NEW ORLEANS IS THE LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, AND THE CHIEF PORT OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. IT LIES ABOUT 180 KM (112 MILES) FROM THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ON THE GULF OF MEXICO, BETWEEN THE NOTH BANK OF THE RIVER AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. THE ENTIRE CITY LIES BELOW THE HIGH-WATER MARK OF THE RIVER, WHILE MUCH OF IT IS€TUALLY BELOW THE LEVEL OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. TO PREVENT FLOODING, THERE IS A SYSTEM OF LEVEES, OR EMBANKMENTS, AND PUMPING STATIONS.
THE CITY WAS FOUNDED BY THE FRENCH IN 1718. IN 1762 IT WAS GIVEN TO THE SPANISH, WHO RULED THERE UNTIL 1803 WHEN THE FRENCH RETOOK THE WHOLE REGION AND SOLD IT TO THE UNITED STATES IN WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE.
DURING THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY, NEW ORLEANS BECAME A MAJOR COTTON PORT. COTTON WAS GROWN ON THE PLANTATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN STATES AND CARRIED DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI IN STEAMBOATS TO NEW ORLEANS. FROM THERE IT WAS SHIPPED TO BRITAIN TO BE MADE INTO TEXTILES. BY 1840 THE CITY HAD BECOME ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PORTS IN THE WORLD. IT WAS AN UNHEALTHY PLACE TO LIVE BECAUSE OF THE POOR DRAINAGE AND SEWAGE SYSTEMS. OUTBREAKS OF CHOLERA AND YELLOW FEVER WERE FREQUENT.
WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF RAIL TRANSPORT THE PORT OF NEW ORLEANS DECLINED BECAUSE THE RIVER STEAMBOATS WERE UNABLE TO CARRY THE SAME VOLUME OF GOODS AS THE RAILWAYS. FREIGHT WAS TAKEN INSTEAD EASTWARDS TO NEW YORK CITY. AFTER WORLD WAR II, HOWEVER, BARGES WERE DEVELOPED THAT COULD HOLD ALMOST A TRAINLOAD OF CARGO. AS A RESULT THE PORT GREW TO BE THE SECOND IN THE NATION, AFTER NEW YORK CITY. A LARGE CITY OF WIDE AVENUES, SKYCRAPERS, FACTORIES, AND BUSY TRAFFIC HAS GROWN UP AROUND THE OLD QUARTER.
TODAY NEW ORLEANS IS A MAJOR EXPORTER OF GRAIN AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, TEXTILES, PETROLEUM AND OIL PRODUCTS, METAL ITEMS AND TOBACCO. OIL RIGS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO SUPPORT THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRIES ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI UPSTREAM OF THE CITY. MANY TOURISTS ARE ATTRACTED TO NEW ORLEANS BY ITS HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE, RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE, AND MILD WINTERS. IN THE PART CALLED THE VIEUX CARRE (“OLD SQUARE”) THERE ARE HOUSES OF FRENCH AND SPANISH ARCHITECTURE WITH ORNAMENTAL IRON BALCONIES AND BEAUTIFUL GARDENS GROWING MAGNOLIAS, OLEANDERS, AND ORANGE TREES. THE RESIDENTS BELONG TO A MIXTURE OF RACES AND NATIONALITIES – CREOLES, BLACKS, ITALIANS, GERMANS, IRISH, LATIN AMERICANS. THEY LOVE MUSIC, DANCING, AND GOOD FOOD. THERE IS A CARNIVAL SEASON ENDING ON MARDI GRAS (SHROVE TUESDAY). MANY OF THE EARLY GREATS OF JAZZ MUSIC CAME FROM NEW ORLEANS, INCLUDING LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND “KING OLIVER”. THEY DEVELOPED THE NEW ORLEANS STYLE WHICH CAN STILL BE HEARD IN THE PRESERVATION JAZZ HALL AND OTHER CITY VENUES.
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