Free Walking Tour of the New Orleans Garden District
I grew up on the New Orleans Westbank in the borough of Gretna. After graduating High School I attended University of New Orleans pursuing a Bachelor's degree in History. I also worked full time at DiMartino's which makes the best muffuletta in New Orleans. When Hurricane Katrina rolled through in 2005 I ended up moving to Pennsylvania for a few years. I graduated from Penn State University with a degree in History in 2009 in the hopes of becoming a teacher. Teaching never materialized which was no surprise considering how little demand there was for Social Studies education. I ended up working at Ochsner Medical Center in the outpatient Psychiatry and Internal Medicine Department. One day I left my badge behind in the mailbox of my Department Head and started driving for Uber which I did for a year. With the advice of my brother Sean and a sudden rekindling in my love for history I decided to start giving tours. I have not looked back ever since. I've always felt being a native New Orleanian with a variety of different life experiences in this city has given me the ability to provide different insights on my tours than what might be expected. The teacher inside of me will always enjoy the feeling of engagement. I love leading tours and I love meeting the people who take my tours and making their trip to the city a great and, hopefully, an enlightening experience.
Pickup
I will be on the corner of Washington Ave and Prytania St in the Garden District 10 minutes before the tour starts to begin check in. I'll be wearing a cap and sunglasses and a khaki and orange backpack.
Description
The New Orleans Garden District has always been known for it's beautiful palatial homes, large southern live oak trees, and Lafayette Cemetery #1. On this tour we will discuss the history and stories of Lafayette Cemetery #1, the beautiful Greek Revival and Italianate homes, and the history of the Americanization of New Orleans.
The tour will explore in detail what Americanization meant for New Orleans (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and how the emergence of this neighborhood also brought an immigrant population to New Orleans that has given the city much of it's unique character. Of course, we will also dive into a detailed discussion of the politics and the environmental necessity of the architecture of the neighborhood.