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| XXXXXX |
Congo Square terminus of the Carondelet Canal, but was never constructed. The wide
median earmarked for the canal was referred to by early inhabitants as the "neutral
ground", due to the animosities amongst culturally distant residents on separate sides of
the avenue. The term is still used by New Orleanians to refer to all street medians.
One end of Canal Street terminates at the Mississippi River. Often called "The foot of
Canal Street", at the riverfront the Canal Street Ferry offers a connection to the Algiers
Point neighborhood, an older, 18th century portion of the larger Algiers area across the
river. Canal Street's other terminus is in Mid-City at a collection of cemeteries. Slightly
offset from Canal Street's Mid-City end is the beginning of Canal Boulevard, which
extends to the shore of Lake Pontchartrain via the Lakeview neighborhood.
The street has three lanes of traffic in both directions, with a pair of streetcar tracks in
the center.
median earmarked for the canal was referred to by early inhabitants as the "neutral
ground", due to the animosities amongst culturally distant residents on separate sides of
the avenue. The term is still used by New Orleanians to refer to all street medians.
One end of Canal Street terminates at the Mississippi River. Often called "The foot of
Canal Street", at the riverfront the Canal Street Ferry offers a connection to the Algiers
Point neighborhood, an older, 18th century portion of the larger Algiers area across the
river. Canal Street's other terminus is in Mid-City at a collection of cemeteries. Slightly
offset from Canal Street's Mid-City end is the beginning of Canal Boulevard, which
extends to the shore of Lake Pontchartrain via the Lakeview neighborhood.
The street has three lanes of traffic in both directions, with a pair of streetcar tracks in
the center.
| XXX |
| How Carol Solved the Puzzle |
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| If you have a picture you'd like us to feature a picture in a future quiz, please email it to us at CFitzp@aol.com. If we use it, you will receive a free analysis of your picture. You will also receive a free Forensic Genealogy CD or a 10% discount towards the purchase of the Forensic Genealogy book. |
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| Where Was the Picture Taken From, and More... Analysis by Alan Lemm |
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| If you enjoy our quizzes, don't forget to order our books! Click here. |
| Quiz #294 Results |
| Answer to Quiz #294 February 27, 2011 |
| Answers: 1. Canal St., New Orleans, LA 2. There were plans to build a canal down the center of the street, but the canal was never built. 3. City Park Ave. |
| 1. What is the name of this street and where it is located? 2. Why is the street named this? 3. What is the name of the street today where it dead ends to the northwest? |
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| TinEye Spoiler Alert: You may use TinEye to identify this picture, but if you resist the temptation, you will have a lot more fun. |
| ********** |
| Congratulations to Our Winners Cate Bloomquist Roberta Martin Michael G. Adan Margreet Brouwer Diane Burkett Edee Scott Carol Farrant Marilyn Hamill Stan Read Peter Norton Margaret Waterman Jim Kiser Debbie Johnson Joshua Kreitzer Dave Town Jim Baker Collier Smith Janice M. Sellers Lionel Cottier Jr. Alan Lemm Joe Ruffner Pat Pilgrim Betty Chambers Barbara Battles Donna E Jolley Margaret Paxton Mike Dalton Alan Cullinan JoLyn Pfeiffer Kevin Beeson Alex Sissoev Gary Sterne Carl Blessing Rebecca Bare Nicole Blank Arthur Hartwell Daniel Jolley Jim Bullock Milene Rawlinson Dennis Brann Robert W. Steinmann, Jr. Elaine C. Hebert Nelsen Spickard Margie O'Donnell Joyce Veness Elaine C. Hebert Herschel Browne |
| Comments from Our Readers |
