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Hurricane
Katrina Devastates Gulf History and Culture |
Posted:
09.14.05
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The devastating winds and waves of Hurricane Katrina that wiped
out people's homes, communities and livelihoods also swept away
many historic treasures, including famous architecture and works
of art.
Student Voices: Two teenagers
talk about their experiences escaping the floodwaters of New Orleans
Printer-friendly versions: PDF
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As the human search and rescue operations from Hurricane Katrina
wind down, efforts began to assess the toll the storm took on
the cultural heritage and history of the Gulf Coast region.
Cultural experts worry that the storm also will impact less tangible
characteristics of the area, such as the food, language and music
that make a place unique.
"I think this could represent the greatest cultural disaster
in the history of the country," Richard Moe, president of
the National Trust for Historical Preservation, which is working
to resurrect the region, told the Washington Post.
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A famous
region |
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The history of the region hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina has
much to do with its location at the convergence of the Mississippi
River and Gulf of Mexico.
Long before trains and highways linked the United States, the
Mississippi was the country's main trade route.
 New
Orleans was founded in 1718 as a French colony. The busy Louisiana
trade center was transferred to the Spanish in 1763, but given
back to France in 1800. In 1803, Napoleon sold New Orleans, along
with the entire state, to the United States in a transaction known
as the Louisiana Purchase.
Europeans of French and Spanish descent, Africans, Latin Americans,
Caribbeans, Native Americans and others called the city home.
The Creole people, a mix of African, French and American Indians,
are famous for their language, zydeco music and food.
Tourists came from all over the world to eat distinctly Creole
and Cajun foods: gumbo, jambalaya, dirty rice and crawfish, po'boy
sandwiches and turtle soup, café au lait and beignets.
New Orleans neighborhoods were filled with Spanish-styled homes
from the late 1700s, multi-story French colonial buildings and
single-story, wood-framed buildings from the 19th and early 20th
centuries.
Jazz, considered the most uniquely American form of music, found
a solid foundation in 20th century New Orleans. The music is celebrated
in the city's annual Mardi Gras -- or Fat Tuesday -- parades and
jazz festivals and funerals.
 Louis
Armstrong, often referred to as a father of jazz, was born in
one of the poorest sections of New Orleans in 1901. His mentor
Joe "King" Oliver, was one of a handful of noted musicians
in New Orleans -- along with Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet
and others -- who created a distinctive and widely popular new
band music out of blues and ragtime.
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What was
lost |
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Though much of the city's historic French Quarter was built on
higher ground and may have avoided the most severe flooding, officials
fear historical objects -- from antique musical instruments to
furniture -- could be lost.
Heat and humidity could damage physical artifacts such as the
paintings and documents housed in the Pitot House Museum, which
shows how traditional Creole families lived, said Meg Lousteau,
director of the Louisiana Landmarks Society, according to the
Washington Post. 
And others worry about what will happen to the vibrant arts feel
of the region if artists don't return.
"It is hard to sit in silence, to watch one's youth wash
away," said jazz singer and pianist Harry Connick Jr. on
his Web site. "New Orleans is my essence, my soul, my muse,
and I can only dream that one day she will recapture her glory."
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Mississippi |
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In Mississippi, Katrina's winds also wiped away architecture
that is part of American history.
"Almost all our old houses have gone. This isn't just a
question of financial loss, this is our history that has disappeared,"
Helen Sirmon, a teacher who took her classes on tours of Biloxi's
historic buildings, told Reuters.
 The
Brielmaier House, which was built around 1895 and had served as
a visitors' center was seen floating down the street during the
storm.
All that is left of the Pleasant Reed House, built by a former
slave around 1887 and home to an African-American museum, is the
chimney.
Beauvoir, the 1852 Greek Revival house where the Confederate
president during the Civil War, Jefferson Davis, spent his last
12 years, is in tatters.
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Will the
region ever be the same? |
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Historic preservation experts and tourism officials alike are
working with disaster officials to save and restore the region.
"The lessons we've learned from other hurricanes and recovery
efforts is that the things that were important before the storm
need to be important after the storm," John Hildreth, director
of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's southern office,
told Architectural Record News.
"The city that is reborn is one that still has its heritage
and culture."
--
Compiled by Annie Schleicher for NewsHour Extra
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