West End, New Orleans
Encyclopedia
West End is a neighborhood
of the city of New Orleans
. A subdistrict of the Lakeview District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Lake Pontchartrain
to the north, the New Basin Canal
and Pontchartrain Boulevard to the east, Robert E. Lee Boulevard to the south and the 17th Street Canal
to the west. The area was largely built on land reclaimed from Lake Pontchartrain
in the 1920s. It is a recreational and commercial seafood boating hub for the city and is known for its historic and renowned seafood restaurants. In recent years, the area has seen large condominium complex developments overlooking the lake, marinas and the centrally located 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) West End Park.
The majority of the land and marinas located at West End are managed by the New Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor Management Corporation, a public benefit corporation of the City of New Orleans, with much of it leased to private interests and individuals.
The area is adjacent to the site of the levee breach on the 17th Street Canal
during Hurricane Katrina
which inundated and devastated all of West End. The heavy winds and storm surge also destroyed every restaurant and music club built out over the lake. Because West End was developed above sea level, it only flooded due to the storm surge coming in from the lake. After it rapidly receded, the area became a staging area for the US Coast Guard and the Louisiana National Guard
conducting rescues of stranded residents.
Two Yacht Clubs, the New Orleans Yacht Club
and Southern Yacht Club
, along with several marine and yacht related businesses as well as condominiums and boathouses populate the areas surrounding West End Park and the marinas and channels. West End's most recognizable icon, the New Basin Canal Lighthouse, constructed in the 1830s was heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina
and Hurricane Rita
.
, the district has a total area of 5.64 mi2. 0.7 mi2 of which is land and 4.94 mi2 (87.59%) of which is water.
and Bucktown on the other side of the 17th Street Canal
.
The City Planning Commission defines the boundaries of West End as these streets: Lake Pontchartrain, the New Basin Canal, Pontchartrain Boulevard, Veterans Memorial Boulevard and the 17th Street Canal.
of 2000, there were 4,724 people, 2,462 households, and 1,169 families residing in the neighborhood. The population density
was 6,749 /mi² (2,624 /km²).
.
The City of New Orleans followed and constructed a harbor and railroad and streetcar facilities along the New Basin Canal
and the 17th Street Canal
and by 1921 had constructed a seawall 500 feet (152.4 m) out into the lake and filled in this space to create the large and oak lined West End Park.
West End was a popular music venue in the early days of jazz
. Joe "King" Oliver wrote the tune West End Blues
in commemoration of the area; a recording of the number by Louis Armstrong
is one of the most famous jazz recordings of the 1920s.
The area grew to become a well known area for great and historic seafood restaurants, including Brunings which opened in 1859 and operated nearly continuously—damage from Hurricane Georges
prompted a move to a nearby building somewhat better sheltered from storm surge, but it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina
on August 29, 2005 along with most other buildings in the area.
New Orleans neighborhoods
In 1980 the New Orleans City Planning Commission divided the city into 13 planning districts and 72 distinct neighborhoods.While most of these assigned boundaries match with traditional local designations, some others differ from common traditional use...
of the city of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. A subdistrict of the Lakeview District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
to the north, the New Basin Canal
New Basin Canal
The New Basin Canal, also known as the New Orleans Canal and the New Canal, was a shipping canal in New Orleans, Louisiana from the 1830s through the 1940s....
and Pontchartrain Boulevard to the east, Robert E. Lee Boulevard to the south and the 17th Street Canal
17th Street Canal
The 17th Street Canal is a drainage canal in Greater New Orleans, Louisiana, that flows into Lake Pontchartrain. The canal forms a significant portion of the boundary between the city of New Orleans and Metairie, Louisiana...
to the west. The area was largely built on land reclaimed from Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
in the 1920s. It is a recreational and commercial seafood boating hub for the city and is known for its historic and renowned seafood restaurants. In recent years, the area has seen large condominium complex developments overlooking the lake, marinas and the centrally located 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) West End Park.
The majority of the land and marinas located at West End are managed by the New Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor Management Corporation, a public benefit corporation of the City of New Orleans, with much of it leased to private interests and individuals.
The area is adjacent to the site of the levee breach on the 17th Street Canal
17th Street Canal
The 17th Street Canal is a drainage canal in Greater New Orleans, Louisiana, that flows into Lake Pontchartrain. The canal forms a significant portion of the boundary between the city of New Orleans and Metairie, Louisiana...
during Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
which inundated and devastated all of West End. The heavy winds and storm surge also destroyed every restaurant and music club built out over the lake. Because West End was developed above sea level, it only flooded due to the storm surge coming in from the lake. After it rapidly receded, the area became a staging area for the US Coast Guard and the Louisiana National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
conducting rescues of stranded residents.
