Uncategorized

Mesa Verde National Park was created in 1906 by Teddy Roosevelt. Located in the Four Corners area of the Southwest, it has 4,300 sites, of which 600 are cliff dwellings. Human occupation dates back to 9,600 BCE, but the area remained “undiscovered” until two cowboys came upon the major ruins in 1888. The most notable … Continue reading »

Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is currently celebrating its 150th birthday. It is not only one of the oldest zoos in the country, but one of a few remaining free zoos. It started in 1868 with the gift of two pairs of swans from Central Park in New York City. Much has changed in the … Continue reading »

Jackson Square is located in the French Quarter and is one of the most visited sites in New Orleans. The most prominent structure is St Louis Cathedral in front of which is the statue commemorating Andrew Jackson. Also in the Square are the Pontalba Apartments. They were built in the late 1840s making them the … Continue reading »

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 »