The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

A prequel to the remake:. (SCI): Juan-les-Pins (France), Maracaibo (Venezuela), Matsue (Japan), Mérida (Mexico), Innsbruck (Austria), Pointe Noire (Republic of Congo), San Miguel de Tucuman (Argentina), Tegucigalpa (Honduras), Caracas (Venezuela), and Holdfast Bay (Australia). A remake:. New Orleans has ten sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. The film had three sequels:. Environmental concern for the wetlands south of New Orleans and economic considerations derailed those plans. (The opening voice-over is performed by John Larroquette.). Charles Parish where I-310 now runs.

Although the film's opening would have one believe that the events are factual, it was merely a scare tactic, called the false document technique, to frighten the audience. Bernard Parish, the westbank areas of New Orleans and Jefferson, and back across the river in St. Those who do believe the film was based on actual events will try to back up their statements with similar events in Texas, all of which had nothing to do with the film. Frenier Beach Hurricane Storm Surge Revisited In the 1960s, a controversial "Dixie Freeway" that would have been designated I-410 would have created an "outer loop" encompassing St. Contrary to popular belief, the film does not depict factual events, but instead was (like the films Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs) loosely inspired by Ed Gein, who, while he did wear human skin, acted alone and did not use a chainsaw. West of New Orleans, the Ruddock exit at milepost 6 of I-55 is the only trace left of a thriving community that was literally washed away by the hurricane of September 1915. Two of them wander to a large homestead, which they discover is inhabited by a family of psychopaths who support the grisly and abusive practices of their son. Reilly at the end of John Kennedy Toole's novel, A Confederacy of Dunces.

The kids contact the sheriff, who takes a long time to come down to meet them. US 11 was the escape route for Ignatius J. On the way, they encounter a young hitchhiker who shoots herself with a revolver. Long achieved his objective: the US 11 toll bridge failed commercially and is owned by the State. In 1973, a group of college kids are headed to Dallas through the back roads of Texas. Governor Long built public draw bridges at the Rigolets as political retaliation against the operators of a then-private toll bridge across Lake Pontchartrain. Unfortunately, this is the home of the hitchhiker, as well as his brother, "Leatherface," who has some surprises for the travellers consisting of sledgehammers, chainsaws, and assorted cutlery. The route of today's US 90 east of New Orleans once included a ferry crossing at Fort Pike.

He enters the house hoping to find the owner. Long championed Airline Highway (US 61) to bypass the circuitous river road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. After arriving at the farm, Pam and Kirk search for an old swimming hole — Kirk hears a generator and believes he can find some gasoline. Louisiana governor Huey P. On a side trip to the grandfather's deserted farm, the travellers pick up a slimy hitchhiker who cuts himself intentionally and slashes Franklyn with a razor. US 51 (the "Old Hammond Highway"), US 90, and US 11 followed old Indian routes along slight ridges to become the first automotive highways. Upon hearing that vandals have desecrated a graveyard where her grandfather is buried, Sally recruits her boyfriend Jerry, her brother Franklyn, and her friends Pam and Kirk to investigate. Roads along the Mississippi River were the first to carry overland traffic into New Orleans.

The official title of the original film spells 'Chain Saw' with two words (contrary to some posters and DVD covers), while the sequels and the remake use the compound 'Chainsaw'. Some of the older warehouse structures still standing along the Pontchartrain Expressway can trace their roots to their days along the banks of the canal. The film was banned in the United Kingdom (1974-1999, but was subsequently issued on video and DVD), France (1974-1984), Germany, India, and Romania. Along its route west then northwest from the Crescent City Connection bridge to its terminus at I-10 near the Superdome, the Pontchartrain Expressway follows the path of the former New Basin Canal, dug in the 19th century by thousands of immigrant (mostly Irish) laborers, and filled in in 1947. The many sequels and imitators the original film spawned have been much bloodier and more graphic. Highway 90's business route), becomes the Westbank Expressway south of the Mississippi River. Despite its grisly subject matter, the film — like John Carpenter's original Halloween — does not rely so much on explicit gore to generate terror in the audience, as it does pacing, suspense, and dramatic tension. The Pontchartrain Expressway (U.S.

It is often considered the prototype of the slasher film sub-genre. The southern termini of US Highways 11 and 61 are in New Orleans, and US 51 terminates just west of the city, Laplace. . Highway 90 and the Westbank Expressway, placing the southern terminus at I-10 behind the Superdome. One of the main characters — Leatherface — is one of the most well known villains in horror cinema; noticeable for his mask of human skin and his wielding of a chainsaw. The route would follow U.S. It concerns a family of cannibals in Texas, who abduct customers from their gas station. There are also plans to extend I-49 from Lafayette to New Orleans.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a low-budget horror film classic made in 1974 by director Tobe Hooper. In Slidell, I-59 and I-12 both end at an interchange with I-10, which turns southward toward New Orleans while I-12 continues straight to rejoin I-10 in Baton Rouge. The narrator at the beginning of the film is John Larroquette, famous for playing the Night Court character Dan Fielding. Later, I-12 created a shortcut that avoided crossing Lake Pontchartrain. These bones were piled and burnt by a stagehand at the end of filming. I-10 goes west to Houston and beyond and east to Mobile and Florida, with I-59 and I-55 heading northward to Birmingham and Jackson, respectively. On the DVD commentary Hopper states the skeletons in Leatherface's house were real human skeletons purchased from India. The interstate highways serving New Orleans were laid out in the middle of the 20th century, a time when a larger proportion of Gulf of Mexico freight traffic passed through New Orleans.

