage by movie film crews as contributing to this decline.
Greenville
Greenville was a city formerly in Jefferson ParishJefferson Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States that includes most of the suburbs of New Orleans. The seat of parish government is Gretna....
bounded by the present-day Audubon Park
Audubon Park
Audubon Park may refer:* Audubon Park Historic District, Manhattan, New York City * Audubon Park, New Orleans, city park in LouisianaSettled places:* Audubon Park, Kentucky* Audubon Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota* Audubon Park, New Jersey...
and Lowerline Street, and extended from the river to St. Charles Avenue. The city was annexed by New Orleans and became part of Orleans Parish. Although the name of Greenville is sometimes used in referring to a neighborhood in Uptown New Orleans, it should not be confused with the community of the same name in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana
Catahoula Parish, Louisiana
Catahoula Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its seat is Harrisonburg, located on the Ouachita River, which forms the eastern boundary of the parish. In 2000, the population of the parish was 10,920.-Prehistory:...
.
Jefferson City
By 1850, seven other faubourgs had been created. These combined to form Jefferson City, which extended between Toledano and Joseph Streets. Note that this is not the same location as the present day Jefferson, LouisianaJefferson, Louisiana
Jefferson is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, on the East Bank of the Mississippi River. Jefferson is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,843 at the 2000 census...
. In 1870, New Orleans annexed Jefferson City, Hurstville, Bloomingdale, Burtheville and Greenville. It also annexed the undeveloped area between Greenville and Burtheville that would soon become Audubon Park.
Hurstville
Faubourg Hurstville was the first faubourgFaubourg
Faubourg is an ancient French term approximating "suburb" . The earliest form is Forsbourg, derived from Latin foris, 'out of', and Vulgar Latin burgum, 'town' or 'fortress'...
of what is now Uptown New Orleans, created in 1833 by Cornelius Hurst, a wealthy businessman. It ran along the Mississippi River from Joseph Street to "the Bloomingdale Line" between Eleonore Street and State Street, continuing inland to Claiborne Avenue. The land had been part of a plantation once owned by Jean Baptiste Francois LeBreton. Cornelius Hurst, Pierre Joseph Tricou and Julie Robert Avart had bought the plantation in 1831, dividing it into three equal parts. Hurst commissioned a plantation house to be built on his land in 1832. The site of this house later became the corner of Tchoupitoulas and Joseph Streets. The house was moved in 1922 to a site at 3 Garden Lane.
Tricou sold his part to Hurst in 1832. Hurst's property was surveyed for development into Faubourg Hurstville. Avart's portion became Faubourg Bloomingdale in 1841.
Hurst named three streets perpendicular to the Mississippi River Eleonore, Arabella and Joseph for his wife, daughter and son, respectively. He named the fourth street Nashville, as part of his plan to get the New Orleans & Nashville railroad to construct a spur into his faubourg. However, both Hurst and the railroad went bankrupt during the Panic of 1837
Panic of 1837
The Panic of 1837 was a financial crisis or market correction in the United States built on a speculative fever. The end of the Second Bank of the United States had produced a period of runaway inflation, but on May 10, 1837 in New York City, every bank began to accept payment only in specie ,...
, and the proposed track was not built.
Although Hurst himself is largely forgotten, his name lives on as Hurst Street, which crosses the four streets named above. The name Hurstville is still used to identify the former faubourg, and as of 2010, still appears in local news items and real estate listings.
Burtheville
This faubourg was once farmland owned by D. B. Burthe. It was bounded by the river and Claiborne Avenue, between Webster and State streets. An 1867–1868 directory for New Orleans commented that Burtheville was very sparsely populated.Rickerville
Rickerville adjoined Hurstville along Joseph Street and extended along the river to Peters (now Jefferson), then inland to Pitt Street.Uptown (Neighborhood)
Main article Uptown, New OrleansUptown, New Orleans
Uptown is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Uptown/Carrollton Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: LaSalle Street to the north, Napoleon Avenue to the east, Magazine Street to the south and Jefferson Avenue to the west.-Geography:Uptown...
According to the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, Uptown also refers to a specific neighborhood that is bounded by Napoleon Avenue, Magazine Street, Jefferson Avenue and La Salle Street. The neighborhood was once known as Faubourg Bouligny, until it became part of Jefferson City. The area was annexed by New Orleans in 1870.
