Things you don't see in New Orleans

John McDonogh statue in front of City Hall

A lot of people ask me, "Why are so many schools named McDonogh?"  We live down the street from John McDonogh High School, John Mac to its alumni, and the former McDonogh No. 12.  There are more than twelve schools named McDonogh

John McDonogh (1779-1850) was a miser from Baltimore who nobody liked.  He got rich in New Orleans.  The McDonoghville neighborhood that straddles Algiers and The City of Gretna, is named after him.  

At the moment that he died, he owned more land than anyone else in the world.  It surrounded all of New Orleans.  

In his will, he left his hoarded fortune to two cities.  One was Baltimore, the place of his birth.  The other was New Orleans, where he died.  He is buried in The City of Gretna.  The money was supposed to be used to build schools.  It did.  That's why so many schools are named McDonogh in New Orleans.  There used to be over 30.

Old man McDonogh made one request in return for his bequest.  "Let little children be permitted to water a few flowers around my grave." 

I'm not making this up.  I read it on wikipedia.  It's a fascinating story.    

Statue of John McDonogh courtesy of wikipedia

When people take the St. Charles Avenue streetcar, they go past Lafayette Park.  "Who's that statue?" a husband will ask his wife.  "It's Lafayette Park, so that must be Lafayette," she tells him.

It's John McDonogh.

There is another statue of John McDonogh in the Central Business District, but none that I know of Downtown.  The other one is in that park in front of City Hall.  I can never remember the name of the park, but you can't miss it.  You can get there on the Loyola Street streetcar.  It's not City Park, which is just up Esplanade Avenue from us.

John McDonogh statue in front of City Hall

Not too many people see the statue of McDonogh in that park in front of City Hall.  The park has some interesting sculpture, but there isn't much to recommend it.  More people go to City Park to see sculptures.  

I think the memory of John McDonogh would be better honored if the statue that is currently located in that lonely park in front of City Hall could be relocated.

We need more statues on Esplanade Avenue.

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