New Orleans Neighborhood Guide

The city of New Orleans was founded along the banks of the Mississippi River in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville at the site of the present-day French Quarter. As its population increased over time, the city eventually expanded to the east and west along the river, and to the north toward Lake Pontchartrain. With this expansion came the development of dozens of new “faubourgs” or neighborhoods. Some were named for the ethnicity of their inhabitants (the Irish Channel), while others were named for their location (Bywater) or physical characteristics (the Garden District). Today, these neighborhoods remain a vital part of the city’s culture and identity. According to Loyola University of New Orleans, the National Register of Historic Places has designated 17 National Historic Districts in New Orleans. Two of them – the French Quarter and the Garden District – are also National Historic Landmarks.