Walking the Tremé
About the Tour
Two hundred years before the HBO television series made Tremé an emblem of the cultural richness of New Orleans, the residents of this faubourg drummed, danced, and second lined their way into history. Tremé, touted as the oldest African American neighborhood in the United States as well as the birthplace of jazz, boasts a history of civil rights activism and jazz rhythms that lingers and inspires all who wander it. From Armstrong Park’s Congo Square to Brass Band Heaven and the Tomb of the Unknown Slave, the Faubourg Tremé will get under your skin and have you singing a bit of John Boutte’s “Hangin' in the Treme, Watchin' people sashay...” So, join me for a leisurely stroll through a neighborhood like no other.
Trumpet: Emirdemirel - Improvisation on Dorian Scale Trumpet
Tour Producer
Denise Altobello
Daughter of a butcher and a restaurant maven, granddaughter of a one-armed Cajun barbecue chef and a German gravedigger, I hail originally from the now famous Ninth Ward of New Orleans, just downriver from the French Quarter and the Faubourg Tremé. Growing up among the graveyards of my French, German and African-American neighbors, I played hide-and-seek in the cities of the dead, learned to decipher the voodoo markings adorning the above-ground ovens and honed my skills in palm reading, bar-hopping and fire baton twirling. My most recent adventures include scriptwriting "LULU WHITE: Queen of Storyville,” a musical cabaret that tells the story of one of New Orleans’ most fascinating madams and her opulent Mahogany Hall And "Josephine Baker: From Creole Goddess to Siren of the Resistance" for the National WW2 Museum's Stage Door canteen in New Orleans.
When not traveling, teaching, researching, and scribbling, I continue to wander the neighborhoods of New Orleans with the same curiosity that I brought to my childhood games of graveyard hide-and-seek. Who knows what I may unearth next?
Preview Location
Location 3
Dancing in Congo Square sculpture
This piece, called "Dancing in Congo Square", depicts a typical Sunday in 18th century New Orleans. This area was called the "Place de Negres", unique to the French and Spanish slave codes, but we know it today as Congo Square. Since 1744, slaves liv... Read More
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Major Landmarks
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Congo Square
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New Orleans African American Museum
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Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts
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Backstreet Cultural Museum
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Saint Augustine Catholic Church
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start location701 N Rampart St, New Orleans, LA 70116, USA -
Total distance3km -
Final location1020 Henriette Delille St, New Orleans, LA 70116, USA -
Distance back to start location470.43m
Directions to Starting Point
Start: 801 N Rampart St, New Orleans
At the corner of North Rampart and Saint Ann Streets, across from the French Quarter. If you are driving, parking is available on the street as well as in the nearby Basin Street Station Parking Lot at 501 Basin Street.
Tips
Places to stop along the way
By all means, enjoy the shade of the hundred-year-old oak trees inside of Armstrong Park and Congo Square. And don't miss a chance to stop for a delicious hot or cold drink inside the Tremé Coffeehouse. The neighborhood vibe in this funky coffee shop will show you why this neighborhood is so popular with locals and local wannabees.
Finally, be sure to stop by The Backstreet Cultural Museum for a firsthand look at the unique Mardi Gras Indian culture.
Best time of day
Daylight hours. Dawn to dusk. Please note, the Backstreet Cultural Museum is closed on Mondays.
Precautions
Always good to be cautious. Most people in the neighborhood are friendly and welcoming, but take care.
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