NOLA History Guy

Maison Blanche Origins continues with Simon J. Shwartz, who worked in the family business before striking out on his own.

New Orleans Illustrated in Photo Etching (1892), published by James P. Craig

Continuing the Maison Blanche Origins story of the “Greatest Store South” with the early career of Maison Blanche’s founder, Simon J. Shwartz. Simon worked for his father, primarily in New York City. He brought home innovative retailing ideas.

MB Origins Part 1 – if you want to catch up

PDF Here

The youngest of three brothers, Simon worked for his father, Abraham, since he was a young boy. While the “& Son” of A. Shwartz and Son was his older brother, Nathan Issac, Simon backed the family business. Photo is from History of the Jews of Louisiana, 1903.

By 1890, A. Shwartz & Son occupied three units in the 701 block of Canal Street. Note the addresses are the “old” format. The City of New Orleans switched to block addressing  By 1890, the company expanded the unit on the corner of Canal and Bourbon. They installed an elevator, and opened as a major competitor to the larger stores such as D. H. Holmes, Krauss, and Godchaux’s. The expanded store opened on 6-October-1890. The Daily Picayune reported on it the following day. Note that the store is now “A. Shwartz & Sons,” reflecting Leon and Simon’s entry as partners.

Over half of the 701 block of Canal Street went up in flames on 16-February-1892. The fire all but destroyed A. Shwartz & Sons.

Simon had already been working on leasing space in the Mercier Building at 901 Canal Street. He put those plans on hold and worked with his brothers to move the family business up the street. They bought up inventory from a couple of stores going out of business and re-opened at the end of February, 1892. The image at the top of the article shows A. Shwartz & Sons at 901 Canal.

Patriarch Passes

Abraham Shwartz passed away on 8-March-1892.

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New Orleans Lakefront Airport opened as Shushan Airport in 1934.

The airport out at Lake Pontchartrain and the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (Industrial Canal) originally opened as Shushan Airport, and later became New Orleans Lakefront Airport (NEW). The “big” airport, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, came later. The FAA doesn’t move the three-letter code names for airports, once radio frequencies, maps, etc, list them for a particular location. So, the original airport is NEW and the Kenner airport is MSY, an abbreviation for Moisant Stock Yards. Shushan Airport gets its name from Abraham Shushan, who was President of the Orleans Levee Board in the 1920s.

PDF here.

seawall construction, 1920s

Construction of Shushan Airport was part of a larger capital project proposed in 1922. The main component of the package was the seawall. The seawall functioned as a sort of dam along the lake shore. It ran from West End to the Industrial Canal. Construction of the seawall enabled the Orleans Levee Board to drain the water behind the seawall, then develop it. As we discussed in Podcast 51, Winning the War on the Lakefront, much of the reclaimed land became military installations during the run-up to World War II.

Architectural rendering of the Shushan Airport main building, 1934.

Of the $15 million approved for the lakefront, the bill earmarked $4 million for an airport. The airport extended the functionality of the lakefront to the eastern side of the Industrial Canal.

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The West End was an escape from the city and heat from the 1850s.

This was originally presented to the West End Kiwanis Club. So much fun talking to hard-working volunteer groups! This one was fun, so it’s part two of our series on the Lakefront.

PDF here

West End Park, 1940s. The entertainment district had been cleared in favor of green space. The Southern Yacht Club marina and Municipal Yacht Harbor aren’t there yet.

West End Music Pavillion, 1890s

West End Concert band, 1890s

Creole Italian by Justin A. Nystrom

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The New Orleans Lakefront played many roles in the war effort of the 1940s.

USCG Guardsman standing guard at Higgins Industries, New Orleans

This was originally a talk given at the National World War II Museum, part of their “Lunchbox Lecture” series. Doing it again as a podcast episode because talk recordings don’t always catch good angles of the photos and maps.

The Pod

PDF Here

West End Boulevard and the Lakefront, 1926. The street just above the center of the photo is Robert E. Lee Blvd. (Now Allen Toussaint Blvd.)

From 1943: New Canal at bottom, then Lagarde Army Hospital, than Navy Hospital New Orleans.

V-5 Aviation Cadet class graduating at Naval Reserve Air Base New Orleans, 1941

Consolidated-Vultee

Pontchartrain Beach (top)), Consolidated-Vultee factory, Camp Leroy Johnson, Bomber Base.

Industrial Canal

PT-Boat commissioning ceremony at Higgins Industries on the Industrial Canal

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In Podcast 50 we discuss the other double-truck streetcars that ran in New Orleans.

Brill semi-convertible streetcar, 1916

Part 4 of our 4-part series on early electric streetcars in New Orleans presents the other double-truck models. This includes the Pullman Company, “1899” Americans, Brill Semi-convertibles, Barney & Smith, and Morris cars.

PDF here.

