New Orleans: 1900-2000's
Transportation:
Figure 2: An aerial view of the lock being built in 1921
The Inner Harbor Navigational Canal
The more commonly known name being the Industrial Canal was finished in 1921 and then connected to the Mississippi river via locks in 1923. [1] It was meant as an economic resource that would help bring big industry to New Orleans. That didn't occur though because the much grander and faster container ships that were utilized by big industry were too large to go through the canal. So although the system worked, it fell short of what it was designed to facilitate, to open up the New Orleans trade by developing relations with heavy industry. “Instead...the Industrial Canal became lined with facilities to serve the bulk cargo barges that plied the Intracoastal Waterway.” [1] This waterway that was just mentioned was added along with the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet (MR-GO) in order to boost the economic benefit of the Industrial Canal, because Lake Pontchartrain ended up being more of a recreational area then a place for trade to occur.
The more commonly known name being the Industrial Canal was finished in 1921 and then connected to the Mississippi river via locks in 1923. [1] It was meant as an economic resource that would help bring big industry to New Orleans. That didn't occur though because the much grander and faster container ships that were utilized by big industry were too large to go through the canal. So although the system worked, it fell short of what it was designed to facilitate, to open up the New Orleans trade by developing relations with heavy industry. “Instead...the Industrial Canal became lined with facilities to serve the bulk cargo barges that plied the Intracoastal Waterway.” [1] This waterway that was just mentioned was added along with the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet (MR-GO) in order to boost the economic benefit of the Industrial Canal, because Lake Pontchartrain ended up being more of a recreational area then a place for trade to occur.
Housing:
Figure 3: Map to illustrate the vulnerability the Lower Ninth Ward has to flooding
Expansion of Housing to Formerly Uninhabitable Areas
With the development of the Industrial Canal, came the dramatic changing of the landscape. Surrounding swamp and wetland areas were drained, and the land was designated for residential areas and so construction began and thus the Lower Ninth Ward was established. Due to its location however, there was an incredibly high flood danger. The neighborhood was dangerous because it sat right along the Industrial Canal just to the east of it and the Mississippi river was to it's south and Lake Pontchartrain north of it,“The city had developed in such a way as to make habitable swamp and marshland thus creating new neighborhoods as the surrounding water moved ever closer to the city’s gate. This was all while relying on a complex system of levees and pumps…”, but this complex system wasn't enough. [6] This was made very evident as this community was made famous for being the hardest stricken area by Hurricane Katrina. For some that meant Lower Ninth Ward and for others it meant moving to lakeside properties and abiding by strict restrictive covenants to keep certain people groups out.
With the development of the Industrial Canal, came the dramatic changing of the landscape. Surrounding swamp and wetland areas were drained, and the land was designated for residential areas and so construction began and thus the Lower Ninth Ward was established. Due to its location however, there was an incredibly high flood danger. The neighborhood was dangerous because it sat right along the Industrial Canal just to the east of it and the Mississippi river was to it's south and Lake Pontchartrain north of it,“The city had developed in such a way as to make habitable swamp and marshland thus creating new neighborhoods as the surrounding water moved ever closer to the city’s gate. This was all while relying on a complex system of levees and pumps…”, but this complex system wasn't enough. [6] This was made very evident as this community was made famous for being the hardest stricken area by Hurricane Katrina. For some that meant Lower Ninth Ward and for others it meant moving to lakeside properties and abiding by strict restrictive covenants to keep certain people groups out.