The original Texas Chain Saw Massacre was banned in Sweden and several other countries. I-10 is also connected to I-12, north of Lake Pontchartrain, via the tolled Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, consisting of two parallel bridges, which are also the longest in the world. The dead armadillos in the opening scene and the nest of Daddy long legs in the abandoned house were found by chance when searching for a location. Long Bridge near the suburb of Jefferson. To prepare for this role, Hansen did research at a mental institution. US 90 leaves the Central Business District and goes west through the city's Uptown neighborhood and crosses the Missisisppi River at the Huey P. Leatherface was intended to be a subhuman character who only spoke in gibberish. I-610 provides a direct shortcut across the northern central part of the city, allowing through traffic to bypass I-10's L-shaped route which traverses the more congested areas.

The creators wanted to make Leatherface talk, but Gunnar Hansen declined, thinking it would make him seem too human. The Twin Spans is to be replaced with a new six-lane bridge, expected to be completed in 2009.[13] As I-10 heads south from Metairie towards the Central Business District, it is called the Pontchartrain Expressway. In the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre DVD release, the commentary (with Gunnar Hansen and director Tobe Hooper) mentioned that the actor who played Franklin actually annoyed Marylin Burns, and the two actors disliked each other during the filming. The westbound span was reopened in early January 2006. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006). By October 2005 single lanes in each direction had been reopened on the eastbound span. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 film). This crossing, a dual causeway known as the "Twin Spans," was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995). Farther east, the I-10 connects New Orleans East with Slidell, bridging an arm of Lake Pontchartrain. Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1991). The "Highrise" carries I-10 across the Industrial Canal. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 (1986). I-10 loops east-west through the city, and traverses the northern edge of the Central Business District, taking traffic west towards Baton Rouge, Louisiana and east-northeast to Slidell, Louisiana. In the film American Psycho, yuppie serial killer Patrick Bateman works out while the original 1973 film plays in the background. Roads in the city are arranged in a radial grid pattern, emanating out to various parts of town from a central point north of the Central Business District.

They also used samples from the movie in these songs. There are proposals to revive a Desire light rail streetcar line. US death metal band Mortician have made several songs about the movie, including "Chainsaw Dismemberment" and "Hacked up for Barbecue". The streetcar line to Desire Street became a bus line in 1948. The Ramones have a song referencing this film, "Chain Saw". The city's streetcars were also featured in the Tennessee Williams play, A Streetcar Named Desire. Murder by Death has an album titled "Who will survive and what will be left of them?". The Canal Street line uses the Riverfront line tracks from Esplanade Street to Canal Street, then branches off down Canal Street and ends at the cemeteries at City Park Avenue with a spur running from the intersection of Canal and Carrollton Avenue to the entrance of City Park at Esplanade near the entrance to the New Orleans Museum of Art.

White Zombie reference the film's tagline "Who will survive and what will be left of them?" on their album Astro Creep: 2000. The Riverfront line (also known as the Ladies in Red since the cars are painted red) runs parallel to the river from Canal Street through the French Quarter to the Convention Center above Julia Street in the Arts District. The movie Summer School featured two students who were fascinated with this film, and whose fascination was central to the story's climax. Charles line (green cars, formerly connecting New Orleans with the then independent suburb of Carrollton) is the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in New Orleans and a historic landmark. The movie Motel Hell (1980) is a parody of this film and other 1970's slashers. The St. In addition to the many bus routes connecting the city and suburban areas, there are three active streetcar lines moved by electric motors powered by DC wires overhead.

Public transportation in the city is operated by New Orleans Regional Transit Authority ("RTA"). Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway approach the city from the west, Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX from the east, and the Canadian National Railway and Kansas City Southern Railway from the north. In addition, the city is served by six Class I freight railroads. The New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal is the central rail depot, and it is served by three trains: the Crescent to New York City, the City of New Orleans to Chicago, Illinois, and the Sunset Limited from Orlando to Los Angeles.

The city is also served by rail via Amtrak. There are also several regional airports located throughout the metropolitan area. Within the city itself is Lakefront Airport, a small, general aviation airport, as well as the New Orleans Downtown Heliport, located on the roof of the Louisiana Superdome's parking garage. The airport also serves as a nonstop gateway to Mexico for Federal Express.

The airport also handles a significant amount of charter operations from Europe. It serves millions of passengers on approximately 300 nonstop flights per day to or from destinations throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The metropolitan area is served by Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (IATA: MSY, ICAO: KMSY), located approximately nine miles west of the city in the city of Kenner. Mint.[12].

