Storyville Museum (1010 Conti Street)
December 13th, 2024
6:00-8:00PM
Members $15 Nonmembers $20
Cash, credit, and check accepted
You must be 18+ to enter the Museum
Take a trip back in time to the age of Jazz and feisty Madams for a night out at the Storyville Museum. Join VCPORA and museum creator Claus Sadlier for this special Holiday At Home at the newly opened Storyville Museum! Since this is a special occasion, it calls for some equally special fare! Feast on jambalaya and bread pudding while dancing away to the Tim Laughlin Trio. It wouldn’t be a holiday party without sipping champagne and make sure to indulge in a special holiday cocktail too. It’s a great way to celebrate the end of 2024 and herald in the new year! See you there! To add to the fun, come dressed in 1920s attire (not required but always encouraged!)
Please note: You must be 18+ to enter the museum.
A Brief History of Storyville
Storyville, named after Alderman Sidney Story, was a city-sanctioned vice district established by New Orleans to confine activities like gambling and sex work to specific areas. The 38-block district was bounded by Iberville, Basin Street, St. Louis, and N. Robertson streets, conveniently located near one of the city’s main railroads. Storyville became a significant revenue source for the city, catering to all walks of life and economic statuses.
Although Black women were allowed to work in Storyville, Black men were barred from patronizing the brothels. However, they could perform music in the many establishments and saloons that thrived in the district, contributing to its reputation as a cradle of Jazz.
On November 12, 1917, Storyville was officially shut down due to pressure from the Army and Navy, who viewed the district as a distraction to soldiers on leave and sought to condemn sex work. By the 1930s, most of the buildings had been demolished to make way for the Iberville public housing projects, effectively erasing physical traces of Storyville.
In the 2010s, redevelopment efforts at the site led to several archaeological digs conducted by the University of New Orleans and Earth Search, Inc., uncovering valuable insights into this pivotal chapter of New Orleans history.
