The Wandering Disciple

If you look closely at coins minted in the United States, there is a little letter code on the face of the coin that will tell you where it was made.  The most commonly found codes are D for Denver and P for Philadelphia.  But in late 1800's there was a letter O in circulation and that was for the New Orleans Mint.  Located in the French Quarter presses like the one pictured here turned out a steady supply of coins all pressed with the letter O.  The New Orleans Mint had two operational periods, one from 1836 to 1861 and the other from 1879 to 1909.  During this time, the mint produced over 427 million gold and silver coins with a face value of over $307 million US Dollars.  While mint is no longer in operation, you can still visit it today and see some of the equipment used to make coins in the mint museum.  The building also houses the New Orleans Jazz Museum and Louisiana Historical Center.  (Photo: November 21, 2017)

The table has been set and its time for formal dinner circa 1850's in the French Quarter of New Orleans.  Furnished to represent life in 19th century New Orleans, the 1850 House transports visitors back in time.  The historic antebellum rowhouse on the edge of Jackson Square features a unit decorated with fine New Orleans silver, Old Paris porcelain, a six piece bedroom suite and paintings from famous French artists that moved to New Orleans.  Operated by the Louisiana State Museum system, the 1850 House depicts life for some of the immigrants to immigrated to New Orleans seeking life in the United States.  (Photo: November 21, 2017)

 When people think of New Orleans, one of the first things that come to mind is Mardi Gras and carnival season in the big easy.  Carnival typically begins on the Epiphany and runs through Fat Tuesday.  During this time, krewes like the Krewe of Endymion and Krew of Bacchus throw elaborate parades nightly filled with brightly colored costumes and decorated floats through the streets of downtown.   The history of Mardi Gras can be seen in an exhibit at the Presbytere Museum in Jackson Square.  This historic building hosts two permanent exhibits that tell the story of New Orleans.  A story of celebration in the exhibit "Mardi Gras: It's Carnival Time in Louisiana" and a story of resilience in the exhibit "Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond".  (Photo: November 21, 2017)

  Much of the buildings of New Orleans and particularly Jackson Square have quite the history.  The Cabildo is no different. The current Cabildo was built in 1795 after the original one was burned down during the Great New Orleans Fire.  It was originally built to house the Spanish seat of government and the Spaniards ruled from here and later upon transfer to the city of New Orleans, the city council operated from this historic structure.  The Cabildo also served as the Louisiana Supreme Court, a temporary headquarters for the Louisiana State Police and today serves as part of the Louisiana State Museum system. Over its 200 plus year history, the Cabildo was site to many historic moments including the signing of the Louisiana Purchase and the hearing of the landmark Plessy vs Ferguson racial segregation case.  Today you can learn about the history of this building and the region at the museum that is housed here.  (Photo: November 21, 2017)

A coin press sits on display in the basement of the Old US Mint in New Orleans.  A small museum in here pays tribute to the New Orleans Mint that was in operation from 1838-1909.  The mint was the only one in the country to print currency for two nations, the United States of America and the Confederate States of America.  (Photo: November 21, 2017)

Sitting rooms like this one here in the 1850 House in New Orleans was a place for high society to entertain their guests.  The 1850 House Museum operated by the Louisiana State Museum highlights the homes of affluent citizens in New Orleans during the mid 1800's.  (Photo: November 21, 2017)

The infamous urban search and rescue markings were all over New Orleans and the areas effected by Hurricane Katrina.  These marking were used by first responders to identify the structures that were cleared post storm as well as findings and hazards encountered.  Today, the Louisiana State Museum has an entire gallery that focuses on Hurricane Katrina at The Presbytère museum in the French Quarter.  (Photo: November 21, 2017)

One of the most prized artifact on display in the Louisiana State Museum, the Napoleon Death Mask attracts visitors to the Cabildo at Historic Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter. The mask is one of only four death masks from Napoleon Bonaparte in existence. It was created from a mold by one of Napoleon’s physicians Dr Antommarchi about forty hours following his death in 1821. In 1834 Dr Antommarchi donated the bronze mask to the City of New Orleans. (Photo: November 21, 2017)

When most people think of New Orleans, the first thing they think of is Mardi Gras.  Colorful costumes, parades and beads help define the city with the heritage of the Mardi Gras carnival.  The roots of Mardi Gras are centered around the Catholic day of Shrove Tuesday.  The celebrations begin about two weeks before Shrove Tuesday and continue daily until then.  You can learn more about Mardi Gras in exhibits throughout the city including this one in the Louisiana State Museum at the Presbytere. (Photo: November 21, 2017)

New Orleans, Louisiana:  The second day of our New Orleans trip began with me still struggling to adjust with the time change.  Last night I fell asleep on New Orleans time however this morning, my body woke me up at my normal Florida work schedule time which was much to early for this late rising town.  We had another full day of exploration however nothing opened until 9:30-10:00 and I woke up at 4:40. So I sat around the hotel room working on photos until the restaurant in the hotel opened.  It is pretty handy staying at a hotel that offers full breakfast and a partial dinner as part of your amenities.  After breakfast we headed out to walk around the city.  Even though nothing was open, it was still a great opportunity to enjoy the sights of the city without the crowds.  During the walk, I paid a visit to the New Orleans Fire Department Engine 29 crew that protects the French Quarter.  Once we left the station, we walked up to Jackson...