About
New Orleans Historical
A project by The Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies at LSU New OrleansNew Orleans Historical promotes the idea that historical scholarship should be freely and publicly available. Our stories come from scholars, writers, artists, community members, and students in collaboration with faculty and staff at the Midlo Center. Through place-based storytelling, learn the histories of familiar landmarks and discover lesser-known narratives from New Orleans’ past.
Our tours are grouped by theme, period, or location, while links to individual sites allow users to explore the stories around them. Historical sources, oral histories, and artifacts bring these stories to life. Walk, drive, bike, or visit these sites virtually on our free app or on the web.
Featured Tours
New Orleans Lakefront
8 Locations ~ Curated by Patrick StephenAn exploration of some of the historical locations and uses of New Orleans' lakefront, including colonial fortifications, military bases, amusement parks, and the University of New Orleans.
Access: Biking
Distance: ~7 miles, ~30 minutes - 1 hour via Lakeshore Drive and Canal Boulevard (excludes Lincoln Beach).
Tips: Lincoln Beach is closed to the public at this time. There is also no good bike route to reach it along this tour.
Hollywood South: Film Production and Movie-Going in New Orleans
11 Locations ~ Curated by The New Orleans Historical TeamThis tour tells the stories of different moments in the formation and evolution of Hollywood South in New Orleans. Sites reveal the important people, films, theaters, and locations from the silent era to the present. New Orleans has become a major hub in the film production world. A city so infamous for its revelry and the disasters it has endured, its connections to the film industry has often been overlooked.
Access: Hybrid driving and walking
Distance: ~8.5 miles, ~45 minutes driving…
Lakefront Airport
6 Locations ~ Curated by Teresa ThessenOne of the world's most advanced airports when it opened in the 1930s, Lakefront Airport retains many of its landmark buildings and hangars.
Access: Hybrid driving and walking
Distance: ~.5 miles, ~5 minutes driving
Tips: The terminal building has a restaurant that serves brunch and lunch.
Random Stories
Upstairs Lounge Fire, 1973: In Memoriam
The Upstairs Lounge had served as the home of a religious denomination, the Metropolitan Community Church; however, no church would allow a prayer service for those who died, except for the pastor of…
K&B Drug Stores
Katz & Besthoff, Ltd., later known as K&B, was a drug store chain headquartered in New Orleans throughout much of the 20th century. 1011 Canal Street was home to one of the chain's 186 storefronts.…
Benjamin Franklin Senior High School: Student Life
The school opened in September 1957 with 103 students at the Sophomore level. Junior and Senior levels were added in subsequent years. The high school was created to provide college preparatory…
McDonogh No. 5
In 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency provided funding to the Recovery School District (RSD) authorizing the renovation of Martin Berhman Elementary School under the Robert T. Stafford…
Nix Methadone Clinic
The Carrollton neighborhood suffered through a heroin epidemic in the 1970s. Heroin use would decline throughout the U.S. in the 1980s as cocaine and crack use increased.
An addiction treatment…
St. Augustine/Tremé Plantation Site
During 1998 and 1999, the Greater New Orleans Archaeology Program, under the direction of Christopher Mathews, undertook testing and data recovery at the St. Augustine Site (16OR148), in the Tremé…
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