New Orleans: Crescent of Darkness- A Threads of Damocles "A" Universe


	6th ward/Treme, 7th Ward, 8th Ward, 9th Ward 6th Ward/Treme Treme abuts the northwest side of the French Quarter, away from the Mississippi River -- "back of town" as earlier generations of New Orleanians used to say. Its traditional borders were N Rampart Street towards the river, Canal Street upriver, Esplanade Avenue downriver, and Broad Street to the back. The "town square" of Treme is Congo Square -- originally known as "Place de Negroes" -- where slaves gathered on Sundays to dance until this tradition was quashed after Louisiana passed to the rule of the United States . The square was also an important place of business for slaves, even enabling some to purchase their freedom. For much of the rest of the 19th century, the square has been an open air market, and "Creole of Color" brass and symphonic bands give concerts, providing the foundation for a more improvisational style that is starting to become to be known as "Jazz". 7th Ward Among the first owners was Claude Dubreuil whose vast estate stretched from the river to Bayou Sauvage and Gentilly. By the late 1700s, this land had changed proprietorship several times and finally came into the holdings of Bernard Marigny, who successfully subdivided the Faubourg Marigny and continued with what was called Nouveau Marigny (between Elysian Fields and St. Bernard and from St. Claude to Gentilly Rd.). When, in 1830, the Pontchartrain Railroad connected the Faubourg Marigny with the settlement of Milneburg on the lake, these lots became more saleable. The railroad helped Nouveau Marigny to grow almost to Gentilly Ridge. The area of the Seventh Ward neighborhood that did not belong to Bernard Marigny belonged to Charles de Morand who also owned most of what is now the Tremé neighborhood. As the Vieux Carre became increasingly overcrowded people were forced to seek residence in other developing areas of the city and Nouveau Marigny was one of them. The area was settled by the second half of the 19th century. A significant number of German immigrants and French Creole families inhabited the neighborhood by the mid-1800s. However, it was the free people of color who came to characterize the Seventh Ward neighborhood. Free persons of color, les gens de couleur libres , began to settle in New Orleans around 1720. By 1810, they composed about one-third of the city's population. These people were well educated, highly skilled in the building trades, spoke perfect French and called themselves Creole. By the mid-1800s, many free people of color had taken up residence in the Seventh Ward. Creole Seventh Ward families are known for strength in business enterprises, building trades, and music. Successful family-owned businesses, such as insurance companies, laundries, barbershops and funeral homes characterized the neighborhood from the mid 19th century onward. After the Civil War all people of color were lumped together for the first time, and Creole families experienced a significant social demotion – suddenly being denied access to networks and resources that had previously been available to them as free people of color. Because Creoles were of European and African descent, they had a lighter skin color than many of the recently freed Africans. Jim Crow laws reinforced the importance of skin color by declaring that anyone with at least “1/8th black blood” (known as an “octoroon”) was technically “colored.” So Creoles began to attempt to distinguish themselves from darker skinned “colored” people. 8th Ward The 8th Ward is a narrow strip stretching from the Mississippi River on the south to Lake Pontchartrain in the north. East or "down" is the 9th Ward, the boundary being Franklin Avene, Almonaster Avenue, then People's Avenue, and a line straight north into the Lake at part of the University of New Orleans campus. On the east or "upper" side, the boundary is Elysian Fields Avenue , the boundary with the 7th Ward of New Orleans. 9th Ward / Holy Cross The Holy Cross neighborhood is a portion of the Lower Ninth Ward, wedged between the levees of the Industrial Canal and the Mississippi River and stretching as far as the St. Bernard Parish line and as wide as St. Claude Avenue. Early 19th century maps show that there were several plantations in the area. Sugar was the dominant crop. Truck gardening and other farming activities were common, supported by easy access to and transportation of crops to the river. Restaurants and open markets in New Orleans, including the French Market, obtained fresh produce from the small truck farms in the area. The farms were major sources of employment for those who lived in the Lower Ninth Ward. However, little statistical information is available as to the status of the African American population. Therefore, it is unknown how many may have been working the land as enslaved Africans, owned land or employed as free people of color. In the late 1800s, poor African Americans and immigrant laborers from Ireland , Germany and Italy desperate for homes but unable to afford housing in other areas of the city risked flooding and disease to move in Holy Cross. In the 1870s, several African American benevolent associations and mutual-aid societies organized to assist scores of struggling freedmen into the area The Holy Cross population grew substantially following the early 1800s. The Catholic population alone had risen from 200-300 in 1840 to 1500-1800 in 1852. As a result, the Catholic Church began construction of St. Maurice Church in 1857. The original structure still stands on the corner of St. Maurice and Chartres Streets As the population increased, neighborhood commercial entities, such as corner stores, sprang up as well. With the exception of the truck farms, which later became more modern ranch homes and apartment houses, most residential development in Holy Cross was complete by the late 1800s.