Other research archives are located at the Historic New Orleans Collection[11] and the Old U.S. The New Orleans Public Library includes 13 locations, most of which were damaged by Hurricane Katrina.[9] The main library includes a Louisiana Division housing city archives and special collections.[10]. Long Library at the University of New Orleans.[8]. There are numerous academic and public libraries and archives in New Orleans, including Monroe Library at Loyola University, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library at Tulane University[7] and Earl K.

Other schools include Delgado Community College, Nunez Community College, Culinary Institute of New Orleans, Herzing College, Commonwealth University, and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Several institutions of higher education also exist within the city, including University of New Orleans, Tulane University, Loyola University New Orleans, Dillard University, Southern University at New Orleans, Xavier University of Louisiana, Louisiana State University Medical School, and Our Lady of Holy Cross College. The Greater New Orleans area has approximately 200 parochial schools. NOPS contains approximately 100 individual schools.

New Orleans Public Schools, the city's school district, is one of the area's largest school districts. As soon as Algiers became a part of New Orleans, Orleans Parish ceased being separate from the city of New Orleans. Algiers, Louisiana was a separate city through 1870. Some of these communities within Orleans Parish have historically had separate identities from the city of New Orleans, such as Irish Bayou and Carrollton.

The city of New Orleans and the parish of Orleans operate as a merged city-county government.^GR6 Before the city of New Orleans became co-extensive with Orleans Parish, Orleans Parish was home to numerous smaller communities. The Criminal Sheriff's department maintains the parish prison system. The Orleans Parish civil sheriff's employees serve (deliver) papers involving lawsuits. The New Orleans Police Department provides professional police services to the public in order to maintain order and protect life and property.

was elected in May 2002. Ray Nagin, Jr. Mayor C. The city council consists of five councilmembers who are elected by district and two at large councilmembers.

New Orleans has a mayor-council government. Other major tourist events and attractions in the city include Mardi Gras, the Sugar Bowl, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Southern Decadence (one of the largest annual Gay/Lesbian celebrations in the nation), and the Essence Festival. The city's colorful Carnival celebrations during the pre-Lenten season, centered on the French Quarter, draw particularly large crowds. New Orleans is also one of the most visited cities in the United States, and tourism is a major staple in the area's economy.

These ferries are free of charge to pedestrians, but motorists pay a $1 fee to cross on them. There are also two ferries that cross the river near the Garden district and the French Quarter. The port of New Orleans handles about 50,000 barges yearly. The barges use the nation's two main inland waterways, the Mississippi River and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, which meet at New Orleans.

New Orleans is also a busy port for barges. gateway, including Miami. The port handles more trade with Latin America than does any other U.S. The leading imports include chemicals, cocoa beans, coffee, and petroleum.

The chief exports are grain and other foods from the Midwestern United States and petroleum products. About 5,000 ships from nearly 60 nations dock at the Port of New Orleans annually. The two combined would be the 4th largest port in the world. The Port of South Louisiana, located in the Metropolitan New Orleans Area, handles 199 million short tons.

The Port of New Orleans handles about 84 million short tons of cargo a year. Other companies with a significant presence or base in New Orleans include BellSouth, Hibernia Corp., IBM, Navtech, Harrah's (downtown casino), Popeye's Fried Chicken, and Zatarain's. The Michoud Assembly Facility also houses the National Finance Center operated by the USDA. The facility is operated by Lockheed-Martin and is a large manufacturing facility where external fuel tanks for space shuttles are produced.

The NASA Michoud Assembly Facility is located in the eastern portion of Orleans Parish. The federal government has a significant presence in the area. The city is also home to one Fortune 500 company, Entergy Corporation, an electric power provider. There are a substantial number of energy companies that have their regional headquarters in the city, including BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and Shell Oil Company.

Like Houston, New Orleans is located in proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the many oil rigs lying just offshore. Army Corps of Engineers built the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal in the mid 20th century to accommodate New Orleans' barge traffic. The U.S. It is one of the busiest seaports in not only the United States, but also the world.

seaport. New Orleans is an industrial and distribution center, and a major U.S. The building was severely damaged, first by storm surge and then by fire, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Established in 1849, it is the second oldest yacht club in the United States.

New Orleans is also home to Southern Yacht Club, located at West End on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Former basketball teams were the New Orleans Buccaneers (c. 1967–1970), and the New Orleans Jazz (1974–1980) which became the Utah Jazz. Historically, many teams have been formerly located in the city, including the New Orleans Pelicans baseball team (1887–1959), the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League, the New Orleans Night of the Arena Football League (1991–1992), and the New Orleans Brass ice hockey team (1997–2003). Nine Super Bowls have been contested in New Orleans.

The city also hosts two college football bowl games annually: the New Orleans Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. They are currently affiliated with the Washington Nationals. The New Orleans Zephyrs, AAA minor league baseball team plays in adjacent Metairie. The city also has an Arena Football League team, the New Orleans VooDoo, owned by the Saints' owner, Tom Benson.

The Hornets will play 36 "home" games at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with the remaining 5 to be split between Norman (University of Oklahoma campus), Baton Rouge (LSU campus) and a March 2006 return to New Orleans for three home games. The football season began just a week after the storm hit, and the Saints played their first "home" game against the Giants at Giants Stadium. Due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans, including damage both to the exterior and the interior of the Louisiana Superdome, the New Orleans Saints have played their "home" games in Baton Rouge and San Antonio, Texas. The Saints play in the Louisiana Superdome, and the Hornets play in the adjacent New Orleans Arena.

