Bourbon Street : A History

Bourbon Street has a very storied past leading back to the late 19th century. Prostitution and dark criminal activities have always been an issue in this city, and in 1897 the city government tried a new experiment designating one district as the legal prostitution zone, a red light district known as Storyville. This area was an infamous pit stop for locals and tourists alike, but soon grew out of control. When WWI rolled around, prohibition was gaining popularity, and Storyville was shut down permanently. The vice culture spread to various underground locations. Clubs started popping up in the French Quarter, ushering in the first great Bourbon Street era. The first period of Bourbon Street was of a classier demeanor; visitors dressed in their finest, and both locals and tourists found the scene intriguing. The largest group of patrons, however, were sailors from the docks, and with New Orleans being the second largest port in America, thousands of these sailors flocked to the French Quarter, pockets filled with money and bodies yearning for female companionship. Clubs started catering to this crowd with dancers and caberets. Strippers engaged in b-drinking, which is having the customers buy them drinks, and in turn the owner gives them a cut of the profit. As the 1930s swept in, the good times vanished as the Great Depression spread across America. Local musicians left for New York and California, and the local crowd that came for jazz and shows started going to the local movie theaters. TImes were tough, and the only option for the dwindling clubs was to appeal to the sailors with raunchier stripper shows, exotic dancing, and sex clubs. In the 1940s, WWII brought the United States out of the Depression and brought more sailors to the port of New Orleans. Also, the moral stigma of the era made sex taboo, and therefore all the more appealing to sheltered Middle Americans. Bourbon Street roared back to life and became the "strip" of vice and debauchery it is known for worldwide. It was now notorious for nonstop partying and good times. The local law enforcement was in the pocket of the mafia and club owners, and therefore Bourbon Street was given free reign. Soon the hard drinking and flesh culture was commonplace, and New Orleans was desensitized towards the true reality of Bourbon Street. No where else in America could this place exist. Bourbon Street s simply a product of this city, of its working class sailors, its role as a tourist destination, and particularly its notorious past that has never truly left this town of pleasure and gratification.

A Local Perspective

The umbrella topic of Bourbon Street allows for a variety of approaches to tell its story. There is its vibrant history, its current functions, the embedded laid-back attitude, and its status as a symbol. With such a broad range, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to talk to an expert about history, or if I would rather talk to a local first and get a feel for how Bourbon Street is received by them. I decided that this week was going to be for getting a psychological grasp on Bourbon Street, and my best option for an interview was to find a local. That is not as easy as it seems; all of our neighbors are not from here, and then what would be the right type of local to look for? So I headed to the French Quarter, not sure where I was headed. I certainly wasn’t going to find a local roaming the streets of Bourbon Street, but then it hit me that all of the shopkeepers in the area are locals who get daily experience with the tourist crowd. I decided that I should go somewhere I felt comfortable, so that the interview would go more smoothly, as I am not one to talk randomly to strangers. I chose the Sweet Pea and Tulip boutique, and when I entered I realized the shopkeeper was in fact the same young guy who was there the last time we shopped. A level of acquaintance was already established, so therefore I could dive right into the interview. My first question was asking what Bourbon Street meant to him, what does its name evoke? He responded that it was not a place he would go, that it could be fun, but it doesn’t have a good music scene. He said that back in the fifties, Bourbon Street used to be a jazz hotspot, but now that is migrating over to Frenchman St on the outskirts of the French Quarter. He remarked that Bourbon Street to him offered nothing more than cheap beer, that it is completely about tourism and a cheap strip they can go and be contained. I next asked if he thought Bourbon Street was a negative symbol for New Orleans. He responded that its not bad because it brings the people here, and also that it represents the laid back nature of New Orleans. He felt that the easygoing aspect should be the symbol of New Orleans, and its unique attributes, rather than Bourbon Street, should be the symbol. He suggested that Frenchman should become the view if New Orleans people perceive. I then asked about the “spirit” of New Orleans, and whether Bourbon Street represented that. He said Mardi Gras is great there, and any sort of party or holiday, such as the upcoming Halloween festivities makes for a fun time and good spirit. However he feels that the real spirit of New Orleans is not found on Bourbon Street. Lastly I asked about the psychology of New Orleans, and why Bourbon Street is accepted here. He said vices were certainly embraced here, much more so that in the rest to the South. Everybody here is laid back, and have much more of a passion for music, eating and drinking. Fun and relaxation is the goal, and therefore the people in this city allow for others to be themselves without judgment. As I ended my interview, which was less of an interview and more of a conversation (I soon forgot my list of questions), I felt that this was a worthwhile venture to the French Quarter. The locals don’t mind Bourbon Street, but they don’t use it. They would rather the laid back psychology of the city, which is also present on Bourbon Street, be the symbol the outside world perceives.

A View from Bourbon Street

New Orleans is chock full of interesting qualities, characteristics, and cultural oddities. This variety is what makes the city unique. Yet, to the outside world, New Orleans is Bourbon Street: loud music, putrid smells, cheap alcohol, and an all-around good time. This was my perception of New Orleans before I came here; the Big Easy was simply one large venue for good times. What I am interested in is what does Bourbon Street mean for this city? What conditions led to the formation of this pleasure zone? The neighborhood was originally a predominately French community, infiltrated by the Spanish, but then became a slum zone when the wealthy moved out and the new immigrants moved in. I am curious as to what previous history influenced the formation of current day Bourbon Street, and also role the street played in previous times.
My biggest interest in Bourbon Street is whether it actually represents New Orleans. What does Bourbon Street mean to the locals? Is it a negative tourist trap that hinders the public understanding of the true New Orleans? How do the surrounding French Quarter residents feel about this channel injecting into their neighborhood? Maybe it doesn’t have a bad connotation for the locals, and instead represents the “spirit” of New Orleans, especially as an outlet for Mardi Gras. Bourbon Street is accepted here as somewhat normal, or allowable, but anywhere else in the United States would be unacceptable. Are vices embraced in this city? Why are New Orleanians so laid back, and everything goes?
Lastly, I want to make an in-depth analysis of Bourbon Street beyond the façade of a party alley, although it is most definitely that. It provides so many different destinations for different demographics, but who actually comes there? What zones are created within Bourbon Street, what unique aspects give it its “charm”, so to speak? It exudes an “anything goes” atmosphere, but so does all of New Orleans in a sense. I am curious as to how this laid back atmosphere came about, and how it led to the current existing Bourbon Street. My overall goal is to disassemble the myth that is Bourbon Street and analyze its validity as a symbol of New Orleans.