| I am not sure I understand this however since Congo Square is supposedly located in Louis Armstrong Park which is 8-9 blocks northeast of Canal Street and only about 7 blocks from the Mississippi River. Canal Street does not seem to come anywhere close to connecting the two. Canal Street dead ends into City Park Ave. There is an offset and Canal Blvd. continues to the northeast. Milene Rawlinson N.B. You are right, Congo Square is to the east of where Canal St. is today. But Congo Square is located at the location of the east end of where the Carondelet Canal's turning basin ran along today's Basin St. (Hence the name.) My understanding is that the proposed canal would have run from the Mississippi River to this turning basin, or from the foot of the Canal St. of today to Basin St. See the map. Canal St. in the early days was not as long as it is now. It must have originally stopped close to where Basin St. is now. I know this because there are a lot of cemeteries at the head of Canal St. where it reaches City Park Ave. The cemeteries were originally places outside of town, far from the French Quarter, so that the victims of the yellow fever epidemics could be buried without contaminating the city. - Q. Gen. |
Thought you might do another NO pic this week. Ironwork on the buildings gave me a
clue, S E Worms clinched it. Marilyn Hamill
*****
I Googled H.B. Stevens & Co. [men's clothing], which led to another photo of Looking
west on Canal street , New Orleans, La. This was lucky for me, because H.B. Stevens
& Co. was (is? I haven't looked) apparently also the name of a music publisher in
Boston. Well, it's another port city. Close enough, don't you think?
I try to forget that Tineye exists, unless I'm completely stumped and out of time. I
check it for confirmation, sometimes, but usually Tineye doesn't have it (nice work,
Colleen!) anyway. Peter Norton
*****
THROW ME SOMTIN QUIZ MISSTRESS!
I'm probably the only participant that knew at a glance that this was the Crescent City
'New Orleans'. I had to verify and simply found out that the Worm Dept store was the
precursor to Krause's which was a N.O. institution for generations.
Canal Street starts at the river and was named after a proposed Canal connecting the
river with Lake Ponchatrain. It turns from Canal St. to Canal Blvd and dead ends at
Lakeshore drive in an area known as the 'West End'. Where it dead ends is very close
to Bucktown where the 17th street canal burst and flooded much of the area during
Katrina.
For those who wish to visit N.O.: I encourage you to come. MUCH, MUCH of the
appeal and beauty of New Orleans has been left untouched. There still are the fabulous
restaurants and currently MORE than pre-Katrinia and the costs per entree here are a
fraction of major cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco. Currently I'm in
shorts and golfed yesterday in the 70's (the temperature not my score). Mardi Gras this
year should be a risque scantily attired mad-house as it always is during a late warm
'Fat Tuesday'. Mardi Gras is known as the Greatest Free Party in the World; come
experience it. Jim Kiser
*****
I immediately thought Canal Street, but it took me a while to prove it. I probably picked
it so quickly after spending much time walking Canal Street. If I had been able to spot
D.H. Holmes or Godcheaux's I would have been sure.
I found a sign on the National Dental Parlors building for Searcy and Pfaff Printers. I
located a biography of Pfaff on-line. That nailed it as New Orleans, and there can be no
other street as wide as Canal.
Thanks for another great quiz. Jim Baker
*****
Trying to date this photo, I was initially thrown by the Stars and Bars flying in front of
Werlein's Pianos. Checking on the streetcars, I found that they were not electrified
until February 1, 1893, so this photo is at least that old. By the way, I identified the
photo by researching Werlein's. It was established in New Orleans in 1853 at 172
Canal (now 605 Canal, thanks to renumbering) and remained in business there until the
late 1970's. Margaret Paxton
N.B. I am from New Orleans. We used to hold our piano recitals there every year.
-Q. Gen.
*****
You were right. It WAS a lot more fun to do this without Tineye. Had to look up a
couple of the businesses and then find the common street/city that was mentioned and
go from there. Carl Blessing
N.B. Of course I was right. I am the Quizmaster General. - Q. Gen.