Racially Split Neighborhoods
Campella suggests that "racial spatial disassociation" can explain why this occurs. [3] During the period from early to mid 1900’s many white families started leaving the central area of the town to these developing suburbs. Especially after WWII ended, because of the GI bill that provided soldiers coming home with enough money to purchase homes and build up their wealth from there. Of course even though there were troops of other races the amounts of money given were either higher or lower based on your skin color. So that’s the time period in which white flight really takes off, and New Orleans is no exception. And with the 60's came the Civil Rights movement and came talk do desegregation, of schools, of public services and utilities, Even though the climate was becoming more tolerable between blacks and whites and they were "working, shopping and dining together in increasing numbers... [but] living together did not necessarily follow." [3]
Campella suggests that "racial spatial disassociation" can explain why this occurs. [3] During the period from early to mid 1900’s many white families started leaving the central area of the town to these developing suburbs. Especially after WWII ended, because of the GI bill that provided soldiers coming home with enough money to purchase homes and build up their wealth from there. Of course even though there were troops of other races the amounts of money given were either higher or lower based on your skin color. So that’s the time period in which white flight really takes off, and New Orleans is no exception. And with the 60's came the Civil Rights movement and came talk do desegregation, of schools, of public services and utilities, Even though the climate was becoming more tolerable between blacks and whites and they were "working, shopping and dining together in increasing numbers... [but] living together did not necessarily follow." [3]
Land Use:
Figure 4: Night view of the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans
A Century Later: Louisiana World Exposition 1984
This was the second World’s Fair hosted by New Orleans. Like the world’s fairs before it, it also had a theme which was “The World of Rivers”. The World’s fair was similar to the Olympic games it was meant as an event that both brought all of the world's cultures into one place to celebrate them while also at the same time to revitalize the host city with funds and the infrastructure that was to be built for the fair, which leads to an increase in jobs, and overall a boost to the economy. The only differences being that it went on for a year or so as opposed to just a few weeks and that they happened every year as opposed to every four. The point being is that this is what the local government of New Orleans was hoping for when they decided to host the fair in 1984, that overall boost. They saw the impact that it had on other cities and hoped to not have the same bad luck as when they had hosted it for the first time, having dealt with so much controversy, the planners of this fair hoped to change that image with this second fair. Unfortunately it wasn't the case although they brought in lots of crowds, they ended up losing money it wasn't as scandalous as the director of the fair taking off with all the revenue taken like in 1884, but still losing money wasn't the expectation either. "Other cities, including Seattle, Montreal, and San Antonio, had used their fairs to build the infrastructure needed to attract more visitors or to garner worldwide publicity about their existing facilities. With the success of those fairs, how could the plan fail for Louisiana?" [9] Well it didn’t give the benefit if making a profit per se, but a convention center and a lively arts district have now come from that effort. So it succeeded in giving the city a boost just not what was expected.
This was the second World’s Fair hosted by New Orleans. Like the world’s fairs before it, it also had a theme which was “The World of Rivers”. The World’s fair was similar to the Olympic games it was meant as an event that both brought all of the world's cultures into one place to celebrate them while also at the same time to revitalize the host city with funds and the infrastructure that was to be built for the fair, which leads to an increase in jobs, and overall a boost to the economy. The only differences being that it went on for a year or so as opposed to just a few weeks and that they happened every year as opposed to every four. The point being is that this is what the local government of New Orleans was hoping for when they decided to host the fair in 1984, that overall boost. They saw the impact that it had on other cities and hoped to not have the same bad luck as when they had hosted it for the first time, having dealt with so much controversy, the planners of this fair hoped to change that image with this second fair. Unfortunately it wasn't the case although they brought in lots of crowds, they ended up losing money it wasn't as scandalous as the director of the fair taking off with all the revenue taken like in 1884, but still losing money wasn't the expectation either. "Other cities, including Seattle, Montreal, and San Antonio, had used their fairs to build the infrastructure needed to attract more visitors or to garner worldwide publicity about their existing facilities. With the success of those fairs, how could the plan fail for Louisiana?" [9] Well it didn’t give the benefit if making a profit per se, but a convention center and a lively arts district have now come from that effort. So it succeeded in giving the city a boost just not what was expected.