The city is the home to several professional, major league sports teams, including the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League and the New Orleans Hornets of the National Basketball Association which relocated from Charlotte, North Carolina, at the start of the 2002–2003 season. Until the 1990s most locals preferred to call these "funerals with music," but out of town visitors have long dubbed them "jazz funerals." Younger bands, especially those based in the Treme neighborhood, have embraced the term and now have funerals featuring only jazz music. Such traditional musical funerals still take place when a local musician, a member of a club, krewe, or benevolent society, or a noted dignitary has passed. The city also created its own spin on the old tradition of military brass band funerals; traditional New Orleans funerals with music feature sad music (mostly dirges and hymns) on the way to the cemetery and happy music (hot jazz) on the way back.

In addition, the nearby countryside is the home of Cajun music, Zydeco music, and Delta blues. Its general atmosphere of Dionysian art has also resulted in both breeding and being a home to chaotic artists such as Crash Worship, Liquiddrone, and Jamal Morelli. Decades later it was home to a distinctive brand of rhythm and blues that contributed greatly to the growth of rock and roll. The city engendered jazz with its brass bands.

New Orleans has always been a significant center for music with its intertwined European, Latin American, and African-American cultures. Despite the name, it features not only jazz but a large variety of music, including both native Louisiana music and nationally-known popular music artists. Commonly referred to simply as, "Jazz Fest", it is one of the largest music festivals in the nation, and features crowds coming from all over the world to experience music, food, arts, and crafts. The largest of the city's many musical festivals is the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

The Mardi Gras season is kicked off with the only parade allowed through the French Quarter (Vieux Carré, translated Old Square), a walking parade aptly named Krewe du Vieux. Mardi Gras celebrations include parades and floats; participants toss strings of cheap colorful beads and doubloons to the crowds. The Carnival season is often known (especially by out-of-towners) by the name of the last and biggest day, Mardi Gras (literally, "Fat Tuesday"), held just before the beginning of the Catholic liturgical season of Lent. New Orleans' most famous celebration is its Carnival Season.

Greater New Orleans is home to numerous year-around celebrations, including Mardi Gras, New Year's Eve celebrations, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. See also: New Orleans Mardi Gras. Significant gardens include Longue Vue House and Gardens and the New Orleans Botanical Garden. (Louis Armstrong often signed his letters, "red beans and ricely yours.").

Specialties include beignets, square-shaped fried pastries that are sometimes called French doughnuts (served with coffee and chicory "au lait"); Po'boy and Italian Muffaletta sandwiches; Gulf oysters on the half-shell and other seafoods; etouffee, jambalaya, gumbo, and other Creole dishes; and the Monday evening favorite of red beans and rice. The city is also world-famous for its food. Some notable cemeteries in the city include Saint Louis Cemetery and Metairie Cemetery. New Orleans is also noted for its many beautiful cemeteries.

The Audubon Park and the Audubon Zoo are also located in the city of New Orleans. Art museums in the city include the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) in City Park and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. The Natchez is an authentic steamboat with a calliope tours the Mississippi twice daily. The National D-Day Museum is a relatively new museum (opened on June 6, 2000) dedicated to providing information and materials related to the allied invasion of Normandy, France.

Also located near the French Quarter is the old New Orleans Mint, formerly a branch of the United States Mint, now operates as a museum. Louis Cathedral, the French Market (including the Café du Monde, famous for café au lait and beignets), and Preservation Hall. Other notable tourist attractions in the quarter include Jackson Square, St. The French Quarter contains many popular hotels, bars, and nightclubs, most notably around Bourbon Street.

Favorite tourist scenes in New Orleans include the French Quarter (known locally as "the Quarter"), which dates from the French and Spanish eras and is bounded by the Mississippi River and Rampart Street, Canal Street and Esplanade Ave. Charles Avenue (home of Tulane and Loyola Universities), and many stately 19th century mansions. Greater New Orleans has many major attractions, from the world-renowned Bourbon Street and the French Quarter's notorious nightlife, St. Several episodes of television series have referenced the city:.

Radio stations serving Greater New Orleans include:. WHNO 20 also operates as an independent station in the area, providing mainly religious programming. PBS stations include WYES 12 and WLAE 32. Major television network affiliates serving the area include WWL 4 (CBS), WGNO 26 (ABC), WDSU 6 (NBC), WVUE 8 (FOX), WNOL 38 (WB), WUPL 54 (UPN), and WPXL 49 (PAX).

The market is the 43rd largest Designated Market Area (DMA) in the U.S., serving 672,150 homes and 0.610% of the U.S. Greater New Orleans is well served by television and radio. Other alternative weekly publications include the Louisiana Weekly and the Gambit Weekly. The major daily newspaper is the New Orleans Times-Picayune, publishing since 1837.