*****
Google was probably faster than tintype. "S. E. Worms & Co." gave me enough to
easily get the above information. If I am correct, it is the fastest I have ever done the
quiz. Arthur Hartwell
*****
The first hit was on "h b stevens & co" which mentioned that the store was
on Canal St. in New Orleans.
content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt4b69p81d/?order=2&brand=calisphere
I verified this by searching "s e worms & co" which was listed at 522 Canal,
New Orleans.
http://www.archive.org/stream/neworleansguidew00zach/neworleansguidew00zach_
djvu.txt (I hate that site. Their scans are horrible.) Jim Bullock
*****
I Googled H.B. Stevens Men's Clothes and found out that they merged with a Mr.
Porter to found Porter Stevens, which made me hit myself upside the head with a
'Duh'!! Elaine C. Hebert
N.B. Elaine is from New Orleans. Duh!!! - Q. Gen.
*****
I saw your posting regarding the quiz on the Orleans list and took a look at the photo.
With the photo being taken at 9:10 in the morning and looking at the shadow on the
poles, it appears that the photographer was taking the photo looking toward the lake.
Taking a guess, I'd say that the picture was taken from the roof of the Custom House.
Thanks for the links to the other old photos that you had posted in other quizzes. It's
always a pleasure to see what old New Orleans looked like in days long past.
Lionel Cottier, Jr.
*****
I remember that you are from NO. And I know how much a picture with that kind of
connection can mean. I rejoice to find a diary/letter from a man who was in France in
WWI at the same time as my great uncle. And your connection is so much closer than
that. Debbie Johnson
clue, S E Worms clinched it. Marilyn Hamill
*****
I Googled H.B. Stevens & Co. [men's clothing], which led to another photo of Looking
west on Canal street , New Orleans, La. This was lucky for me, because H.B. Stevens
& Co. was (is? I haven't looked) apparently also the name of a music publisher in
Boston. Well, it's another port city. Close enough, don't you think?
I try to forget that Tineye exists, unless I'm completely stumped and out of time. I
check it for confirmation, sometimes, but usually Tineye doesn't have it (nice work,
Colleen!) anyway. Peter Norton
*****
THROW ME SOMTIN QUIZ MISSTRESS!
I'm probably the only participant that knew at a glance that this was the Crescent City
'New Orleans'. I had to verify and simply found out that the Worm Dept store was the
precursor to Krause's which was a N.O. institution for generations.
Canal Street starts at the river and was named after a proposed Canal connecting the
river with Lake Ponchatrain. It turns from Canal St. to Canal Blvd and dead ends at
Lakeshore drive in an area known as the 'West End'. Where it dead ends is very close
to Bucktown where the 17th street canal burst and flooded much of the area during
Katrina.
For those who wish to visit N.O.: I encourage you to come. MUCH, MUCH of the
appeal and beauty of New Orleans has been left untouched. There still are the fabulous
restaurants and currently MORE than pre-Katrinia and the costs per entree here are a
fraction of major cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco. Currently I'm in
shorts and golfed yesterday in the 70's (the temperature not my score). Mardi Gras this
year should be a risque scantily attired mad-house as it always is during a late warm
'Fat Tuesday'. Mardi Gras is known as the Greatest Free Party in the World; come
experience it. Jim Kiser
*****
I immediately thought Canal Street, but it took me a while to prove it. I probably picked
it so quickly after spending much time walking Canal Street. If I had been able to spot
D.H. Holmes or Godcheaux's I would have been sure.
I found a sign on the National Dental Parlors building for Searcy and Pfaff Printers. I
located a biography of Pfaff on-line. That nailed it as New Orleans, and there can be no
other street as wide as Canal.
Thanks for another great quiz. Jim Baker
*****
Trying to date this photo, I was initially thrown by the Stars and Bars flying in front of
Werlein's Pianos. Checking on the streetcars, I found that they were not electrified
until February 1, 1893, so this photo is at least that old. By the way, I identified the
photo by researching Werlein's. It was established in New Orleans in 1853 at 172
Canal (now 605 Canal, thanks to renumbering) and remained in business there until the
late 1970's. Margaret Paxton
N.B. I am from New Orleans. We used to hold our piano recitals there every year.
