I've been feeling a need to go to "The City" for a while.
The need comes from living there in another time.
The city was the background for a few years of my
impressionable youth. It was like living in a foreign
city full of amazing sights and abilities, while being
able to speak the language, somewhat.
I, for the most part, loved it. The world was at my
disposal for 7cents. Get on the bus or street car and go.
I know you cannot go back, especially to New Orleans,
and expect anything to be wholly "like it was". It would
be fruitless. I lament. Hurricane Katrina sealed the deal.
The paragraphs below were written about 1945 or earlier.
Where I copied it, I can't say. I believe it is from The
Federal Writer's Project: Louisiana or close. Nevertheless,
it is ancient history, even to me. I lived in New Orleans when
this time had passed and the world was changing, the late
1950's. This article had identified a few facts I needed for the
Ponchartrain Railraod article I did one cold rainy night.
I found this when I was looking for something. Since I'd
been lamenting about New Orleans, the impossible ride
there and no reason for it, I've posted this, a look back
at New Orleans when it was, sigh, different than today.
A side note: For the most part, the yards in NO are small
to non existant. People live closely togehter and there is a
need to get OUT to escape. This short write explains a few
of their favorite getaways back when. By the way, Ponchartrain
Beach was on the site of Milneburg. Remember the Wild Mouse and the
Zephyr? Here are the old hot spots.
I lament.