A Tour of New Orleans
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Originally intended to be a canal, the aptly named Canal Street was dug wider than other streets. Canal Street, which was never used as a canal, became a physical and symbolic divider in New Orleans, separating the Creole Vieux Carre from the new American borough, which is now the business district. Canal Street has undergone many changes—shifting from a residential district to a commercial one, from a grassy promenade to a five track railway, and finally to a boulevard of music halls, theaters, restaurants, and hotels. Throughout the changes music has been a constant theme on Canal Street, as in the rest of New Orleans.
Fun Fact: Canal Street is the widest main street in the United States.
Photo source: Carol M. Highsmith
Next: Jazz Fest