NOLA History Guy podcast

1:33:38

The New Orleans Lakefront played many roles in the war effort of the 1940s. USCG Guardsman standing guard at Higgins Industries, New Orleans Winning the War on the Lakefront This was originally a talk given at the National World War II Museum, part of their “Lunchbox Lecture” series. Doing it again as a podcast episode because talk recordings don’t always catch good angles of the photos and maps. The Pod PDF Here Land Reclamation West End Boulevard and the Lakefront, 1926. The street just above the center of the photo is Robert E. Lee Blvd. (Now Allen Toussaint Blvd.) The Hospitals From 1943: New Canal at bottom, then Lagarde Army Hospital, than Navy Hospital New Orleans. NRAB/NAS New Orleans V-5 Aviation Cadet class graduating at Naval Reserve Air Base New Orleans, 1941 Consolidated-Vultee Pontchartrain Beach (top)), Consolidated-Vultee factory, Camp Leroy Johnson, Bomber Base. Industrial Canal PT-Boat commissioning ceremony at Higgins Industries on the Industrial Canal Four Ways to Support NOLA History Guy Buy my books! Edward Branley is the author of six books on New Orleans history. They’re available from local booksellers and all the usual online suspects. Book NOLA History Guy to speak at your event – Edward speaks to groups ranging in size to local groups like Kiwanis and Rotary to major conventions and trade shows. Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi dot com. I just love this concept as a way to say thank you/tip creators you enjoy. Our idea of monetization is buying books and having us come to speak. If you see me at a coffee shop, stop and say hi. Otherwise, I’ll raise coffee cup to you if you treat me. Become a patron. Yes, we’re on Patreon. A lot of creators use the platform for direct monetization, and that’s great for them. We don’t have “exclusive content” for patrons. Still, if you think our history stuff is worth a dollar a month, go join! The post Podcast 51 – Winning the War on the Lakefront appeared first on Edward Branley - The NOLA History Guy .…

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Podcast 50 – Double-Truck Streetcars 26:26

há 7 dias26:26

26:26

In Podcast 50 we discuss the other double-truck streetcars that ran in New Orleans. Brill semi-convertible streetcar, 1916 “Other” Double-Truck Streetcars Part 4 of our 4-part series on early electric streetcars in New Orleans presents the other double-truck models. This includes the Pullman Company, “1899” Americans, Brill Semi-convertibles, Barney & Smith, and Morris cars. PDF here. The Pod Pullman Streetcars The St. Charles Street Railroad Company purchased Pullman double-trucks. They operated them on the Clio line, when that line crossed Canal. The line originated at the St. Charles Hotel and ran to the Pontchartrain Railroad terminal on Elysian Fields Avenue. Note this company is not the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad Company that ran the Carrollton/St. Charles line. “1899” Americans The “1899” streetcars by American Car Company were operated by the New Orleans City Railroad Comany (NOCRR – second incarnation). Blueprints Brill Semi-Convertibles Morris Cars, named for Master Mechanic E. J. Morris at the Canal Shops. “500 Series” streetcars Books Stretcars of New Orleans by Hennick and Charlton The Streetcars of New Orleans: 1964–Present New Orleans: The Canal Streetcar Line Four Ways to Support NOLA History Guy Buy my books! Edward Branley is the author of six books on New Orleans history. They’re available from local booksellers and all the usual online suspects. Book NOLA History Guy to speak at your event – Edward speaks to groups ranging in size to local groups like Kiwanis and Rotary to major conventions and trade shows. Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi dot com. I just love this concept as a way to say thank you/tip creators you enjoy. Our idea of monetization is buying books and having us come to speak. If you see me at a coffee shop, stop and say hi. Otherwise, I’ll raise coffee cup to you if you treat me. Become a patron. Yes, we’re on Patreon. A lot of creators use the platform for direct monetization, and that’s great for them. We don’t have “exclusive content” for patrons. Still, if you think our history stuff is worth a dollar a month, go join! The post Podcast 50 – Double-Truck Streetcars appeared first on Edward Branley - The NOLA History Guy .…

