Thomas Jefferson made the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 to gain control of the critical port of New Orleans; land outside New Orleans, which extended from Louisiana to Oregon and doubled U.S. territory, was practically a throw-in by the French; the sale occurred in The Cabildo (now a museum) in the French Quarter.

New Orleans remains one of the busiest ports in America.

Prior to Katrina, New Orleans had more than 470,000 African American residents in a metro area of about 1.2 million. About half that amount live there now, but more return each month to rebuild.

35% of the city's operating budget comes from tourism dollars.

New Orleans has over 35,000 structures on the National Register of Historic Places. Thats 15,000 more than its closest competitor, Washington, DC.

Nearby farms produce 100 million of the fast reproducing Mudbugs (“Crawfish”) each year.

Louisiana is second in energy production in the nation, with 11% of U.S. petroleum and 19% of America's natural gas reserves.

40% of all seafood consumed in the U.S. comes from Louisiana.

Jazz was born in the Storyville District of New Orleans.

New Orleans hosted the first opera in North America in 1796.

The last battle in th War of 1812 to maintain America's independence from Great Britain was fought in New Orleans.

New Orleans is one of the top culinary destinations in the world; it combines Caribbean, African, Spanish, French, Italian, Creole and Cajun culinary traditions.

Few cities in the world have as many celebrity chefs and restaurants as New Orleans, including Dooky Chase, Emerils, K. Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, Latrobe's and Antoine’s. Despite its tremendous culinary tradition, New Orleans is one of the most affordable places to dine out.

The Central Business District skyscrapers west of Canal Street were a product of the oil-boom during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Considering that the dice game "Craps" was first popularized here, it is not surprising that waterfront casinos have returned.

80% of New Orleans is below sea level.

New Orleans has been seen in many movies from Marlon Brando's Streetcar Named Desire up to  Deja Vu.

Many New Orleans cultural traditions have been spread around the world by these native sons and daughters and immigrant residents:

P.B.S. Pinchback
(1837-1921), Governor 1872-1873

C.C. Antoine
(1836-1921), state senator 1868, Lt. Governor 1872-1877

Buddy Bolden
(1877-1931), most early Jazz musicians and music historians credit him as the inventor & 1st bandleader of Jazz from 1895-1907, though he never made a recording; unfortunately, a chronic mental condition took over in 1907, causing his admission to an institution for the remainder of his life; without recordings or a credible biography, tales of his life are filled with folklore

Edward "Kid" Ory
(1886-1973), one of the most significant early Jazz bandleaders who had King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Sidney Bechet play in his band at one time

Joseph "King" Oliver
(1885-1938), another significant early Jazz bandleaders who groomed Louis Armstrong and many other Jazz legends

Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton
(1885-1941), the first great composer and piano player of Jazz and important transitional figure between Ragtime and Jazz styles

Sidney Bechet
(1897-1959), a contemporary of Louis Armstrong who helped refine Jazz and expand it's commercialization worldwide

Joseph Bartholomew
(1890-1971), built many golf courses nationwide

Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong
(1900-1971), 1st Jazz Ambassador to the world

Mahalia Jackson
(1911-1972), the Queen of Gospel

Henry "Professor Longhair" Byrd
(1918-1980) Blues legend

Bert Williams
Broadway composer in the 1920s-1930s

Leah Chase
Extraordinary chef and restaurant owner

Andrew “Fats” Domino
Born 1928, boogie-woogie pianist

Andrew Young
US Ambassador and former mayor of Atlanta

William Jefferson
1st local African American Congressman after Reconstruction

Brian Gumbel
National TV program host

Greg Gumbel
National TV sports host

Norbert Rilleaux
Invented the vacuum chamber

Terrence Blanchard
Jazz musician and composer of many Spike Lee films

Ernest "Dutch" Morial
1st African American mayor of New Orleans

Marsalis Family
Family of world famous jazz musicians

Neville Brothers
Family of Grammy winning musicians