BACK TO . . . .
Occasionally, we come across a city or mid-sized town which is attempting to bring about a return to a bygone era of supposed prosperity and of a vague and, perhaps, will full nostalgic sense of blissful well-being for all. In some cases the olden era to which planner are working to resuscitate is a strong, practical memory of an elite group of citizen with property and professional and either commercial, or industrial holdings which were in demand at that time and upon which their present-day prosperity is founded..
In-depth reading of the local newspaper's morgue files will show a
student how people lived and what was of real importance to their way of life. I think you know of cities which fit this pattern. It is unwise for any outsider to suggest that what was right for crowded, little colonial town of Williamsburg, Virginia is not, automatically proper for other villages in our time.
Every citizen has or her idea of just what the "old town" may have been like at one time or another; some idea, perhaps, of the ethical concepts of the social groups which enabled the community to grow in physical size and prosper in many other ways as well. Seldom do we find such images which could be matched. It is not difficult to see why some whole-city restoration plans go astray or simply get lost in a welter of modernization and replacements.
The people who are now trying to re-establish the fine, old and very unique city as anything else other than what it has always been will find their plan will flounder and fade. The physical needs of the complex City of New Orleans after the ravages of hurricane and food damages, provide a particularly difficult task because they are beset with a myriad group of idea as to what so many different people seem to think a restored city might mean to them and to future residents and visitors. They are going to have to remember that New Orleans has - and must ever be - a special type of city. If it is made to be anything other than what it has been...is...and will be again....such plans will falter and fail. It has long been one of the nation's favorite entertainment centers.
It has been that, if you so desired, one could find in New Orleans the kind of entertainment you considered best for you. One could find gambling of various kinds, one could seek out avenues of a sexual nature, others could enjoy fine dining in a large selection of restaurants of many types including Creole-oriented cookery with its gumbo magic.
There is a backlog of history studies and discovery. Nature studies abound. Then, there's music - the roots of was correctly called "jazz" during its early days - and it is here we must part because this would go on endlessly once we get started on that phase of the enduring values of a city to which we are - all of us - obligated in more ways than we might realize.
A..L.M. December 19, 2005 [c529wds]
