Happy birthday to New Orleans, 300 years in the making! The year 2018 marks the city of New Orleans's 300th anniversary, and the city is going all out on the monthslong celebration of its illustrious history, diverse culture and unique traditions. The extensive program, put forth by city...

Photo courtesy of Cemetery Tour New Orleans at Basin St. Station on FacebookHalloween in New Orleans has grown into an extremely popular party holiday for pleasure seekers, with its active nightlife, dining scene and seasonal festivals booming this time of year.But the city holds a much...

Italian Benevolent Society Tomb, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA—photo by traveljunction on FlickrFrom Ernie K-Doe to the fictional Ignatius P. Reilly, many over-the-top personalities comprise the city of New Orleans. Not surprisingly, these larger-than-life characters often take their...

Postcard showing view of Storyville courtesy of The Historic New Orleans CollectionMany know Storyville as the red light district where prostitution and jazz music flourished in New Orleans from 1895 to 1917. A lineage of musical geniuses, including Jelly Roll Morton, Buddy Bolden and Pops...

Even on the muggiest of Louisiana days, it's always Christmas inside Santa’s Quarters in the French Quarter.Those who have never ventured into the store can’t help but wonder, How do they stay in business year-round? What is it a front for?But Santa’s Quarters (1025 Dectatur St) owner...

By: Katy Reckdahl Every year now, The Voodoo Experience, with its taglines “join the ritual,” and “worship the music,” pegs its calendar to Halloween. This has become a tradition in New Orleans, much like All Saints’ Day, when families head to the graveyards of the French Quarter and...

By: Sally ReevesDetail, Ignace Broutin, Plan de la Nouvelle Orléans telle qu'elle estoit le premier janvier mil sept cent trente-deux. French Centre des archives d'outre-mer 04DFC 90A. Broutin's plan of the garden and the Capuchin complex in 1732. Several drainage features seem to be...

By: Sally Reeves Every quarter-hour, the thin peal of bells at St. Louis Cathedral calls saints and sinners, mostly the latter. They clang out a slightly off-key sound, as if they well know the offbeat rhythms of the neighborhood below them. The pulse of a circus atmosphere around the church...

By: Sally Reeves Top to bottom: Notable French Quarter Fire Survivors - Ursulines Convent, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, Madame Johns LegacyOf all the forces that conspire to destroy a city – time, storm, neglect, need – fire does the most harm. Without Prometheus, we might have more of our...