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Podcast 49 – Palace Streetcars 36:47

há 7 weeks36:47

36:47

In Podcast 49 we talk about some of the coolest – the Palace Streetcars. Double-Truck Palace Streetcars Part 3 of our 4-part series on early streetcars in New Orleans presents the Palace streetcars from the turn of the 20th century. Manufactured by the St. Louis Car Company, the semi-convertible, double-truck, Palace cars picked up their name because of their smooth ride. The local transit company, New Orleans City Railway Company, had a relationship with the St. Louis Car Company. NOCRR purchased their first electric streetcars from them. By 1901, NOCRR needed larger streetcars. So, they turned again to St. Louis. The company sold them their semi-convertible. The city took delivery on the Palace cars starting in 1902. PDF here. The Pod Palace Semi-convertible Streetcars New Orleans City RR Company 043, one of the first Palace streetcars delivered in 1902. These cars were originally open-vestibule. You can see the motorman standing at the controls outside of the cabin. The Palace cars had wood frames with a steel underframe. The grates over the lower part of the windows blocked passengers from putting their hands outside. New Orleans Railway & Light Company (NORwy&Lt) 025 was one of the original Palace cars. This John Tibule Mendes photo shows 025 running on the Dauphine line on Mardi Gras, 1918. The company re-built the Palace cars later that year, closing in the end vestibules and making other modifications. Blueprints Blueprint of the “1918 Remodeling” of the Palace cars by NORwy&Lt. At this time, the company also re-numbered the cars. They assigned these cars 600- and 700-series numbers. St. Louis World’s Fair 1904 St. Louis Car Company designed the Palace cars for use at the Louisiana Purchase Centennial Exposition in 1904. The exposition grounds featured a 10-mile streetcar route around the perimeter. Palace cars brought visitors around the exhibits and pavillions. Zoom-in of the exhibition map showing the “Intramural Railway.” Canal/Esplanade Belts The first Palace cars ran on the Canal Line. When more cars arrived in 1903, they went to work on the Esplanade line. The two lines began “belt” service. We outline the route in Podcast Episode 10, “ Riding the Belt .” This 1918 image shows NORwy&Lt 630, running on the Canal Belt. The streetcar heads down City Park Avenue, towards Bayou St. John. It turns left at the bayou, onto Wisner, then a quick right, onto the Esplanade Avenue bridge. From there, the line continued down Esplanade to N. Rampart. This Franck Studios photo shows a Palace streetcar on Esplanade Avenue. The company ran this streetcar to document the clearances on the neutral ground, in response to a lawsuit. The car’s roll sign is set for “WEST END.” Date: 8-October-1921. 1929 Strike This photo shows the remains of a Palace car burned on Canal Street 7-July-1929. The company brought out a single streetcar operated by management employees. Motormen, conductors, and supporters turned it over and set it afire. Books Stretcars of New Orleans by Hennick and Charlton The Streetcars of New Orleans: 1964–Present New Orleans: The Canal Streetcar Line Four Ways to Support NOLA History Guy Buy my books! Edward Branley is the author of six books on New Orleans history. They’re available from local booksellers and all the usual online suspects. Book NOLA History Guy to speak at your event – Edward speaks to groups ranging in size to local groups like Kiwanis and Rotary to major conventions and trade shows. Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi dot com. I just love this concept as a way to say thank you/tip creators you enjoy. Our idea of monetization is buying books and having us come to speak. If you see me at a coffee shop, stop and say hi. Otherwise, I’ll raise coffee cup to you if you treat me. Become a patron. Yes, we’re on Patreon. A lot of creators use the platform for direct monetization, and that’s great for them. We don’t have “exclusive content” for patrons. Still, if you think our history stuff is worth a dollar a month, go join! The post Podcast 49 – Palace Streetcars appeared first on Edward Branley - The NOLA History Guy .…

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Podcast 48 – Early Electric Streetcars 43:48