Also notable are lexical items specific to the city, such as "lagniappe" (pronounced LAN-yap) meaning "a little something extra," "makin' groceries" for grocery shopping, or "neutral ground" for a street median. This word is not used as a generalized term for the New Orleans accent, and is generally reserved for the strongest varieties. One subtype of the New Orleans accent is sometimes identified as Yat (from "Where y'at). As with many sociolinguistic artifacts, it is usually attested much more strongly by older members of the population.

This distinctive accent is dying out generation by generation in the city (but remains very strong in the surrounding Parishes). The prestige associated with being from New Orleans by many residents is likely a factor in the linguistic assimilation of the ethnically divergent population. Many of the immigrant groups who reside in Brooklyn also reside in New Orleans, with Irish, Italians, and Germans being among the largest groups. There are many theories to how the accent came to be, but it likely results from New Orleans' geographic isolation by water, and the fact that New Orleans was a major port of entry into the United States throughout the 19th century.

It is similar to a New York "Brooklynese" accent to people unfamiliar with it. It does, like earlier Southern Englishes, feature frequent deletion of post-vocalic "r". The distinctive local accent is unlike either Cajun or the stereotypical Southern accent so often misportrayed by film and television actors. New Orleans is usually pronounced by locals as "Noo Or-lins," "Noo Awlee-enz," or "Noo Aw-lins." The pronunciation "N'Awlins" is not generally used by locals but has been popularized by the tourist trade.

New Orleans is well known for its Creole culture and the persistence of Voodoo practice by a few of its residents, as well as for its music, food, architecture, and spirit of celebration. Logan in January of 2005 suggests that as many as 50% of whites and 80% of blacks relocated from New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath may relocate permanently. An analysis by Brown University sociologist John R. Tammany registered strong increases in population.

The population was stunted in the late sixties, a decade which saw storm surge from Hurricane Betsy flooded much of the Lower 9th Ward Since the late sixties, the population of New Orleans/Orleans Parish has experienced a steady decline while surrounding parishes such as Jefferson and St. The population of New Orleans reached its highest point in the summer of 1965, when its population reached 702,108. Out of the total population, 40.3% of those under the age of 18 and 19.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. 27.9% of the population and 23.7% of families were below the poverty line.

The per capita income for the city was $17,258. Males had a median income of $30,862 versus $23,768 for females. The median income for a household in the city was $27,133, and the median income for a family was $32,338. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.

For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. The median age was 33 years. In the city the population was spread out with:. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.23.

There were 188,251 households out of which:. But due to the enormous annual tourist flow, the amount of people inside the city at a given time, such as Mardi Gras season, tends to exceed these numbers sometimes by the hundreds of thousands. These population statistics are based on legal residents of the city. The population of Greater New Orleans stood at 1,337,726 in 2000, making it the 35th largest metropolitan area in the United States.

The racial makeup of the city was:. There were 215,091 housing units at an average density of 459.9/km² (1,191.3/mi²). The population density was 1,036.4/km² (2,684.3/mi²). As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 484,674 people, 188,251 households, and 112,950 families residing in the city.

The last significant snowfall in New Orleans fell on December 22, 1989, when most of the city received 1 or 2 inches of snow. Before that, the last white Christmas was in 1954, and brought 4.5 inches (110 mm). On December 25, a combination of rain, sleet, and snow fell on the city, leaving some bridges icy. Most recently, a trace of snow fell on Christmas in 2004, during the 2004 Christmas Eve Snowstorm.

On rare occasions, snow will fall. The average precipitation is 59.74 inches (1520 mm) annually. The highest recorded temperature was 102.0°F (38.9°C) on August 22, 1980. The lowest recorded temperature was 11.0°F (-11.6°C) on December 23, 1989.

In July, lows average 74°F (23°C), and highs average 91°F (33°C). In January, morning lows average around 43 °F (6°C), and daily highs around 62°F (17°C). The climate of New Orleans is subtropical, with mild winters and hot, humid summers. Bernard Parish to the south, Plaquemines Parish to the southwest, and Jefferson Parish to the west.

Tammany Parish to the northeast, St. Parishes located adjacent to the city of New Orleans include St. John, Mid City, Gentilly, Lakeview, Lakefront, New Orleans East, The upper 9th Ward and Algiers. Other major districts within the city include Bayou St.

Its tallest building is the 50-story One Shell Square. Parts of the city that are located uptown include the Garden District, the Irish Channel, the University District, Carrollton, Gert Town, Fontainebleau, and Broadmoor. Parts of the city that are located downtown include the world famous French Quarter (most noted as the central tourist district, with its array of shops, bars, and nightclubs along Bourbon Street), Storyville (now defunct), Treme, Faubourg Marigny, Bywater, the 7th Ward, and the Lower 9th Ward. "Uptown" refers to those parts of town that are upriver from the central business district.

The term "downtown" refers to those parts of town that are downriver from the central business district. Major streets of the area include Canal Street and Poydras St. The Central Business District of New Orleans is located immediately north and west of the Mississippi River, and is historically called the "American Quarter." Most streets in this area fan out from a central point in the city. Tammany.

John the Baptist, and St. Charles, St. Bernard, St. The New Orleans Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), the 37th largest in the United States, includes the Louisiana parishes of Orleans (contiguous with the city of New Orleans), Jefferson, Plaquemines, St.

