NOLA weekend trip report - 1940

[Gourmondo]

Last night's visit to the Roosevelt reminded me about something I read not long ago and I thought I would share this with those of you who have a passion for history. I was going through some of my Dad’s correspondence that my mother gave me after his death and found the following letter dated April 4, 1940 from my uncle to his brother (my father), in which he is describing a trip from Baton Rouge to New Orleans for the weekend:

“We are all trying to live rather cheaply now, as I am trying to clear up all debts before we get into the war. However we turn loose now and then for a little fling. Last weekend we took a holiday weekend in New Orleans. Left here at 3 Saturday afternoon and ate dinner at Kolb’s restaurant, which is the best German restaurant in the city. Had Wiener Schnitzel for dinner and Apple Strudel for dessert. Saw “Virginia City” at the Saenger that evening. Sunday morning we went out to Audubon Park walking and toured the zoo. Had lunch at a French restaurant then went to the Blue Room at 2:30. Tommy Dorsey was playing and it was a good show. We danced a little, but went mainly to hear the music and see the floor show. We got out of there at 5, went down to the Jung Hotel and checked out, then stopped by the French Market for doughnuts and coffee outdoors before setting out for Baton Rouge. Got back here at 8 p.m. and that is what we call a swell weekend.”

The more things change, the more they stay the same. I am assuming the "French" restaurant was Antoine's or Arnaud's, but who knows.

[justagirl]

Thank you so much for sharing that. I think a tear just fell info my coffee.

[Isabella Maja]

I loved that you shared this as well.

This is the kind of stuff of which lovely books are made.
Would love to hear more.

[Gourmondo]

Well it makes you appreciate the days when people could not only write letters, but with many interesting details. Who will be able to find our e-mails when we're gone...or want to read them? People in my family always wrote lots of letters. Since I am one of the history buffs in the family my aunts, grandparents, etc. gave them all to me. So I have hundreds of these things. One of my favorites is a letter reporting on a relative's role in the Battle of Shiloh, along with a copy of the Picayune (the entire newspaper) from April 1862 detailing the battle.

My mom really enjoyed seeing the Roosevelt. Her father actually lived at the hotel for while during 1930-31 until he could scrape up enough money in the Depression to move his family down here from BR. He became friends with the manager, Seymour Weiss, who presented my mother with her birthday cake at her 9th birthday at the hotel in 1931. Another more notorious resident of the hotel during those days, Huey Long (also a friend of Mr. Weiss), was not on the guest list. In the 'small world' category, one of the med students I taught at Tulane during the 90's was the grandson of the physician who shot Long.

[Oyster]

Funny thing. I was going through some old atricles this am, and one was written on the Roosevelt just prior to the re-opening. Three unusual things noted in the article:

1) I knew that Clinton always stayed there when in town. The Secret Service, while checking his room came across a void on the inside of his closet wall. For security reasons, they had to find out why, access, etc. Seems that there was a ladder in this void that went from the lower level to the top. One could perch at each level and hear conversations in the rooms while on the ladder in the void. Rumor is Huey set this up for evesdropping!

2) The old time carpenters were quit a notorius bunch! Said if you didn't catch them before lunch, it would be tough to find one in the afternoon. At one point, it was discovered that they had built a hidden lounge area behind a false wall that no one could see, and they would spend the afternoons drinking and relaxing in their own private/hidden lounge. It had a specacular view of the Monteleone and the River behind it.

3) There was a secret club in the basement, and it was designed in a cave theme. Had stalactites/stalagmites etc. built in. Appeared that it was built as a Speakeasy during Prohibition.

Sure glad they saved the old building!

[Gourmondo]

I wouldn't put anything past Huey. Lots of folks wondered if the hotel was where Huey's "deduct box" was hidden, but it has never been found.

Mom said they used to "wash the money" every night at the hotel. I am sure there has been lots of money laundering conducted there over the years! What she was talking about was when they would cash out at night, they had some sort of chemical solution to "clean" the coins to make them look shiny and new when you got change the next day - you could buy a lot of things with coin change back then. Probably a good marketing angle in the midst of the Depression to make you feel like you were really putting on the Ritz.

[Suzy Wong]

The Cave supper club/restaurant in the basement was during the time of the Gruenwald Hotel before it was The Roosevelt then the Fairmont. It later became the laundry area for the hotel. The house I live in now was owned by a guy who worked at the Roosevelt/Fairmont for years, 30?... Have some neat items from the hotel.

[Isabella Maja]

There's a picture of the Cave lounge on Mr. Lake's Board.
I'm guessing the nostalgia board.

Go over there & take a peek.

Here's a link to view active topics:

http://mrlake.fncinc.net/search.php?sea ... ive_topics

Admin, I hope this is ok to do this, if not, just delete it.

[Jeeves]

Here ya go:





Photos are public domain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roosevelt_Hotel_New_Orleans

[Titchou]

I wouldn't put anything past Huey. Lots of folks wondered if the hotel was where Huey's "deduct box" was hidden, but it has never been found.

Mom said they used to "wash the money" every night at the hotel. I am sure there has been lots of money laundering conducted there over the years! What she was talking about was when they would cash out at night, they had some sort of chemical solution to "clean" the coins to make them look shiny and new when you got change the next day - you could buy a lot of things with coin change back then. Probably a good marketing angle in the midst of the Depression to make you feel like you were really putting on the Ritz.

Many of the old time fancy hotels/resorts washed the coins every night. It was a very common practice!