Cityscape
Uptown was built along the higher ground along an old natural river levee of a wide gradual bend of the Mississippi. Streets were laid out either roughly paralleling the River's curve or perpendicular to it, resulting in what has been called a "wheel with spokes" street pattern (with the hub inland from Uptown, in the Broadmoor and Mid City areas).Major roadways echoing the river's crescent include Tchoupitoulas Street
Tchoupitoulas Street
Tchoupitoulas Street is a street in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is the through street closest to the Mississippi River running through Uptown New Orleans...
closest to the river. Formerly heavily devoted to river shipping commerce, as shipping became more containerized in the later 20th century more of Tchoupitoulas became devoted to residential and other commercial uses. The next major street back is Magazine. While Magazine Street
Magazine Street
Magazine Street is a major thoroughfare in New Orleans, Louisiana. Like Tchoupitoulas Street, St. Charles Avenue, and Claiborne Avenue, it reflects the curving course of the Mississippi River...
has only one lane of traffic in both directions, it is a major commercial district, known for its many locally owned shops, restaurants, and art galleries. Prytania Street is the next major street inland, although it extends only up to Jefferson Avenue as a major thoroughfare. Next is famous St. Charles Avenue, home to the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar line. St. Charles was the city's "millionaire's row" in the 19th century, and a good number of the architecturally significant old mansions still stand along St. Charles, but much of it has more recently built apartment buildings and commercial establishments as well, and some of the old mansions have been converted into apartments. Further back, the streets Simon Bolivar, La Salle, and Freret form another parallel with the river. Furthest back is wide Claiborne Avenue, which until the early 20th century had a canal running down its neutral ground, and in much of Uptown was the back boundary of developed area until the drainage pumps designed by A. Baldwin Wood
A. Baldwin Wood
Albert Baldwin Wood was an inventor and engineer from New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1899....
were installed (see: Drainage in New Orleans
Drainage in New Orleans
Drainage in New Orleans, Louisiana has been a major concern since the founding of the city in the early 18th century, remaining an important factor in the history of New Orleans through today....
).
Major "spokes" perpendicular to the river include Melpomene/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Jackson, Washington, Louisiana, Napoleon, Jefferson, Nashville Avenues, Broadway, Carrollton Avenue, and Leonidas Street. Many of these were formerly the main streets of, or boundary lines between, the various early 19th century towns which were absorbed into the city.
Near the upper end of Uptown, on and around the land used for the 1884 World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
"World Cotton Centennial
World Cotton Centennial
The 1884 World's Fair was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. At a time when nearly one third of all cotton produced in the United States was handled in New Orleans and the city was home to the Cotton Exchange, the idea for the fair was first advanced by the Cotton Planters Association...
", are Uptown landmarks Audubon Park, Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
, and Loyola University New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational and Jesuit university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Originally established as Loyola College in 1904, the institution was chartered as a university in 1912. It bears the name of the Jesuit patron, Saint Ignatius of Loyola...
.
Neighborhoods and sections in Uptown
Important neighborhoods and sections of Uptown include, going roughly upriver from Canal Street:- Central CityCentral City, New OrleansCentral City is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. It is located at the lower end of Uptown, just above the New Orleans Central Business District, on the "lakeside" of St. Charles Avenue...
- Garden DistrictGarden District, New OrleansThe Garden District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Central City/Garden District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: St. Charles Avenue to the north, 1st Street to the east, Magazine Street to the south and Toledano Street to the...
- Irish ChannelIrish Channel, New OrleansIrish Channel is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Central City/Garden District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Magazine Street to the north, 1st Street to the east, the Mississippi River to the south and Toledano to the...
- Faubourg Bouligny
- Audubon/University District
- CarrolltonCarrollton, LouisianaCarrollton is a neighborhood of uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, which includes the Carrollton Historic District. It is the part of Uptown New Orleans farthest up river from the French Quarter...
- Central Business DistrictNew Orleans Central Business DistrictThe Central Business District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the French Quarter/CBD Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Iberville, Decatur and Canal Streets to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, the New Orleans Morial...
Some definitions of Uptown also include areas back from Claiborne such as the Broadmoor
Broadmoor, New Orleans
Broadmoor is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Uptown/Carrollton Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Eve Street to the north, Washington Avenue and Toledano Street to the east, South Claiborne Avenue to the south, and Jefferson Avenue,...
and Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau, New Orleans
Fontainebleau and Marlyville are jointly designated as a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Uptown/Carrollton Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Colapissa and Broadway Streets and MLK Boulevard to the north, South Jefferson Davis...
neighborhoods. Central Business District
New Orleans Central Business District
The Central Business District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the French Quarter/CBD Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Iberville, Decatur and Canal Streets to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, the New Orleans Morial...
, historically also known as the "Old American Quarter", was the earliest area called "Uptown New Orleans", though many no longer include it in their definition of Uptown.
Government and infrastructure
Uptown New Orleans is under the jurisdiction of the city and parish of New Orleans. For details, see New Orleans government.The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Uptown Station in Uptown.
Uptowners
Notable Uptowners have included jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musicians Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, Buddy Bolden
Buddy Bolden
Charles "Buddy" Bolden was an African American cornetist and is regarded by contemporaries as a key figure in the development of a New Orleans style of rag-time music which later came to be known as jazz.- Life :...
