New Orleans historic St. Charles Streetcar travels over 13 miles from
Canal Street, through the Garden district, past Loyola and Tulane
Universities and Audubon Park where it takes a right-hand turn at
Riverbend to continue up Carrollton Avenue.
Originally
called the Carrollton Railroad, St. Charles Streetcars carried passengers
between the French Quarter and the resort town of Carrollton.
New Orleans St. Charles Streetcars, like the equally famous
San
Francisco Cable Cars, have been declared moving national historic
landmarks. Streetcars have been running along St. Charles Avenue for over
165 years. |
click images to enlarge
The St. Charles Streetcar line in the Garden District is lined with
mansions and large homes like the Van Benthuysen-Elms Mansion in the two
pictures above.
The mansion
was built in 1869 for Capt. Watson Van Benthuysen, II CSA. A relative of
Jefferson Davis, Watson was known as the "Yankee in Grey" and became a
merchant with interest in a St. Charles streetcar line.
The
mansion is available for parties, dinners. weddings and receptions.
Garden District
Mansions
|
|
Garden District Church
and
Mansion
Bultman's Funeral Home can be rented for musical
recitals, business functions and other gatherings.
|
The St. Charles Streetcar is an ideal way to take a self guided tour
of the Garden District, but to avoid paying each time you board it's a
good idea to purchase a one or three day VisiTour Pass. It's good for unlimited rides on
streetcars and all buses in New Orleans Parish.
Thousands of New Orleans residents commute to work on the 34
olive-green electric cars so plan your St. Charles Streetcar tour during
mid day to avoid the morning and evening rush hours and late afternoon
when the cars are full of school-age kids.
Board the
streetcar directly across Canal Street from Bourbon Street in the French
Quarter at Canal and Carondelet streets.
Drivers don't
call out stops so if you plan to get off for a walking tour of the Garden
District, shopping at Riverbend or visiting Audubon Park, the Zoo or
either Tulane or Loyola University you'll need to watch for your stop.
You'll also need to pay each time you board if you haven't purchased a
VisiTour Pass.
You won't be
on the streetcar for long before you navigate around Lee Circle on your
left. A statue of Robert E. Lee at the top of an impressive column is
forever facing north — so that his back will never be to his
enemies.
You'll see
many impressive and famous homes and mansions as you travel through New
Orleans Garden District. In addition to the photos on this page, be sure
to check out my Garden District page for pictures of many more mansions
and a panorama of Lafayette Cemetery.
Call the
Regional Transit Authority (RTA) at 540 249-9300 for information about any
part of New Orleans' public transportation system.
After passing through the Garden District and before coming
to the turn at Riverbend you'll pass Audubon Park and Audubon Zoo
on your left with Loyola and Tulane Universities directly across St.
Charles Avenue on the right.
Loyola University is the largest Catholic university in
the South and has occupied the 6000 block of St. Charles Avenue since
1911. From 1904–1911 it was a preparatory school.
Tulane University offers undergraduate, graduate and
professional degrees in medicine, public health and tropical medicine,
architecture, business, law, engineering, social work and the liberal arts
and sciences.
Our Super City Tour follows the path of the St. Charles Avenue
streetcar, past the homes of former Kings & Queens of Mardi Gras,
stately mansions, and the world-famous historic Garden
District. |
