The Trekking Pawns' Diary

As part of our pre-trip journey into the rich and colorful history of New Orleans, we’ve been reading The Seamstress of New Orleans . The novel has been a fascinating guide, weaving together the city’s iconic culture with its complex history. One place that keeps popping up in the book is Storyville, a district infamous for legal prostitution and gambling. Intrigued, we had to find out if this place truly existed—and wow, what a story we uncovered! (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.)  (Photo: Amazon ) The History of Storyville Yes, Storyville was very real. From 1897 to 1917, this legalized red-light district was the beating heart of New Orleans’ nightlife. It was named after Alderman Sidney Story, who ironically didn’t intend for his name to become synonymous with debauchery. The district was bordered by Iberville, Basin, St. Louis, and No...

 As part of preparing for our upcoming trip to New Orleans, we decided to immerse ourselves in the city’s unique history and atmosphere by diving into The Seamstress of New Orleans . The novel, with its vivid depiction of life in early 20th-century New Orleans, has already proven to be a captivating read. But one particular detail in the book stopped us in our tracks—the mention of an extortion group called the "Black Hand." Were they a real group? And if so, how much of their presence shaped the fabric of New Orleans during that time? Library of Congress Being curious travelers (and now amateur historians), we started digging into the history of the Black Hand. What we uncovered not only confirmed the accuracy of the book but also deepened our understanding of New Orleans as a city shaped by resilience, struggle, and cultural fusion. (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find t...