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The pirate Lafitte operated a blacksmith shop on Bourbon St. (among his many other activities) in a building that was constructed as a house between 1722 and 1732. It is one of the oldest buildings in New Orleans and is also one of the oldest bars in the U.S. The first photo is dated 1895. … Continue reading »

The Maison-Blanche building is located on Canal St. It was built in 1908 and operated as a department store for many years. It is now a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The first photo is dated 1910.

Any visit to New Orleans should include a stop at the Old Absinthe House. It was built in 1807 and has hosted the likes of Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, P.T. Barnum, Oscar Wilde, FDR, Frank Sinatra, and……….me! The first photo is dated 1890’s.

The New Orleans City Park was built in 1854, making it one of the oldest urban parks in the U.S.. At 1300 acres it is twice the size of New York’s Central Park. It has 30,000 trees, including  the world’s largest and oldest collection of live oak trees, some of which are over 600 years … Continue reading »

New Orleans is known worldwide for its food, music, and festivals. It has one of the world’s largest and busiest ports. Tourism is a six-billion-dollar industry, accounting for 40% of the city’s revenue. Many of its streets are famous as well. Some examples are: 637 Royal St., 1930’s Bourbon St., 1925   Canal St., 1910 … Continue reading »

I recently discovered an error in uploading photos which kept them from being enlarged dating back to February 2016. I have corrected this and all photos are once again enlargeable.

Here are three 18th century outbuildings at the Grissell-Hay house. From left to right they are a privy, a smokehouse, and a dairy. Judging by their appearance in this 1920’s photo, work began just in time. Restoration was done using almost all original materials.   Built in 1715, the powder magazine stored arms and ammunition … Continue reading »

Due largely to the vision and generosity of John D, Rockefeller, Jr., there is no better place in America for then-and-now photos than Williamsburg, VA.  Beginning in 1926 he quietly bought up much of the former colonial capitol of Virginia. The main road through town has long been the Duke of Gloucester Street, running one … Continue reading »

An idea of the magnitude of lock construction is seen in the first photo dated 1907 showing Lock #3 in Waterford NY and again in an undated photo. Click to enlarge.       During winter, a favorite pastime was skating on the Canal as seen in this ca,1900 photo from Clinton Square.     … Continue reading »

Ground was broken for the Erie Canal in 1817, making the current year its bi-centennial. It took 8 years to complete the 363 miles from Albany NY to Buffalo NY. The Canal was 40-feet wide with a 10-foot horse/mule towpath for room to pull the barges. Several photos and much information are presented courtesy of … Continue reading »