há 8 weeks43:48

43:48

Podcast 48 discusses the early electric streetcars of New Orleans. Early Electric Streetcars in New Orleans Podcast 48 continues our four-part series on early New Orleans street railways. We’re talking about streetcars that pre-date our iconic arch roof streetcars from 1923, and the red streetcars from 2004. As commercial electrification expanded in the 1890s, street railway operators took notice. They installed overhead electric wires and purchased electric-powered streetcars. PDF here. The Pod First Electrics Plans for a New Orleans Carrollton & Light RR Company “1894 Brill” streetcar. Courtesy NOPSI. New Orleans’ first electrics were from St. Louis Car Company. Unfortunately, there are no known photos of these streetcars. New Orleans Traction Company expanded the fleet with “1894 Brill” streetcars. The 1894s originally had 7 windows and used two pairs of 22-E trucks. The Brill modified the design, selling 8-window cars to NOTC. They replaced the 22-E trucks with a single suspension truck. 1894 Brill running on the Clio line in 1902 As Uptown expanded, residents complained about the smoke and noise of the train. NO&CRR switched from steam railroad operations to mule-drawn streetcars in the 1840s. They used Stephenson Co. “bobtail” streetcars pulled by mules. Ford, Bacon, & Davis FB&D plans for the Canal Street terminal at Liberty Place The city brought in engineers from Ford, Bacon & Davis in 1894, to consult on improvements to street railways. Those engineers designed a streetcar specifically for use in New Orleans. Books Stretcars of New Orleans by Hennick and Charlton The Streetcars of New Orleans: 1964–Present New Orleans: The Canal Streetcar Line Four Ways to Support NOLA History Guy Buy my books! Edward Branley is the author of six books on New Orleans history. They’re available from local booksellers and all the usual online suspects. Book NOLA History Guy to speak at your event – Edward speaks to groups ranging in size to local groups like Kiwanis and Rotary to major conventions and trade shows. Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi dot com. I just love this concept as a way to say thank you/tip creators you enjoy. Our idea of monetization is buying books and having us come to speak. If you see me at a coffee shop, stop and say hi. Otherwise, I’ll raise coffee cup to you if you treat me. Become a patron. Yes, we’re on Patreon. A lot of creators use the platform for direct monetization, and that’s great for them. We don’t have “exclusive content” for patrons. Still, if you think our history stuff is worth a dollar a month, go join! The post Podcast 48 – Early Electric Streetcars appeared first on Edward Branley - The NOLA History Guy .…

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Podcast 47 – Pre-Electric Streetcars 1:12:12

há 9 weeks1:12:12

1:12:12

Podcast 47 discusses pre-electric streetcars. Pre-Electric Streetcars in New Orleans Podcast 47 is the first of a four-part series on early New Orleans street railways. We’re talking about streetcars that pre-date our iconic arch roof streetcars from 1923, and the red streetcars from 2004. Beginning with the origins of public transit with omnibuses to steam railroad lines, to mule-drawn streetcars, we present getting around before electrification. PDF here. The Pod Uptown The New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad (NO&CRR) launched the first street rail line, from Baronne Street to Carrollton in 1835. This was a steam-powered line. This 1830s illustration of the Carrollton Hotel shows the steam locomotive for the Carrollton line on the left. As Uptown expanded, residents complained about the smoke and noise of the train. NO&CRR switched from steam railroad operations to mule-drawn streetcars in the 1840s. They used Stephenson Co. “bobtail” streetcars pulled by mules. Downtown Bobtails p The New Orleans City Railrod Company ( NOCRR ) inaugurated the Canal and Esplanade lines in 1861. While trying other streetcar models, they quickly settled on the Stephenson bobtails as well. Facilities After switching from steam power to mule power, NO&CRR built a barn at St. Charles and Napoleon Avenues. This is the layout of that corner, via the Robinson Atlas of 1883. Canal Station , 1883 Esplanade streetcar approaching the Esplanade barn, 1864 Esplanade Station, 1883 Four Ways to Support NOLA History Guy Buy my books! Edward Branley is the author of six books on New Orleans history. They’re available from local booksellers and all the usual online suspects. Book NOLA History Guy to speak at your event – Edward speaks to groups ranging in size to local groups like Kiwanis and Rotary to major conventions and trade shows. Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi dot com. I just love this concept as a way to say thank you/tip creators you enjoy. Our idea of monetization is buying books and having us come to speak. If you see me at a coffee shop, stop and say hi. Otherwise, I’ll raise coffee cup to you if you treat me. Become a patron. Yes, we’re on Patreon. A lot of creators use the platform for direct monetization, and that’s great for them. We don’t have “exclusive content” for patrons. Still, if you think our history stuff is worth a dollar a month, go join! The post Podcast 47 – Pre-Electric Streetcars appeared first on Edward Branley - The NOLA History Guy .…

