Saturday, May 3, 2014
Museum Day in New Orleans
Today was museum day - I had 3 to check out and then the Battlefield from the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. I found out one of my selected museums was running a special just for today - closed. Bummer, I really wanted to see that one.
The first museum, Presbytere, had 2 polar opposite subject for their displays. Hurricane Katrina was the first display, amazing photos and I kept thinking of my close calls with hurricanes in the Caribbean. I'm not sure why anyone would stay and watch a storm of that caliber come at them and not leave to find a safer place. There's only so much you can do by staying put - you can't save your house.
The second display was a history of carnival, with costumes, jewelry and pictures from past years. Happy times and fun providing a stark contrast to the heartbreak caused by Katrina.
The other museum, Cabildo, was a history of Louisiana, including musical instruments, weapons and other displays. As a bonus, there was a display of the Secret History of Louisiana Rock 'n' Roll with photos from the 50's and 60's depicting musical history in this area.
The Chalmette National Cemetery and Battlefield is located near the Mississippi River. There is a monument, pictured above, was completed in 1908. There are 122 steps to a small area at the top with windows showing the view in all directions. This was the site of the historic Battle of New Orleans, which has been reported to last about 30 minutes.
The adjacent Cemetery contains remains of the Union soldiers from the Civil War as well as veterans from the Spanish-American War, both World Wars and Vietnam.
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