6th ward/Treme, 7th Ward, 8th Ward, 9th Ward

6th Ward/Treme

Treme abuts the northwest side of the French Quarter, away from the Mississippi River -- "back of town" as earlier generations of New Orleanians used to say. Its traditional borders were N Rampart Street towards the river, Canal Street upriver, Esplanade Avenue downriver, and Broad Street to the back.

The "town square" of Treme is Congo Square -- originally known as "Place de Negroes" -- where slaves gathered on Sundays to dance until this tradition was quashed after Louisiana passed to the rule of the United States . The square was also an important place of business for slaves, even enabling some to purchase their freedom. For much of the rest of the 19th century, the square has been an open air market, and "Creole of Color" brass and symphonic bands give concerts, providing the foundation for a more improvisational style that is starting to become to be known as "Jazz".

7th Ward

Among the first owners was Claude Dubreuil whose vast estate stretched from the river to Bayou Sauvage and Gentilly. By the late 1700s, this land had changed proprietorship several times and finally came into the holdings of Bernard Marigny, who successfully subdivided the Faubourg Marigny and continued with what was called Nouveau Marigny (between Elysian Fields and St. Bernard and from St. Claude to Gentilly Rd.). When, in 1830, the Pontchartrain Railroad connected the Faubourg Marigny with the settlement of Milneburg on the lake, these lots became more saleable. The railroad helped Nouveau Marigny to grow almost to Gentilly Ridge.

The area of the Seventh Ward neighborhood that did not belong to Bernard Marigny belonged to Charles de Morand who also owned most of what is now the Tremé neighborhood.

As the Vieux Carre became increasingly overcrowded people were forced to seek residence in other developing areas of the city and Nouveau Marigny was one of them. The area was settled by the second half of the 19th century. A significant number of German immigrants and French Creole families inhabited the neighborhood by the mid-1800s. However, it was the free people of color who came to characterize the Seventh Ward neighborhood.

Free persons of color, les gens de couleur libres , began to settle in New Orleans around 1720. By 1810, they composed about one-third of the city's population. These people were well educated, highly skilled in the building trades, spoke perfect French and called themselves Creole. By the mid-1800s, many free people of color had taken up residence in the Seventh Ward. Creole Seventh Ward families are known for strength in business enterprises, building trades, and music. Successful family-owned businesses, such as insurance companies, laundries, barbershops and funeral homes characterized the neighborhood from the mid 19th century onward.

After the Civil War all people of color were lumped together for the first time, and Creole families experienced a significant social demotion – suddenly being denied access to networks and resources that had previously been available to them as free people of color. Because Creoles were of European and African descent, they had a lighter skin color than many of the recently freed Africans. Jim Crow laws reinforced the importance of skin color by declaring that anyone with at least “1/8th black blood” (known as an “octoroon”) was technically “colored.” So Creoles began to attempt to distinguish themselves from darker skinned “colored” people.

8th Ward

The 8th Ward is a narrow strip stretching from the Mississippi River on the south to Lake Pontchartrain in the north. East or "down" is the 9th Ward, the boundary being Franklin Avene, Almonaster Avenue, then People's Avenue, and a line straight north into the Lake at part of the University of New Orleans campus. On the east or "upper" side, the boundary is Elysian Fields Avenue , the boundary with the 7th Ward of New Orleans.

9th Ward / Holy Cross

The Holy Cross neighborhood is a portion of the Lower Ninth Ward, wedged between the levees of the Industrial Canal and the Mississippi River and stretching as far as the St. Bernard Parish line and as wide as St. Claude Avenue. Early 19th century maps show that there were several plantations in the area. Sugar was the dominant crop. Truck gardening and other farming activities were common, supported by easy access to and transportation of crops to the river. Restaurants and open markets in New Orleans, including the French Market, obtained fresh produce from the small truck farms in the area.

The farms were major sources of employment for those who lived in the Lower Ninth Ward. However, little statistical information is available as to the status of the African American population. Therefore, it is unknown how many may have been working the land as enslaved Africans, owned land or employed as free people of color.

In the late 1800s, poor African Americans and immigrant laborers from Ireland , Germany and Italy desperate for homes but unable to afford housing in other areas of the city risked flooding and disease to move in Holy Cross. In the 1870s, several African American benevolent associations and mutual-aid societies organized to assist scores of struggling freedmen into the area

The Holy Cross population grew substantially following the early 1800s. The Catholic population alone had risen from 200-300 in 1840 to 1500-1800 in 1852. As a result, the Catholic Church began construction of St. Maurice Church in 1857. The original structure still stands on the corner of St. Maurice and Chartres Streets As the population increased, neighborhood commercial entities, such as corner stores, sprang up as well. With the exception of the truck farms, which later became more modern ranch homes and apartment houses, most residential development in Holy Cross was complete by the late 1800s.