West End, New Orleans
| West End | |
| New Orleans Neighborhood | |
 Entrance to West End four days after Hurricane Katrina
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Louisiana |
| City | New Orleans |
| Planning District | District 5, Lakeview District |
| Elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Coordinates | 30°00′44″N 90°07′05″W / 30.01222°N 90.11806°W |
| Area | 5.64 sq mi (14.6 km2) |
| - land | 0.70 sq mi (2 km2) |
| - water | 4.94 sq mi (13 km2), 87.59% |
| Population | 1,702 (2010) |
| Density | 302 / sq mi (117 / km2) |
| Timezone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Area code | 504 |
West End (also referred to as West Lakeview) is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Lakeview District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Lake Pontchartrain to the north, the New Basin Canal and Pontchartrain Boulevard to the east, Robert E. Lee Boulevard to the south and the 17th Street Canal to the west. The area was largely built on land reclaimed from Lake Pontchartrain in the 1920s. It is a recreational and commercial seafood boating hub for the city and is known for its historic and renowned seafood restaurants. In recent years, the area has seen large condominium complex developments overlooking the lake, marinas and the centrally located 30-acre (120,000 m2) West End Park.
The majority of the land and marinas located at West End are managed by the New Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor Management Corporation, a public benefit corporation of the City of New Orleans, with much of it leased to private interests and individuals.
The area is adjacent to the site of the levee breach on the 17th Street Canal during Hurricane Katrina which inundated and devastated all of West End. The heavy winds and storm surge also destroyed every restaurant and music club built out over the lake. Because West End was developed above sea level, it only flooded due to the storm surge coming in from the lake. After it rapidly receded, the area became a staging area for the US Coast Guard and the Louisiana National Guard conducting rescues of stranded residents.
Two Yacht Clubs, the New Orleans Yacht Club and Southern Yacht Club, along with several marine and yacht related businesses as well as condominiums and boathouses populate the areas surrounding West End Park and the marinas and channels. West End's most recognizable icon, the New Basin Canal Lighthouse, constructed in the 1830s was heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.
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[edit] Geography
West End is located at 30°00′44″N 90°07′05″W / 30.01222°N 90.11806°W [1] and has an elevation of 0 feet (0.0 m)[2]. According to the United States Census Bureau, the district has a total area of 5.64 square miles (14.6 km2). 0.70 square miles (1.8 km2) of which is land and 4.94 square miles (12.8 km2) (87.59%) of which is water.
[edit] Adjacent Neighborhoods
- West End (north)
- Lakeview (east)
- Navarre (east)
- Mid City (east)
- Dixon (south)
- Hollygrove (south)
- Jefferson Parish (west)
[edit] Boundaries
West End is the westernmost point of the lakefront in Orleans Parish, with Jefferson Parish and Bucktown on the other side of the 17th Street Canal.
The City Planning Commission defines the boundaries of West End as these streets: Lake Pontchartrain, the New Basin Canal, Pontchartrain Boulevard, Veterans Memorial Boulevard and the 17th Street Canal.[3]
[edit] Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,724 people, 2,462 households, and 1,169 families residing in the neighborhood.[4] The population density was 6,749 /mi² (2,624 /km²).
As of the census of 2010, there were 3,147 people, 1,551 households, and 684 families residing in the neighborhood.[5]
[edit] History
West End was originally a nationally renowned resort built between 1835 and 1876 and named New Lake End. In 1880, the name was changed to West End with the additions of a hotel, restaurant and an amusement park built on piers over Lake Pontchartrain.
The City of New Orleans followed and constructed a harbor and railroad and streetcar facilities along the New Basin Canal and the 17th Street Canal and by 1921 had constructed a seawall 500 feet (150 m) out into the lake and filled in this space to create the large and oak lined West End Park.
West End was a popular music venue in the early days of jazz. Joe "King" Oliver wrote the tune West End Blues in commemoration of the area; a recording of the number by Louis Armstrong is one of the most famous jazz recordings of the 1920s.
The area grew to become a well known area for great and historic seafood restaurants, including Brunings which opened in 1859 and operated nearly continuously—damage from Hurricane Georges prompted a move to a nearby building somewhat better sheltered from storm surge, but it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005 along with most other buildings in the area.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Greater New Orleans Community Data Center. "West End Neighborhood". http://gnocdc.org/orleans/5/39/index.html. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "West End Neighborhood". Greater New Orleans Community Data Center. http://gnocdc.org/NeighborhoodData/5/WestEnd/index.html. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- ^ "West End Neighborhood". Greater New Orleans Community Data Center. http://gnocdc.org/NeighborhoodData/5/WestEnd/index.html. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: West End, New Orleans |
- Friends of West End
- Save the Lighthouse
- New Orleans Yacht Club
- Southern Yacht Club
- New Canal Lighthouse at West End
- New Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor Management Corporation
- Orleans Marina
- Set Sail - West End article Gambit Weekly
- Katrina's Marinas - West End marinas after Katrina
- History of West End
- Further History of West End
- History of Lakeview
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