Because of the city's high water table most of the cemeteries in the city use above ground crypts as opposed to underground burial. Before the 20th century pumping system, if it rains more than 1 inch, or more recently if there is a major storm surge, such as that caused by a hurricane, greater flooding can occur. Rainwater is continually pumped out of the city and into Lake Pontchartrain across a series of canals lined by levees and dikes. Some 45% of the city is above sea level; these higher areas were developed before 1900; the lowest areas only being developed more recently.

Much of the city is actually located between 1 and 10 feet (0.3 to 3 m) below sea level, and as such, is very prone to flooding. The city of New Orleans actually contains the lowest point in the state of Louisiana, and one of the lowest points in the United States, after Death Valley and the Salton Sea. The Mississippi Delta, at the mouth of the Mississippi River, covers about 13,000 square miles (about 1/4 of Louisiana) and consists of silt deposited by the river, and is the most fertile area of Louisiana. Fields atop the ridges along the river are referred to as the "frontlands." The land contour slopes away from the frontlands to the "backlands", comprised of clay and silt.

The area along the river is characterized by ridges and hollows. The city is located in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, between the Mississippi River in the south and Lake Pontchartrain in the north. The total area is 48.45% water. 467.6 km² (180.6 mi²) of it is land and 439.4 km² (169.7 mi²) of it is water.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 907.0 km² (350.2 mi²). New Orleans is located at 29°57′53″N, 90°4′14″W (29.964722, -90.070556)^GR1 on the banks of the Mississippi River, approximately 100 miles upriver from the Gulf of Mexico at 30.07°N, 89.93°W. By October 1, parts of the city accounting for about one-third of the population of New Orleans had been reopened, including the French Quarter.[4] As of October 1, only 5% of the city remained underwater. New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward was reflooded when a storm surge from Rita overcame one of the repaired levees on the Industrial Canal [3].

[2]. Concern about the fragility of the city's flood defences and transportation caused repopulation efforts to be postponed due to Hurricane Rita. The mayor announced a "phased repopulation" plan to start bringing residents of the city back in the next two weeks. On September 15, several of the suburban towns started allowing residents to return.

The city government declared the city off-limits to residents while clean-up efforts began and warned that those remaining could be removed by force, for their health and safety. Subsequent investigations showed that the levee failures which flooded the majority of the city were the result of what has been called "the largest civil engineering disaster in the history of the United States" [1]. Early estimates of the cost of physical damage from the storm have exceeded 100 billion USD. As of November 2005, the Times Picayune article states that, in addition to 1,050 confirmed deaths, there are 5,000 missing residents of the city.

As much as 80% of the city, much of which is below sea level, flooded, with water reaching a depth of 25 feet (7.6 meters) in some areas. These canals were the 17th Street Canal, the Industrial Canal, and the London Avenue Canal. The situation worsened when levees along three canals were breached. Heavy rains and flooding immediately affected the eastern areas of the city.

The eye of the storm passed within 10 to 15 miles of New Orleans, bringing strong winds that downed trees, shattered windows, and hurled debris around the area. Many residents chose to stay or were stranded in the city by a lack of available transportation. New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin issued a mandatory evacuation of the entire city, the first such order ever issued in New Orleans. The city suffered from the effects of Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall on August 29, 2005 on the gulf coast near the city.

The city experienced severe flooding in the May 8th 1995 Louisiana Flood when heavy rains suddenly dumped over a foot of water on parts of town faster than the pumps could remove the water. A century after the Cotton Centennial Exhibition, New Orleans hosted another World's Fair, the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition. Areas of the French Quarter and Central Business District which were long oriented towards local residential and business uses switched to largely catering to the domestic and international tourist industry. While long one of the USA's most-visited cities, tourism boomed in the last quarter of the 20th century, becoming a major force in the local economy.

Because of Camille's tightly wound rings, the storm actually pulled water from the then impending fate they believed was imminent from Lake Ponchartrain and Lake Borgne, and veered toward her landfall point, approximately 50 miles away at Pass Christian, Mississippi, which is believed to have received a 28 foot storm surge. In 1969 the city was brushed by Hurricane Camille but was spared from the catastrophic flooding it had seen in Hurricane Betsy and later in Hurricane Katrina. In 1965 the city was damaged by Hurricane Betsy, with catastrophic flooding of the city's Lower 9th Ward. Much of the city flooded in September of 1947 due to the 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane.

Metairie is not incorporated and is a part of Jefferson Parish. The suburbs saw great growth in the second half of the 20th century; the largest suburb today is Metairie, which borders New Orleans to the west. Both of these moves came to be regarded as mistakes long after the fact, and the streetcars returned to a portion of Canal Street at the end of the 1990s, and construction to restore the entire line was completed in April 2004. In the 1960s another "modernization" effort replaced the Canal Streetcar Line with buses.

In the 1920s an effort to "modernize" the look of the city removed the old cast-iron balconies from Canal Street, the city's commercial hub. New Orleans was hit by major storms in the 1909 Atlantic hurricane season and the 1915 Atlantic hurricane season. The city has had no cases of Yellow Fever since. President Theodore Roosevelt visited the city to demonstrate the safety of New Orleans.