-Q. Gen.
*****
You were right. It WAS a lot more fun to do this without Tineye. Had to look up a
couple of the businesses and then find the common street/city that was mentioned and
go from there. Carl Blessing
N.B. Of course I was right. I am the Quizmaster General. - Q. Gen.
*****
Google was probably faster than tintype. "S. E. Worms & Co." gave me enough to
easily get the above information. If I am correct, it is the fastest I have ever done the
quiz. Arthur Hartwell
*****
The first hit was on "h b stevens & co" which mentioned that the store was
on Canal St. in New Orleans.
content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt4b69p81d/?order=2&brand=calisphere
I verified this by searching "s e worms & co" which was listed at 522 Canal,
New Orleans.
http://www.archive.org/stream/neworleansguidew00zach/neworleansguidew00zach_
djvu.txt (I hate that site. Their scans are horrible.) Jim Bullock
*****
I Googled H.B. Stevens Men's Clothes and found out that they merged with a Mr.
Porter to found Porter Stevens, which made me hit myself upside the head with a
'Duh'!! Elaine C. Hebert
N.B. Elaine is from New Orleans. Duh!!! - Q. Gen.
*****
I saw your posting regarding the quiz on the Orleans list and took a look at the photo.
With the photo being taken at 9:10 in the morning and looking at the shadow on the
poles, it appears that the photographer was taking the photo looking toward the lake.
Taking a guess, I'd say that the picture was taken from the roof of the Custom House.
Thanks for the links to the other old photos that you had posted in other quizzes. It's
always a pleasure to see what old New Orleans looked like in days long past.
Lionel Cottier, Jr.
*****
I remember that you are from NO. And I know how much a picture with that kind of
connection can mean. I rejoice to find a diary/letter from a man who was in France in
WWI at the same time as my great uncle. And your connection is so much closer than
that. Debbie Johnson
| When I first looked at the photograph, I thought that it looked a lot like old time Market Street in San Francisco. So, I’m thinking, “Hurray. My hometown makes the big time.” Wrong! None of the business names rang any bells with me. First I looked up National Dental Parlors, the easiest sign to read. It seems they ran into some legal problems in St. Louis, Missouri. I don’t know if they fled the state and moved to this new location. Whatever happened, this was no help. S.E. Worms, Seary & Pfaff and H.B. Stevens all led me to New Orleans. Your question #2 made the obvious answer Canal Street (at the intersection of Camp) in New Orleans. But, I had to double |
This photo appears to have been taken from the fourth or fifth story of a building at the
northeast corner of Canal & Magazine, so I'm guessing it was taken from the roof of
the United States Custom House at that location. The existence of streetcars and
absence of motor vehicles suggests that the photograph was taken in late 19th century
or early 20th century.
The following photo is an ad for Leonard Krower, a jeweler whose store can be seen in
the photo, left of center. The Sheraton now stands where that store used to be.
northeast corner of Canal & Magazine, so I'm guessing it was taken from the roof of
the United States Custom House at that location. The existence of streetcars and
absence of motor vehicles suggests that the photograph was taken in late 19th century
or early 20th century.
The following photo is an ad for Leonard Krower, a jeweler whose store can be seen in
the photo, left of center. The Sheraton now stands where that store used to be.
