[Dixielandjazz] Basin Street History

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

I read someplace that the ground that was in the "basin" was dug out to 
raise the level of the surrounding area and that it did that plus boats 
could use the waterway or lagoon created.   Sorry I don't remember where I 
read that or if it's accurate.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rebecca Thompson" <rebecca.e.thompson at verizon.net>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 5:28 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Basin Street History


> No, Jim, I didn't mean by the levee.  Bayou St. John connected Lake
> Pontchartrain with Congo Square.  Basin Street (I was told) got its name
> because of the basin that existed in that area.  Ships were able to bring
> goods that far into New Orleans.
>
> I have read several books on the history of Louisiana, and New Orleans in
> particular.  I cannot find the exact information but I did find the
> following in a book I have.
>
> Quoting from "Storyville, New Orleans" by Al Rose
>
> Spencer Williams, Lulu White's nephew,wrote Basin Street Blues.
> "Williams' background makes it all the more odd that his famous hit song
> Basin Street Blues, should so misrepresent both the street and the 
> District.
> Musicaly, the song is far more reminiscent of Tin Pan Alley than it is of
> New Orleans.  The lyric, indefensible as poetry, is  preposteous as
> reportage.  If the dark and light folks every "met" on Basin Street, as 
> the
> lyric says they did, it was not in any "welcome's free" sprit of
> camaraderie!  Black customers were barred absolutely from all houses on
> Basin Street, including its two "octoroon" houses, and it was even against
> the law for white and black prostitutes to occupy the same premisis."
>
> Clarence Williams was quoted in "Hear Me Talkin' To You" about the
> mansions on Basin Street, " .. were really something to see, those 
> sporting
> houses.....  They were just like millionaires houses.....
> Places like that were for rich people, mostly white.  Oh, once in a while 
> a
> sailor might come, but generally only the wealthiest would come.
>
> I believe you will find that the cribs were around the corner from Basin
> Street.
>
> Rebecca Thompson
> Flower Mound, TX
>
>
>
>
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