The effort was a success and the disease was stopped before reaching epidemic proportions. As the role of mosquitos in spreading the disease was newly understood, the city embarked on a massive campaign to drain, screen, or oil all cisterns and standing water (breeding ground for mosquitos) in the city and educate the public on their vital role in preventing mosquitos. In 1905 Yellow Fever was reported in the city, which had suffered under repeated epidemics of the disease in the previous century. (2000-2004).

Jamal Morelli's struggle for the neighborhood was successful in protecting the lower ninth ward. The HCNA sent Jamal Morelli, activist and New Orleans artist, to respresent them in Washington, D.C. The Holy Cross Neighborhood Association, (HCNA) respresenting a substantial group of the aforementioned lower ninth ward, created a lobby against the Army Corps of Engineers furthering work on the levees which might endanger the neighborhoods. This warning was augmented by vestigial fears from Hurricane Betsy, and the lasting stories of the Army Corps of Engineers blasting the flooding levees, drowning the poorer neighborhoods of the lower ninth Ward.

There were many warnings in the late 20th century that a major hurricane or a Mississippi flood could create a lake in the central city as much as 9 m (30 ft) deep, which could take months to pump dry. The subsidence greatly increased the flood risk, should the levees be breached or precipitation be in excess of pumping capacity (as was the case in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina). However, pumping of groundwater from underneath the city has resulted in subsidence. Wood's pumps and drainage allowed the city to expand greatly in area.

All rain water must be pumped up to the canals which drain into Lake Pontchartrain. Baldwin Wood enacted his ambitious plan to drain the city, including large pumps of his own design which are still used. In the 1910s engineer and inventor A. This gave the 19th century city the shape of a crescent along a bend of the Mississippi, the origin of the nickname The Crescent City.

Until the early 20th century, construction was largely limited to the slightly higher ground along old natural river levees and bayous, since much of the rest of the land was swampy and subject to frequent flooding. Much of the city is located below sea level between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, so the city is surrounded by levees. An important attraction in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was the famous red light district called Storyville. The city hosted the 1884 World's Fair, called the World Cotton Centennial.

It retains a historical flavor with a wealth of 19th century structures far beyond the early colonial city boundaries of the French Quarter. It was the first captured city in the American South. Early in the American Civil War it was captured by the Union (by David Farragut -son of Spanish emigrants- later named the first US Navy Vice-Admiral) without a battle, and hence was spared the destruction suffered by many other cities of the American South. As a principal port it had a leading role in the slave trade, while at the same time having North America's largest community of free persons of color.

New Orleans was the capital of the state of Louisiana until 1849, then again from 1865 to 1880. However, population growth was at times plagued by yellow fever epidemics, such as the great scourge of 1853 that killed nearly 10,000 people in New Orleans. The population of the city doubled in the 1830s, and by 1840 the city's population was around 102,000, fourth-largest in the U.S, the largest city away from the Atlantic seaboard, as well as the largest in the South after Baltimore. During the War of 1812 the British sent a force to try to conquer the city, but they were defeated by forces led by Andrew Jackson some miles down river from the city at Chalmette, Louisiana on January 8, 1815 (commonly known as the Battle of New Orleans).

The city grew rapidly, with influxes of Americans, French and Creole French, many of the latter fleeing from the revolution in Haiti. In its early days it was noted for its cosmopolitan polyglot population and mixture of cultures. At this time the city of New Orleans had a population of about 10,000. But in 1803, Napoleon sold Louisiana (which then included portions of more than a dozen present-day states) to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase.

Louisiana reverted to French control in 1801 after Napoleon re-acquired the territory from Spain by treaty. In 1795, Spain granted the United States "Right of Deposit" in New Orleans, allowing Americans to use the city's port facilities. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo and the Presbytere. The three most impressive buildings of New Orleans come from the Spanish times: St.

As a result of this, and a subsequent fire in 1795 (another 200 houses destroyed), much of 18th century architecture still present in the French Quarter was built under Spanish rule and demonstrates Spanish colonial characteristics, wood was replaced with bricks. The Great Fire of 1788 destroyed many of the existing structures in the city (800 houses were destroyed), which were made of wood. In 1763, the colony was ceded to the Spanish Empire and remained under Spanish control for 40 years. Nouvelle-Orléans became the capital of French Louisiana in 1722, replacing Biloxi.

A community of French fur trappers and traders had existed along the bayou (in what is now the middle of New Orleans) for more than a decade before the official founding of the city. John (known to natives as Bayou Choupique). The site was selected because it was a rare bit of natural high ground along the flood-prone banks of the lower Mississippi, and was adjacent to a Native American trading route and portage between the Mississippi and Lake Pontchartrain via Bayou St. New Orleans was founded in 1718 by the French as La Nouvelle-Orléans, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville.

Main article: History of New Orleans. . Residents of the city are referred to as New Orleanians. The city's name is often abbreviated NOLA.