Two Yacht Clubs, the New Orleans Yacht Club
New Orleans Yacht Club
The New Orleans Yacht Club was founded in 1949 and is dedicated to further the sport of yacht racing, marine safety and seamanship. The club is located at West End's Municipal Harbor on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain and is a member of the Gulf Yachting Association.Since its founding, New Orleans...
and Southern Yacht Club
Southern Yacht Club
The Southern Yacht Club is located in New Orleans, Louisiana's West End neighborhood, on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. Established in 1854, it is the third oldest yacht club in the United States.-Sailing:...
, along with several marine and yacht related businesses as well as condominiums and boathouses populate the areas surrounding West End Park and the marinas and channels. West End's most recognizable icon, the New Basin Canal Lighthouse, constructed in the 1830s was heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
.
Geography
West End is located at 30°00′44"N 90°07′05"W and has an elevation of 0 foot (0 m). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the district has a total area of 5.64 mi2. 0.7 mi2 of which is land and 4.94 mi2 (87.59%) of which is water.
Adjacent Neighborhoods
- West End (north)
- LakeviewLakeview, New OrleansLakeview is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Lakeview District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Robert E. Lee Boulevard to the north, Orleans Avenue to the east, Florida Boulevard, Canal Boulevard and I-610 to the south and...
(east) - NavarreNavarre, New OrleansNavarre is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Lakeview District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: I-610, Canal Boulevard and Florida Boulevard to the north, Orleans Avenue to the east, City Park Avenue to the south and the...
(east) - Mid City (east)
- DixonDixon, New OrleansDixon is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Uptown/Carrollton Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Interstate 10 to the northeast, South Carrollton Avenue to the southeast, Palmetto Street to the southwest and Cherry, Dixon, Mistletoe,...
(south) - HollygroveHollygrove, New OrleansHollygrove is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, located in the city's 17th Ward. A subdistrict of the Uptown/Carrollton area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Palmetto Street to the north, Cambronne, Edinburgh, Forshey, Fig and Leonidas Streets to...
(south) - Jefferson ParishJefferson Parish, LouisianaJefferson Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States that includes most of the suburbs of New Orleans. The seat of parish government is Gretna....
(west)
Boundaries
West End is the westernmost point of the lakefront in Orleans Parish, with Jefferson ParishJefferson Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States that includes most of the suburbs of New Orleans. The seat of parish government is Gretna....
and Bucktown on the other side of the 17th Street Canal
17th Street Canal
The 17th Street Canal is a drainage canal in Greater New Orleans, Louisiana, that flows into Lake Pontchartrain. The canal forms a significant portion of the boundary between the city of New Orleans and Metairie, Louisiana...
.
The City Planning Commission defines the boundaries of West End as these streets: Lake Pontchartrain, the New Basin Canal, Pontchartrain Boulevard, Veterans Memorial Boulevard and the 17th Street Canal.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,724 people, 2,462 households, and 1,169 families residing in the neighborhood. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 6,749 /mi² (2,624 /km²).
History
West End was originally a nationally renowned resort built between 1835 and 1876 and named New Lake End. In 1880, the name was changed to West End with the additions of a hotel, restaurant and an amusement park built on piers over Lake PontchartrainLake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
.
The City of New Orleans followed and constructed a harbor and railroad and streetcar facilities along the New Basin Canal
New Basin Canal
The New Basin Canal, also known as the New Orleans Canal and the New Canal, was a shipping canal in New Orleans, Louisiana from the 1830s through the 1940s....
and the 17th Street Canal
17th Street Canal
The 17th Street Canal is a drainage canal in Greater New Orleans, Louisiana, that flows into Lake Pontchartrain. The canal forms a significant portion of the boundary between the city of New Orleans and Metairie, Louisiana...
and by 1921 had constructed a seawall 500 feet (152.4 m) out into the lake and filled in this space to create the large and oak lined West End Park.
West End was a popular music venue in the early days of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. Joe "King" Oliver wrote the tune West End Blues
West End Blues
"West End Blues" is a multi-strain 12 bar blues composition by Joe "King" Oliver. It is most commonly performed as an instrumental, although it has lyrics added by Clarence Williams....
in commemoration of the area; a recording of the number by Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
is one of the most famous jazz recordings of the 1920s.
The area grew to become a well known area for great and historic seafood restaurants, including Brunings which opened in 1859 and operated nearly continuously—damage from Hurricane Georges
Hurricane Georges
Hurricane Georges was a very destructive, powerful and long-lived Cape Verde-type Category 4 hurricane. Georges was the seventh tropical storm, fourth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season...
prompted a move to a nearby building somewhat better sheltered from storm surge, but it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
on August 29, 2005 along with most other buildings in the area.
External links
- Friends of West End
- Save the Lighthouse
- New Orleans Yacht Club
- Southern Yacht Club
- New Canal Lighthouse at West End
- New Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor Management Corporation
- Orleans Marina
- Set Sail - West End article Gambit Weekly
- Katrina's Marinas - West End marinas after Katrina
- History of West End
- Further History of West End
- History of Lakeview