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Podcast 46 – 707 Dumaine Street by Boyd Cruise 40:54

há 10 weeks40:54

40:54

Podcast 46 features a Boyd Cruise painting of a Creole cottage at 707 Dumaine Street. 707 Dumaine Street by Boyd Cruise Alvik Boyd Cruise painted the cottage at 707 Dumaine Street in 1941. Notarial documents list Rue Dumaine, the “Main Street,” as the “Street of Shops.” This painting features a one-story Creole cottage. It’s not a shotgun. The Pod PDF here. Creole Cottages 1880s sketch of the 701 block of Dumaine Street, courtesy THNOC. A casual passer-by might mistake a Creole cottage for a shotgun double. While both have two front doors, the cottage is a single dwelling. A shotgun double contains rooms that connect front-to-back. A cottage such as 707 Dumaine Street contains four rooms, two in the front, facing the street, then two in the rear. The gates on either side connect the cottage with its neighbors. The flat roof design of these cottages remains on 707. This was the original Spanish Colonial design, but many of these cottages were re-fitted with angled roofs. The total rainfall in New Orleans created problems for flat roofs. Water puddled on the roof, rotting the wood. The People Cruise painted three people in his scene of the cottage. On the left, a Black woman looks out from the gate to the street. She’s obviously a #writingprompt. Given Cruise’s preference for antebellum scenes, she is likely enslaved. It’s possible that she lives there at the behest of her master, who keeps her in a nonconsensual relationship. With wife and family back on the plantation, many white men kept enslaved women in town, for their dalliances. It’s possible the Black woman is household staff for a family living in the house. Or, perhaps she is a Free Person of Color and owns the cottage outright. The two woman on the right sport French-styled dresses common in the 1850s. They wear jackets over their dresses. Cruise envisions them in the cooler temps of Fall or Winter. The Architect This cottage was designed by Architect, Engineer, Surveyor, and Scoundrel (he was a contemporary of the Lafittes), Barthélemy Lafon . The post Podcast 46 – 707 Dumaine Street by Boyd Cruise appeared first on Edward Branley - The NOLA History Guy .…

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Podcast 45 – The Arsenal on St. Peter by Boyd Cruise 43:01

há 12 weeks43:01

43:01

Podcast 45 features a Boyd Cruise painting of The Arsenal building on St. Peter Street. “The Arsenal” by Boyd Cruise Alvik Boyd Cruise painted the Old State Armory, better known as The Arsenal, in 1941. Located directly behind the Cabildo , the city built the Arsenal in 1839. Cruise visualizes it here in the 1850s. The Pod PDF here. New Orleans Military The city’s armory was naturally a focal point for troops stationed in the city. Like most of his paintings, Cruise created an active street scene on St. Peter Street. We see two Cavalrymen on the left. The rider of the brown horse is a trooper, possibly an aide or batman to the officer on the white horse. In the doorway stand two soldiers, possibly artillerymen, since the Arsenal stored cannon along with small arms. The soldier in red is likely a member of a local militia company. Since they were raised by the city and/or state, they didn’t have to follow army uniform regulations. These units often chose colors reflecting their French/Spanish roots. On the right, another soldier is in conversation with a woman. He wears a uniform similar to the men in the doorway. He’s doffed his shako to talk to the lady. The Story What are they talking about? I just love these #writingprompts Cruise offers. I wonder if he had something in mind, or if he just left these as blank pages for us to fill in later. What do you think? Comment here or on Facebook or Bluesky and tell us the story. We need to start some literary zine or something to draw ideas out of y’all. As in many of his paintings, Cruise includes a child in the scene. This provides scale, and it also shows what kids were u to, antebellum. This black boy is likely enslaved, as he would be in school if he was free. Therefore, an enslaved boy has a lot of unstructured time. While his mom likely works for a household nearby. He’s out on the street to get out of her way, and maybe promote a hustle or two. So, here’s a zoom-in on the street activity Shout-outs Louisiana State Museum Storyville Museum Beyond Bourbon Street Podcast The post Podcast 45 – The Arsenal on St. Peter by Boyd Cruise appeared first on Edward Branley - The NOLA History Guy .…