The St. Charles Street Railroad Company purchased Pullman double-trucks. They operated them on the Clio line, when that line crossed Canal. The line originated at the St. Charles Hotel and ran to the Pontchartrain Railroad terminal on Elysian Fields Avenue. Note this company is not the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad Company that ran the Carrollton/St. Charles line.

The “1899” streetcars by American Car Company were operated by the New Orleans City Railroad Comany (NOCRR – second incarnation).

Brill Semi-Convertibles

Morris Cars, named for Master Mechanic E. J. Morris at the Canal Shops.

“500 Series” streetcars

Stretcars of New Orleans by Hennick and Charlton

The Streetcars of New Orleans: 1964–Present

New Orleans: The Canal Streetcar Line

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In Podcast 49 we talk about some of the coolest  – the Palace Streetcars.

Part 3 of our 4-part series on early streetcars in New Orleans presents the Palace streetcars from the turn of the 20th century. Manufactured by the St. Louis Car Company, the semi-convertible, double-truck, Palace cars picked up their name because of their smooth ride. The local transit company, New Orleans City Railway Company, had a relationship with the St. Louis Car Company. NOCRR purchased their first electric streetcars from them. By 1901, NOCRR needed larger streetcars. So, they turned again to St. Louis. The company sold them their semi-convertible. The city took delivery on the Palace cars starting in 1902.

PDF here.

New Orleans City RR Company 043, one of the first Palace streetcars delivered in 1902. These cars were originally open-vestibule. You can see the motorman standing at the controls outside of the cabin. The Palace cars had wood frames with a steel underframe. The grates over the lower part of the windows blocked passengers from putting their hands outside.

New Orleans Railway & Light Company (NORwy&Lt) 025 was one of the original Palace cars. This John Tibule Mendes photo shows 025 running on the Dauphine line on Mardi Gras, 1918. The company re-built the Palace cars later that year, closing in the end vestibules and making other modifications.

Blueprint of the “1918 Remodeling” of the Palace cars by NORwy&Lt. At this time, the company also re-numbered the cars. They assigned these cars 600- and 700-series numbers.

St. Louis Car Company designed the Palace cars for use at the Louisiana Purchase Centennial Exposition in 1904. The exposition grounds featured a 10-mile streetcar route around the perimeter. Palace cars brought visitors around the exhibits and pavillions.

Zoom-in of the exhibition map showing the “Intramural Railway.”

The first Palace cars ran on the Canal Line. When more cars arrived in 1903, they went to work on the Esplanade line. The two lines began “belt” service. We outline the route in Podcast Episode 10, “Riding the Belt.”

This 1918 image shows NORwy&Lt 630, running on the Canal Belt. The streetcar heads down City Park Avenue, towards Bayou St. John. It turns left at the bayou, onto Wisner, then a quick right, onto the Esplanade Avenue bridge. From there, the line continued down Esplanade to N. Rampart.

This Franck Studios photo shows a Palace streetcar on Esplanade Avenue. The company ran this streetcar to document the clearances on the neutral ground, in response to a lawsuit. The car’s roll sign is set for “WEST END.” Date: 8-October-1921.

1929 Strike

This photo shows the remains of a Palace car burned on Canal Street 7-July-1929. The company brought out a single streetcar operated by management employees. Motormen, conductors, and supporters turned it over and set it afire.

Stretcars of New Orleans by Hennick and Charlton

The Streetcars of New Orleans: 1964–Present

New Orleans: The Canal Streetcar Line

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Podcast 48 discusses the early electric streetcars of New Orleans.

Podcast 48 continues our four-part series on early New Orleans street railways. We’re talking about streetcars that pre-date our iconic arch roof streetcars from 1923, and the red streetcars from 2004. As commercial electrification expanded in the 1890s, street railway operators took notice. They installed overhead electric wires and purchased electric-powered streetcars.

PDF here.

Plans for a New Orleans Carrollton & Light RR Company “1894 Brill” streetcar. Courtesy NOPSI.

New Orleans’ first electrics were from St. Louis Car Company. Unfortunately, there are no known photos of these streetcars. New Orleans Traction Company expanded the fleet with “1894 Brill” streetcars. The 1894s originally had 7 windows and used two pairs of 22-E trucks. The Brill modified the design, selling 8-window cars to NOTC. They replaced the 22-E trucks with a single suspension truck.

1894 Brill running on the Clio line in 1902

As Uptown expanded, residents complained about the smoke and noise of the train. NO&CRR switched from steam railroad operations to mule-drawn streetcars in the 1840s. They used Stephenson Co. “bobtail” streetcars pulled by mules.

FB&D plans for the Canal Street terminal at Liberty Place

The city brought in engineers from Ford, Bacon & Davis in 1894, to consult on improvements to street railways. Those engineers designed a streetcar specifically for use in New Orleans.