Urban Design:
Figure 5: Mayor Martin Behrman
inspects drainage work done in Algiers in 1909
Modernization clashes with Historical Preservation
Comparing the historical preservation and the modernization perspectives of the 20th century I’d say the more popular of the two at least in that time period was modernization. To the people of that time, progress, newer technology, being more modern was in a way lifestyle that had to be adopted if one was to live in New Orleans, due to the flooding and the hurricanes. In order to better their way of life, in the early 1900’s sewage and drainage systems were developed. This bettered their fight not only against natural disasters but this tremendously brought down the death toll attributed to yellow fever. When the former Mayor Behrman spoke of modernization he said, “we realized that we must decide quickly upon the adoption of a policy, either of progress and modernization on the one hand, or content ourselves, on the other, with remaining inert -- satisfied with what we had and the conditions in which we lived, which would have been tantamount to a declaration in favor of retrogression and decay." [6]
Comparing the historical preservation and the modernization perspectives of the 20th century I’d say the more popular of the two at least in that time period was modernization. To the people of that time, progress, newer technology, being more modern was in a way lifestyle that had to be adopted if one was to live in New Orleans, due to the flooding and the hurricanes. In order to better their way of life, in the early 1900’s sewage and drainage systems were developed. This bettered their fight not only against natural disasters but this tremendously brought down the death toll attributed to yellow fever. When the former Mayor Behrman spoke of modernization he said, “we realized that we must decide quickly upon the adoption of a policy, either of progress and modernization on the one hand, or content ourselves, on the other, with remaining inert -- satisfied with what we had and the conditions in which we lived, which would have been tantamount to a declaration in favor of retrogression and decay." [6]
A preservationist in the historical sense would probably be against solely thinking about progress, because they want to preserve and maintain areas that have both cultural and historical significance. The most infamous of success stories in the case of New Orleans when it comes to historical preservation has to be the French Quarter. “By the 20th century numerous Quarter buildings became derelict and crumbling prompting city boosters to consider the area an embarrassing slum that deserved wholesale demolition.” [8] You can refer to Figure 6 to see their point of view on the matter. Although there were some that disagreed with that conclusion, and that the Quarter should be saved and maintained. This demand to protect the Quarter continued to grow into the 1910’s and 20’s. [8] Though there were some that went as far as to suggest plans for buildings with which to replace parts of the Quarter with, very few got through. Then in 1936, history was made when the French Quarter became the very first site to ever become a historically preserved district. Also worthy of noting is that these areas that hold historical value typically make for a great tourist venue, and so remembering and maintaining places of a time long past can also be quite lucrative. The people that have been to the French Quarter and visited New Orleans during Mardi Gras know this all too well.
Footnotes:
Text Sources:
Image Sources:
- Lewis, Peirce F. New Orleans : The Making of an Urban Landscape. New York: Center for American Places, Incorporated, 2003. Print.
- Levees.org, “Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (Industrial Canal) and the Lower Ninth Ward,” New Orleans Historical, accessed July 31, 2013, http://www.neworleanshistorical.org/items/show/289
- Campanella, Richard. Delta Urbanism: New Orleans. Chicago: American Planning Association, 2010. Print.
- Campanella, Richard. Bienville's Dilemma: A Historical Geography of New Orleans. Lafayette: Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 2008. Print.
- Hart, Philip S. African Americans and the Future of New Orleans: Rebirth, Renewal and Rebuilding : An American Dilemma. Phoenix, Ariz.: Amber, 2007. Print.
- "S&WB Work Is an Investment in New Orleans' Future: Editorial." The Times-Picayune. Ed. The Editorial Board, NOLA.com. N.p., 14 Dec. 2012. Web. 31 July 2013. <http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2012/12/investing_in_new_orleans_futur.html>.
- "World's Fairs: The Times-Picayune Covers 175 Years of New Orleans History." The Times-Picayune. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 July 2013. <http://www.nola.com/175years/index.ssf/2012/02/worlds_fairs_the_times-picayun.html>.
- "History of French Quarter." FQMD-History of French Quarter. French Quarter Management District, n.d. Web. 31 July 2013. <http://fqmd.org/history.html>.
- Cotter, Bill. The 1984 New Orleans World's Fair. [Charleston, SC]: Arcadia Pub., 2009. Print.
Image Sources:
- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/New_Orleans_panorama_1919.jpg
- http://imgick.nola.com/home/nola-media/pgmain/img/tpphotos/photo/2011/10/-463b055ec3abc861.jpg
- http://flaglerlive.com/wp-content/uploads/new-orleans-9th-ward.png
- http://media.nola.com/tpphotos/photo/2011/12/10350222-standard.jpg
- http://www.knowla.org/uploads/2/Encyclopedia/images/2007/2007-thumb-lg-500x342.jpg
- http://fqmd.org/images/history/1987.186.2.jpg
- http://www.northernvirginiamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/shutterstock_66926818.jpg