In the Spring of 1718, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville presided over a small ceremony on the banks of the Mississippi River and officially founded what we know today as the City of New Orleans.
How did Bienville come to choose this site for New Orleans? What were the other options and how do those decisions impact New Orleanians today?
In today's episode we explore Bienville's Dilemma with noted author and geographer Richard Campanella. In Richard's book, Bienville's Dilemma, he explains the factors that led to the decision to place New Orleans at its present site, rather than at the mouth of the Mississippi River.
You'll learn the important differences between a good site and a good situation, and why that mattered to the French. We also settle the question of whether New Orleans is predominantly above or below sea level.
As we move forward in time, Richard and I discuss how decisions made at the very beginning of New Orleans continue to impact the city today. Richard also explains how even today you can use subtle clues to retrace the past, including the former boundaries of the plantations that lined the Riverfront from below the French Quarter all the way Uptown to present-day Riverbend in the Carrollton neighborhood.
Join us for a nearly 300 year journey from Bienville to post Katrina New Orleans. You'll be rewarded with a new understanding and appreciation for the Crescent City.
All this and more on today's show!
You can find Richard on line at richcampanella.com. You'll find excerpts from all of his books, as well as a wonderful collection of images of New Orleans.
Richard’s books are available at local New Orleans booksellers, including Octavia Books, Garden District Book Shop and Maple Street Book Shop. You can also purchase an autographed copy of Bienville's Dilemma directly from Richard. Send him an email at: rcampane@tulane.edu
For scenes of New Orleans life as well as a steady stream of articles about the city, be sure to follow Richard on Twitter (@nolacampanella).
Of course you do!
If you’re planning a trip to New Orleans and want to cut through all the research we’re here to help. We offer a personalized travel consult. Here’s how it works:
You complete a brief questionnaire to help us get to know you and the experience you want to have in New Orleans. Next, we set up a 20-30 minute phone or video call. During the call, we get to know you a little better. We can clarify any questions and bounce a few ideas off of you to make sure we ‘re on the right track.
Finally, we prepare and deliver a pdf document with our recommendations for your trip. Depending on your needs the report will contain specific places to stay, eat and drink. It will also offer suggestions on things to do and see, all based on your budget and interests.
Sound good? Just go to http://www.beyondbourbonst.com/travel for all the details and a link to order the service.
Thanks to Richard Campanella for joining me on the podcast. His lens as a geographer helps me see New Orleans in an entirely different light. I'll never wander the streets of Uptown New Orleans again without appreciating the subtle curves, the slices of green space, and the streets that sometime jog left or right when you least expect them.
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts. If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans.
We now have a Facebook group where you can ask questions, share your New Orleans experiences and engage with others who love all things New Orleans. Join us by going to www.beyondbourbonst.com/facebook
Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi?
Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com
Thanks for listening!
Mark
Since 1961, Preservation Hall has been the epicenter of traditional jazz music in New Orleans. In today's episode, we visit with Ben Jaffe, the band leader of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
After a visit to New Orleans on their honeymoon in 1961, Ben's parents Allan and Sandra Jaffe created Preservation Hall. Along the way, they helped ensure this original American music form would have a place to be celebrated and honored. Ben and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band carry on that tradition, while also helping spread the celebration of jazz music worldwide.
In today's show, we talk about the musicians, the music, the art scene in New Orleans in the early 1960s and more. You'll hear about artists from Buddy Bolden and Sweet Emma to recent collaborations with Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters.
We also talk about the Preservation Hall Foundation, and the work they do to help kids learn about jazz.
All this and more on today's show!
Preservation Hall |726 St. Peter St - live shows offered nightly, seven days a week. Preservation Hall performances are open to all ages. Tickets can be purchased at the door, though patrons usually start lining up 45 minutes early. To avoid the line, purchase a Big Shot pass on the website.
Follow Preservation Hall on Twitter (@PresHall), Instagram (@PreservationHall), and on Facebook.
Thanks to Ben Jaffe for joining me on the podcast and for welcoming me into his parent's home. It was an honor to record this discussion with Ben about the past and future of New Orleans jazz music.
A special thanks to Paul Sanchez for connecting me with Ben. Both are ambassadors for New Orleans and always looking to connect people who share a love of the Crescent City and her music. You can listen to an interview with Paul back in episode #23.
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts. If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans.
We now have a Facebook group where you can ask questions, share your New Orleans experiences and engage with others who love all things New Orleans. Join us by going to www.beyondbourbonst.com/facebook
Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi?
Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com
Thanks for listening!
Mark