Bourbon Street - History

History

The French claimed Louisiana as a colony in the 1690s. Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville was appointed as Director General in charge of developing a colony in the territory. He founded New Orleans in 1718. In 1721, the royal engineer, Adrien de Pauger designed the city's street layout. He named the streets after French royal houses and Catholic saints. Bourbon Street paid homage to France's ruling family, the House of Bourbon.

New Orleans was given to the Spanish in 1763 following the Seven Years War. In 1788, a major fire destroyed 80% of the city's buildings. The Spanish rebuilt many of the damaged buildings, which are still standing today. For this reason, Bourbon Street and the French Quarter display more Spanish than French influence.

The Americans gained control of the colony following the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. They translated the French street names into English, with Rue Bourbon becoming Bourbon Street.

New Orleans in the nineteenth century was both similar to and different from other Southern cities. It was similar in that like other southern cities, its economy was based on selling cash crops such as sugar and tobacco. By 1840, newcomers whose wealth came from these industries turned New Orleans into the third largest metropolis in the country.

The main difference between New Orleans and other southern cities was its unique cultural heritage as a result of having been a former French and Spanish possession. This cultural legacy in the form of its architecture, cuisine and traditions was emphasized by the city seeking to entice tourists by showcasing these more exotic qualities.

The French Quarter was central to this image and became the best-known section of the city by tourists. It quickly became a center of Creole culture that sought to avoid Americanization. Newcomers criticized the perceived Creole fondness for loose morals. This perception was fought by city officials, but persisted as many tourists came to New Orleans to drink, gamble and have sexual encounters in the city’s many brothels, beginning in the 1880s.

Despite this, Bourbon Street was a premier residential area prior to 1900. This changed in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when the Storyville Red Light district was constructed on Basin Street adjacent to the French Quarter . The area became known for prostitution, gambling and vaudeville acts. Jazz is said to have gained prominence here, with artists such as King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton providing music for the brothels.

This was also the era when some of New Orleans' most famous restaurants were founded, including Galatoire's, located at 209 Bourbon Street. It was founded by Jean Galatoire in 1905. Known for years by its characteristic line snaking down Bourbon Street, patrons would wait for hours just to get a table —especially on Fridays.

Before World War II, the French Quarter was emerging as a major asset to the city’s economy. While there was an interest in historic districts emerging at this time, urban developers felt pressure to modernize the city. Simultaneously, property owners capitalized on the wartime influx of people by opening adult-centered nightclubs that capitalized on the city’s risqué image. This led to Bourbon Street becoming the new Storyville in terms of reputation.

By the 1940s and 50s, nightclubs lined Bourbon Street. Over 50 different burlesque shows, striptease acts and exotic dancers could be found there.

There was a move in the 1960s under District Attorney Jim Garrison to clean up Bourbon Street. In August 1962, two months after he was elected district attorney, Garrison began raids on adult establishments on Bourbon Street. His efforts mirrored his predecessors’, which had been largely unsuccessful. He was much more successful than those who came before him, however. He forced closure on a dozen nightclubs guilty of prostitution and selling overpriced alcohol. Following his efforts, Bourbon Street was populated by peep shows and sidewalk beer stands.

When Mayor Moon Landrieu came into office in 1970, he focused his efforts on stimulating tourism. He did so by creating a pedestrian mall on Bourbon Street that made it more walkable.

The 1980s and 90s were characterized by a Disneyfication of Bourbon Street. Critics of the rapid proliferation of souvenir shops and corporate ventures claim that Bourbon Street has become creole Disneyland. They also argue that Bourbon Street’s authenticity has been lost in this process.