One of the most important streets in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Esplanade Avenue connects the Mississippi river front of this city to
City Park.
Esplanade Avenue has held a special place in the development of trade and commerce in this region, given the fact that it was the primary mode of conveyance between the Bayou, which was a link to Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River. The street is still considered by many to be a symbol of the affluence that was predominant in New Orleans on account of the lavish 19th Century mansions which line it.
Not surprisingly, Esplanade Avenue was also known as a 'Millionaire's Row' for the Louisiana-Creole District... much like the stature the St. Charles Avenue held in Uptown New Orleans. The avenue also functions as a division between the 6th and 7th wards of New Orleans. A visit to this historic street is an impromptu lesson in the history of New Orleans as you traverse past the French Quarter, the old New Orleans Mint building, the Faubourg Treme locale and the New Orleans Fairgrounds, which also house Edgar Degas' former home.
In recent times, the Esplanade Avenue has also functioned as the cultural nerve center for the district, boasting the New Orleans Museum of Art and several other monuments of cultural and historic significance. The quiet, tree-lined stretches still echo with memories of this street's former Creole grace and highbrow way of life.