, George Brunies
George Brunies
George Brunies, aka Georg Brunis, was a jazz trombonist who came to fame in the 1930s, and was part of the Dixieland revival. He was known as the "King of the Tailgate Trombone"....
, Harry Connick, Jr.
Harry Connick, Jr.
Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. is an American singer, big-band leader/conductor, pianist, actor, and composer. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with...
, Percy Humphrey
Percy Humphrey
Percy Gaston Humphrey was a jazz trumpet player and bandleader in New Orleans, Louisiana.In addition to his own jazz band, Percy Humphrey and His Crescent City Joymakers, for more than thirty years he was leader of the Eureka Brass Band. He also played in the band of the pianist Sweet Emma Barrett...
, The Neville Brothers
The Neville Brothers
The Neville Brothers, an American R&B and soul group, was formed in 1977 in New Orleans, Louisiana.-History:The group notion started in 1976, when the four brothers of the Neville family, Art , Charles , Aaron , and Cyril The Neville Brothers, an American R&B and soul group, was formed in 1977 in...
, Joe "King" Oliver, Leon Roppolo
Leon Roppolo
Leon Roppolo was a prominent early jazz clarinetist, best known for his playing with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Roppolo also played saxophone and guitar. Roppolo married Mabel Alice Branchard on 17 May 1920 in New Orleans...
, singers the Boswell Sisters
Boswell Sisters
The Boswell Sisters were a close harmony singing group, consisting of sisters Martha Boswell , Connee Boswell , and Helvetia "Vet" Boswell , noted for intricate harmonies and rhythmic experimentation...
and Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson – January 27, 1972) was an African-American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel"...
, author Anne Rice
Anne Rice
Anne Rice is a best-selling Southern American author of metaphysical gothic fiction, Christian literature and erotica from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history...
, inventor A. Baldwin Wood
A. Baldwin Wood
Albert Baldwin Wood was an inventor and engineer from New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1899....
, ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin
Mark Plotkin
Mark J. Plotkin is an ethnobotanist and a plant explorer in the Neotropics, where he is an expert on rainforest ecosystems...
, and professional football players Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
, Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
, Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
and rappers B.G.
B.G. (rapper)
Christopher Dorsey , better known by his stage name B.G. , is an American rapper and actor, from New Orleans, Louisiana. He began his music career signed to Cash Money Records in 1993 with Lil Wayne as half of the duo The B.G.'z...
, Birdman (rapper), Soulja Slim
Soulja Slim
James Tapp, Jr. , better known by his stage name Soulja Slim, was an American rapper who achieved massive success on Master P's No Limit record label. He also achieved fame throughout New Orleans and Nation Wide from his work done with B.G., UNLV, and other local artists. He is known for writing...
and Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
Hurricane Katrina
- Main article: Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New OrleansEffect of Hurricane Katrina on New OrleansThe effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans have been long-lasting. As the center of Katrina passed South-east of New Orleans on August 29, 2005, winds downtown were in the Category 3 range with frequent intense gusts and tidal surge. Hurricane force winds were experienced throughout the...
Like most of the oldest parts of the city developed before 1900 on the city's higher ground, the majority of Uptown had very little flooding from Katrina For this reason, the portion of New Orleans along the riverfront stretching from the Bywater to Carrollton and including about half of Uptown was sometimes called "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...
" and "Isle of Denial." High water did affect some portions of Uptown, especially the areas closer to Claiborne Avenue, in some places severely. While 20th century floods such as from the 1909 Hurricane and the May 8th 1995 Louisiana Flood
May 8th 1995 Louisiana Flood
The May 8th and 9th 1995 New Orleans Flood struck the New Orleans metropolitan area, shutting down the city for two days. It was a two-event phenomenon. Areas south of the lake began receiving tremendous amounts of rain at approximately 5:30 p.m. on May 7th, continuing into the early morning...
affected Uptown, the post-Katrina flooding was worse than anything seen since Sauvé's Crevasse
Sauvé's Crevasse
Sauvé's Crevasse was a Mississippi River levee failure that flooded much of New Orleans, Louisiana in 1849.In 1849 the Mississippi reached the highest water level observed in twenty-one years. Some seventeen miles up river from the city of New Orleans in Jefferson Parish lay a plantation belonging...
in 1849. In these areas many old homes were built on piers 0.9 to 1.2 meters (3 to 4 feet) above street level to insure against the occasional disastrous flood. These piers proved to be insufficiently raised, taking on another 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 feet) of water above their elevation. However, the area on the riverside of Saint Charles, and a varying amount further back, escaped flooding, being the single largest section of New Orleans to escape the flood.
Since it was spared the levee disaster flood, for months early in the post-Katrina recovery, Magazine Street became a commercial hub of New Orleans, with many businesses owned and run by locals reopening before chain stores in the Metro area.