Stretcars of New Orleans by Hennick and Charlton

The Streetcars of New Orleans: 1964–Present

New Orleans: The Canal Streetcar Line

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Podcast 47 discusses pre-electric streetcars.

Podcast 47 is the first of a four-part series on early New Orleans street railways. We’re talking about streetcars that pre-date our iconic arch roof streetcars from 1923, and the red streetcars from 2004. Beginning with the origins of public transit with omnibuses to steam railroad lines, to mule-drawn streetcars, we present getting around before electrification.

PDF here.

The New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad (NO&CRR) launched the first street rail line, from Baronne Street to Carrollton in 1835. This was a steam-powered line. This 1830s illustration of the Carrollton Hotel shows the steam locomotive for the Carrollton line on the left.

As Uptown expanded, residents complained about the smoke and noise of the train. NO&CRR switched from steam railroad operations to mule-drawn streetcars in the 1840s. They used Stephenson Co. “bobtail” streetcars pulled by mules.

Downtown Bobtails

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The New Orleans City Railrod Company (NOCRR) inaugurated the Canal and Esplanade lines in 1861. While trying other streetcar models, they quickly settled on the Stephenson bobtails as well.

Facilities

After switching from steam power to mule power, NO&CRR built a barn at St. Charles and Napoleon Avenues. This is the layout of that corner, via the Robinson Atlas of 1883.

Canal Station, 1883

Esplanade streetcar approaching the Esplanade barn, 1864

Esplanade Station, 1883

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Podcast 46 features a Boyd Cruise painting of a Creole cottage at 707 Dumaine Street.

Alvik Boyd Cruise painted the cottage at 707 Dumaine Street in 1941. Notarial documents list Rue Dumaine, the “Main Street,” as the “Street of Shops.” This painting features a one-story Creole cottage. It’s not a shotgun.

PDF here.

1880s sketch of the 701 block of Dumaine Street, courtesy THNOC.

A casual passer-by might mistake a Creole cottage for a shotgun double. While both have two front doors, the cottage is a single dwelling. A shotgun double contains rooms that connect front-to-back. A cottage such as 707 Dumaine Street contains four rooms, two in the front, facing the street, then two in the rear. The gates on either side connect the cottage with its neighbors. The flat roof design of these cottages remains on 707. This was the original Spanish Colonial design, but many of these cottages were re-fitted with angled roofs. The total rainfall in New Orleans created problems for flat roofs. Water puddled on the roof, rotting the wood.

Cruise painted three people in his scene of the cottage. On the left, a Black woman looks out from the gate to the street. She’s obviously a #writingprompt. Given Cruise’s preference for antebellum scenes, she is likely enslaved. It’s possible that she lives there at the behest of her master, who keeps her in a nonconsensual relationship. With wife and family back on the plantation, many white men kept enslaved women in town, for their dalliances.

It’s possible the Black woman is household staff for a family living in the house. Or, perhaps she is a Free Person of Color and owns the cottage outright.

The two woman on the right sport French-styled dresses common in the 1850s. They wear jackets over their dresses. Cruise envisions them in the cooler temps of Fall or Winter.

This cottage was designed by Architect, Engineer, Surveyor, and Scoundrel (he was a contemporary of the Lafittes), Barthélemy Lafon.

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Podcast 45 features a Boyd Cruise painting of The Arsenal building on St. Peter Street.

Alvik Boyd Cruise painted the Old State Armory, better known as The Arsenal, in 1941. Located directly behind the Cabildo, the city built the Arsenal in 1839. Cruise visualizes it here in the 1850s.

PDF here.

The city’s armory was naturally a focal point for troops stationed in the city. Like most of his paintings, Cruise created an active street scene on St. Peter Street. We see two Cavalrymen on the left. The rider of the brown horse is a trooper, possibly an aide or batman to the officer on the white horse. In the doorway stand two soldiers, possibly artillerymen, since the Arsenal stored cannon along with small arms.

The soldier in red is likely a member of a local militia company. Since they were raised by the city and/or state, they didn’t have to follow army uniform regulations. These units often chose colors reflecting their French/Spanish roots. On the right, another soldier is in conversation with a woman. He wears a uniform similar to the men in the doorway. He’s doffed his shako to talk to the lady.

What are they talking about? I just love these #writingprompts Cruise offers. I wonder if he had something in mind, or if he just left these as blank pages for us to fill in later. What do you think? Comment here or on Facebook or Bluesky and tell us the story. We need to start some literary zine or something to draw ideas out of y’all.

As in many of his paintings, Cruise includes a child in the scene. This provides scale, and it also shows what kids were u to, antebellum. This black boy is likely enslaved, as he would be in school if he was free. Therefore, an enslaved boy has a lot of unstructured time. While his mom likely works for a household nearby. He’s out on the street to get out of her way, and maybe promote a hustle or two.

So, here’s a zoom-in on the street activity

Louisiana State Museum

Storyville Museum

Beyond Bourbon Street Podcast

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