The city's unofficial motto, "Laissez les bons temps rouler" ("Let the good times roll") describes the party-like attitude of many residents. The city's several nicknames describe various characteristics of the city, including the "Crescent City" (describing its shape around the Mississippi River), "The Big Easy" (a reference by musicians to the relative ease of finding work in the city) and "The City that Care Forgot" (associated with the easy going, carefree nature of many of the local residents). The city was named in honor of Philip II, Duke of Orléans, who was regent and ruler of France when the city was founded (much as New York was named in honor of James, Duke of York, heir to the throne of England). New Orleans was founded by the French in 1718 and has played an important role in the history of the United States.

The two ports together would be the fourth largest port in the world. ports for exporting grain. The Port of South Louisiana is based in the New Orleans metropolitan area and has been ranked the fifth largest port in the world in terms of raw tonnage, and among the largest U.S. port for several major commodities including rubber, cement and coffee.

The Port of New Orleans is the largest U.S. The petroleum industry is also of great importance to the New Orleans economy; many oil rigs are located in the Gulf. New Orleans remains a major port city due to its location near the Gulf of Mexico and along the Mississippi River, making it a hub for goods which travel to and from Latin America. While most of the city has reopened to residents, and areas which suffered moderate damage have substantially resumed functioning, the parts of town most severely damaged - such as some neighborhoods of the lower 9th Ward - are open only during daylight hours for residents to salvage items from their formerly flooded homes.

As of mid-December 2005, efforts continue to aid survivors, clean up debris, and restore infrastructure. Estimates as of late 2005 cite fewer than 150,000 residing in the city, and projections of the city's eventual population following reconstruction are highly speculative. Since the devastation of the city in conjunction with Hurricane Katrina, the population has been significantly less, due to the majority of surviving residents either taking temporary shelter elsewhere or relocating indefinitely. census put New Orleans's population at 484,674 and the population of Greater New Orleans at 1,337,726.

The most recent U.S. It is a world-famous tourist destination thanks to its many festivals and celebrations; the most noteworthy annual events are Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday"), Jazz Fest, Essence Festival (moved to Houston, TX for 2006), Voodoo Fest, Southern Decadence, and college football's Sugar Bowl (although the bowl game has been moved to Atlanta for the 2006 game). New Orleans is a Southern city known for its multicultural heritage (especially French, Spanish and African American influences) as well as its music and cuisine. New Orleans is named after the historical Duke of Orléans, Regent of France and is one of the oldest and most historic cities in the United States.

It is in southeastern Louisiana along the Mississippi River, just south of Lake Pontchartrain, and is coextensive with Orleans Parish. state of Louisiana. port city and historically the largest city in the U.S. New Orleans (local pronunciations: /nuːˈɔɹliːnz/, /nuːˈɔɹliːənz/, or /nuːˈɔɹlənz/) (French: La Nouvelle-Orléans, pronounced /la nuvɛl ɔʀleɑ̃/ in standard French accent) is a major U.S.

Location in the State of Louisiana and the United States. In a 2005 episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, the detectives pursue a child molester who kidnapped three young sisters from New Orleans after their parents were killed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In 2005, American Idol held auditions in New Orleans. In a 2004 episode of Las Vegas called "New Orleans", Danny, Ed and Sam head to New Orleans in search of a big gambler who owes the casino money.

In a 2003 episode of The Drew Carey Show, Drew and his buddies set off on a road trip to New Orleans to find a girl he met after placing an ad on a beer bottle. In a 2001 episode of Seven Days, Parker goes to New Orleans to prove that his friend, who is scheduled to be executed, is innocent. Season 9 (2000) of The Real World was set in New Orleans. The short-lived 1997 CBS series Orleans was set in New Orleans.

In a 1992 episode of The Simpsons called "A Streetcar Named Marge", Marge is cast in a musical version of "A Streetcar Named Desire" that featured a controversial parody song about New Orleans. Urban/Urban Contemporary: KMEZ-FM (102.9), KNOU-FM (104.5), WQUE-FM (93.3), WYLD-FM (98.5). Talk: WSMB-AM (1350), WWL-AM (870), WTIX-AM (690). Sports: WODT-AM (1280).

Rock: KKND-FM (106.7), WRNO-FM (99.5), WEZB-FM (97.1), WKBU-FM (105.3). Public: WTUL-FM (91.5), WRBH-FM (88.3). Oldies: WTKL-FM (95.7), WJSH-FM (104.7). Latino: KGLA-AM (1540), WFNO-FM (830).

Gospel/Christian: KHEV-FM (104.1), WYLD-AM (940), WBSN-FM (89.1), WLNO-AM (1060), WSHO-FM (800), WOPR-FM (94.9), WVOG-AM (600). Contemporary: KLRZ-FM (100.3), WLMG-FM (101.9), WDVW-FM (92.3). Country: WNOE-FM (101.1). Jazz: WWNO-FM (88.9), WWOZ-FM (90.7).

11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. 20.9% from 45 to 64. 29.3% from 25 to 44. 11.4% from 18 to 24.

26.7% under the age of 18. 9.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals. 40.0% were non-families.

24.5% had a female householder with no husband present. 30.8% were married couples living together. 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 3.06% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

1.28% from two or more races. 0.93% from other races. 0.02% Pacific Islander. 2.26% Asian.

0.20% Native American. 28.05% White. 67.25% African American.