I had originally thought that both the building that was
cut off at the left edge of the photo and half of the
building next to it were still standing, but Google
Street View shows that the architecture of the two
buildings currently at that corner don't match with the
ones in the photograph. The roof of the "S E
Worms" building's top floor reaches the middle of the
other building's fourth floor, but the current building
at that sight has a roof that is practically flush with
the top of the other building's fourth floor, so I think
that the original Worms building was demolished and
rebuilt. The other building, the one cut off at the left
edge of the photo, is, I think, the same building as the
one shown on Street View, only with major exterior
alterations.
cut off at the left edge of the photo and half of the
building next to it were still standing, but Google
Street View shows that the architecture of the two
buildings currently at that corner don't match with the
ones in the photograph. The roof of the "S E
Worms" building's top floor reaches the middle of the
other building's fourth floor, but the current building
at that sight has a roof that is practically flush with
the top of the other building's fourth floor, so I think
that the original Worms building was demolished and
rebuilt. The other building, the one cut off at the left
edge of the photo, is, I think, the same building as the
one shown on Street View, only with major exterior
alterations.
[N.B. Dont know if the Worms building was rebuilt of just heavily refurbished.
-Q. Gen.]
The street seems to be very dusty. I'm guessing that this is pollution from the factories
in the background.
The building near the center, with businesses like "New York Life" advertising on their
windows, is still there, at the corner of Canal & Camp. The building that used to house
the Orpheum is also still there, at the corner of Canal & St Charles, as are the "H B
Stevens & Co" building, the building that looks like a six-story apartment building with
shuttered windows to the right of center, and the small white building just to the left of
that one.
I don't think the cathedral in the background is there anymore.
Here's another photo of the same general area, taken from the other side of Canal Street.
-Q. Gen.]
The street seems to be very dusty. I'm guessing that this is pollution from the factories
in the background.
The building near the center, with businesses like "New York Life" advertising on their
windows, is still there, at the corner of Canal & Camp. The building that used to house
the Orpheum is also still there, at the corner of Canal & St Charles, as are the "H B
Stevens & Co" building, the building that looks like a six-story apartment building with
shuttered windows to the right of center, and the small white building just to the left of
that one.
I don't think the cathedral in the background is there anymore.
Here's another photo of the same general area, taken from the other side of Canal Street.
Canal Street is a major thoroughfare in the
city of New Orleans. Forming the upriver
boundary of the city's oldest
neighborhood, the French Quarter (Vieux
Carre), it acted as the dividing line
between the older French/Spanish
Colonial-era city and the newer American
Sector, today's Central Business District.
The name of the avenue comes from a
planned canal which was to have
connected the Mississippi River to the
city of New Orleans. Forming the upriver
boundary of the city's oldest
neighborhood, the French Quarter (Vieux
Carre), it acted as the dividing line
between the older French/Spanish
Colonial-era city and the newer American
Sector, today's Central Business District.
The name of the avenue comes from a
planned canal which was to have
connected the Mississippi River to the
| World Famous Canal St. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_Street,_New_Orleans |
| XXX |
| The buildings to the far left are now part of the Best Western St. Christopher Hotel, at the corner of Canal and Magazine Sts. and the Sheraton Hotel at 500 Canal St. They seem to have been heavily refurbished. |
| Searcy & Pfaff Printers |
| H.B. Stevens & Co. Gents Furnishing Goods |
| National Dental Parlours |
| S. E. Worms & Co. |
| Orpheum |
| Godchaux |
| Werleins |
| Leonard Krower |
| NY Life |
| Hints in the Picture about the Location |
| check. An old phone directory showed Seary & Pfaff in the 100 block of Camp, so their entrance was just around the corner. Carol Farrant |
| Canal St. in the 1920s viewed away from the River |
Canal Street is often said to be the widest roadway in
America to have been classified as a street, instead of the
avenue or boulevard titles more typically appended to
wide urban thoroughfares.
For more than a century, Canal Street was the main
shopping district of Greater New Orleans. Local
department stores Maison Blanche, D.H. Holmes,
Godchaux's, Gus Mayer, Kreeger's and Krauss anchored
numerous well-known specialty retailers, such as
Rubensteins Men's Store, Adlers, Koslow's, Rapp's, and
Werlein's Music. National retailers, like Kress,
Woolworth, McCrory's and Walgreens (the last of these
listed that still exist) were present alongside local
drugstore K&B. Sears operated a large store one block
off Canal, on Baronne Street. Theaters and movie palaces
America to have been classified as a street, instead of the
avenue or boulevard titles more typically appended to
wide urban thoroughfares.