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Podcast 44 – “The Levee” by Boyd Cruise 47:59

há 13 weeks47:59

47:59

Podcast 44 features a Boyd Cruise painting of “The Levee” on the Mississippi River. “The Levee” by Boyd Cruise Alvik Boyd Cruise painted this exciting and busy waterfront scene in 1959. While THNOC dates the setting as 1859 (probably a typo from the actual date the artist created it), the inclusion of the Steamboat Fashion puts it at 1865-1866. While so many of Cruise’s paintings focus on particular homes and buildings, this one casts a wider net. Instead of capturing the feel of a particular building in time for a Historic American Building Survey, the artist re-creates the activity in the port, mid-19th century. The Pod PDF here. Post-bellum This painting shows activity in the second-largest port in the US in the 1800s. What’s particularly interesting is that Cruise details the port after the Civil War. When we think of 1865, images of the destruction and horrors of war often come to mind. Many forget that the direct participation of New Orleans in the war ended in 1862. By 1865, the Mississippi was open to riverboat activity from Vicksburg to New Orleans. With the war over, investors contracted shipbuilders to get more boats in the water that would transport cotton from plantations to the port for export. Cotton Bales of cotton stand on the dock. They await loading onto ocean-going ships for export. These steamboats brought “raw” cotton from plantations to New Orleans. Those big bales were too bulky for export. So, cotton factors purchased the bales from ship captains. They transported the cotton to industrial pressing plants. Think of a trash compactor in a home kitchen, but on a much larger scale. They returned the compressed bales seen in the painting to the dock. Ocean-going vessels transported those bales up the Atlantic coast and to Europe. Steamboat Fashion Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper detailed the horrific fire onboard the Fashion, just above Baton Rouge, December 27, 1866. The post Podcast 44 – “The Levee” by Boyd Cruise appeared first on Edward Branley - The NOLA History Guy .…

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NOLA History Guy Podcast 43 - LaPretre Mansion on Dauphine Street (Boyd Cruise Series #1) 36:09

há 14 weeks36:09

36:09

Podcast 43 features a Boyd Cruise painting of Le Pretre Mansion on Dauphine Street. NOLA History Guy Podcast 2025 The pod returns! We’re organizing a bit more this year. The pod now features four-episode series. The paintings of artist Boyd Cruise kick this off. Episode 43 discusses Cruise’s painting of La Pretre Mansion. Le Pretre Mansion on Dauphine Street The magnificent house at the corner of Dauphine Street and Orleans Avenue in the Vieux Carré is commonly known as the Le Prete Mansion. It’s also known as the Gardette-La Prete House, reflecting the historic marker on the building: Erected 1836 for Joseph Coulon Gardette, Dentist Frederic Roy, Builder The cast iron galleries were added by Jean Baptiste Le Pretre, Planter who purchased the house in 1839 and owned it until 1878. While the Historic American Building Survey (HABS) – LA-53 , contains detailed photographs and drawings of the house, it was artist Boyd Cruise who captured the feel of the corner, ante-bellum. Cruise painted the house in 1941. The work is typical of many from Cruise. He took the detailed HABS photos and visualized what the buildings looked like in the mid-ninteenth century. Here’s the caption for the work from THNOC : Facade view of Le Pretre Mansion on Dauphine Street in the Vieux Carre. It was built in 1836 for J. C. Gardette by Frederick Roy. Pedestrians and a horse drawn carriage are visible in this mid-nineteenth-century depiction. Look at the activity in the painting! It’s not just a writing prompt, but multiple ideas. Who’s the woman looking out from the third-floor gallery? What are the couple on the second floor discussing? Is the woman further down that gallery listening in on them, or watching something in the street? Is that the lady of the house in the doorway, greeting a visitor in the carriage? The coachman assists the rider out of the carriage while one of the household women (likely enslaved) watches from the sidewalk. Pedestrians pass by on the left-hand side of the scene. Another couple walks past the house on the right. A small boy takes in the activity while standing in the street. He likely waited to cross as the work wagon on the left passed him by. Cruise’s attention to detail and fashion is exquisite. Such a talent, to turning photos and architectural drawings into human actions and movements. Sultans and Ghosts The La Pretre Mansion ranks high on the “ghost tour” circuit, where it’s known as the “Sultan’s Palace.” We’re not big on these stories, but if you are, you’ll enjoy photographer/writer Michael Democker’s piece for Very Local on the house. The post Podcast 43 – Le Pretre Mansion on Dauphine Street appeared first on Edward Branley - The NOLA History Guy .…

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Podcast 41 – Krewe of Proteus 59:58

há 1 year59:58