For more than a century, Canal Street was the main
shopping district of Greater New Orleans. Local
department stores Maison Blanche, D.H. Holmes,
Godchaux's, Gus Mayer, Kreeger's and Krauss anchored
numerous well-known specialty retailers, such as
Rubensteins Men's Store, Adlers, Koslow's, Rapp's, and
Werlein's Music. National retailers, like Kress,
Woolworth, McCrory's and Walgreens (the last of these
listed that still exist) were present alongside local
drugstore K&B. Sears operated a large store one block
off Canal, on Baronne Street. Theaters and movie palaces
| Canal St. at night |
were centered around the intersection with Rampart Street, with the neon marquees of
the Saenger, Loews State, Orpheum, and Joy casting multicolored light nightly onto
surrounding sidewalks. Notably, the world's first movie theater (that is, the first
business devoted specifically to showing films for profit) was "Vitascope Hall",
established on Canal Street in 1896.
the Saenger, Loews State, Orpheum, and Joy casting multicolored light nightly onto
surrounding sidewalks. Notably, the world's first movie theater (that is, the first
business devoted specifically to showing films for profit) was "Vitascope Hall",
established on Canal Street in 1896.
| ********** |
| Then and Now |
| The New York Life building at 600 Canal St. is still there |
| These four buildings are still around. The white building on the left is at 622 Canal St., the home of PJ's Coffee of New Orleans. |
The round turrets on the white building are gone, but as far as I can tell
the building itself, plus the two white buildings to the right, are still
there. Note these three correspond to the three on the left in Google
Street View. The building with the Footlocker seems to be new.
the building itself, plus the two white buildings to the right, are still
there. Note these three correspond to the three on the left in Google
Street View. The building with the Footlocker seems to be new.
| ********** |
| Left: The Orpheum and the J. B. Stevens buildings; Above: How they appear today. |
| Where was the Picture Taken From? |
| At the risk of "cheating" I am always willing to use someone elses work. Here is a quote from Shorpy: [http://www.shorpy.com/node/7639#comment-83260] Submitted by Chris B on Fri, 02/05/2010 - 8:01am. I think this photo was shot from atop the Custom House. It is looking towards the lake. The big building in the middle still stands at Carondelet and Canal. Find the building with the storm shutters, directly to the right of the picture, towards the bottom. It is the oldest building still standing on Canal Street. It is at the downriver, lakebound corner of Canal Street and Decatur Street. It is now a Wendy's or an Arby's." Milene Rawlinson **** The tower of the original Godchaux's store at 527 Canal St. (at Chartres) can be seen in the lower right. The tower is very proximate to the camera and there does not seem to be any breaks in the awnings or street to indicate the intersection of Canal and Dorsiere which is the river end of this same block fronting on Canal St. I found this picture on Shorpy.com and one person thought the picture was taken from the roof or upper floors of the Custom House in the 300 block of Canal, but that would place the camera too distant from the Godchaux's tower. In looking at the 1895-1896 Sanborn maps, New Orleans 1895-1896 There is no change in the buildings in this block in the 1908-1909 Sanborn maps as compared to the earlier maps. New Orleans 1908-1909 I think the picture was taken from the roof of Stauffer, Eshleman & Co. Wholesale Hardware at 519 Canal St. Diane R. Burkett |
| ********** |
| Past Photo Quizzes about New Orleans |
| Quiz #1 Snow in New Orleans April 25, 2005 |
| N.B. I cannot access the Sanborn Maps since I don't have a subscription to ProQuest. So I will leave this as an exercise for the reader. - Q. Gen. |
| ********** |